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Thoughts on the N.I.T.


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            I really think this N.I.T. is important for CAM and for I.U. as a program under his leadership.  First off I want to say I am still in CAM's camp, I think that there were some questionable decisions this year but its only year 2 and I feel like in-spite of all the injuries we have seen some adaptation by the coaching staff over the course of the season (Which was always my biggest problem with CTC, zero adaptability).  Anyway back to the point, more than any other reason this year I feel like this team under-performed because of attitude. I think it was Isaiah Thomas who said that he loved winning but he HATED losing, and that not losing was more of a motivating factor than winning ever was.  I realize that this could be seen as just being semantics, but I think its more than that.  Sometimes this season after a loss you could tell that the team was upset, but I never got the feeling that anyone was sick to their stomach and pissed off ready to fight (De'ron Davis might be an exception).  I think I see that attitude in Archie but If he cant get his players to get that same mindset then this won't work in the long term.  

           This N.I.T. bid is a real chance to see what this team and the coaches are made of, and I don't mean they have to win it all but they have got to fight and have some pride in themselves and in the jersey that they wear.  I hope they were all sick last night after the selection show, but this morning they need to be angry, angry at themselves, and ready to do work.  If Tuesday night at S.S.A.H. they don't come out and play like we saw the last 5 to 6 games of the regular season then I really think we have a problem.  If they can focus and play hard the whole time, there is no reason that they can't get to NYC and try to win this whole thing.  It could be a huge step going into the summer and next season in getting this program back to where we all want it to be.

          One last thought,  during Coach Knights time at I.U. Indiana went to the NIT three times and each time Indiana was in a Final Four or the NCAA champion within the next two seasons.  This team needs to see this as an opportunity not a punishment and as a Hoosier to the core I am pulling for them and will support them till the end whatever that may be. 

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Part of the problem with hating losing with this team, imo, was ownership.  I think there was some finger pointing and no one was owning losing as their fault.  We could see it was all their fault but there was a bunch of individuals out there for a long time.  Hopefully in the last 3 weeks they got past that.  

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44 minutes ago, NotIThatLives said:

Part of the problem with hating losing with this team, imo, was ownership.  I think there was some finger pointing and no one was owning losing as their fault.  We could see it was all their fault but there was a bunch of individuals out there for a long time.  Hopefully in the last 3 weeks they got past that.  

Phrasing it a little differently....the problem was that the finger pointing was occurring, rather than each individual saying "Am I doing everything in my control to stop this?". 

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I hope to see some growth that we can build upon from who ever is going to be around next year.  With a bunch of home games between here and there, this team is good enough to get to New York.  There have been times where young teams have turned NIT invites into something more in their future.  I am still pissed as all get out that the team let the season fall apart enough to get to this point but this is a step forward from last year I guess.

Not NIT related but something in the offseason that I would like to see (or not see I guess) is the hype videos that get released.  I do not want to see the team working out.  I do not want videos showing their summer highlights.  I want them to go and put in work this summer.  To me attention is earned and none of those guys have earned any rockstar treatment.  Go and do the dirty work required to be a good D1 team and do it without the accolades.  Just go do your "job" this summer.

I also hope that some creative team building occurs over the summer as well.  It would be nice if the team actually is a team next year.  I did not get that impression this year.

But I really want the hype videos to get turned off this offseason.  I think they create unrealistic expectations and are an unnecessary distraction.  We can start hyping the program when we start winning again.

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16 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

I hope to see some growth that we can build upon from who ever is going to be around next year.  With a bunch of home games between here and there, this team is good enough to get to New York.  There have been times where young teams have turned NIT invites into something more in their future.  I am still pissed as all get out that the team let the season fall apart enough to get to this point but this is a step forward from last year I guess.

Not NIT related but something in the offseason that I would like to see (or not see I guess) is the hype videos that get released.  I do not want to see the team working out.  I do not want videos showing their summer highlights.  I want them to go and put in work this summer.  To me attention is earned and none of those guys have earned any rockstar treatment.  Go and do the dirty work required to be a good D1 team and do it without the accolades.  Just go do your "job" this summer.

I also hope that some creative team building occurs over the summer as well.  It would be nice if the team actually is a team next year.  I did not get that impression this year.

But I really want the hype videos to get turned off this offseason.  I think they create unrealistic expectations and are an unnecessary distraction.  We can start hyping the program when we start winning again.

While I 100% agree with you about the hype videos, I was always under the impression those were made much more for the benefit of recruiting than us the fans.  If that is so, they aren't going anywhere.  I feel the same way about them that you do though. 

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13 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

I hope to see some growth that we can build upon from who ever is going to be around next year.  With a bunch of home games between here and there, this team is good enough to get to New York.  There have been times where young teams have turned NIT invites into something more in their future.  I am still pissed as all get out that the team let the season fall apart enough to get to this point but this is a step forward from last year I guess.

Not NIT related but something in the offseason that I would like to see (or not see I guess) is the hype videos that get released.  I do not want to see the team working out.  I do not want videos showing their summer highlights.  I want them to go and put in work this summer.  To me attention is earned and none of those guys have earned any rockstar treatment.  Go and do the dirty work required to be a good D1 team and do it without the accolades.  Just go do your "job" this summer.

I also hope that some creative team building occurs over the summer as well.  It would be nice if the team actually is a team next year.  I did not get that impression this year.

But I really want the hype videos to get turned off this offseason.  I think they create unrealistic expectations and are an unnecessary distraction.  We can start hyping the program when we start winning again.

I agree on all counts. I think the staff should/will use this experience as a yardstick to see which players show the effort and desire.  BTT, NCAA, or NIT - If you can't or won't bring it now, when will you?

