Comments on: Good, Bad and Ugly: Ohio State

By: BaseballBuc

BaseballBuc — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:19:33 +0000

Good to know we agree Milla. Ya, I really loved Bassett too. I will get to see Eli Holman play when he plays Valparaiso, and he probably would still be on the IU roster if he wouldn't of shattered a potted plant when he threw it against a wall in Crean's office lol. As far as the talent level goes, I still will defend to the day that IU's 2008 team was in the top 5 in the country in talent level alone. It was a shame it couldn't of played out better.

By: MillaRed

MillaRed — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:34:47 +0000

Tell you what Buc, as soon as I read you were throwing magazines I realized we are on the same page. I wish the best for these kids too, trust me.

By the way, nice Armon Bassett reference. What would it be like to have him and Jordan Crawford right now? I hear Holman ain't bad either. And who is that kid at WV? Devin Ebanks? I know it wasn't meant to happen etc., but think about what kind of talent was in the funnel during/before Sampson. A lot of good dudes, the kid that went to Cincinnati? Wow.

By: BaseballBuc

BaseballBuc — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:56:29 +0000

I agree completely. My point was that some of us aren't giving the program the time it needs. Myself included, I mean I am sitting watching the game doing what every IU fan is doing. Throwing magazines at the tv because Pritchard dribbles into the corner and throws a ball away. Yelling at Rivers when he throws a pass in the stands. But is there anything we can do but hope for better. Crean wants to win more than anybody. He is a VERY competitive guy. I understand the complaints with the substitutions, but none of us watch practice. Maybe Elston hasn't been going very hard and he is sitting as a result. Ever seen John Wall play? In my opinion he is the best player in the nation. But he still committs about 4 or 5 turnovers a game.

By: MillaRed

MillaRed — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:28:40 +0000

I don't want to seem sarcastic but did you watch this game? Regardless of who we have beaten etc. I just have a hard time watching our kids run around like chickens with their heads cut off. We were downright embarrassing.

I think what most of us are saying is we don't understand how any team young or old can throw the ball into the stands without pressure. How about just plain staying on our feet?

I get your point but I think we have a varied opinion on the low level or performance and the substitution pattern is curious at best. Only an opinion.......

By: barrel1

barrel1 — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:11:59 +0000

I have always been a believer that a strong team makes it's presence first on the defensive end. The zone that Crean is teaching these kids is well below any zone defense I've seen of any good team. Make them move there feet and play a strong man to man. I have read al the comments and everyone is asking the same question, “what is the substitution plan at IU?” I read a comment the other day on this site that everyone liked Derrick coming off the bench, because of his energy. Well, it looks like to me that Crean has sapped the energy out of that kid. Since he started those two games, his minutes have dwindled and dwindled. I know I am not at practice, but if Jeremiah Rivers is the leader of that team, we are hurting. The freshman were recruited for a reason, and that was to help bring the program back, but if they don't get the opportunity to do that consistently who will want to come to IU? I heard during the summer session, that the freshman dominated the upper class daily, and that was without Creek. I guess coming to school early really didn't pay off, because Crean is out on the road daily, which I do understand. Who know's maybe in 3 more years we'll be looking for his successor!!!!!!!!!

By: BaseballBuc

BaseballBuc — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 04:13:16 +0000

All i'm seeing in most of these posts is as if the sky is falling. Remember back to last thursday when we were all overjoyed with the way IU beat Michigan. Now, (including myself) most of us can't remember the good things IU or Tom Crean has done this season. We beat, what now should be a top 25 pitt team after beating syracuse and cincinatti, on the biggest stage in the country. We beat a solid michigan team, struggling or not. We already have more wins than last year. I've said it a million times, I'll say it again; this is a young team, so we can't expect greatness all the time. I am extremely pleased in the work of Tom Crean in his tenure so far. What he has done with recruiting as well as with his players on the court and in the classroom, deserves the accolades in my opinion.

