Are We Better Than Last Year?

[Brass Cannon 24,068]

Just now, Stuhoo said:

It’s not that simple. He was an academic all B1G. He played hard. 

Do you really want to kick a kid off the team because he’s got a sour personality?

 

If he’s destroying team chemistry the way this board seems to think.  Then yes. I tend to think Smith was a decent kid that thought he was something he wasn’t. And the coaches should have had a difficult conversation that they wouldn’t utilize him in the role he wanted to be used. 
 

Not set up to fail by using him that way for a season. 

[8bucks 6,143]

11 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

It’s not that simple. He was an academic all B1G. He played hard. 

Do you really want to kick a kid off the team because he’s got a sour personality?

 

I think the “plays hard” part is debatable. You did not need to kick him off but he could have been benched.  Wasn’t he the guy who played the most for us last year. So either he was a problem and the coaches overlooked it or he really wasn’t and we the fans underestimated his value. 

[Stuhoo 75,756]

13 minutes ago, 8bucks said:

I think the “plays hard” part is debatable. You did not need to kick him off but he could have been benched.  Wasn’t he the guy who played the most for us last year. So either he was a problem and the coaches overlooked it or he really wasn’t and we the fans underestimated his value. 

That’s fair!

[Josh 12,380]

1 hour ago, brumdog45 said:

My take is the exact opposite.  I feel whenever we lose, the loudest voices say how horrible we are and want us to move on from Archie.  After a win?  Those same people say we don't do it consistently enough -- or the reaction of some of the biggest complainers -- when we do well, they stop showing up.

Personally, the bottom line to me is that any decision on hiring decisions has zero to do with my opinion.  I'm in front of the tv rooting for us and get frustrated and pissed at some times, excited and happy at others.  

I feel this happens with both sides.  The Archie detractors and the Archie Supporters.  It's just that one side is larger than the other

[Josh 12,380]

1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

It may be too early for you...the picture is clearing up a bit for me! I’m a quick learner maybe.  ;)

One thing's for sure.  When we finally win another NCAA title, whoever the coach is will prove who are the quick/slow learners.

[LamarCheeks 16,856]

After the Providence game, we were better than last season. 

After the Texas game, we were way worse than last season. 

Now, we're better than last season. 

After our next loss, we'll be way, way worse than last season. 

And so it goes  ... 

[wirenuts 1,055]

40 minutes ago, Brass Cannon said:

If he’s destroying team chemistry the way this board seems to think.  Then yes. I tend to think Smith was a decent kid that thought he was something he wasn’t. And the coaches should have had a difficult conversation that they wouldn’t utilize him in the role he wanted to be used. 
 

Not set up to fail by using him that way for a season. 

didn't indiana start the student bill of rights last year or the year before? I dont know much about it, could it possibly be a reason why they didnt/couldnt get rid of Smith? I don't know the answer, just wondering if anyone else did

[HoosierFan1994 4,631]

The real answer..it's too early to tell. I feel Providence and Stanford are two decent teams-teams that many felt would make the NCAA Tournament before the season. I think IU is a tournament team. The question is how good. I feel offensively they have to ride TJD and Race to get going. I'm not sure I trust their guard play just yet. 

[JaybobHoosier 11,821]

The real answer..it's too early to tell. I feel Providence and Stanford are two decent teams-teams that many felt would make the NCAA Tournament before the season. I think IU is a tournament team. The question is how good. I feel offensively they have to ride TJD and Race to get going. I'm not sure I trust their guard play just yet. 

It feels like our guards play with a lot more hesitancy. I wonder if that’s their nature, Archie’s coaching, or both. Rob makes us so much better when he attacks and shoots, but he’s very timid in both right now. Just makes you wonder what some of our guards think during games and with their confidence.

As for are we better this year. I do think so, but it will take time as the season progresses. Young team with new offensive sets and wrinkles, we really needed a normal season. If that was the case, I don’t think we would be having too much discussion in this thread.


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

[HoosierAloha 29,897]

It feels like our guards play with a lot more hesitancy. I wonder if that’s their nature, Archie’s coaching, or both. Rob makes us so much better when he attacks and shoots, but he’s very timid in both right now. Just makes you wonder what some of our guards think during games and with their confidence.

As for are we better this year. I do think so, but it will take time as the season progresses. Young team with new offensive sets and wrinkles, we really needed a normal season. If that was the case, I don’t think we would be having too much discussion in this thread.


