RaceToTheTop

Rice needs to let Ballo clean it up. Let the shot blocker eat if you get beat.

Jump stop is a lost art. Too many guys are getting blocks just by timing someone going in for a layup.

IU came up bad and sloppy. After falling behind 22-12, the Hoosiers ran off a 25-11 run. That was the good. That last minute was horrible. The made three by USC was defended well and a flukish shot as the shot clock ran down. Not much you can do about that. Rice missed a free throw when he is usually automatic and then failure to block out gave up the last bucket. And shame on Robbie Hummel for thinking IU was executing to get a two-for-one when Rice took his shot with 34 seconds left. 34 seconds won't get you a two for one. Opponents will run the clock down as much as possible....on a miss, you'll have like 5 seconds. On a make, clock runs and you won't have time to get a look.

As was mentioned in the post right after yours, the one that was lost on defense was Tucker. A couple of times USC got threes up because Tucker was standing in no man's land and ball watching.

A good coach doesn't let him get 0-7 in the first four minutes and then sit him for 16. If you were unhappy with his shot selection, get him out at 0-4, coach him up, and get him back in. The only thing you teach a shooter to do when they are pulled for missing shots is that they shouldn't shoot.

Refs seem to be making up fouls for the sake of evening them up.

Not sure you can sit both Goode and MM that long together. Have to have some shooting out there. Tucker is 2 for 4 from the field but it simply isn't sustainable. He HAS to get more buckets going to the rim. If he keeps shooting 15 feet and out, he'll never top 40%.

Not a shooting foul?

Malik Reneau has shot 50% of better in his last ten games. The talk of IU being better without him is nonsense. In games like this where IU can't hit a lick you can dump it down to him.

Don't we need to win as many games as possible with or without him? IU was like -9 with Langdon Hatton on the court against Penn State (think like 7 minutes). I hope we continue to play well but the narrative that some people want to use that we don't need Reneau is false. The frontcourt is very, very thin without him.

Seated with his girlfriend, Bridgette Nielson.

Just looking back at players whom IU pursued and where they are and what they are doing now. Trying to focus on players whom at least visited or there was serious interest from both sides. Ben Humrichous, Evansville., 6'9" forward. Transferred to Illinois. Started out hot for Illinois but has cooled off. 80% of his shots are from three. In 28.7 minutes is averaging 8.2 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. Shooting 39/36/67. Leland Walker, Eastern Kentucky, 6'1" guard.. Transferred to Florida Atlantic. In 29.8 mpg, averaging 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. Shooting 42/32/80. Low volume of three point shots. Elijah Malone, Grace College, 6'10" post. Transferred to Colorado. In 21.8 minutes has averaged 11.2 points and 3.8 rebounds. Shooting 64 / 33 (just 9 attempts) / 77. Zach Anderon, Florida GC, 6'7" forward. Transferred to George Mason. In 21.7 minutes has averaged 5.8 points, 3.1 reb, and 1.1 assists. Shooting 39/40/71. Bulk three point shooter. Connor Hickman, Bradley, 6'3" guard. Was probably the player that was closest to committing to IU but didn't. Transferred to Cincinnati where he has struggled. 21.7 mpg, 4.7 points, 2.6 reb, 1.2 assists. Shooting 38/27/50. Tony Perkins, Iowa, 6'4" guard. Transfered to Missouri. In 23.7 mpg, averaging 8.7 points, 2.5 reb, and 2.3 ast. Shooting 46/24/80. Riley Klugel, Florida, 6'5" G/F. Was one of the first players IU reached out to but quickly moved on from. Transferred to Mississippi State. In 21.7 minutes is averaging 10.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. Shooting 48/30/74.

Nebraska now up 15 at Iowa, 52-37, with 15 minutes left. I'd call it a beat down but we all now some of the wacky comebacks that Iowa has had at Carver.

Go home Tennessee, you're drunk.

I like Leal but he has to present himself as at least an offensive option. There has been some occasions in the last couple of games where he literally had had just slightly contested shots near the rim and he chose to pass it rather than take them.

I wouldn't say that about Washington. They are NET 91 which is a pretty high quad 2 game on the road.

Wisky getting their first free throws of the game at the 3:28 mark of the second half.

Wisky up 6 and going to the line at the under 4. Ace Bailey has been really bad -- 3 of 14 from the field. Dylan Harper started but wasn't really ready yet. Didn't score in the little time he played. Rutgers started have only scored 22 points....their bench has kept them in it by putting 37.

*news flash* Wisconsin has not shot a single free throw in the first 32 minutes of the game against Rutgers. Toto, we're not at the Kohl Center anymore...

Wisky didn't close the door early when they could have. Rutgers within 3 at 58-55 at the under 8 and Klesmit exited the game with a twisted ankle.

IU 78 USC 69

Rutgers hanging around, down 51-45 at the under 12.

Watching Wisky/Rutgers. Wisky on a 12-0 run (kill shot!) and leads 24-11. Don't think I've ever seen a Rutgers team under Pikiell that is just standing around so much. It's like they are waiting for Harper and/or Bailey to go off on offense but their defensive energy is putrid. Have to think Pikiell might rethink his strategy after this season and look to go back toward the type of players he use to have -- hard nose, grind it out types.

Ryland Gandy added on the the statistical summary of all IU transfers. Link below. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HkHOPCXQowEXP28uvzvaAHspgGxBnh9w_jCR8y3U_uM/edit?usp=sharing

Torvik has a projection that if IU on the current data, IU could be 19-12 and 10-10 in conference and that all 12 losses would be quad 1....4-12 in quad 1, 4-0 in quad 2, 11-0 in quad 3 and 4. If that were to happen, I can't imagine IU being left out if they had no quad 2 losses. That said, NET rankings will shuffle around and regression says some of the teams currently Q1 will fall to Q2. USC at IU would be the single quad 3, yes? USC currently at 94.