Indiana @ Nebraska - Post-game thread - 1/2

[Uspshoosier 46,939]

We are winning at this point in spite of those glaring issues. Other teams in that range are not. Our schedule (which we are favored over our next 7) is favorable. If we lose more than 1 I wouldn't be happy. But if 5-2 makes some happy as a mod I am thrilled but I don't buy that. We have went 7-0 our last 7 and people act as if we were 0-7. So as much as I wish 5-2 would make some happy I only think 8-0 in our next 7 with winning by 65 is the only way.

the next 7 games are extremely important in my opinion for us to start building a resume. If you are a ken Pom guy 4 of the next 7 are against ken Pom top 62 teams and another agaisnt Illinois (122). The 2 Minnesota games are must wins to avoid a bad loss( and to gain another road win). If u are an rpi guy( not enough data for it to be used yet) , which the committee will use 5 of the next 7 games are against too 100 teams (Illinois in top 100)

[mdn82 25,546]

Wisconsin twice, Ohio St and Illinois. I see the schedule, I am just not overly confident with a team that gives me little to no confidence.

Illinois is absolutely terrible. Ohio State (not good) at home. Wisconsin on the road we are favored. That is the one game I could see us losing but without Bo Ryan and Frank Kaminsky they are not Wisconsin of the last 15 years. I am not sure how the teams we are playing gives you little to any confidence. But we can most definitely agree to disagree and come back to this in4 weeks. I highly doubt either way if we did go 5-2 people would still be happy.

[Tom White 1,435]

Defense was somewhat better

That was due, at least in part, to JBJ not playing.

No. I'm not joking.

[Tom White 1,435]

I would also scrap the 3 man weave up top as it just kills time and doesn't effectively get us in a position to succeed. Kill the 3 man weave!

Absolutely! All it does is use up shot clock and put the team in a hurry up - turnover inducing position.

[WestCoast Hoosier 27]

Troy Williams is what concerns me right now. Tom Crean described him as "a Swiss Army knife", meaning that he has a lot of tools. And he does!

But a knife also has a handle And Troy Williams doesn't.

A lot of tools without a handle equals a problem.

Now, let me make it clear I'm not anti-Troy. I'm just thinking of ways to help him. If Troy gets a handle then his Swiss Army knife aspects - his athleticism, his leaping ability, his vision, etc. - will become unbelievable assets for his team AND him! If I'm Troy, I'm working 24/7 on improving my handle.

But for now, good defensive teams know that they can stack the middle and swipe the ball. That mad dash driving stuff might've worked against lower-level teams with little defensive capability. But it didn't work against teams like Duke and it ain't working in the Big Ten.

In my opinion, Crean needs to stop using that play.

Until he does, it's easy. As soon as you see Troy Williams at the top of the key bouncing the ball, you just instruct all of your players "He's coming through on one of his drives. Get in the way and poke the ball loose." And for the other team, it's like found money.

[Bobman1 2,909]

I'm satisfied with any Big Ten road win. Now let's get back to the Hall and kill these Badgers.

[HoosierAloha 30,077]

^^^And you could see Crean call for Troy to make that drive several times in this game. 

 

We win that game by close to 20 if we have

-  Better FT%

- A few less TOs

 

Troy basically gave them 9 points on his TOs.  Earlier in the season Troy was hustling back for blocks after making mistakes now he's just putting his head down. 

[maxwell 605]

^^^ @WCH  I agree with most all of your above post.  To the degree in which Troy can tighten up the handles I would like to see this play continue because feel recently he has improved:  1)  a better sense of knowing when his driving lane has been closed off.  2) when the decision is made to make a pass, generally, he is making an accurate passed that puts his teammate in a good shooting position.