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Ohio State Pre Game Thread


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When: Thursday, January 6th 7 PM EST

Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana

TV: FS1

The Ohio State Buckeyes (9-2, 3-0 in the Big 10) invade SSAH Thursday. Big game for IU. Here is the Buckeye's record so far...

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Ohio State is very deep, very experienced, and has some difference making newcomers...

Start with Big 10 POY candidate EJ Liddell. He's one of those guys that can carry a team. Undersized at 6'7, he can still post you up, and also go outside and drain the 3. Zed Key is their 5, and although undersized too (6'8) he's got great post moves and is very strong. Kinda a  smaller Trevion Williams with great footwork, nice inside moves,  and a soft touch around the basket. Their other real inside guy, Kyle Young, is a Race Thompson like player. Just a hard working kid that does all the things that helps a team win. He's improved his 3 point shot too (47%). Joey Brunk adds depth. All this and OSU has been going without 2 key front court players in Justice Sueing, and Seth Towns.

Backcourt has two freshmen contributors in Meechie Johnson and Malaki Branham. Branham struck for 35 points against Nebraska last night on the road. Both are good outside shooters north of 36% from 3. Throw in transfers Jamari Wheeler (Penn St 44% from 3) and Cedric Russell (Louisiana 41%) and top it off with one of the best 3 point shooters in the Big 10 in Justin Ahrens (41%) and you can see the embarrassment of riches Chris Holtmann has. This is a really good team. They do have some difficulties on defense though (ranked 67th in KenPom).

Highlights from their drubbing (73-55) of Wisconsin in Columbus a few weeks ago 

This will be a tough one to win. I picked Ohio State to win the conference, and I do think they're a deep and talented team, They shoot over 40% from 3 as a team and have multiple players that can hurt you. 

But, they did struggle on the road at Nebraska...Hopefully, we can hold home court here...

Edited by IUFLA
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No students still so the public is going to really have to bring the energy Thursday because it seems we aren't capable of creating our own yet. Michigan St struggled at Northwestern, this same Ohio St squeaked one out at Nebraska....maybe home court just is a bigger advantage than we think for today's players?

All I know is we need a win. Badly....and a resume win for March. 

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37 minutes ago, IowaHoosierFan said:

I don't know.  The fan in me wants to say we come out and lay the wood on these boys.  But the realist in me says we only play 1 half of really good basketball and lose by 4

If we only play one good half of basketball we will lose by more than 4.  Hopefully we find a way.  

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Huge game after the PSU fiasco. I am going to remain optimistic with this team at this point and predict Woody lays into the team for the poor performance against PSU and the Hoosiers will come out strong and play inspired ball. Maybe, just maybe, this can be the game that they put together a full 40 minutes and get a big W. I think Woody will light a fire under Trayce and he will have one of his best games of the year.

Perhaps it is just wishful thinking, but I see this team rebounding (pun intended) and getting the upset against the Bucknuts. Go Hoosiers!!

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2 minutes ago, FritzIam4IU said:

Huge game after the PSU fiasco. I am going to remain optimistic with this team at this point and predict Woody lays into the team for the poor performance against PSU and the Hoosiers will come out strong and play inspired ball. Maybe, just maybe, this can be the game that they put together a full 40 minutes and get a big W. I think Woody will light a fire under Trayce and he will have one of his best games of the year.

Perhaps it is just wishful thinking, but I see this team rebounding (pun intended) and getting the upset against the Bucknuts. Go Hoosiers!!

Coach Woody didn't sound too happy at his presser...The initial question was about Trayce and his 20 points, but CMW pointed out that he only had 5 rebounds...

I couple that with TJD's remark in his postgame when he said all week they'd worked on getting out in transition against PSU...I don't remember too many transition baskets, maybe because transition always starts with a defensive rebound...

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7 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

Coach Woody didn't sound too happy at his presser...The initial question was about Trayce and his 20 points, but CMW pointed out that he only had 5 rebounds...

I couple that with TJD's remark in his postgame when he said all week they'd worked on getting out in transition against PSU...I don't remember too many transition baskets, maybe because transition always starts with a defensive rebound...

Yep. The presser remarks by Coach Woody is what I am basing my prediction on for O$U. He called out Trayce and I think TJD is extremely coachable and will respond in a positive manner. My guess is there will be lots and lots of rebounding drills in practice. I maybe shouldn't just single out TJD...I think Race will respond positively as well.

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2 hours ago, kyhoosier29 said:

He’s not wrong. Unless you think we’ll run off a bunch of wins we don’t expect to get later on. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Actually i do think we will get some wins. But my response to him is more that he is a clown from another team. 🤷‍♂️

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This doesn’t relate directly to the game but, can any of you Bloomington locals give me a feel for what the weather situation is looking like up there for Thursday afternoon/evening/night?  Further south where I live we might be looking at some weather that would make driving conditions less than ideal. I have tickets and I’m wondering what Little Keet and I might be up against. 
 

I know some might say just google it, but I often find locals can give you better info. Thanks in advance. 

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7 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

This doesn’t relate directly to the game but, can any of you Bloomington locals give me a feel for what the weather situation is looking like up there for Thursday afternoon/evening/night?  Further south where I live we might be looking at some weather that would make driving conditions less than ideal. I have tickets and I’m wondering what Little Keet and I might be up against. 
 

I know some might say just google it, but I often find locals can give you better info. Thanks in advance. 

Cold and maybe a flurry is all I’ve heard Keetster. It’s been close to swim weather up till now.

