Iup basketball

[Fightingscot82]

Re: Iup basketball

IUP athletics account just tweeted a game preview. I bet they left earlier than usual and will just take their time getting up there.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Indiana got hit hard over night. I will be shocked if they travel today.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

To quote my favorite 'coach speak' coach of all time ... The expectations are the expectations.

Good old, Mike Tomlin.

I think when you have the fancy arena, the full scholarship allotment, the history, the big coach, the financial support, etc., ... it comes with high expectations. When you have all those luxuries ... there are no rebuilding years. This was a preseason No. 3 team in both polls -- granted that was obviously premature.

You can make a clear case right now IUP has played 6 very good basketball teams. I'm not ready to call Slippery Rock a 'very good' team yet as they've lost to all three good teams they've played. But, of the six very good basketball teams IUP has played this year, they are 1-5 in those games. Three of the losses were right there to win in the final minute. Twice they were blown out (Findlay and WCU). Findlay was the first game with injury issues. If they'd play again this week it wouldn't be a 20-point margin. The day at WCU ... WCU went bonkers. Again, a rematch likely would be much closer.

I agree it's not an elite team. The frustrating part to many of us is that's it's not that far off from being one -- in reality, probably one player. Put DeVante Chance on this team and it is an elite team.

Let's not forget this team has Cobo Diaz (an elite small forward) and Anthony Glover (great senior guard) along with a good supporting cast. Willem, despite not getting the pub, is turning in to a monster under the basket. There are certainly some weaknesses.

Joe seems to keep mentioning the Armoni Foster injury as a major issue to this team. I don't see it. By all reports Foster is a nice player but was he really going to be counted on this year as a true freshman? Was Dante going to sit for him? We see how Jalen Vaughns is being handled.

Depth is no doubt killing this team against the top competition. But, the No. 1 factor, by far, is the turnover issue. It just won't go away. It's already cost them three games.

But, they aren't adding DeVante Chance for the trip to Edinboro tomorrow. I said the other day I think the goal for this team is to win the West. From there it's a bonus. Nobody would want to play them. On the right night they are a dangerous team -- big, fast, can shoot, move the ball well, etc.

The problem is they just can't quit moving the ball well to the other team (or bleachers / empty spaces).

Who knows. I'm a believer things eventually balance out. Teams can't stay hot all night. Teams can't stay cold all night, either. Perhaps IUP is getting the close losses out of its system. You'd rather win the close games in March than December. Heck, this team has already played in 7 playoff-like games this year. Problem is the close losses add up. Too many more ... and IUP will turn in to a pumpkin.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

I caught some of the conclusion of the IUP men's game the other night against East Stroud. I would have to say that this year's edition is simply not an elite team like some of Bravado Joe's teams have been in the past. I think perhaps the expectations need to be lowered a bit from what you expect of them this season.


That's a loaded little paragraph.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

I caught some of the conclusion of the IUP men's game the other night against East Stroud. I would have to say that this year's edition is simply not an elite team like some of Bravado Joe's teams have been in the past. I think perhaps the expectations need to be lowered a bit from what you expect of them this season.

Big test coming up for the IUP women here with successive games at Boro and at Cal. Certainly they have an outstanding record but we are going to see if they are for real or if this is just more of the same that we have got in years past with them. You have a nice enough team and a good record and then you play a PSAC West heavy like a Cal, a Gannon, or a Boro and then you get completely destroyed. Hopefully this year's team can meet the challenge much better than what has been done in recent program history. It will be a good barometer of where they truly stand.

-

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

I truly think IUP will go 5-0 in the next stretch. Those are all winnable games. Boro will be tough but play hard D and that should neutralize those guards some.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

ESU played 11 guys last night. Other than the center I couldn't tell them apart ... as to who was a starter and who wasn't.

Blake's minutes are falling by the game. He was down to 14 last night. Vaughns got 3 minutes right before half time.

How much was Armoni going to contribute as a true freshman? Hard to say. Historically, true freshmen have their moments but cause a lot of headaches.

The next five games:

@ Boro
@ Cal
Clarion
Seton Hill
@ Mercyhurst

They have to go 5-0 in this stretch. Do that and they go up to Slippery Rock at 16-5.

After these five it's a brutal 4-game stretch:

@Rock
Gannon
UPJ
@Gannon (make-up date game)


These next five are going to tell the tale.

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

There were some unforeseen injuries that occurred which hindered them at the beginning, but this wasn't supposed to be a "bubble" team.

You're correct, this wasn't suppose to be a bubble team. I understand the injuries BUT do you think they have a legit PG? Do you think this team was/is deep enough?

[IUP24]

Re: Iup basketball

There were some unforeseen injuries that occurred which hindered them at the beginning, but this wasn't supposed to be a "bubble" team.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

All goes back to the 'so close' saying ...

