@Illinois game thread. 1pm Sunday

[LazOffTheBench 3,638]

Group hug!

[Hovadipo 55,242]

Group hug!

I'm in!

[schoosier 3,459]

schoosier, we were debating in the chat, did you watch this game?

Yes, from start to finish. I waited to join in on the site until after the game.

[GloryDays 5,915]

Boys showed some grit today

Grit is definitely what did it.The game could of went either way at 5.00.

Last year we lose this one.These guys are playing with heart and that wins these types of games.

Proud of them .Go Hoosiers!

[southbostonjohn 14]

Just came on line and read all the post.  So many negative comments about players and Coach durning the game.  Them same people leaps praises on them after they won.  Basketball is a game of runs,  good to see I.U. get the W.  Go Hoosiers

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

We seem to be trending in that direction, so the Hoosiers must be playing well. As hard as I have been on Crean, I also always recognize when he does well and the team is ready to play. I will give him and the team the credit they deserve. It was a great win and one they should be proud to accomplish. I am a Hoosier thru and thru and seeing us play well and win is my biggest priority.

I can appreciate that. Thank god we're doing well lol.

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,056]

HOW BIG was that "lucky" putback bucket from Troy to give us the lead towards the end. That play and Yogis steal and pass to Blackmon are the 2 biggest moments that are sticking in my memory. I honestly think we lose if Troy doesn't score on that play!

[TomPritchard25 526]

I just read through the game comments. I hate 75% of you. If you like IU, cheer for them & quit downgrading every little thing. This program has been down enough without you wanna be basketvall analysts & negative nancies. All hope ISNT lost when We are down by 4 with 18 minutes left in the game.

Thank you to the positive people. Post more please

[rebelhoosier848891 9,588]

You tell'em Pritch! 

 

The giver of THAT ONE DUNK!

 

OliviaPope---cue video....

[Uwe Robb 1,072]

Pretty sure Yogi or Rob was guarding Nunn when he got all the open threes

I'm pretty sure we were in a 2-3 zone when Nunn hit all those 3's and JBJ was at the top of the zone. Either way when we were man to man he was either guarding Nunn or Starks. Nunn hit 6 and Starks hit 5. The general point of my comment was that JBJ is bad at defense.

[bnkepner 1,509]

I'm pretty sure we were in a 2-3 zone when Nunn hit all those 3's and JBJ was at the top of the zone. Either way when we were man to man he was either guarding Nunn or Starks. Nunn hit 6 and Starks hit 5. The general point of my comment was that JBJ is bad at defense.

You don't understand zone defense I guess if you blame it all on JBJ. He sure isn't the best defender but his offense and his rebounding make up for it.

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

You don't understand zone defense I guess if you blame it all on JBJ. He sure isn't the best defender but his offense and his rebounding make up for it.

His offensive proficiency doesn't change the fact that he's poor defensively.

That said, I think he's upped his intensity on defense over the course of the year. Would love to see him work on it during the offseason and come back strong.

[rebelhoosier848891 9,588]

JBJ's rebounding is a part of his game that has come around---he is not afraid to get in there and mix it up with the big boys!

 

It looks to me like he still loses his man on defense sometimes---but it is not as matadorish as it was earlier in the season.

 

He admits defense is his weakness----and that he's working on it---that says a lot for the young man right there!!

 

We are going to get better and better at defense----and get better and better as a team because of it!

[bnkepner 1,509]

His offensive proficiency doesn't change the fact that he's poor defensively.

That said, I think he's upped his intensity on defense over the course of the year. Would love to see him work on it during the offseason and come back strong.

 

His offensive proficiency doesn't change the fact that he's poor defensively.

That said, I think he's upped his intensity on defense over the course of the year. Would love to see him work on it during the offseason and come back strong.

Like I said I know he isn't the best defender but seems like many weren't giving him credit that he seems to have picked up the intensity a bit. People have to remember he averaged about 30 ppg in high school and thats all his teams depended on him for. He was a scorer and that was it. This year is honestly the first time he has been counted on to play D

[Uwe Robb 1,072]

You don't understand zone defense I guess if you blame it all on JBJ. He sure isn't the best defender but his offense and his rebounding make up for it.

I understand zone defense, and I never blamed anything on JBJ. I simply stated that his defense is not good. I blame all the 3's on CTC for using the 2-3 zone so often when it was obviously not working. I am sure someone will jump on here and state that we HAVE to use zone because of our lack of size and depth at the big man position, but I still think it is used far too often. I think it should be used 5-8 possessions a game to pull teams out of their offense not as a primary defense as it has been used this entire year, even when Hanner was healthy.

 

Illinois had a wide open lay up to tie the game with approx. 45 sec left and they missed it. This was a result of the zone defense as well. If Hill (?) had made this layup maybe everyone's tune on here is a little different.

 

Please do not get me wrong. I am super excited about the win. With that said our #1 area we need to get better in is DEFENSE. I see some great effort and positive things out of this team when they go man to man a lot times, but I see a lot of negatives and regression when I see our 2-3 zone defense. It just baffles me that we play the weaker of our two defenses the majority of the time.

 

Totally agree with you as well on JBJ being a superb rebounding guard. He and Rojo both are.

[Alabaster Thunder 306]

I'm sure Coach Crean must have something saying the zone is effective... some stats, +/- or whatever, right?

 

I do recall noticing during a second viewing of the game, the announcers make note of IU switching to the 2-3 zone when IU was up 50-40. As we all know, that was when Illinois started their 21-2 run... It didn't help IU's defense that Illinois was shooting uncharacteristically well. I get that the zone is supposed to hide IU's smaller front line and all, but without the presence of a shot blocker/rim protector, the guards really cannot afford to do the "matador defense".

[HoosierAloha 30,026]

I understand zone defense, and I never blamed anything on JBJ. I simply stated that his defense is not good. I blame all the 3's on CTC for using the 2-3 zone so often when it was obviously not working. I am sure someone will jump on here and state that we HAVE to use zone because of our lack of size and depth at the big man position, but I still think it is used far too often. I think it should be used 5-8 possessions a game to pull teams out of their offense not as a primary defense as it has been used this entire year, even when Hanner was healthy.

 

Illinois had a wide open lay up to tie the game with approx. 45 sec left and they missed it. This was a result of the zone defense as well. If Hill (?) had made this layup maybe everyone's tune on here is a little different.

 

Please do not get me wrong. I am super excited about the win. With that said our #1 area we need to get better in is DEFENSE. I see some great effort and positive things out of this team when they go man to man a lot times, but I see a lot of negatives and regression when I see our 2-3 zone defense. It just baffles me that we play the weaker of our two defenses the majority of the time.

 

Totally agree with you as well on JBJ being a superb rebounding guard. He and Rojo both are.

 

I believe it was Black..

 

You can play that game all day though.  What if Holt lays the ball in instead of attempting the puttback dunk.  What if Troy doesn't make that crazy athletic putback.  What if Hartman made his bunny.

 

I believe some stats or logic is pushing coach to use the zone.  Personally I would like to see man defense with a few junk zones thrown in every 5-8 possessions to see if we can through the opponent's offense off a bit.  The problem is having the proper personnel, discipline, and communication.  I see the team has been working on communication and discipline but we won't have the personnel this season.