IU vs ND post-game thread

[AKHoosier 7,654]

It's not that making the dance every season should be a minimum; it should not be. However, we should be making the tournament almost every season, save for that outlier where we are crushed by injuries or unexpected early departures. I'd say nine out of ten would be about right.

 

What is unacceptable is that for the third straight season, we are nowhere near one of the top twenty teams in the country. We should be a top twenty team about 80/90% of the time, and be ranked better than that the majority of the time.

 

We also haven't gotten out of the first weekend of the tournament since 2012-2013 too.

 

If we have a 22-9 type year, get bounced the first day of the BTT, then only win 1 or no games in the NCAAs, then I don't think a change would be uncalled for.  Tournament success cannot be lacking the way it has been lately.

[Miller'sTheMan 1,652]

So if we put together 7 or 8 wins in a row do we get back into the top 25?

[HoosierHoops1 5,024]

So if we put together 7 or 8 wins in a row do we get back into the top 25?

I'd say that mostly depends on how teams 15-30 do in the next 2 weeks.

[Uspshoosier 53,880]

If we put 8 wins together that would mean we would have 3 wins vs top 100 ken Pom and 3 true road wins so I would say yes we would be in the top 25

[Str8Hoosiers 2,972]

So if we put together 7 or 8 wins in a row do we get back into the top 25?

Maybe if we put 7-8 Big Ten wins in a row.. But not if we are counting the last of the non con schedule.. Notre Dame is a nice one, the other 4 shouldn't even count... The Big Ten schedule could allow this so maybe possible if we have truly turned a corner.

[Miller'sTheMan 1,652]

Maybe if we put 7-8 Big Ten wins in a row.. But not if we are counting the last of the non con schedule.. Notre Dame is a nice one, the other 4 shouldn't even count... The Big Ten schedule could allow this so maybe possible if we have truly turned a corner.

Yea I was more referring to 7-8 in a row starting from the Notre Dame game. So if we started out the B1G 7-0 I would think we'd be in the top 25 but what do I know?

[Str8Hoosiers 2,972]

Not a lot of tough games to start Big Ten, but yea I think starting of 7-0 would get us back in the rankings

[Bowhunter 3,120]

It comes down to our guys playing for the name on the front of the jersey. Until we learn how to play unselfish on both offense and defense, we will not be anything more than average. It's crap basketball and not what a grew up watching. Yes I was happy we won, but we need more consistency on both sides before I get back on the Crean wagon. I fell off about two years ago!

[8bucks 7,488]

It comes down to our guys playing for the name on the front of the jersey. Until we learn how to play unselfish on both offense and defense, we will not be anything more than average. It's crap basketball and not what a grew up watching. Yes I was happy we won, but we need more consistency on both sides before I get back on the Crean wagon. I fell off about two years ago!

At this point Crean needs a period of exceeding expectations. Several years where we fell short gets you on the hot seat. We saw what one magical tourney run did with Davis and bought up the fools gold once. So Crean would need to exceed in the regular season, the BTT and get to at least the elite 8 to even be considered for a repeat.

The chances of that happening are very low. It is a very difficult challenge but he has used up all his mulligans and needs a miracle to pull out a season that merits an encore

[rebelhoosier848891 9,588]

A day later---I will say the IU win and the UK loss has been the buzz down here in southern Indiana. That win sure helped with the fan base--- and the enemy base.

 

It was nice to see IU's huge fan presence in Indy.

 

It was great they had something to celebrate after the game.

 

It's only one game but I will say there is a return of hope and renewed optimism.  Time will tell!

[rebelhoosier848891 9,588]

I have always supported Crean and appreciate all the positive things he has done to restore our program to respectability.  But--IU has to be more than respectable---it has to be a perennial contender.  We have waited long enough. I fell off the Crean bandwagon late last year and have serious doubts he is the guy to get the program to the top.  Here's to hoping he proves me wrong and that the ND game is the first step to contenderville. The talent is there.  We shall soon see if the coaching can get it done.

 

Go IU!  Whatever happens--I will be supporting our Hoosiers all the way!

[8bucks 7,488]

A day later---I will say the IU win and the UK loss has been the buzz down here in southern Indiana. That win sure helped with the fan base--- and the enemy base.

It was nice to see IU's huge fan presence in Indy.

It was great they had something to celebrate after the game.

It's only one game but I will say there is a return of hope and renewed optimism. Time will tell!

Perhaps in the team but not in the coach.

[Str8Hoosiers 2,972]

Yea I was more referring to 7-8 in a row starting from the Notre Dame game. So if we started out the B1G 7-0 I would think we'd be in the top 25 but what do I know?

As I said before I think it would... But new polls came out today considering our Notre Dame victory and we have 0 votes, 5 BIG teams received votes including Iowa and Northwestern... If we are now thought of behind Northwestern we may have more work to do than I thought.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 89,902]

As I said before I think it would... But new polls came out today considering our Notre Dame victory and we have 0 votes, 5 BIG teams received votes including Iowa and Northwestern... If we are now thought of behind Northwestern we may have more work to do than I thought.

