tdhoosier

Holy cow. I was super busy all weekend and was pretty much tuned out from all current events. You do make a really good point. I say this often: reactions shape major historically events, let alone historically insignificant sporting events like this. Power is in how one reacts to an action. Reactions get us into trouble. That said, and not excusing “the slap heard around the Midwest”, why was the assistant running into the situation and what was he saying? What was the excuse for this reaction? I don't like Wisconsin. They are the trolls of B1G basketball. They poke and poke and poke and take advantage of the opponents reactions. I’m not surprised when I heard that a B1G scuffle took place and it involved the Badgers. Wasn’t it just last week when Johnny Davis, AFTER THE GAME, was prancing on our floor mouthing off to fans. They revel in playing dirty and they love to put salt in the wound. AND they love to throw their hands up in the air and cry when the line gets crossed. I don't think our fan base is alone in how they feel about Wisconsin. I think Howard should get suspended until the end of the season. That reaction was inexcusable. I think firing him would be way too drastic. Big picture, conference play this season has been a powder keg ready to explode. Maybe it’s time for some self reflection by the B1G and how they officiate these games. Not only do the officials need to get on board with a cleaner product on the floor, but head coaches who take advantage of the needlessly aggressive play (cough, cough, Izzo and Gard) need to get on board as well. The coaches are just as ‘at fault’ for putting the officials in these situations. I honestly think some coaches heed the philosophy that ‘the officials can’t call everything so go see what you can get away with.’ This crap is not helping the league get recruits and it is not helping the league get wins in the tournament.

@IUFLA, I keep forgetting to tell you, but there is a new Spoon album out.

I think last night he actually hit his first 3 in like 4 games. Whomever says the mid-range game in basketball is dead should watch DeMar. Of course when one is hitting 60%, analytics go out the window. They certainly can use his rebounding. I'm still not completely sold on the Bulls beating the Nets in the playoffs, the superstar stretch 4's give them problems.

I try to be careful not to lean into TJD too hard about his development, or lack of. I truly believe this is due to the circumstances of the way our roster is currently put together. He needs to play a role for us that he can't possibly play in the NBA, but he continues to do so because I truly believe he just wants to win. He doesn't complain about it. He accepts responsibility for his bad games. I think these traits do deserve to be recognized and celebrated bu Hoosier Nation. Ironically, these are also the reasons I'm torn about TJD staying another year. TJD is handcuffed. Woody is handcuffed. It may be better, for both parties, for him to leave. "Some birds aren't meant to be caged, their feathers are too bright" - Red

I don't even know. He's a stone cold killer in late game situations. It's a nice ray of sunshine after watching IU in late game situations. I'm really enjoying watching the Bulls this year. They recaptured first place in the East and are on a 5 game winning streak, all without Lonzo, Lavine and Caruso. And it's amazing how fast you can learn to love Ayo when he's on your team.

I need to ask on here outside of my ‘Bulls fan bubble’….. Is anybody appreciating what DeMar DeRozan is doing this season? He is going full Kobe! Last night he became the first player in NBA history to record 7 straight games of 35 point or more while shooting above 50% (he’s actually averaging 60% in that stretch). This is pretty remarkable considering he’s not a dominant big (Wilt previously had that record) and the amount of mid-range jumpers he shoots.

Me too, although I’m not that overly concerned about it. However, I am curious about what is going through Trayce’s mind. The meeting between him and Woody last spring is now infamous. Woody pointed out everything he needed to work on to make the NBA. We beat it to death on here, but we still don’t see a right hand and see don’t see an outside shot. The development of these skills was the reasons TJD stayed. So, if TJD is not developing the way he needs to be (whether that’s Trayce’s fault, the staffs fault or just a result of circumstance - I think it’s the latter) will he look to go elsewhere? A place to go where he doesn’t have to be a 5 (perhaps play complimentary to a legit 5), whether that be another school or the G league? All that said, if he does leave and Race stays I think we’ll be in an okay position next season. If anything it may fast forward the transition to an offense we believe Woody wants to implement.

Speaking of winners, have any of the transfers who came in gone to the tournament or been on a team of that caliber at the college level? I don't believe anybody on the entire roster has been to the tournament. It's just kind of crazy to think about.

Well it depends if Woody rotates his subs in or does a mass substitution. I think this team could have depth, but we don't use it to our advantage with the sub patterns. Anyhoo, we're going off on tangents. The question I was originally asking is simple: Do you think this roster is more talented than last years? Conclusion: If your answer is yes, then I think it's fair to consider this season an underachievement if we have similar results as last year. (i.e. don't make the tournament, finish in 8th place, etc.) If you're answer is no, then i think you're smoking crack. JK.

