Ok. This is a good learning experience. Get the win with teaching opportunities

[rocketo]

We locked back down on D and that is what put us over the top. Funny that our top combo included Cupps in crunch time. MR had a pretty good game in a lot of aspects, but he better step it up in crunch time and stop leaving shooters open for phucking 3’s. He had plenty of chances and hurt us as much as he helped because of his performance the last 4 minutes. That has to change and I believe it will.

Can really see the potential of this team and it is really nice having such a deep bench that when some struggle, we have others who have the potential to step up.

Nice to win despite how many mistakes we made to a team that was absolutely ON FIRE from deep. Frustrating and exciting game.

And so it begins…

 

[gator mcCluskey]

It looked like Woody was having to coach “effort” out there at several points. Not good…

 

[aajohn2000]

We locked back down on D and that is what put us over the top. Funny that our top combo included Cupps in crunch time. MR had a pretty good game in a lot of aspects, but he better step it up in crunch time and stop leaving shooters open for phucking 3’s. He had plenty of chances and hurt us as much as he helped because of his performance the last 4 minutes. That has to change and I believe it will.

Can really see the potential of this team and it is really nice having such a deep bench that when some struggle, we have others who have the potential to step up.

Nice to win despite how many mistakes we made to a team that was absolutely ON FIRE from deep. Frustrating and exciting game.

And so it begins…

Hitting wide open threes is not on fire. Thankfully they missed the wide open three after Reneau gifted them the first three on the out of bounds play.

 

[rocketo]

It looked like Woody was having to coach “effort” out there at several points. Not good…

I don’t think it was effort. I think it was focus and what was important.

 

[rocketo]

Hitting wide open threes is not on fire. Thankfully they missed the wide open three after Reneau gifted them the first three on the out of bounds play.

They were on fire. I don’t GAF if they are open, challenged or from 30 feet. If they hit them at the clip they did in the second half, they are on fire. Agree to disagree.

 

[IUNorth]

They were on fire. I don’t GAF if they are open, challenged or from 30 feet. If they hit them at the clip they did in the second half, they are on fire. Agree to disagree.

Hummel was basically flabbergasted they continued to get open looks, without running anything special to get them.

Most college guards are gonna hit a decent clip of the types of 3s they got on us.

 

[BCCHoosier]

We locked back down on D and that is what put us over the top. Funny that our top combo included Cupps in crunch time. MR had a pretty good game in a lot of aspects, but he better step it up in crunch time and stop leaving shooters open for phucking 3’s. He had plenty of chances and hurt us as much as he helped because of his performance the last 4 minutes. That has to change and I believe it will.

Can really see the potential of this team and it is really nice having such a deep bench that when some struggle, we have others who have the potential to step up.

Nice to win despite how many mistakes we made to a team that was absolutely ON FIRE from deep. Frustrating and exciting game.

And so it begins…

Agree with most but not sure on the bench. I think they gave us 7 points. Banks, CJ, and Walker all struggled. I'd say bench strength is still a question mark.

 

[Pryght]

Can really see the potential of this team and it is really nice having such a deep bench that when some struggle, we have others who have the potential to step up.

Outside of Cupps, it didn't feel like a deep bench this evening. For the most part, the bench killed us.

 

[Harry Hondo]

It looked like Woody was having to coach “effort” out there at several points. Not good…

Meh, first game and a lot of new faces. These guys just gotta get used to playing together.

 

[rocketo]

Hummel was basically flabbergasted they continued to get open looks, without running anything special to get them.

Most college guards are gonna hit a decent clip of the types of 3s they got on us.

My point and opinion still stands.

 

[sglowrider]

It looked like Woody was having to coach “effort” out there at several points. Not good…

Not with Ware. Think he has got the message loud & clear.

 

[rocketo]

Agree with most but not sure on the bench. I think they gave us 7 points. Banks, CJ, and Walker all struggled. I'd say bench strength is still a question mark.

Banks hasn’t really played. Gunn has looked pretty decent, making better decisions it seems. Walker definitely struggled, but has also looked really good at times. One game won’t tell us much, but we have a lot of talent with many who will get the chance to step up.

Was happy to see Woody stick with the lineup for so long at the end. He trusted those guys and hopefully MR Does enough to keep that trust, because he had to shake it at least a little wi TG his performance.

 

[IUNorth]

My point and opinion still stands.

Yeah, we’re so unlucky. Lots of teams end up being on fire against us. Penn State, Iowa, Arizona, Kansas, Miami…

It’s either a flawed defensive philosophy, or Woody isn’t good at teaching it.

 

[rocketo]

Outside of Cupps, it didn't feel like a deep bench this evening. For the most part, the bench killed us.

I feel like Banks, Gunn and Walker can all step up and there will be games where they are playing well and will earn more minutes. They are all very talented and can play good defense. Like everyone else, they will adjust and improve.

 

[rocketo]

Yeah, we’re so unlucky. Lots of teams end up being on fire against us. Penn State, Iowa, Arizona, Kansas, Miami…

It’s either a flawed defensive philosophy, or Woody isn’t good at teaching it.

