Game Thread: IU vs FGCU - 11/7 @ 6:30 on BTN

[Home Jersey]

[tyappleg]

28 minutes ago, RaceToTheTop said:

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.

Somehow not shocked a former Penn State player has a career game against IU.

[realTomCrean]

49 minutes ago, str8baller said:

 2) doubt it. We’ll need MM to be “the man” some games. Also, we have no guard depth. Cupps can’t play with Galloway and XJ all game. He’ll have to back them up. I can see those 3 closing some games tho. 

You nailed it - captains are going to have a handful of games this year with 18 minutes played in 2H.

Hummel talked about that during the game, thought he made a good observation in saying that X and Galloway saw TJD as a captain and what all comes with it and now they have to bare that same weight. Last January/Feb 33mpg for TJD was literally a light day 

[Hoosier987]

52 minutes ago, RaceToTheTop said:

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.

Not surprised. Unfortunately, CJ and Banks look completely and utterly lost still….and whatever decision they make, is usually the wrong one. Can’t help but to feel that we’re not going to see a significant jump from these guys…which sucks because if one of them could just turn into a reliable defender and scorer it would make all the difference. 

[FloridaHoosierGirl]

We always come up for one of these early games and I have never been at a game that the crowd was so into it.  Such fun, nerve wracking, but fun!

[moyemayhem]

Woody uses a question about Trey to discuss Gunn, Banks, and Mgbako…
 

Q. How much better are you offensively as a team when Trey could have a night like tonight, 7 of 9 shooting, 16 points, and really attacking basket when he had chances?

MIKE WOODSON: Well, we’re a lot better, but my concern is CJ and Kaleb and Mackenzie. All three of those guys are capable of scoring too, so when they’re in the game I got to get them comfortable number one, and they got to figure out what the hell we’re doing from a defensive standpoint. A lot of that was missed cues on their part.

I got a lot of work to do, put it that way.

 

https://www.insidethehall.com/2023/11/07/video-quotes-mike-woodson-iu-players-react-to-win-against-florida-gulf-coast/

[Hovadipo]

5 minutes ago, FloridaHoosierGirl said:

We always come up for one of these early games and I have never been at a game that the crowd was so into it.  Such fun, nerve wracking, but fun!

Did seem like a great crowd tonight. Had some fun runs. 

[Hornsby]

Not surprised. Unfortunately, CJ and Banks look completely and utterly lost still….and whatever decision they make, is usually the wrong one. Can’t help but to feel that we’re not going to see a significant jump from these guys…which sucks because if one of them could just turn into a reliable defender and scorer it would make all the difference. 

Why I always thought a grad transfer guard was needed.

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[cthomas]

Cupps is going to be good most nights. I already feel more comfortable when he is in the game because more times than not he will make the right play. I want CJ to be that kind of guy too. It just feels like he is still trying to do too much too soon when he gets in the game. His potential is so high that it pains me when he has nights like tonight. I'm really hoping he figures it out. And, we need Sparks back asap.

[Stuhoo]

Very satisfying win for me. Not because we played great (we didn’t).

Because we beat a team that was truly a challenge, in the first game where we had a ton of new pieces.

Because of Ware. No motor problems for that young man. Just lots of quick, detailed screens, rim runs, rebound chasing, and close-outs.

Because of the first game of the four year Gabe Cupps era. We’ve got our leader and culture setter for the long term future.

Because the problems we had are eminently fixable; defensive rotations (MALIK!) and guys with nice strokes missing too many free throws.

Because Mgbako will get going—his body language during a disappointing night for him was utterly fantastic.

Because I see the potential of this team late in the season. Lots to work on—we’re going to take some lumps in November and December, but the possibilities are intriguing.

[cthomas]

6 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Because of the first game of the four year Gabe Cupps era. We’ve got our leader and culture setter for the long term future.

