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IU - Wisconsin Pre-Game Thread - Jan. 2 Game


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Do  we go into Wisconsin this year and get the W?

Wiscy's early schedule has included some really bad showings, but also some pretty good showings:

- Lost to #22 Baylor 65-70, to #23 UCLA 72-70, to #15 X 70-80.

- But also lost including recent losses to Marq 63-82 in the Kohl Center, to OSU 58-83 in the Kohl Center, to #28 UVA 37 (!) - 49.

- They've won three in a row, all at home, but only beat Western KY by 1.

- They won their first B1G game, at PSU, 64-63.

Do our guys step up to play solid ball on the road to get the W? Who will our key players in this game be?

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I'm not sure what it is with the Kohl Center..:maybe it's the rims, the lighting, the fans -- probably a combo of all three, but we never play well there. Based on history this is gonna be a tough game. However, although it will be tough, I do think we can win this game as this Wisconsin team doesn't appear to be the recent teams of the past. Also, their system constantly dominated and dictated Crean's system in the past. Archie's style is better and will give us a chance

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14 minutes ago, Hoosier987 said:

I'm not sure what it is with the Kohl Center..:maybe it's the rims, the lighting, the fans -- probably a combo of all three, but we never play well there. Based on history this is gonna be a tough game. However, although it will be tough, I do think we can win this game as this Wisconsin team doesn't appear to be the recent teams of the past. Also, their system constantly dominated and dictated Crean's system in the past. Archie's style is better and will give us a chance

I don’t think it’s the rims, lighting, or fans at the Kohl Center.  It’s the refs.

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1 hour ago, Seeking6 said:

Wisconsin isn't a very good team and the injury bug has taken it's toll on them. Can we win? Sure. Right now though I don't feel good about winning any game on the road unless. Hopefully I'm wrong. 

I'm kind of in this boat as well -- this is a game we can win but our team has been so up and down and inconsistent, along with the play of several of our guys, that it's sort of a who knows? I do think our guys are trending in the right direction, but, who knows?

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Wisconsin brings up a couple of points.  

They are not very good.  They are very beatable.  The problem is, can IU beat them?  I’d say somebody is going to need to shoot the ball.  Archie is trying to impress upon the squad the importance of being sharp on every possession.  It sinks in at times but, as he said he has to be a raving lunatic with this group, where the senior leadership has not materialized.  

No other series has been more emblematic of our program’s woes than our series with Wisconsin. Crean was 3-19 or whatever against Wisconsin and it wasn’t a fluke.  You had a smart team with sound schemes and our philosophy at the time was very weak against that type of opponent.  We lack talent and senior leadership at this point, but in time, I think this ineptitude against a sound team like Wisconsin will be a thing of the past.  

I see us as a more Michigan State/Wisconsin team in the future.  We will be smarter, tougher, have better flow in the half court.  And that’s a good thing.  

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 IU is currently 313 in the nation in 3 point Fg defense and 301 in 3pt fg shooting.  Unless you have dynamic guards and beastly big men you are not going to win very many games with those statistics, and unfortunately IU has neither.  I see a 12-15 point loss that IU is never really in the game.

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As negatively as some wish to paint IU's chances, it's actually one of the more favorable opportunities for Indiana in Kohl Center in recent years from a match up standpoint. If for no other reason, IU being under a new coach, and Wiscy not being dominant makes this no worse than 55/45 maybe 60/40 (against IU)as chances go. You can work with that.

It's safer to conclude Happ will have a solid or better night, and so will Morgan. Whoever gets the most help wins..IU playing inconsistent ball works as much in their favor as it does against them as a general argument.Indiana needs someone other than Morgan and McRoberts to step up big. Davis avoiding fouls and asserting himself early would be best case. If Wiscy collapses, someone has to make a few shots from outside.

 

 

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15 minutes ago, 5fouls said:

I've got a feeling that anyone still hoping for this season to turn around will realize that it's not going to after tonight's game.

Amen.  Maybe, just maybe tonight is the night?  And even if IU wins, what does that really say?  That we broke a curse?

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3 hours ago, rico said:

Amen.  Maybe, just maybe tonight is the night?  And even if IU wins, what does that really say?  That we broke a curse?

Here’s what tonight means...

It means we have a chance to start off the B1G at an unexpected 2-1. Doesn’t matter if Wisconsin is up or down this year. It means we have an opportunity to inject some energy in to this team. Energy that they, the program, and the fans need. We have seen many different shades of this IU team. We saw fighters against Duke, ND, UL. We saw total embarrassment against ISU and FW. This team needs to transform in to the fighting group. For those that think this one game doesn’t matter...you could be right. But momentum and team unity starts somewhere. 

Maybe it starts tonight. Maybe tonight is scrappy and we win the hustle plays. Maybe that comes from someone unexpected, like DeRon. Maybe Collin’s shots start falling. Maybe we get hosed by the refs (we will) and Archie gets tossed. Maybe that energizes a come back win that can propel them forward. Maybe we beat them like Ohio State beat them. Maybe none of this happens and we lose 63-51. But the idea that tonight’s game means nothing because the book is already written on this team, is garbage. Most of us wrote the book on the 2016 team after Maui. We aren’t winning the B1G this year, but we can play in the top half of the conference if we can gel as a team. Maybe we gel tonight. 

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I’m usually one of those fans looking ahead on the schedule to project what we need to do to end up at a certain level (e.g. top 4) or a certain record (e.g. 15-3). However, this year is one where I am honestly just going one game at a time. 

The Badgers are down but I am still not sure we are mentally tough enough or disciplined enough to win. 

I would be thrilled with a win, but I won’t be shocked if we don’t. I won’t be as disappointed as I normally would be after a loss. I do expect to see improvement going forward. Not seeing that will be disappointing. 

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49 minutes ago, cohete15 said:

Here’s what tonight means...

It means we have a chance to start off the B1G at an unexpected 2-1. Doesn’t matter if Wisconsin is up or down this year. It means we have an opportunity to inject some energy in to this team. Energy that they, the program, and the fans need. We have seen many different shades of this IU team. We saw fighters against Duke, ND, UL. We saw total embarrassment against ISU and FW. This team needs to transform in to the fighting group. For those that think this one game doesn’t matter...you could be right. But momentum and team unity starts somewhere. 

Maybe it starts tonight. Maybe tonight is scrappy and we win the hustle plays. Maybe that comes from someone unexpected, like DeRon. Maybe Collin’s shots start falling. Maybe we get hosed by the refs (we will) and Archie gets tossed. Maybe that energizes a come back win that can propel them forward. Maybe we beat them like Ohio State beat them. Maybe none of this happens and we lose 63-51. But the idea that tonight’s game means nothing because the book is already written on this team, is garbage. Most of us wrote the book on the 2016 team after Maui. We aren’t winning the B1G this year, but we can play in the top half of the conference if we can gel as a team. Maybe we gel tonight. 

And Notre Dame says hello.  

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