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

I believe, with what we saw vs. Providence and Stanford compared with Texas, when the guards are aggressive we play much better. We tried moving the ball side to side then get it to the post against Texas. Today, the focus seemed to be getting by your man and making a play. That will free up both the drop off passes to Race and Trayce and kick out to shooters. Phin and Al can hit shoots when we do that. Armaan, Galloway, and Lander will eventually get there. The pass the ball around the perimeter then shoot a contested three isn’t a recipe for this team to succeed.

The intensity needs to be more consistent. After Trayce threw down the out of bounds play, the next two possessions our guards were ultra aggressive with Armaan trying to throw one down in traffic, getting fouled, and then Lander took it to the rim. Good things will happen when TJD and the leaders lead while the others follow.


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners mobile app

[IUc2016 7,014]

I will say this, in IU's two wins this week it was nice to see them keep a lead throughout the game. It felt like last year no lead was safe, multiple times IU would get up by double digits only to squander it away at some point in the second half. 

Against Providence and Stanford that did not happen. This team got the lead, kept it, and won pulling away. Keep doing that. "Please!" - Bill Walton

[Hardwood83 4,512]

"Are we better than last year?" After a small sample size without the entire roster......I say "no". Meaning, on any given night, I think last year's team had the potential to be better because DG could go off for 30. I think this season's defense looks better and the offense is more balanced & coherent, which I HOPE leads to more consistency.

Disclaimer, after thumping FSU last year I thought IU had FINALLY turned the corner and was as legit top 15-20 team,  year before that, after thumping Marquette, I thought IU was FINALLY "back" and Romeo & Juwan would take IU to the FF....so I have very little credibility.  :)  

[ray 1,560]

It is still way too early.  The teams IU has played this early in the season are superior to last season's opponents (Western Illinois, Portland State, North Alabama, and Troy) at this point in the schedule, but the Big Ten will be brutal again this year and IU has yet to face any conference foes. 

The last season's totals are based off all games on their schedule vs only four opponents for this season.  Therefore, any of this below is pretty useless to gauge improvement...but, stats don't lie and it's the only pure data we have to compare the two seasons beyond the "eye test".

 

In my early opinion, it seemed IU was playing better defensively.  The stats seem to indicate this may be true.

(+) Field goal percentage defense has improved to 38% from 42% last season. 

(+) Three point fg percentage defense is 23.0% compared to 32.2% a year ago.

(+) Scoring defense has improved to 61.5 compared to 66.7 last season.

(+) 5.0 blocks per game compared to 4.4 last year. 

(-)  Steals have dropped to 5.0/game compared to 5.6/game last season.

 

At first glance I thought the offense had improved at least marginally.  The stats may also suggest the offense has improved slightly.  They played one of the best defensive teams and a possible borderline top ten team in Texas already, but again, the Big Ten will be much more challenging than any of the other teams they've faced thus far.

(+) Turnovers per game are down about 1.5 this season with an assist to turnover ration of 1.42 compared to 1.02 last season.

(+) Field goal percentage has increased to 46% compared to 44% last season.

(-)  Three point percentage has dropped to 29.31% compared to 32.6% a season ago.

(=) Free throw percentage is the same at 68%.

(+) Pts/game up to 72.8 compared to 71.4 a season ago.

 

(-)  The rebounding margin for last season was plus 5.6 whereas this season thus far it's plus 0.2. 

(+) Turnover margin is plus 3.5 this season compared to minus 0.3 last year.

(+) Scoring margin is plus 11.3 compared to plus 4.7 last season.

 

How much (if at all) the team has improved is still a question.  My best guess at this point is they'll likely finish someplace in the 5-10 spot in the Big Ten (that's how little we know yet and how deep the Big Ten is), and I expect some lopsided losses against teams far more talented (Illinois, for instance looks scary good and deep).  Perhaps IU steps up and plays better against teams rated above them, which isn't too uncommon for Indiana teams of the past, and perhaps they'll play down to others?  Who knows?  Can they end in the top 5?  My guess is they won't finish there, but anything is possible.  It is FAR too early to tell.  And with Covid the relevance of this team vs last season's team or the strength of the Big Ten vs last year's Big Ten may prove to be moot points, as IU may benefit from another team's testing or vice versa.  

I still believe IU will make it into the tourney this year (if there is one) based on at least an average record in this year's best conference.  If that indeed happens, is this team better than last year's team which would have also played in the tournament, albeit by eking out one or two additional must-win games?  If this year's team ends the regular season and finds themselves out of the conversation of bubble talk, then I would say the team has improved considering the Big Ten is seemingly stronger this year than last. 