Franklin was a blow, no doubt about it. But if we're looking for a shooter, he's only 25% from 3 this year. I think XJ is the better player overall. I do think he'd have a place on this team though, especially with Rob out. That said, we also need to remember that when comparing results and talent level (this year vs. last year), Armaan was out for the last third of the season. Brunk didn't play at all. But if we're strictly comparing the talent level of last year's roster vs. this years, I still think the current team is way more talented and is a more complete team. Especially when you factor in the development of Race, TJD and Gallo and the addition of Bates.

XJ, Kopp, Stewart and Durr > Franklin, Hunter, Al and Brunk (who didn't even play last year). .....I don't even think it's close.

I enjoy the debate and your perspective as always. Last thing I will say because I'm beginning to beat a dead horse..... Would we have even been in last night's end of game situation if (for example) we didn't consume 5-6 minutes with a line-up who didn't have a legitimate scoring threat on the floor? I'm not disputing your point about shooting, but just emphasizing that it was not the only reason we lost last night. Wins and losses are a result of many factors, each deserving of their own praises and criticisms. And to @Hoosier51's point: 'Talent' is relative, so we need to put it in context. The two 'in context' questions about talent that I can't shake are: 1. Do we have better talent on this year's roster vs. last year's? 2. Do we have enough talent to make the tournament? My answer is 'yes' to both of those questions. So, if we follow the same trajectory as last year and don't make the tournament, we can't solely blame a lack of talent. TJD is on the mid-season Naismith list. Race is one of best two way players in the B1G. One week ago some were lauding XJ as one fo the best point guards in the B1G. Most teams have talent gaps in their roster, but good coaches find ways to cover up these deficiencies. At some point the narrative needs to be that we are underachieving. I don't find joy in saying this, but it does.

Exactly. Simply stated.

And this is the trap we keep falling into as we tip toe around the coaching. We talk about one situation in the game. To your first point, we didn’t get an open shot other than the ones the defense baited us into. The defense was controlling that situation. So no, the coaching staff didn’t do it’s job. Especially when the only open shot we get out of the last timeout was P-Stew hoisting up a contested shot 5 feet beyond the 3 point line. Poor execution at this point in the season (again with veteran players) is not a fluke when it happens over and over - it’s a habit. Good habits and bad habits are a result of coaching. But beyond that, many bad calls from the bench were made that helped guide us into these close situations, which I highlighted in my original post. I’m not calling for Woody’s head. I like Woody and want him to succeed. But @IUFLA, can you honestly say the in game coaching has been close to ‘good’ lately? Does coaching not have anything to do with our loses?

I said it was who took the shots…especially in crunch time. I believe on that last open 3, XJ could’ve swung it to an open Kopp in the corner which is a higher percentage shot. It doesn’t seem like the team is prepared for the situations they find themselves in. And it keeps happening. Is the coaching staff completely absolved from these situations? I see a team on the floor (made up mostly of veteran players) that doesn’t know what to do in close games.

I’m sorry, but we don’t need to tip toe around the criticism for the coaching staff and keep blaming a lack of talent. Yes, we could use more talent. 90% of teams could use more talent, but we are playing below our talent level. The same problems keep plaguing us and a lot of the problems fall on the coaching staff. We didn’t lose this game because we can’t shoot. It’s WHO took those shots. It was the empty possessions that happened after we had momentum and even the empty possessions we had after timeouts. It was putting in that same damn lineup that loses our leads. (Yes, players can rest, but they don’t need to all rest at the same time). It was the defensive assignments. We had nice movement in the first half. We were using cuts and had some motion. And then it disappeared when we desperately need it. We had enough talent to win this game. A disciplined team should have won that game. This team isn’t that. This doesn’t squarely fall on a lack of talent. We can criticize Woody and not want him fired. Woody and this ‘all-star’ staff have to get better.

That’s the play you get out of a timeout???

🤮

Race really needs to be on the floor. He’s probably at a +7

…….Too good looking for that.

I love Geronimo but I am getting tired of him acting confused after obvious fouls.

Nooooo. Texas game is tied with 28 seconds left and I can’t get the game working on the ESPN app!!!!

I don’t even see it on the app yet. Maybe they pushed back the tip.

I was listening to a podcast that pointed out the piano loop in this outro. I never took the time to appreciate it - just very disconcerting and beautiful.

It certainly is frustrating and I hope we find ourselves out of this funk (or whatever we're in). I think the thing that gets me is that our adjusted offensive rank on KenPom right now is 111. Last year under Archie it was 70. We have better talent and better shooters this year, IMO. The same problems plague us. And I thought we were getting a fun, free-flowing offense. Perhaps I should have managed my expectations better. I haven't lost faith in the program as a whole, but if we don't make the tournament this year AGIAN, it is going to hurt.