IU Basketball News and Notes

[J34 1,472]

https://x.com/JeffRabjohns/status/1819050055774445575?t=3PjiYVmq720LgbicpFbgQw&s=19

Mgbako(#5) and Rice(#6) mentioned at their respective positions. 

Braden Smith is listed as the #2 lead guard/facilitator. Boo!

[Stuhoo 79,371]

11 minutes ago, J34 said:

https://x.com/JeffRabjohns/status/1819050055774445575?t=3PjiYVmq720LgbicpFbgQw&s=19

Mgbako(#5) and Rice(#6) mentioned at their respective positions. 

Braden Smith is listed as the #2 lead guard/facilitator. Boo!

Ballo as the #7 true big.

[J34 1,472]

4 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

Ballo as the #7 true big.

RJ Davis, Coleman Hawkins, and Hunter Dickinson seem like they've been in college for a decade. Really enjoyed the breakdown on MM. Hopefully his agility/quickness has improved enough to be a great 3 level scorer. He definitely showed signs of being able to, just wasn't quick enough, or confident enough to get to his spots sooner.

[WayneFleekHoosier 47,796]

Our team is set up to be nasty. Especially if Rice and Carlyle are as advertised.  I want these guys to be great.  I still like Gallo as a point and on ball. I fear he won’t get much run there but I think to be our best Gallo is back up point over Cupps.  Curious to see what strides Cupps can make with his limitations. He really needs to be the deadeye shooter because his potential for that role is much better than Gallo. 

[HoosierHoopster 6,711]

Loaded foe bear or … porkchop.

definitely have the pieces. Stay healthy!

[str8baller 4,980]

12 hours ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Our team is set up to be nasty. Especially if Rice and Carlyle are as advertised.  I want these guys to be great.  I still like Gallo as a point and on ball. I fear he won’t get much run there but I think to be our best Gallo is back up point over Cupps.  Curious to see what strides Cupps can make with his limitations. He really needs to be the deadeye shooter because his potential for that role is much better than Gallo. 

One of the reasons I'm cautiously optimistic Woody deviates from his typical rigid substitution habits to a more fluid position less  style of substitution is Galloway. Woody is pretty loyal to his guys and Galloway is one of his guys.  So to get Galllo the minutes he needs off the bench he'll almost have to move him around the perimeter playing spots from backup pg to both off -ball wing spots, which in turn should force MM down to the 4 and us to play small more than we usually do.  

 

To the extent Cupps is in, I still prefer Gallo to initiate the offense.  Cupps shot a respectable 36% from 3, almost all his makes coming on spot up catch and shoots,  but he could guard the other teams pg. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 83,593]

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/randy-wittman-left-iu-basketball-practices-impressed-with-new-backcourt/

[Stuhoo 79,371]

28 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/randy-wittman-left-iu-basketball-practices-impressed-with-new-backcourt/

In other words…

thank God Almighty that Myles Rice chose Indiana University.

[HoosierHoopster 6,711]

3 hours ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/randy-wittman-left-iu-basketball-practices-impressed-with-new-backcourt/

“Hopefully, we’ll have something to cheer about, it’s about time.”

and

”most importantly, they can knock down tje three.”

Yes, please.

[go iu bb 5,427]

33 minutes ago, HoosierHoopster said:

“Hopefully, we’ll have something to cheer about, it’s about time.”

and

”most importantly, they can knock down tje three.”

Yes, please.

I'll believe it when I see it. We're heard every year during the summer and early season workouts how certain players are shooting so well and how much better the team will be from 3 that year. Then the offseason snipers can't make shots in games and/or the team just doesn't shoot many 3 point shots. Usually both.

[Stuhoo 79,371]

24 minutes ago, go iu bb said:

I'll believe it when I see it. We're heard every year during the summer and early season workouts how certain players are shooting so well and how much better the team will be from 3 that year. Then the offseason snipers can't make shots in games and/or the team just doesn't shoot many 3 point shots. Usually both.

Well, except for the year before last when Galloway, Kopp, and XJ shot it really well.

[HoosierHoopster 6,711]

48 minutes ago, go iu bb said:

I'll believe it when I see it. We're heard every year during the summer and early season workouts how certain players are shooting so well and how much better the team will be from 3 that year. Then the offseason snipers can't make shots in games and/or the team just doesn't shoot many 3 point shots. Usually both.

I just want volume and more emphasis on guard play with the exceptionally improved backcourt. We’re not going to be a 38-39% 3 point ball club, but we don’t have to be. Just integrate the 3-ball as a real part of the O and we’ll be so much better both outside and in. Spacing. Let the basic math be recognized in the scheme. 

[go iu bb 5,427]

2 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

Well, except for the year before last when Galloway, Kopp, and XJ shot it really well.

Stopped reading before the bolded part below?

3 hours ago, go iu bb said:

I'll believe it when I see it. We're heard every year during the summer and early season workouts how certain players are shooting so well and how much better the team will be from 3 that year. Then the offseason snipers can't make shots in games and/or the team just doesn't shoot many 3 point shots. Usually both.

That season they were almost dead last in how often they took 3-point shots. They were 352nd in attempts per game. That squanders the good shooting as shown by being only 334th in makes despite being 48th in percentage.

[HoosierHoopster 6,711]

Siap, from 8/5 - Borzello's way too early top 25:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39895473/mens-college-basketball-way-too-early-top-25-rankings-2024-25-season

Has PU at 16, noting "Matt Painter still has an elite backcourt in Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer; Smith vs. Mark Sears is terrific." Elite backcourt?