I believe the roster is better built this season.  I also like the hustle and effort of a number of the players.  The team also appears to have a better connection and chemistry.  I hope they shock me and finish better than top 5 in the Big Ten, but I've seen Illinois and Michigan State play so far.  They will be two monumental challenges for IU, and I highly doubt they'll be the only.  Wisconsin and Purdue have owned Indiana for some time now, and I don't think there's much question as to whether either of those teams have improved from last season.  Iowa always has someone shoot lights out from behind the arc and drop 30 on us, and they have the best player in the nation.  And then there's Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers, Maryland...whew!  It could be a long season.  Hopefully IU makes it an exciting one too.

[hogfan14 35]

17 hours ago, brumdog45 said:

I will say this about Justin Smith......it seems like most power five teams are playing pretty tough non-conference schedules because of the reduction in non-conference games.....except Arkansas.

Their non-con slate:

North Texas, Mississippi Valley State, Texas Arlington, Lipscomb, Tulsa, Central Arkansas, Oral Roberts, and Abilene Christian.

They may go 8-0 (only possible loss I see would be Tulsa) and yet be hurt for a tournament bid because of how incredibly weak that group is.

Yeah Arkansas had games against Louisville and Oklahoma cancelled due to COVID and got left with that. Although Tulsa, UTA, Lipscomb and North Texas should finish pretty high in their conferences. Pretty underwhelming.

[Stuhoo 75,756]

15 minutes ago, hogfan14 said:

Yeah Arkansas had games against Louisville and Oklahoma cancelled due to COVID and got left with that. Although Tulsa, UTA, Lipscomb and North Texas should finish pretty high in their conferences. Pretty underwhelming.

 

Welcome back Hogfan!

I really like Musselman, and I like respectful posters from other schools. If you've come here to read about Justin Smith beware; he's definitely not an especially popular ex-Hoosier. 

My issue with Smith is that every year he was fool's gold; during non-conference cupcake season his athleticism allowed him to dominate, and cupcake opponents allowed him to hit a few unguarded perimeter shots. However, when we played power 5 opponents and his athleticism wasn't as prominent, he consistently slid into the abyss.

 

[Hardwood83 4,512]

16 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

 

Welcome back Hogfan!

I really like Musselman, and I like respectful posters from other schools. If you've come here to read about Justin Smith beware; he's definitely not an especially popular ex-Hoosier. 

My issue with Smith is that every year he was fool's gold; during non-conference cupcake season his athleticism allowed him to dominate, and cupcake opponents allowed him to hit a few unguarded perimeter shots. However, when we played power 5 opponents and his athleticism wasn't as prominent, he consistently slid into the abyss.

 

All true, sadly. MY biggest gripe were his baby hands. By my detailed count he fumbled the ball 762,432 times during his IU career. In traffic he was a guaranteed TO. Wide-open lane to the basket? Nope! Justin just booted it into the 3rd row! There were times I suspected he did it on purpose. Probably a great guy, but I wouldn't let him hold my newborn baby or anything else of value.  

[Stuhoo 75,756]

1 minute ago, Hardwood83 said:

All true, sadly. MY biggest gripe were his baby hands. By my detailed count he fumbled the ball 762,432 times during his IU career. In traffic he was a guaranteed TO. Wide-open lane to the basket? Nope! Justin just booted it into the 3rd row! There were times I suspected he did it on purpose. Probably a great guy, but I wouldn't let him hold my newborn baby or anything else of value.  

[HoosierAloha 29,897]

12 minutes ago, Hardwood83 said:

All true, sadly. MY biggest gripe were his baby hands. By my detailed count he fumbled the ball 762,432 times during his IU career. In traffic he was a guaranteed TO. Wide-open lane to the basket? Nope! Justin just booted it into the 3rd row! There were times I suspected he did it on purpose. Probably a great guy, but I wouldn't let him hold my newborn baby or anything else of value.  

I only watched a few minutes of the UTA vs. Ark game last night and sure enough he had one of those.  I was excited to see how he was going to finish over the less athletic UTA defender on the break before realizing he was going to fumble it.  I believe part of this stems from a lack of concentration too. 

[Honkyman 1,670]

 

However, when we played power 5 opponents and his athleticism wasn't as prominent, he consistently slid into the abyss.

Like the time Justin Smith scored 24 points against Michigan State? 

[Stuhoo 75,756]

1 minute ago, Honkyman said:

 

However, when we played power 5 opponents and his athleticism wasn't as prominent, he consistently slid into the abyss.

Like the time Justin Smith scored 24 points against Michigan State? 

With some exceptions, yes.