The pollsters are probably of that "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me" school and with our early season stumbles in Maui and at Duke, it's going to take more than a victory over a Notre Dame team that isn't nearly that tough this year, to get their attention. 

[Str8Hoosiers 2,972]

The pollsters are probably of that "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me" school and with our early season stumbles in Maui and at Duke, it's going to take more than a victory over a Notre Dame team that isn't nearly that tough this year, to get their attention.

I agree, so does 7 more victories over subpar BIG teams get their attention?

[Sota Hoosier 450]

I re-watched the game last night and obviously knowing the outcome eases the stress level but overall here are some thoughts:

 

• JBJ seems completely in it for himself this season. That breakaway he had where Troy and Yogi were wide open trailing the play and he decided to take a heavily contested layup was so frustrating. He's trying to make the play that pads his stats rather than the smart basketball play that helps the team. He did get fouled but it should have been a much easier two points for IU and I think sums up his overall selfish play thus far this season. A couple drives he had looked like he was stricken with blindness and either ended in a turnover or a near-turnover. As has become the norm, he has no sense of urgency or intensity on defense. His scoring isn't enough to offset his ineptness on defense, especially if you're thinking about him in the NBA. It's not even close. If you watch Rojo play defense, he's at least down in an athletic stance and looks hungry to make a play. JBJ is either lost or is looking to break out offensively the majority of the time. I would start CH or Zeisloft over him right now with how he is playing. Hard to watch. Its looking more and more like he will be around for at least one more year.
• Rojo is our best all-around player right now. Even though we were down 10 at half, it would have been much more had he not come to play. His 3pt shooting is ridiculous and his turnovers are coming down steadily. He was sound defensively in this game and at the very least, looks like he wants to play tough defense and get stops.
• We NEED to dump the ball into Bryant/Biefeldt more. It is nearly impossible to guard us if we have spacing and guys down low that can score on the low post with how we can shoot the three. On top of that, TW and CH can slash to get backdoor cuts and layups. TB scored on ND several times down low with his post moves/length and hopefully it was a confidence booster for him going into conference play.
• Regardless of whether you think ND just missed open shots or stopped attacking offensively, our defense stepped up majorly in the zone and we were rebounding out of it to limit them to one shot. We also need to remember that other teams will make good offensive plays and score on occasion. For the most part, we played sound defensively in the zone and made it difficult for ND to score.
• Troy was Troy. 

 

To turn a negative into a positive....look how poorly we played for 75% of the game and we won by 7 against a decent team. It was a very gutsy effort and I'm proud of the guys for fighting and staying poised when the game looked its most bleak.

 

I still think this team is a sleeping giant. Will it ever be awoken? Who knows but hopefully the momentum from the end of this game will serve as a confidence/morale booster. January is an incredibly important month.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 89,902]

I agree, so does 7 more victories over subpar BIG teams get their attention?

Not if there's not a lot of big losses or upset losses among the ranked teams to cause their stock to fall.  I don't think simply beating subpar opponents will drive our stock up significantly.  And I'm not so sure I wouldn't prefer to remain unranked or lowly ranked if this team would just string together some consistently solid winning performances.  I'm afraid if they jumped into the top 15, they'd just do a 'dukie' and immediately fall back out. 

[Str8Hoosiers 2,972]

Not if there's not a lot of big losses or upset losses among the ranked teams to cause their stock to fall. I don't think simply beating subpar opponents will drive our stock up significantly. And I'm not so sure I wouldn't prefer to remain unranked or lowly ranked if this team would just string together some consistently solid winning performances. I'm afraid if they jumped into the top 15, they'd just do a 'dukie' and immediately fall back out.

Very good points. I want to slowly move up, earn every spot... But I do want them in the top 15 at the end of the year, top 4 seed in the dance.. That was my expectations this year and although I don't see it happening now we gotta take care of business when we should and win at least 2 of 4 of the tough ones to get to that point.

[colonel06 1,948]

Yes the Hoosiers need to take care of business with the mediocre BIG schedule. These upcoming wins will not impress you and me but guess who else it won't impress-The Committee! So the win over ND looms large so far. The Hoosiers only get a chance several times during the regular schedule to grab attention of the Committee and must be prepared for nothing but victory in those instances. As far as rankings go it will be extremely difficult to make meaningful gains outside ranked teams because of the league's overall strength . Beat PU!

[Uspshoosier 53,880]

Yes the Hoosiers need to take care of business with the mediocre BIG schedule. These upcoming wins will not impress you and me but guess who else it won't impress-The Committee! So the win over ND looms large so far. The Hoosiers only get a chance several times during the regular schedule to grab attention of the Committee and must be prepared for nothing but victory in those instances. As far as rankings go it will be extremely difficult to make meaningful gains outside ranked teams because of the league's overall strength . Beat PU!

the committee cares about top 100 wins and creighton was a top 100 win. That mediocre big 10 schedule you are talking about has 10 games against teams that are top 100 as well and 3 other games against teams just outside the top 100