Kennesaw State Pre-Game Thread

[IUFLA]

When: Friday, December 29th 6 PM EST

Where: Simon-Skjotd Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana

TV: BTN+

Rookie coach and Alabama alum Antoine Pettway leads his 9-3 (they do have a game at UNC-Ashville tomorrow) Kennesaw State Owls into SSAH for our final non-conference game of the year. Pettway spent the past 15 seasons on Alabama's staff under 4 different coaches (Mark Gottfried, Anthony Grant, Avery Johnson, and Nate Oats).

Led in scoring by 6'2 sophomore guard Simeon Cottle who takes almost 8 3s a game at a 35% clip. 6'9 senior Demond Robinson carries the inside load and leads a very good rebounding team in boards. 5'10 senior guard Terrell Burden leads the team in assists at 6 per game. 6'6 senior Quincy Ademokoya (38% from 3) and 6'8 senior forward Rongie Gordon round out the starting 5. 

6'4 freshman RJ Johnson, 6'7 junior and Georgia transfer Jusaun Holt (who got his first taste of action last game versus Brescia), and former starters 6'7 junior Jamel King and 6'7 freshman Frankquon Sherman supply bench minutes.

Kennesaw State is a good defensive team (currently 93rd in DRtg) rebounds well (43 per game, good for 14th in the country), shares the ball well (17 APG) and takes a lot of shots, and a lot of 3s (31 per game). Their issue is making 3s (32%) with only Cottle and Ademokoya above 35%.We HAVE to keep this team off the boards as they average 14 offensive rebounds per game.

Last game and a good tune-up before we start the conference schedule in earnest on 1/3. Let's build on the North Alabama win and see more good ball movement and shot making.

Go Hoosiers!

Edited December 22, 2023 by IUFLA

[KoB2011]

Really would to see us build on last nights performance. I don’t think anyone expects us to shoot 50% from three every game, but when we play that type of offense we have capable enough shooters to shoot mid to uppers 30s the rest of the year.

Keep the ball moving, get your guards going downhill and making good decisions, points will follow. 

[Parakeet Jones]

Like KoB said, build off last night. Let’s put together two good performances in a row, keep everyone healthy, and be firing on all cylinders headed back into B1G play. 
 

IF X is ready, I’d love to see him play in this game and not just wait for the Nebraska game. IF he is ready, give him a game to blow off the dust before we’re back in conference. 

[IUFLA]

2 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

Like KoB said, build off last night. Let’s put together two good performances in a row, keep everyone healthy, and be firing on all cylinders headed back into B1G play. 
 

IF X is ready, I’d love to see him play in this game and not just wait for the Nebraska game. IF he is ready, give him a game to blow off the dust before we’re back in conference. 

Last time Coach Woodson spoke about it though, he did say January...

Not etched in stone, I'd imagine...

[Parakeet Jones]

3 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

Last time Coach Woodson spoke about it though, he did say January...

Not etched in stone, I'd imagine...

Hopefully early January and not late. 

[IUFLA]

Full game against their only P6 opponent, Florida State (5-5)...It was the Seminoles first game of the year, and KSU's 2nd...Demond Robinson is a man down low...

 

[5fouls]

Stronger opponent than North Alabama.  Will need an even better performance to get a similar result.

[Drroogh]

52 minutes ago, 5fouls said:

Stronger opponent than North Alabama.  Will need an even better performance to get a similar result.

So would that qualify as a quality noncon win?🤷🏼‍♂️

[KoB2011]

1 minute ago, Drroogh said:

So would that qualify as a quality noncon win?🤷🏼‍♂️

No

[DWB]

KSU is no slouch by any stretch. I was at the game last year, and KSU was up like 7 pt, midway thru the 2nd half, before we woke up and started to play team ball.

They won't be intimidated by the crowd, and will likely come in with chip on their shoulder.

[5fouls]

For reference, Kennesaw State is 206 in KenPom.  North Alabama is 229.

[FKIM01]

Four seniors among their starters.  Experience won't be an issue like it is for IU.

[kyhoosier29]

1 hour ago, FKIM01 said:

Four seniors among their starters.  Experience won't be an issue like it is for IU.

Game will likely be a lot more uncomfortable than we’d like it. 

[Inequality]

1 hour ago, kyhoosier29 said:

Game will likely be a lot more uncomfortable than we’d like it. 

Given what we’ve seen so far, maybe. But, it absolutely shouldn’t be. If IU intends on competing with the big boys of the nation and the gauntlet of the B1G, they better figure out how to compete with the hand they have delt themselves. 

These cupcake games should be easy dubs and used to polish, structure and get guys comfortable with the program and build chemistry with each other and the staff.

How can we have a conversation about winning a B1G title if we are content with “finding a way to win” vs Florida Gulf Coast, Wright State, Army and worried Kennesaw State might slap us around on our home floor.

I guess I’m of the minority expecting more from a program that was once the leader of the pack. I expect these guys to show up and kick the dog do do out of Kennesaw State.

I know we aren’t built well enough currently to win the B1G but we should still win decently vs cupcakes at home.

[Drroogh]

14 minutes ago, Inequality said:

Given what we’ve seen so far, maybe. But, it absolutely shouldn’t be. If IU intends on competing with the big boys of the nation and the gauntlet of the B1G, they better figure out how to compete with the hand they have delt themselves. 

These cupcake games should be easy dubs and used to polish, structure and get guys comfortable with the program and build chemistry with each other and the staff.

How can we have a conversation about winning a B1G title if we are content with “finding a way to win” vs Florida Gulf Coast, Wright State, Army and worried Kennesaw State might slap us around on our home floor.

I guess I’m of the minority expecting more from a program that was once the leader of the pack. I expect these guys to show up and kick the dog do do out of Kennesaw State.

I know we aren’t built well enough currently to win the B1G but we should still win decently vs cupcakes at home.

Did you get that off your chest? If you can’t see how much this team has changed this season especially these last couple games, I don’t know what to tell you?

[DWB]

Kennesaw state is NOT a cupcake. If we go into this game thinking that, we'll lose.

[5fouls]

According to KenPom, IU's non-conference schedule ranks 153rd in the country.  That is significantly better than it has been the last few years.  By comparison, both Maryland and Minnesota are over 340.  Rutgers is 270.

Our 'cupcakes' have been much better than years past.

 

[Inequality]

18 minutes ago, Drroogh said:

Did you get that off your chest? If you can’t see how much this team has changed this season especially these last couple games, I don’t know what to tell you?

I guess so. I should feel better now, aye?

Last couple of games? You talking about barely beating MooreHead State? The last game they finally started connecting some dots. Which time will tell if it’s actually an improvement that will stick or an anomaly.

What I’ve seen so far hasn’t been spectacular. I want better than what they are. Instead of sugar coating and pretending I’d rather be real. We have some good pieces to build off of. A few and not all btw.

My not so nice, real world opinion if we are looking to build a championship caliber team in todays world of NIL-college basketball… keep Ware, Bako, Reneau, Cupps and send everyone else to the portal and wish them well.

I guess if you must, go back to 2022 and look at Kennesaw State’s results. They did appear to improve over the course of the season but they are still 100% cupcake vs the likes of any B1G program.

It’s just chit chat on a message board that has zero real life effect on anything. I’m not flaming the coaching staff who by the way still has a whole lot to prove. 

 

[IUFLA]

I guess the honeymoon of the North Alabama game is over! 😁

[94hoosier]

This team has come a long way since the start of the season and has a long way to go. Can they get to the top 3 or 4 in the conference?  I think so but they have to improve a lot. Keep in mind how much better JHS got in january. MM can certainly do that. We have a lot more offensive options than last season. This team is very young and just learning how to play together. 

Hooefully they continue to improve. This team could be a tough out come March or be sitting at home. 

[Drroogh]

24 minutes ago, Inequality said:

I guess so. I should feel better now, aye?

Last couple of games? You talking about barely beating MooreHead State? The last game they finally started connecting some dots. Which time will tell if it’s actually an improvement that will stick or an anomaly.

What I’ve seen so far hasn’t been spectacular. I want better than what they are. Instead of sugar coating and pretending I’d rather be real. We have some good pieces to build off of. A few and not all btw.

My not so nice, real world opinion if we are looking to build a championship caliber team in todays world of NIL-college basketball… keep Ware, Bako, Reneau, Cupps and send everyone else to the portal and wish them well.

I guess if you must, go back to 2022 and look at Kennesaw State’s results. They did appear to improve over the course of the season but they are still 100% cupcake vs the likes of any B1G program.

It’s just chit chat on a message board that has zero real life effect on anything. I’m not flaming the coaching staff who by the way still has a whole lot to prove. 

 

Glad I helped you got that off your chest!

Edited December 23, 2023 by Drroogh

[5fouls]

1 hour ago, IUFLA said:

I guess the honeymoon of the North Alabama game is over! 😁

Everyone prefers Morehead.  

[IUFLA]

I honestly think North Alabama had the most impressive showing against a P6 school with their OT loss to KSU in Manhattan...

Kennesaw State's only P6 game was a 27 point loss to a mediocre Florida State team in Tallahassee...

They've also lost to 7-5 East Carolina and 5-9 Florida International, both on the road...Their only road wins were against 4-8 South Carolina Upstate and 7-7 Presbyterian (The Blue Hose!)  

[KoB2011]

56 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

I honestly think North Alabama had the most impressive showing against a P6 school with their OT loss to KSU in Manhattan...

Kennesaw State's only P6 game was a 27 point loss to a mediocre Florida State team in Tallahassee...

They've also lost to 7-5 East Carolina and 5-9 Florida International, both on the road...Their only road wins were against 4-8 South Carolina Upstate and 7-7 Presbyterian (The Blue Hose!)  

Yeah, we should win this game going away and continue building on the good things from North Alabama. Hopefully keep the starters to about 25 minutes and get some extended run for the bench. 

[IUalum]

I would like to see a more intense defence.  I think N Ala. missed a lot of open threes that made the d stats look a little better than the team played.  CMW said something about being at the shooter as they received the pass, seemed like there were many open corner 3s that did not fall (they hit around 30% for the game). In fairness, there were a lot of different rotations on the floor for the IU, especially in the second half.  Nonetheless, better communication on defence is a recurring theme.