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55 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

This doesn’t relate directly to the game but, can any of you Bloomington locals give me a feel for what the weather situation is looking like up there for Thursday afternoon/evening/night?  Further south where I live we might be looking at some weather that would make driving conditions less than ideal. I have tickets and I’m wondering what Little Keet and I might be up against. 
 

I know some might say just google it, but I often find locals can give you better info. Thanks in advance. 

Google it! (I am not local, so I can say that)

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Good article by Mike about our offense.  Notice it is very consistent with the thoughts we had in the PSU post game thread.  Need to get output from the wings.  Emphasis on different sets and screens for Miller and Parker.  Got to re-engage Tamar.  

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/iu-basketball-woodson-wants-more-shots-for-stewart-and-kopp-bigger-role-for-bates-to-help-struggling-offense/

I like the ideas in here.  I’d also like to see more in-game adjustments and not wait to see the final box score to realize we got 7 points across 60/200 minutes from Miller and Parker.  

This team right now sits similarly to the product we have seen for several years.  I hope we are at an inflection point.   It’s a critical time to progress.  Learn from the mistakes we have made, adjust, and get better.  This has not been happening in prior years.  We still have time to get a lot better this year instead of the same old, same old.  As we have discussed, we frankly aren’t that great at the 1-3 positions and the way out of it is to play good team ball where the sum is better than the individual parts and win that way.  

The point guards need to see the floor better, too.  They are seniors and we’ve had a ton of seniors really turn it on, second semester, senior year.  It’s not unheard of.  

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9 minutes ago, BobSaccamanno said:

Good article by Mike about our offense.  Notice it is very consistent with the thoughts we had in the PSU post game thread.  Need to get output from the wings.  Emphasis on different sets and screens for Miller and Parker.  Got to re-engage Tamar.  

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/iu-basketball-woodson-wants-more-shots-for-stewart-and-kopp-bigger-role-for-bates-to-help-struggling-offense/

I like the ideas in here.  I’d also like to see more in-game adjustments and not wait to see the final box score to realize we got 7 points across 60/200 minutes from Miller and Parker.  

This team right now sits similarly to the product we have seen for several years.  I hope we are at an inflection point.   It’s a critical time to progress.  Learn from the mistakes we have made, adjust, and get better.  This has not been happening in prior years.  We still have time to get a lot better this year instead of the same old, same old.  As we have discussed, we frankly aren’t that great at the 1-3 positions and the way out of it is to play good team ball where the sum is better than the individual parts and win that way.  

The point guards need to see the floor better, too.  They are seniors and we’ve had a ton of seniors really turn it on, second semester, senior year.  It’s not unheard of.  

I listened to the whole podcast and I really enjoy listening to both Fisch and Coach Woodson...

Fisch pointed out we had a season low 6 turnovers, but Coach Woody said that was because of the slow pace that Penn State dictated, and he'd trade a few more turnovers for a faster pace...

I think both XJ and Rob need to push the ball more...we've looked pretty good in transition at times, and I think we're better offensively when we do...

Watch Iowa...Joe Toussaint rarely walks the ball up...he speeds up the game, and that's what McCaffrey wants...gets them, especially Keegan Murray, a lot of good shots and single coverage drives...

and we're better on the defensive end than they are...

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I feel we'll start the same 5.  Our offense will look exactly the same.  We do the same wholesale second squad subs thing.  Our defense will be locked in.  

Its all going to come down to if we hit the 3 pointer, which will keep up competitive without having to actually make any changes.

I don't really have the feeling we're going see more motion offense or see Kopp or Stewart working their asses off to get open by running through the paint or baseline or curl cuts and screen.  Our whole offense is based of of Trace on the block and trying to run after rebounds.  Nothing too complicated.

I honestly feel like we're going get embarrassed on our home floor.  I don't want that to happen.  And i will eat crow if doesn't happen.  But my gut still feels like this is a CAM team who wants to disappoint me.  I can't help it.  I wish i could drink the kool-aid and see rainbows and puppies, i really do.

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2 hours ago, IUFLA said:

I listened to the whole podcast and I really enjoy listening to both Fisch and Coach Woodson...

Fisch pointed out we had a season low 6 turnovers, but Coach Woody said that was because of the slow pace that Penn State dictated, and he'd trade a few more turnovers for a faster pace...

I think both XJ and Rob need to push the ball more...we've looked pretty good in transition at times, and I think we're better offensively when we do...

Watch Iowa...Joe Toussaint rarely walks the ball up...he speeds up the game, and that's what McCaffrey wants...gets them, especially Keegan Murray, a lot of good shots and single coverage drives...

and we're better on the defensive end than they are...

I agree. This team has to get up and down the floor to win games. They have to get more shots up and they also wear down the opponents on the defensive end.

The more I watch the more I want to see Landers get a shot at the start of the games. He’s young and needs reps. He also brings a different floor vision that fits the faster pace game.

As for Kopp. I think trying Bates or Geronimo to start where matchups will allow it will also create a new look for opposing defenses.

Adding X and Kopp to the second squad could also help that spark off the bench. 
 

Thoughts?

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31 minutes ago, Inequality said:

I agree. This team has to get up and down the floor to win games. They have to get more shots up and they also wear down the opponents on the defensive end.

The more I watch the more I want to see Landers get a shot at the start of the games. He’s young and needs reps. He also brings a different floor vision that fits the faster pace game.

As for Kopp. I think trying Bates or Geronimo to start where matchups will allow it will also create a new look for opposing defenses.

Adding X and Kopp to the second squad could also help that spark off the bench. 
 

Thoughts?

I agree with a lot of what you said...

But then I hear Coach Woodson on his radio show talking about "grind it out" and "stay the course" and I can't imagine him making a lineup change...yet...

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