IU vs ND post-game thread

[Whoozhers 3,761]

I quit watching the game after the flagrant foul. I just KNEW they were going to steal the inbounds pass after the free throws. Torqued me off. So, my wife and I quit watching and went to the casino. I walked up to the bar to get a beer and the TV above the bar had the game on. We watched the last minute and the win! I guess we are going to do that for every game now. Seemed to work.

[hoosierpap 14,300]

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.

Yup, specifically remember thinking the same thing. That represents what some of these guys are about and it's maddening. 

[Str8Hoosiers 2,965]

I didn't quite say it as eloquently earlier but I agree 100%.

[Naturalhoosier 15,467]

I quit watching the game after the flagrant foul. I just KNEW they were going to steal the inbounds pass after the free throws. Torqued me off. So, my wife and I quit watching and went to the casino. I walked up to the bar to get a beer and the TV above the bar had the game on. We watched the last minute and the win! I guess we are going to do that for every game now. Seemed to work.

Hopefully you won some moolah too!!!!!