IU at 18:

 

Nov. 27-29 Battle 4 Atlantis: There's not a ton of excitement on the Hoosiers' nonconference schedule, but their trip to the Bahamas is a chance for Mike Woodson's talented roster to live up to the expectations placed on them. Gonzaga and Arizona will enter the tournament as favorites, but there's an opportunity to see whether Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo can dominate down low.

Projected starting lineup

Myles Rice (14.8 PPG at Washington State)
Kanaan Carlyle (11.5 PPG at Stanford)
Mackenzie Mgbako (12.2 PPG)
Malik Reneau (15.4 PPG)
Oumar Ballo (14.2 PPG at Arizona)

[IUFAN1976 2,747]

5 hours ago, HoosierHoopster said:

Siap, from 8/5 - Borzello's way too early top 25:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39895473/mens-college-basketball-way-too-early-top-25-rankings-2024-25-season

Has PU at 16, noting "Matt Painter still has an elite backcourt in Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer; Smith vs. Mark Sears is terrific." Elite backcourt?

IU at 18:

 

Nov. 27-29 Battle 4 Atlantis: There's not a ton of excitement on the Hoosiers' nonconference schedule, but their trip to the Bahamas is a chance for Mike Woodson's talented roster to live up to the expectations placed on them. Gonzaga and Arizona will enter the tournament as favorites, but there's an opportunity to see whether Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo can dominate down low.

Projected starting lineup

Myles Rice (14.8 PPG at Washington State)
Kanaan Carlyle (11.5 PPG at Stanford)
Mackenzie Mgbako (12.2 PPG)
Malik Reneau (15.4 PPG)
Oumar Ballo (14.2 PPG at Arizona)

I still think PU is overrated along with their guards.  Edey commanded double teams and was a tremendous bad play outlet!  Those 2 guards will not be half as good as they were this past season though 

[Demo 19,474]

46 minutes ago, IUFAN1976 said:

I still think PU is overrated along with their guards.  Edey commanded double teams and was a tremendous bad play outlet!  Those 2 guards will not be half as good as they were this past season though 

I’m pretty amazed at the reaction to Purdue minus Edey. Yeah, Smith and Loyer are rock solid and have played a bunch of ball and Painter’s elite. But Edey’s in the conversation for the most dominant player of the last 20 years. And not just dominant, but dominant in a way you can’t duplicate. And yet his absence is being treated like, ya know, Illinois losing Coleman Hawkins. If they win the B1G this year Painter’s a Hall of Famer, I don’t care if he wins a Natty or not. 

[Stuhoo 79,371]

9 hours ago, Demo said:

I’m pretty amazed at the reaction to Purdue minus Edey. Yeah, Smith and Loyer are rock solid and have played a bunch of ball and Painter’s elite. But Edey’s in the conversation for the most dominant player of the last 20 years. And not just dominant, but dominant in a way you can’t duplicate. And yet his absence is being treated like, ya know, Illinois losing Coleman Hawkins. If they win the B1G this year Painter’s a Hall of Famer, I don’t care if he wins a Natty or not. 

Since it's the offseason/silly season, allow me to nitpick:

Smith is rock solid and then some.

Loyer? At the end of his second full season as a starter last year, he was still getting pulled off the court in late game situations because of his defense. He's a very good catch and shoot player, but is not rock solid.

[HoosierHoopster 6,711]

 I agree Smith is good, but really for me how good, without Edey, is an open question, and I agree Loyer's a bit overrated. 

In fairness to PU, we didn't see Edey coming. We didn't think he'd be as dominant as he was. Does PU have another surprise big? I don't see a player at PU that can command that kind of inside attention, but I feel snake bit. Glad Edey's gone (and I continue to think his NBA career will be underwhelming FWIW), and do think PU will be nowhere near as good, but man, no surprises please.

[hoosierbgh 1,264]

On 8/12/2024 at 11:46 PM, Demo said:

I’m pretty amazed at the reaction to Purdue minus Edey. Yeah, Smith and Loyer are rock solid and have played a bunch of ball and Painter’s elite. But Edey’s in the conversation for the most dominant player of the last 20 years. And not just dominant, but dominant in a way you can’t duplicate. And yet his absence is being treated like, ya know, Illinois losing Coleman Hawkins. If they win the B1G this year Painter’s a Hall of Famer, I don’t care if he wins a Natty or not. 

I agree with most of this but I'm curious, would you have called Painter elite prior to last season?

Personally, Painter has done a more than respectable job with limited resources but I wouldn't have considered him anywhere near elite. Nor does last year's run change that in my opinion. 

[Demo 19,474]

5 hours ago, hoosierbgh said:

I agree with most of this but I'm curious, would you have called Painter elite prior to last season?

Personally, Painter has done a more than respectable job with limited resources but I wouldn't have considered him anywhere near elite. Nor does last year's run change that in my opinion. 

Yeah, it certainly depends how you define your terms. For me it’s a matter of if you have a dude on your bench who you know is never gonna be out-prepared, out-scouted, out-schemed and is gonna make nothing but rock solid in-game decisions without fail then you have an elite guy. There just aren’t many guys you can say that about. If you factor recruiting into that, and I don’t, then it becomes a little different thing. Example: I consider Randy Bennett not only elite, but about as good as it gets. A lot of people would disagree, but he hits all of my particular criteria. In Painter’s case, I think he’s been pretty clearly the best HC in the B1G since Beilein left. If you’re the best guy in arguably the best conference you’re pretty much elite by definition.