Are We Better Than Last Year?

[JaybobHoosier 11,912]

Putting this here instead of the FSU game thread which is an article from ITH. Reason why I’m posting it here is one of their takeaways about not doing well on the road against a ranked opponent. I think people need to understand while our offense still isn’t good and that IS on Archie, that all other areas are improving, especially the culture with the team which is HUGE! I’m not excusing the bad offense, but we have no proven depth right now with Brunk hurt and Jerome still getting himself adjusted. Depth can also be placed on the coaching staff too, but that took a hit with Smith transferring. This team is relying on freshman right now to fill major areas when there have been no tuneup games. Like I’ve said all along, the start of the season will not be as good as the end of the season once this team gets the experience needed!

https://www.insidethehall.com/2020/12/10/five-takeaways-from-indianas-loss-at-florida-state/


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[TheWatShot 14,227]

I think our movement on offense has improved. I noticed at some point during the game last night, I wasn't yelling "MOVE!" at my TV screen like I had become used to doing. 

 

The bigger issue is that our problems on offense are endemic. We simply cannot shoot the basketball, and that's not typically something that gets better during a season. Free throw shooting will come and go. I still hate 1 and 1's, and I consider it lucky when somebody actually makes both shots. I was shocked TJD made both of his at the end of the first overtime. 

 

Effort won't be the problem it was last season. We'll still have some nights where it's just not there, and people will moan and groan about it, but no team brings it for 40 full minutes every single game. This roster just isn't talented enough to finish in the top half of the conference. Too many recruiting misses over the last 3 years have added up. 

[JaybobHoosier 11,912]

I think our movement on offense has improved. I noticed at some point during the game last night, I wasn't yelling "MOVE!" at my TV screen like I had become used to doing. 
 
The bigger issue is that our problems on offense are endemic. We simply cannot shoot the basketball, and that's not typically something that gets better during a season. Free throw shooting will come and go. I still hate 1 and 1's, and I consider it lucky when somebody actually makes both shots. I was shocked TJD made both of his at the end of the first overtime. 
 
Effort won't be the problem it was last season. We'll still have some nights where it's just not there, and people will moan and groan about it, but no team brings it for 40 full minutes every single game. This roster just isn't talented enough to finish in the top half of the conference. Too many recruiting misses over the last 3 years have added up. 

This isn’t directed towards you or anyone, but I think the recruiting miss thing is a little overblown to a degree. I feel it’s just highlighted because the shooters he did recruit went elsewhere, but Archie has gotten a lot of good recruits to come here. You can argue either side, but his recruiting has been mostly good.


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[bigrod 2,903]

13 hours ago, maharkn said:

But the players have reached their max in bench press and have six packs

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We have the All Airport team. Can't remember if that was Vitale or McGuire that used to say that.

[TheWatShot 14,227]

7 minutes ago, JaybobHoosier said:

 

This isn’t directed towards you or anyone, but I think the recruiting miss thing is a little overblown to a degree. I feel it’s just highlighted because the shooters he did recruit went elsewhere, but Archie has gotten a lot of good recruits to come here. You can argue either side, but his recruiting has been mostly good.


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I'm not denying he isn't getting good players. He just can't seem to put it together to form a well-rounded team. A popular line that gets thrown around is "He landed 3 straight Mr. Basketball winners!" Yeah, and only one of them is doing anything for us right now, and it's not addressing our biggest problem. There's more to recruiting success than just landing the Mr. Basketball winner. I mentioned this last night, but we always seem to be lacking in a particular area, and even if we have an answer to that in the following class (which right now, we don't), somebody else leaves/transfers and then that becomes a problem the following season. Archie Miller hasn't fixed this in 4 years, and I'm starting to think he probably never will.