I know there is an amount of conditioning and strength training that needs to be done in the off season, but God knows there's alot of improvement needed regarding basketball skills (3-pt and FT shooting). 

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The rule changes for the N.I.T. will be a factor, especially widening the free throw lane by 4 feet, and moving the 3-point line back over a foot and a half. 

Since shooting relies so much on muscle memory, that will require players to adjust a lot.

From the NCAA's site:

The 2019 NIT will feature four rules modifications: 

•    The 3-point line will be extended by approximately 1 foot, 8 inches to the same distance used by FIBA for international competition (22 feet, 1.75 inches). 
•    The free throw lane will be widened from 12 feet to 16 feet, consistent with the width used by the NBA. 
•    The shot clock will reset to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound instead of the full 30 seconds.
•    Team fouls will reset at the 10-minute mark of each half for the purpose of determining free throws and one-and-one free throws will be eliminated.  Teams will shoot two bonus free throws after the fifth team foul of each 10-minute segment.  Additionally, teams will be awarded two bonus free throws after the second team foul committed under two minutes remaining in each half if that foul occurs before the fifth team foul of the segment. In each overtime period, team fouls will reset, and teams will shoot two free throws beginning with the fourth team foul or the second team foul committed under two minutes remaining if that comes before the fourth team foul of the overtime period.

The first three experimental rules also were used during the 2018 NIT.

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Here are some things I'd like to see during the NIT. 

1.  Continued solid play from Green and Smith.  Their improved play was a big factor in our surge at the end of the season.  I'm not ready to relegate either to the transfer pile.  I want them to show they have figured this thing out and to feel good about them if they both come back next year, and I hope they do. 

2.  I want to see one monster game out of De'Ron.  I'm talking 30 points and 17 rebounds.  Do it in the semi-finals or finals at MSG as your way of saying, "I'm going to be a force to be reckoned with next year."  I'd take it at any point of the NIT though including tomorrow night.

3.  The continued maturation of RP.  I want to see him have a really solid NIT to set the tone for next season.

4.  Minutes for Race and Damezi.  I know Race is much more likely, but I'd like to see both get some minutes, maybe in a blow out tomorrow night, to get some experience for next year.  

5.  Complete games.  Play hard and well for 40 minutes.  Not 20, not 35, not 39, 40.  Obviously this has been a struggle this year.  

6.  Win the blasted thing.  There is no reason they can't.  It's not what any of us wanted, but it's what we have.  Win it.  

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•    The 3-point line will be extended by approximately 1 foot, 8 inches to the same distance used by FIBA for international competition (22 feet, 1.75 inches). 

Like

•    The free throw lane will be widened from 12 feet to 16 feet, consistent with the width used by the NBA. 

Like

•    The shot clock will reset to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound instead of the full 30 seconds.

Meh

•    Team fouls will reset at the 10-minute mark of each half for the purpose of determining free throws and one-and-one free throws will be eliminated.  Teams will shoot two bonus free throws after the fifth team foul of each 10-minute segment.  Additionally, teams will be awarded two bonus free throws after the second team foul committed under two minutes remaining in each half if that foul occurs before the fifth team foul of the segment. In each overtime period, team fouls will reset, and teams will shoot two free throws beginning with the fourth team foul or the second team foul committed under two minutes remaining if that comes before the fourth team foul of the overtime period.

Dislike.  Way too damn gimmicky. 

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4 hours ago, Zlinedavid said:

Dislike.  Way too damn gimmicky

You got that right. I’m just wondering who the jackleg is that voted against the roller blades and hockey mask. Now that would be interesting.

For the love of god can’t they just leave the game alone. Where do these people come from. Send them back to the Crayola factory where their keen imaginations could be useful.

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4 hours ago, Madison22 said:

 

•    Team fouls will reset at the 10-minute mark of each half for the purpose of determining free throws and one-and-one free throws will be eliminated.  Teams will shoot two bonus free throws after the fifth team foul of each 10-minute segment.  Additionally, teams will be awarded two bonus free throws after the second team foul committed under two minutes remaining in each half if that foul occurs before the fifth team foul of the segment. In each overtime period, team fouls will reset, and teams will shoot two free throws beginning with the fourth team foul or the second team foul committed under two minutes remaining if that comes before the fourth team foul of the overtime period.

I don’t mind the 5 fouls/10 minutes part, but the rest seems like too much. 

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2 hours ago, Inequality said:

You got that right. I’m just wondering who the jackleg is that voted against the roller blades and hockey mask. Now that would be interesting.

For the love of god can’t they just leave the game alone. Where do these people come from. Send them back to the Crayola factory where their keen imaginations could be useful.

I can't decide if DeRon Davis charging at me full speed while on skates and wearing a hockey mask would be hilarious or terrifying.

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2 hours ago, Inequality said:

You got that right. I’m just wondering who the jackleg is that voted against the roller blades and hockey mask. Now that would be interesting.

For the love of god can’t they just leave the game alone. Where do these people come from. Send them back to the Crayola factory where their keen imaginations could be useful.

Bob Knight, about the shot clock:  "Why not make it ten seconds?  Or five?  It would be faster than a jai alai match."

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As disappointed as I am that we aren't in the NCAA, I was thinking of how mediocre IU has been (minus a few years). My thought is that IU, as a program, need to learn to win again. That's what Knight brought/demanded. I am hoping that Archie and the team focus on one game at a time, play their best, & win the whole %@$# thing! MAYBE then, they'll go hmmm, I like this winning thing, lets do this again next year. 

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