Sunday, January 29, 2006

IU - Minnesota Post Game

Random Thoughts while watching the game from the 'Barn'

To those of you out there that said Davis tells the team one thing, and the media another after his comments about the "We just need to get a split." What about this Strickland quote in today's Indy Star?
"I thought coming into this week we needed to, at the very least, split our two road games. After you lose the first one, though, all the pressure is on you for the second one."
Seems to me that the team really does listen to their leader. And that isn't necessarily a good thing.

Listening to the pre-game interview with Fish, Davis said Marco sat because he was "banged up" in the Iowa game. Not because of any play on the court. Well if that is the case, I take back the compliment I gave Davis last Tuesday.

Anyone really think Ian Eagle is his real name?

Did Monson go "Man to Man" on the first defensive possession just for Raftery? Because they played a 2-3 zone for 85% of the game.

The new generation of IU fans didn't take long to start complaining about the officiating on Peegs... by the first TV timeout there were already 7 posts.

Marco goes out with 12:22 left after picking up his 2nd foul and complaining heavily about it with Minnesota up 15-9. This is why Davis needed to be playing Allen before the B10 season started. But no... it was much more important to let Marco pad his stats to get his B10 POW.

Why do players who just come in off the bench insist on taking a shot the first time they touch the ball? Whatever happened to getting into the flow of the game by making a few passes, a few cuts, a few dribbles, before chucking a shot? Suhr, Wilmont, Calloway??? Why???

Did Davis prepare this team to play against the Minny zone at all? They have no clue how to beat it. Just standing around the 3 pt line chucking 23 footers.

Then when Minny switched to Man to Man, IU kept dribbling into double teams and were throwing the ball away.

Minnesota 34-16 at the Half. 2-13 from 3 pt land

A walk on practice player from Harvard scored repeatedly on Marco and Allen. Why is that?

I wonder what Lavin thinks of his B10 COY pick now?

Davis switched IU's Defense to a 2-3 zone to start the second half. Too bad he didn't make any offensive adjustments though. A Bad 3 and a turnover on the first two possessions.

For all the IU fans complaining about the B10 officiating... they should thank Ed and Jim for not calling the 3 fouls Marco committed in the first 2 minutes of the second half.

So Killingsworth plays 8 minutes in the first half, and 3 minutes into the second half he needs a break? Are you kidding me?

How smart is it throwing a full court press at Minny when your 1 guy back is Marco the Matador? Not very as Marco just let Minny have easy buckets.

Call me crazy, but I kinda liked the unselfish Vaden who got the rest of the team involved. Not this new and improved scoring machine that Davis wants.

30 minutes into the game and IU hasn't attempted a FT. Wonder why that is? Lack of movement on offense. Settling for the 3 will not get you to the line.

Nice weave that Minny runs at the top. Too bad IU has no clue how to defend that high screen.

I really love hearing Killer yell "You can't hold me!" while down 29 - 50. Nothing like screaming trash while getting your arse kicked. And thank you CBS for showing Marco complain to Hightower about getting hit in the head with a fist, only to show a replay of Puchtel knocking the ball off his leg.

Minnesota 61 - IU 42 Congrats to Minny on getting their first B10 win of the season.

17-53 - 32% 5-23 from 3 pt range

Mike's Post game radio interview was interesting. I may have missed a few ums and ohs... it was quicker to type without them.
Just had no energy. They started a lineup that no way should have started against us and they got off to a good start. It's puzzling because we have played 4 road games and you would think we would be ready to play on the road. We have no leadership out there on the road. Nothing has really changed since the Purdue game. We have to pass the basketball and go to the Offensive board. We've got to continue to work and we've got guys without confidence and I don't know how to give it to them. They have to do some soul searching and determine if they want to be basketball players.
Please tell me he really didn't blame the "starting lineup" that Minny played? They started a walk on, who dominated Killer. What Mike, didn't have Killer ready to play against a walk on? I'm sure that was the reason for the slow start. If not, it's that confidence issue and the players need to work it out themselves. Brilliant!

I hope Mike is able to take the team to Dairy Queen today so they can get that 'Banana' split.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Steve:

PATHETIC, EMBARRASSING, LACK OF ENTHUSIASM. I can not come up with the adjective(s) to describe I.U. basketball.

There was a complete lack of preparation, mentally as well as physically for this game. Davis is really CLUELESS!

Marco is tired at the 16:12 mark of the 2nd half??? He sat out most of the first half didn't he? Do we believe in conditioning? NO!!!!!

What was Vaden thinking? What a stupid fifth foul!

What an embarrassment for the university. We have the talent to WIN the Big Ten title, the Big Ten Tournament, and do well in the NCAA tournament! WE DO NOT HAVE THE COACH TO GET THE JOB DONE!

Did Davis say the following: "I don't know how to give it to them." Proves my point Davis is truly CLUELESS IN BLOOMINGTON.

FIRE DAVIS! FIRE DAVIS! FIRE DAVIS!

TS

Steve Straiger said...

Now TS. Don't get your hopes up. I know you are still a ticket holder and really want to see IU back on top. But if you get to thinking IU is going to get rid of Davis, you will be crushed when they do exactly the opposite and give him an extension.

I fully expect IU to rebound against NW at home and get hot from 3 land and upset UCONN. Then Mike can write his ticket. And IU fans will be stuck with him forever.

Anonymous said...

Steve:

You did not answer my first question. What adjective describes this @#$%^&* performance?

TS

Steve Straiger said...

The 3 you chose work. I can think of about 50 more... and none of them are good. So I prefer to laugh about it.

I'm just waiting for the Davis Post-game press conference quotes. I'm sure there will be some good ones.

Spork Boy said...

I'm glad I didn't get to see this game in Texas. I jumped online to see how close an IU victory the game was and wince at the stats. Instead, I sat their with my mouth wide open in shock. Instead I see headlines like this, "Gophers give No. 13 IU season's worst loss."

And here's a news flash to Davis: Leaders inspire confidence or wreck it. I hope he's ready to do some soul searching to determine if wants to be a baskeball coach.

Steve Straiger said...

Be glad you missed it. It really was awful. I like your turnaround on Davis' quote. I can think of 900,000 reasons Davis' soul will tell him he wants to be IU's basketball coach.