and what are we drinking tonight?
No doubt this is a big game tonight- a new conference foe with a gaudy record who currently sits atop the Big Ten standings is coming into our house. It also happens to be the same school that beat us the last time we played for a national title. But some are acting like we're playing in the Final Four tonight- is there really that much excitement surrounding a mid-January game against Maryland? Maybe it's just that we're on a little bit of a roll and a W tonight puts us into a first place tie with the cheese-heads. I don't think anybody thought we'd be in this position at any point this season. The 9 PM EST Thursday night start time probably has a little to do with the excitement level as well....
On to the game. As Rabby so wonderfully pointed out in his new feature Inside the Film Room, the Terps like to pack the lane on defense and set high ball screens on offense to set up driving lanes for Trimble and Wells. I have a feeling they won't be packing the lane quite as much against us but if they do and we can keep the ball moving, we're gonna see some big nights from Yogi, JBJ, RJ and Z. If they break from that pattern and stay closer to our shooters, driving lanes should be available. As long as we can either pull Dodd away from the basket or avoid his shot block attempts by hitting a cutter in the lane (I'm looking at you Troy Williams), we can score enough to win.
But scoring "enough to win" doesn't always mean you will win... gotta play some defense, too. And obviously the key is containing Melo and Dez. Yogi and RJ have to keep those guys in check while Collin, Troy and Emmitt do their best to make sure none of Maryland's big men have career nights.
I have a feeling the crowd is going to be nuts tonight, which will give us just enough of an edge to get the W tonight, but it's gonna take OT to get there!
IU 85
Maryland 81
I'll be at 5 Rabbit Cerveceria in Bedford Park tonight for the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild "Party of Greatness", an annual party held for Guild and ImBIBE members (ImBIBE is a craft-beer enthusiast program that offers benefits such as early-entry to beer fests, easier ticket access to high-demand fests like FOBAB, discounts at pubs and breweries in IL, and other benefits). So, I'll be drinking whatever is on tap, including Ten Ninety Milk & Cookies. I'm hoping some of my fellow brewers have some good stuff waiting for me... and I'll still be home in time to catch the end of the 1st half and all of the 2nd.
What say you Hoosier fans?
GO HOOSIERS!!
No doubt this is a big game tonight- a new conference foe with a gaudy record who currently sits atop the Big Ten standings is coming into our house. It also happens to be the same school that beat us the last time we played for a national title. But some are acting like we're playing in the Final Four tonight- is there really that much excitement surrounding a mid-January game against Maryland? Maybe it's just that we're on a little bit of a roll and a W tonight puts us into a first place tie with the cheese-heads. I don't think anybody thought we'd be in this position at any point this season. The 9 PM EST Thursday night start time probably has a little to do with the excitement level as well....
On to the game. As Rabby so wonderfully pointed out in his new feature Inside the Film Room, the Terps like to pack the lane on defense and set high ball screens on offense to set up driving lanes for Trimble and Wells. I have a feeling they won't be packing the lane quite as much against us but if they do and we can keep the ball moving, we're gonna see some big nights from Yogi, JBJ, RJ and Z. If they break from that pattern and stay closer to our shooters, driving lanes should be available. As long as we can either pull Dodd away from the basket or avoid his shot block attempts by hitting a cutter in the lane (I'm looking at you Troy Williams), we can score enough to win.
But scoring "enough to win" doesn't always mean you will win... gotta play some defense, too. And obviously the key is containing Melo and Dez. Yogi and RJ have to keep those guys in check while Collin, Troy and Emmitt do their best to make sure none of Maryland's big men have career nights.
I have a feeling the crowd is going to be nuts tonight, which will give us just enough of an edge to get the W tonight, but it's gonna take OT to get there!
IU 85
Maryland 81
I'll be at 5 Rabbit Cerveceria in Bedford Park tonight for the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild "Party of Greatness", an annual party held for Guild and ImBIBE members (ImBIBE is a craft-beer enthusiast program that offers benefits such as early-entry to beer fests, easier ticket access to high-demand fests like FOBAB, discounts at pubs and breweries in IL, and other benefits). So, I'll be drinking whatever is on tap, including Ten Ninety Milk & Cookies. I'm hoping some of my fellow brewers have some good stuff waiting for me... and I'll still be home in time to catch the end of the 1st half and all of the 2nd.
What say you Hoosier fans?
GO HOOSIERS!!
