Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I think y’all have already said what needed to be said. It’s going to be a really long, cold winter in Indiana. This think was a $hit show from the opening tip. The starting lineup didn’t make any sense. KJ playing all those minutes didn’t make any sense. Not shortening the bench to your best 5-6 guys in crunch time didn’t make sense. Brooks and Waldo didn’t show me anything. Petteno looked like the kid in intramurals that annoying chucks it up all night and doesn’t hit anything. Apparently Furtan is only allowed to dribble and pass.

I get it that there would be some rust and continuity issues but there was ZERO rhythm to the offense. What did they do in practice all summer? Defense was pretty good for the most part but I also think Concord is a bad team.

Seeing them last night, ND is significantly better than Concord.

However, ND is much smaller than Concord. I don't anticipate IUP shooting 17% again.

If Joe plays to win tonight, I think they can. If he plays to appease friends again, they will lose.

I counted at least 6 offensive possessions IUP had absolutely no idea what it was doing. Perhaps typical for an opening game with so many new faces. Hopefully tonight that maybe happens just twice.

ND's post players are in the 6'4" range but are fast and strong. KJ wil get (AGAIN) eaten alive. Brooks needs heavy minutes tonight.

Joe's a clear dog in his next two so they better win this one.

They have to get Petteno some buckets early because his head has to be all jacked up. He was freaking awful last night.

[Topper_Hopper]

Maybe 5 years ago, the Hilltoppers lost on opening night to a Kutztown team that finished around .500. That same Hilltopper team improved over the course of the season, and played in the Atlantic Region title game. I wouldn't be surprised if IUP's season this year followed a similar path.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They don’t have that guy. Maybe Waldo gets there someday. Most Improved KJ is who he is. And of all the awful things that we saw last night, Damir Brooks playing 4 minutes might have been the most disappointing unless there’s some injury we haven’t heard about. And I’ve felt the same about Romero-Sanz. If he’s not seen as a guy who can help this team, how good could he possibly be?

Romero-Sanz not playing may have nothing to do with his talent. Keep that in mind. If he plays, KJ can't.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They don’t have that guy. Maybe Waldo gets there someday. Most Improved KJ is who he is. And of all the awful things that we saw last night, Damir Brooks playing 4 minutes might have been the most disappointing unless there’s some injury we haven’t heard about. And I’ve felt the same about Romero-Sanz. If he’s not seen as a guy who can help this team, how good could he possibly be?

Romero-Sanz is very raw. But, he's as big as Ethan and very strong.

KJ and Waldo got flung around like little kids last night. Both missed so many key rebounds because they were getting physically mauled. Waldo is at least decent on defense but he weighs about 80 pounds. KJ brings nothing on both ends.

We talked about this KJ item all summer. Now it's here.

The only ray of hope is I don't think it's possible they play any worse.

Damir Brooks (the physical guy): 4 minutes

Perhaps a total disaster season will get Joe recruiting better.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Teddy KGB's official betting line tonight:

ND -5.5



Team Nepotism is a home dog

[Chuck Norris]

They better find Ethan some real help at the 4. Tomiwa was a perfect compliment there. Ethan will have a long year if he’s stuck playing next to KJ all year. No team will be scared of him and it showed AGAIN last night. Romeo not even dressed doesn’t look good that Joe thinks he can help this year.

They don’t have that guy. Maybe Waldo gets there someday. Most Improved KJ is who he is. And of all the awful things that we saw last night, Damir Brooks playing 4 minutes might have been the most disappointing unless there’s some injury we haven’t heard about. And I’ve felt the same about Romero-Sanz. If he’s not seen as a guy who can help this team, how good could he possibly be?

[IUPalum]

They better find Ethan some real help at the 4. Tomiwa was a perfect compliment there. Ethan will have a long year if he’s stuck playing next to KJ all year. No team will be scared of him and it showed AGAIN last night. Romeo not even dressed doesn’t look good that Joe thinks he can help this year.

[EyeoftheHawk]

I think y’all have already said what needed to be said. It’s going to be a really long, cold winter in Indiana. This think was a $hit show from the opening tip. The starting lineup didn’t make any sense. KJ playing all those minutes didn’t make any sense. Not shortening the bench to your best 5-6 guys in crunch time didn’t make sense. Brooks and Waldo didn’t show me anything. Petteno looked like the kid in intramurals that annoying chucks it up all night and doesn’t hit anything. Apparently Furtan is only allowed to dribble and pass.

I get it that there would be some rust and continuity issues but there was ZERO rhythm to the offense. What did they do in practice all summer? Defense was pretty good for the most part but I also think Concord is a bad team.

[Chuck Norris]

It's only one game, but I gotta be impressed with the whipping WL put on Ship. Looks like they're gonna rock again this year. We're picked fifth in the East for a reason this year, but the Raiders looked decent and averaged about 85 points in their scrimmages. They were never in the game against WL. I guess in one way it's good in that it shows how far they have to go, but this was certainly not an ideal opening game for a team that wasn't returning a single double-digit starter. And hey, we'll have to play some of the same teams as IUP.

Unless a really strong challenger rises up from the MEC or Cal genuinely has the goods, I can see WL having a relative cakewalk to the Elite 8 this year.

[Ship69]

At least Ship isn’t going to see another team as good as West Lib the rest of the year. IUP is gonna play a whole bunch of teams better than Concord.

It's only one game, but I gotta be impressed with the whipping WL put on Ship. Looks like they're gonna rock again this year. We're picked fifth in the East for a reason this year, but the Raiders looked decent and averaged about 85 points in their scrimmages. They were never in the game against WL. I guess in one way it's good in that it shows how far they have to go, but this was certainly not an ideal opening game for a team that wasn't returning a single double-digit starter. And hey, we'll have to play some of the same teams as IUP.

[Chuck Norris]

Searching for positives? Be glad you didn't open with West Liberty as we did.

At least Ship isn’t going to see another team as good as West Lib the rest of the year. IUP is gonna play a whole bunch of teams better than Concord.

[Ship69]

I’m searching for positives. Ethan isn’t going to go 5-25 very often (hopefully never again).

I expected points would not come in bunches, but I expected it to be more by design with a more deliberate style of play as opposed to everyone shooting abysmally. Dallis and Jaylen need to step up and be the second and third scorers. Clarke had some moments but if he’s the second leading scorer I don’t think that’s a good sign. He needs to run the offense, be a true PG.

Of the 9 guys who played, you’re not going to get any kind of point production from Brooks, Waldo, KJ or Furtun. Petteno, I’m not giving up on because he has somewhat of a pedigree, but yikes, not a great debut. The scoring load is mostly gonna fall on four guys and I really only have faith that one of them will be consistently up to it (he can’t miss 20 shots a night though).

You’d hope they’ll be better than this most nights, but as we saw last year shooting slumps don’t necessarily have to end. This looks like a .500 team to me.

Searching for positives? Be glad you didn't open with West Liberty as we did.

[IUPalum]

1) Waldo has to get stronger.
2) KJ shouldn’t play another minute.
3) Ethan forced a lot of shots tonight.
4) Dallis has to stay out of foul trouble.
5) Clarke needs to finish around the rim.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I’m disgusted that Joe sacrificed winning to keep a buddy happy. IUP played down a guy all night. Terrible!!!

KJ should not only start tomorrow but play all 40 minutes.

Joe has to play 7 guys and that's it. The bench is awful. That's his only **** be be in the .500 neighborhood.

If Joe can't see that the other team goes after KJ all night then he should hang it up. I'm glad they lost tonight.

He plays this same rediculous rotation they'll get blown out tomorrow.

[IUP24]

Woah baby that was bad.