That 11-5 is 'so close' to 14-2 even with this crazy schedule they took. The Virginia State, Ferris State and ESU games were there to take in the final 60 seconds.

[IUP24]

Re: Iup basketball

Considering the expectations for this season and the press clippings they got in the preseason, the fact that they are 11-5 right now isn't good. It shows how far off this group really was.

Make no mistake. 11-5 is great at a lot of places. Not at IUP with the expectations that were there entering the year.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

... but I also think that's why Keyes is redshirting. Save those two years so he can play with a better quality team.


I've thought of that ... but just didn't want to accept it. I had high hopes for this season.

He needs a stud PG for next year ... I'm talking a hired gun -- starter from Day 1. The rest will be in place. That will determine next season's success. If not ... I don't see much changing.

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

The "Big Guy" said his team wasn't prepared for last night. I think that's basically saying he didn't do his job because it is his job to get that team ready game in and game out! I agree, that team didn't look fatigued. I've seen fatigued teams play. That team was not tired! That team was in foul trouble and played out of control all night. They go 7 deep and that's not going to cut it. You get in foul trouble and then you have issues like last night. They need to get deeper!!! That's on the coach!!!

I can see them losing to Gannon and SRU but not Edinboro!!! That Boro team doesn't play that good of D and if you play good D on them you get them! Gannon proved that last night. How often do you see a Reilly team score in the 80's? They did that last night because Edinboro D stinks!

You're right, I don't see this make up going far this year but I also think that's why Keyes is redshirting. Save those two years so he can play with a better quality team. Joe will have to go find himself a PG for next year. Daunte is better suited at the 2 but that's Glover right now.

I can see next years line up looking like this... recruited PG, Daunte, Malik, Willem and Cobo. Armoni, Vaughns, Keyes and 1 recruited guard coming off the bench.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Well, it's not 'early' anymore.

At 11-5, IUP is certainly approaching 'bubble' status for March.

At 8 losses they have a shot to go dancing. Nine losses ... maybe. Ten losses ... doubtful.

I see them likely losing the rematch at SRU. I project a split with Gannon and Edinboro. That gets them to 8 losses entering the PSAC Tournament. Slip up and lose a game to a Cal or UPJ and, well, probably start thinking about next season. I don't have much confidence they could win the PSAC Tournament. It will be on the road and, frankly, the East teams are just deeper.


Eight teams make the Regional. West Liberty is a lock. At most they will have two losses (if that). Wheeling Jesuit is a lock. Worst-case they have five losses. Virginia State is a lock and will be in the running to host.

That leaves five spots. The PSAC East has 4 very good teams. Granted, they will beat each other up down the stretch and give each other losses. Fairmont State also isn't likely to lose too many more times. They play Wheeling again and WL again and then the MEC Tournament. The rest of the MEC is pretty down this year. I don't see the big three losing to anybody other than each other.

The CIAA is also famous for having an unknown win its conference tournament and get a bid. VA State will be the clear favorite but we saw last year a team like Bowie go nuts when it counted. Virginia Union could be that type of team this year despite its 9-8 record.

I think right now the PSAC gets at least 3 spots.

IUP is strong enough to win the West. They showed last night they can put on a comedy performance and almost beat a really good ESU team. At this point anything after winning the West would be a bonus in my opinion. The roster makeup just isn't there to make a deep run. They'll be scary team to play and on the right night could upset just about anybody but to string together several 'big game' wins in a row ... I just don't see it. Too sporadic.

After last night (and last nights film gets out), if any team doesn't press them all night ... their coach should have his head examined. They'll win a lot of games the rest of the regular season. I've just lost confidence over the past 2.5 years this team can win when the lights get bright. They are just too careless and make too many self-inflicted mistakes to beat elite teams.

Joe can talk after the game about being tired. I'm not buying it. I watched those guys play full-steam for 40 minutes. They were up 9 late in the game. They'll be sick watching that film today. How do you smash a team 37-22 on the glass, shoot 59 percent for the game and still find a way to lose? Commit an 'alleged' 28 turnovers (likely closer to 35 by my count). Toss in a 'show off for the crowd' technical foul, too.

Tired teams don't shoot 59 percent for a whole game. Tired teams don't out-rebound a great rebounding team by 15. That wasn't a fatigue loss. That was a careless loss -- and despite some of your lovefests for the big guy -- it was a poorly coached loss.

"Big game", 'close' losses are also becoming the norm for this program the past 2-3 years. In the past 2.5 seasons they've lost to West Chester all three times, went 1-3 against Fairmont, 0-2 at home to Shippensburg, losses at home to Virginia State and East Stroudsburg, losses to Findlay and Ferris State. During this stretch the program is 60-17 as of this morning. They are winning everything but the 'big stage' games. Why is that?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

All walk-ons. Keyes is on scholarship but redshirt. