RaceToTheTop

Of note: the guy that Robbie Hummel kept saying 'has the second greenest light after Isaiah Thompson" on FGC's team -- Chase Johnston -- was 3 of 12 from the field and 3 of 15 overall. The guys who were hitting against us were Zach Anderson and Dallion Johnson. Johnson was a little used guy from Penn State Anderson is a decent player but not known as a bulk three point shooter -- averaged one made three per game last year. Those two were 10 of 18 from three tonight. Side note: don't know who keeps IU stats but they keep criminally undercounting Ware's blocks. Credited him with three but I know there were a couple that he got a hand on that altered the path on misses.

They aren't. But I would have been shocked if after our opening game the conclusion would have been anything other than we would struggle to compete on the national level with our guards.

FWIW, Mgbako played 19 minutes and we were +2 with him in. C.J. Gunn, on the other hand......played 9 minutes and we were -11 with him.

If there were an Archie Miller coached team, once we were down 48-42 we would have lost. I do feel much more comfortable that when we play a "C" grade game that we are much more likely to win now than then.

Seems like annually the first time X has a less than stellar game, people want him benched. He's an important part of how well this team does. He's fine.

FWIW, Torvik has Florida Gulf Coast rated at #123 entering the IU game. He puts them above Penn State and on par with Minnesota. Nebraska, though, is a decent team. Certainly wouldn't put them in the Minnesota/Penn State territory.

Yes, he had a poor game. He's a 6'8" kid who shoots the ball very, very well. We were struggling with ball movement so that didn't help tonight. I know that two exhibitions were against lesser competition, but he did hit 4 of 7 threes in those games. Line on him out of high school was that he had both an excellent mid range and perimeter game with a developing ability to get to the rim. And size wise he's ideal as an 18 year old freshman. In terms of Walker, he's really our fourth big man after Ware, Reneau, and Sparks. He rebounded well and defensively did pretty well. That's exactly what you want from your fourth big, IMO.

X-Gabe-Trey worked tonight, but I don't think it works against P5 teams. FGCU's game is perimeter and drive oriented. I wouldn't worry about #4. He certainly wasn't pouting. In terms of Walker, I thought we got exactly what we needed from him. Gunn and Banks we didn't. Banks earned his quick hook tonight. I do think this would have been a decent game to have Sparks once Reneau was in foul trouble. Fundamentally sound big man and I think would have blocked out where others weren't.

Good and bad from all of them, but would say that Ware's only bad was a lack of shots put up. I don't think MM will have many performances like he did tonight. Defensively, have to close out on shooters. Reneau was really weak on that. He was good offensively but didn't block out or play well defensively. Ware is a much better passer than I imagined and defensively was very, very good.....not just on the interior but also was probably the best player we had on closing out shooters.

I think he thought it would be a struggle.

Of note: Mgbako did not have a good night and sat almost the whole second half. Who was the first guy on the court congratulating the players out there? Mgbako.

There are only two results you can have in a game ultimately. We got hte right one.

FGCU wanted a certain match up on the block, IU wanted the other. I don't know the rule on who has to set first.

****, leaving again.

Just want to say at 48-42 FGCU, I decided to change something up and not post in the thread. Been IU 23-10 since.

JC, get out on the shooters. But....how in the **** is that not a jump ball????

Reneau simply can't give away fouls like that. They are having trouble stopping him inside.

Yeah, went back and watched it. My bad.

Malik....not smart there.

Hope they do

That wasn't a three by MM?

Need guys going to the ball when Ware is getting blocks.

Would have felt a lot better about the half if we hit 14 of 18 free throws instead of 10 and were up by 6 instead of 2. Can't leave points at the line like we have in the past.

IMO, can't really put Roth on that list. Senior year was great but his other two years was a 37% three point shooter and a guy who averaged under 5 ppg for his career. Defensively he would hurt us.

Dallion Johnson has really been the only offense for Florida Gulf Coast -- 9 points on three threes. Spent three years at Penn State as a guy who was nothing more than a back end rotational guy.