Nope. We clearly didn’t stay close enough to shut that shit down and Woody had to get on them to focus more on that. When we did, we shut them down. Consistency needs to be there. But you still have to hit all the shots.

 

[78alum]

Looks like a team searching for its identity. Under pressure, who are they? MR came up big (until the last two inbounds). Cups's energy and D, Trey picked it up. Sad to see the FT shooting issues coming back after the last game. This isn't a bad team, there are a lot of really good pieces. It will be interesting to see where they go in the next few weeks. U-Con isn't that far away.

 

[rocketo]

Looks like a team searching for its identity. Under pressure, who are they? MR came up big (until the last two inbounds). Cups's energy and D, Trey picked it up. Sad to see the FT shooting issues coming back after the last game. This isn't a bad team, there are a lot of really good pieces. It will be interesting to see where they go in the next few weeks. U-Con isn't that far away.

Yep. These games before conference play are big to build an identity and see where we stand against top teams. I love putting those big time games in as a measuring stick. If you win, you may have a great team and the moxy to step up when you must! If you lose, you get to see how far back you are and where you can work to improve. Top players want to play against top teams.

 

[IUNorth]

Nope. We clearly didn’t stay close enough to shut that shit down and Woody had to get on them to focus more on that. When we did, we shut them down. Consistency needs to be there. But you still have to hit all the shots.

I’m just bummed that our struggles are exactly the same ones we’ve had Woodys first two years. Lots of different faces, same issues. Leads me to think it’s a systemic issue. Too many times they’re looking at each other confused, like someone was in the wrong spot.

Galloway, a senior, who always plays hard…got caught in no man’s land and gave their best shooter an open look late in the game. He looked incredulous.

But then they have stretches like they had tonight that won the game? Obviously if they can play like they did in their good stretch, they’ll be great.

Hope it’s a wake up call for MM. We’re gonna need he and Malik to be better defensively.

 

[rocketo]

I’m just bummed that our struggles are exactly the same ones we’ve had Woodys first two years. Lots of different faces, same issues. Leads me to think it’s a systemic issue. Too many times they’re looking at each other confused, like someone was in the wrong spot.

Galloway, a senior, who always plays hard…got caught in no man’s land and gave their best shooter an open look late in the game. He looked incredulous.

But then they have stretches like they had tonight that won the game? Obviously if they can play like they did in their good stretch, they’ll be great.

Hope it’s a wake up call for MM. We’re gonna need he and Malik to be better defensively.

Yeah, tons of film to watch and help this team understand what they need to improve on. But this is Woody’s 3rd year. And each team has been VERY different. Even the players that returned have potentially different roles. Look at MR. He is being asked to guard the perimeter much more than before against D1 players.

As we get deeper and deeper, I think we will see more consistency. I don’t think many felt we had a chance to be as good or better than we were last year. But seeing the talent, I think we actually have a higher ceiling overall with this team. Will we get there? I guess we shall see.

 

[Cavanagh]

Not with Ware. Think he has got the message loud & clear.

He is gonna be special

 

[sglowrider]

He is gonna be special

Wembyware

 

[IUNorth]

Yeah, tons of film to watch and help this team understand what they need to improve on. But this is Woody’s 3rd year. And each team has been VERY different. Even the players that returned have potentially different roles. Look at MR. He is being asked to guard the perimeter much more than before against D1 players.

As we get deeper and deeper, I think we will see more consistency. I don’t think many felt we had a chance to be as good or better than we were last year. But seeing the talent, I think we actually have a higher ceiling overall with this team. Will we get there? I guess we shall see.

Agreed. And I’m actually ecstatic he’s asking guys like MM and Malik to extend more and play out of their comfort zones. Long run, if he sticks with it and teaches/demands that they get a lot better at it…it’ll make our ceiling higher AND make our program more attractive for higher end perimeter recruits.

It’s just frustrating to see them overhelping and also getting caught in no man’s land help wise. PTSD from the many games we lost last year because of playing defense like we did tonight.

 

[rocketo]

Agreed. And I’m actually ecstatic he’s asking guys like MM and Malik to extend more and play out of their comfort zones. Long run, if he sticks with it and teaches/demands that they get a lot better at it…it’ll make our ceiling higher AND make our program more attractive for higher end perimeter recruits.

It’s just frustrating to see them overhelping and also getting caught in no man’s land help wise. PTSD from the many games we lost last year because of playing defense like we did tonight.

I feel ya. I must have said “fu<£ it” 4-5 times (at least) not knowing how much more I could take of them leaving guys too open on the perimeter. Difference IMO is that we actually have a team full of players capable of playing very high level defense, where previous teams were physically limited.

Now it is about the proper and consistent focus. Doesn’t mean we won’t have plenty of WTF moments and totally agree that putting these guys in these situations is going to help us in the long run, including in recruiting top players.

 

[phnxfan]

On one of those late threes, at the 1:14 mark, MR's man, a known 3 point shooter, was out at the 3 point line, and Malik was down in the foul lane, like he was trying to guard the inside, even though KW was already there. Why was he down there? We had three men in the lane guarding two of their men. Especially when you know they're going to be putting up 3's, to try to catch up. I'm sure that will be stressed to him, in the film room. Poor court awarenesss.