When i sit and become disappointed over an IU game during the Big 10, I'm not going to say who Tom should of substituted here or there, or that they should of run this play. I am going to back the program and trust in CTC that he will take us where we need to go to win, and we will get there.

By: garydavid711

garydavid711 — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:37:00 +0000

They needed DD to replace MC to shoot the 3 inconsistent. Rivers is a rock shooter that kills you at his position. Hulls can shoot 3 off screens but can't create on his own.
They need Elston but 10 min game has lowered his bobber. He is not being given the same slack as the rest and has not shown what he can really do. Will he be back next season?

By: marsh21

marsh21 — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:05:30 +0000

Technically you're correct however the incoming freshman should vary little from the current, Roth is not a big ten player in the least thus I don't think he's a major factor, current freshman improvement should happen but not to the degree it will take to have a winning season and Watford, Hulls and Elston will improve but they are not playing at a high level currently so they would need to make major improvements. As for Creek, I agree that will be great for us.

However we don't have a major point guard player to run the team consistantly and that's what makes college basketball teams win. He need a high 4/5 star point guard or we will see more the same plays like last night.

I'm positive and a huge fan but realistic as well. Crean will work his magic but this is going to take another 3 to 4 years before we see top 20 action. He had nothing to start with and it will be slow as he was already behind on the 2010 class.

By: cooper

cooper — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:58:03 +0000

His form is horrible. I have no idea how with a year off the coaches didn't change his form. I can see why it didn't change in HS it didn't have to, and at GU it didn't matter. How can the coaches have watched him the entire year and not said time to change something? If he has wide open jump shots from the foul line or near there he needs to just shoot. Working on it in the game is the only thing to build his confidence and right now he has none.

I don't think you can sag off him though. Even if they do he has the size and is physical enough to still get to the lane. The problem comes once he gets to the lane. He has minimal kick out options and less low post options than that. I agree he needs to lower his TO but I'd put half of them each game on the player he passes to. Maybe Ray Allen can give him some tips in the offseason

By: aceman07

aceman07 — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:52:18 +0000

It's probably easy to be the best player in practice. Looks who he's playing against! He's a bruiser not an athlete and in practice who is more athletic than him??? He would be perfect as the second power forward coming in off the bench to grab some garbage points and beat up on the other team's star big man. You wouldn't have to worry about his foul trouble then either! This is the case because IU needs to recruit a talented “big” NOW!!!

By: aceman07

aceman07 — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:49:48 +0000

Oh man! I remember that game. I remember RMK looking like he was going to blow a vein in his forehead and then by the end of the game he was just sitting there like, “What the . . .?” That's a horrible memory. Thanks for throwing salt in an open wound. LOL

By: aceman07

aceman07 — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:41:06 +0000

What exactly are you watching? Of course he's going to have a few turnovers in a game because he's the only player on the floor consistently trying to get to the basket and create some offense! The problem is people who watch a game and only fall in love with the flashy, score 10 in a row type players. A guy like VJ3 who score consistently throughout the game keeps you in a game if the rest of the team does anything possible. They don't beat MICH unless VJ3 leads the team! Try to pay attention next time. He also had at least one turnover where he made a decent pass that went off the hands of an unprepared big man!

By: aceman07

aceman07 — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:36:18 +0000

Man, this is team is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! I thought they would just hang around and get beat respectably. I reserved the beat-downs for WISC, MSU, and PU! Man was I wrong!

By: CreamandCrimson

CreamandCrimson — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:22:19 +0000

Yeah, it is. But I think it is safe to assume that this won't be the same team next season.

By: MillaRed

MillaRed — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:13:04 +0000

Everyone on ITH that has played ball understands shooting. Tuck that elbow, follow through, hand in the cookie jar, etc etc.

It's TOTALLY mental for him. At the end of the day it's just a damn shame. If he was a perimeter threat it really opens the lane.