This can't be overstated. Having a player with his work ethic and his skills will be an anchor for the next four years. You can tell how much CMW likes him while still not trying to put too much pressure on Cupps. He might be the most important player CMW has recruited. The way he plays is just full out. He blocked a shot at the end of the game that made no difference whatsoever in the outcome, because he plays all out until the game is over.

[kreigh8]

6 hours ago, Hornsby said:

Why I always thought a grad transfer guard was needed.

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I always thought a portal PG would be helpful after Lander transferred. Hard sell with Cupps and X but I’ve always preferred Galloway off the ball.

Still feel things are less crowded for Gunn, so there’s going to be an opportunity for him. Others know him better, but strikes me as a guy trying to generate offense when he comes in but doesn’t have the consistent shot to execute it

[Hoosier987]

7 hours ago, Hornsby said:

Why I always thought a grad transfer guard was needed.

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Agreed. It’s the one glaring miss on this roster which is why I was perplexed with the Walker transfer….give me anyone of those guards on FGCU who can shoot the three over another 6-8 non-scoring, raw player.  Hell, I would’ve tried to retain Bates (who went 3-3 from three in Missouri’s first game) if we weren’t sure we could’ve gotten a guard transfer. 
 

[dwtaylor1055]

this was a good test in my mind.  I'd rather get tested and challenged within the first two or three games(i know UCONN is game 4 on our schedule) by mid major teams such as FGCU.  IMO FGCU is a tourney team when fully healthy. 

Glad we came away with a win.  Team had to figure out adversity right away after FCGU went on a 8-0 to jump ahead by 6 or 7 points.  Free Throws we need to bump that % up closer to 75/80% and figure out more on both O and D when Gunn, MM and Banks are on the floor together.  Cupps will play plenty of minutes ROY.  Ware showed flashes.  Trey is our leader.  

[JSHoosier]

It's a win, but definitely some things to improve on.

Have to shoot better from 3 and the charity stripe. At this point bad FT shooting is a broken record.

We need Banks or Gunn to contribute if Newton isn't healthy enough.

1:1 assist to TO, not good.  11 TOs not bad though.

Have to guard the 3 better, several of their looks were just from IU not playing close enough.

Good game by Ware. Not as dominant down low as Davis was but shows a more rounded game.

Cupps is a competitor. No one skill really sticks out but plays hard and smart, he will have some growing pains as a freshman though.

 

[yogisballin]

9 hours ago, 5fouls said:

This is taking the Cupps love a bit too far.  Johnson is a top 2 scorer, defender, and ball handler on this team.  Nobody else on the roster can make that claim.  

I realize it is 1 game. And I will gladly eat crow but I disagree with you about scorer portion. Just never been an XJ guy. I mean look at last year sir

[kreigh8]

20 minutes ago, yogisballin said:

I realize it is 1 game. And I will gladly eat crow but I disagree with you about scorer portion. Just never been an XJ guy. I mean look at last year sir

Last year? The year X played in only 11 games?

[Artie86]

Ware really continues to impress me. He played very protective and aggressively around the rim last night. He is deceptively smooth for his size. I loved seeing him get fired up and clapping his hands together after some of his monster blocks. Cupps is the other player that I really enjoy as well. Jarred Odle posted a text last night and I will paraphrase, "Cupps is the perfect, throwback prototype of a Coach Knight guard."

[RaceToTheTop]

39 minutes ago, yogisballin said:

I realize it is 1 game. And I will gladly eat crow but I disagree with you about scorer portion. Just never been an XJ guy. I mean look at last year sir

What about last year?

[JSHoosier]

9 minutes ago, Artie86 said:

Ware really continues to impress me. He played very protective and aggressively around the rim last night. He is deceptively smooth for his size. I loved seeing him get fired up and clapping his hands together after some of his monster blocks. Cupps is the other player that I really enjoy as well. Jarred Odle posted a text last night and I will paraphrase, "Cupps is the perfect, throwback prototype of a Coach Knight guard."

I actually had a similar thought. Tough, competitive, makes smart winning plays. Sounds like the kind of guard Knight would've loved.