Here's the deal though Kelin, I could forgive the poor shooting if he eliminated the 4-5 completely unforced turnovers a game. They are sooooooo hard to watch! UGH!

By: Kelin Blab

Kelin Blab — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:01:18 +0000

Milla your point about Rivers is 100% right and 0% wrong. For the life of me I cannot understand that 'shooting' would be his glaring flaw in his game when:

+ His brother Austin is AUTOMATIC! Surely they worked out together.....
+ He had a year plus to work and work and work at it.....
+ The rest of his game is pretty solid defensively, ball handling, and getting to the basket. Shooting the ball is one of the fundamentals you learn early....
+ If he had a decent jumpshot he has professional basketball skills.

Give me a year off in my late 30's with ample gym access, I would be one of the best shooters in the country. I live in fear of the coach that decides to just layoff J. Rivers and sag in the lane.

By: MillaRed

MillaRed — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:52:20 +0000

Sorry to piggyback on your comments Kelin but they are good points.

Hopefully Elston's offense improves as IU improves. I too would be terrified to shoot when the team plays this horribly. I think he will be fine. Scoring is contagious or in our case, anemic.

This is what scares me folks, Rivers had an ENTIRE OFF SEASON to work on that jumper! His 3 missed by 2 feet. The other shots? CLANK! A jump shot is 60% mental, and that dude is very, vey weak mentally. I'm shocked at how unsound he is.

Put Hulls on a top Big Ten team right now and he gets 5 assists a game easy. When his 3's start falling he will be even better.

Get Bawa in the game for crying out loud! WTH?

OSU is good yes, but we beat ourselves so badly they didn't need to be good. If they make the final 32 I will be surprised.

Take away the TOs and VJ is 1st team all big ten eh?

I expect Watford to follow VJs freshman path. Big second half of the season for him.

By: Kelin Blab

Kelin Blab — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:32:12 +0000

I look at last nights game and I will continue to buy the youth of this team and the ups and downs. It is what it is people. A few thoughts....

+ Not sure what has happened to Elston offensive game he had in h.s. but it ain't here right now.
+ Said it before, J.Rivers is unstoppable with a jumpshot. I would 'self check' him all day....
+ Hulls plays because, hulls is one of the best decision makers on the team.
+ Liked the Bawa jumphook last night. That was the first post move I have seen in weeks.
+ OSU is a good team
+ VJ3 just continues to get better and better.
+ Would like to see wateford on the block more

By: superhoops

superhoops — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:03:45 +0000

Rivers sucks and continues to suck. For every good play he has, he has 4 bad ones or turnovers. Yes he's quick. Yes he's somewhat athletic. But if he didn't play, I would not miss him. His 2-4 points a game aren't worth it and his pathetic free throw shooting isn't worth it. He's been around basketball all his life and this is the best it gets? Why Crean continued to play him in the first half as he was single handedly throwing the game away is beyond me. I guess that's why I don't get paid a million dollars a year to coach.

By: JerryCT

JerryCT — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:57:20 +0000

Now that I have vented I feel better about thinking of Illinois. If it were me I would be tempted to do the following:

1) Start Rivers, Dumes, Elston, Pritchard , Watford , Elston ( trying to defend Davis )

2) Try to play 30 min each for DUmes, Jones, Watford, Rivers, Elston, Pritchard . This means only 8 players getting time unless we have a breakdown on fouls, injuries, major fatigue. If you think I am crazy consider that we already last night had 5 players over 25 minutes

3) We get the extra minutes per player from Hulls and Moore which last night totaled 40 min ie an entire game

4 )Subs: Jones first option off the bench but still plays 30 min . Hulls only 10 min and only when Jordan is in the game. If needed then Capo only when deparate and Keller is in the game, Bawa spells Pritchard and/or we cannot handle the 7 footer

5) Press early as Illinois has a tendency to fall behind early and their starters are not the best handlers of the ball..........then zone or trap

6) If we are not in shape then we know what we need to do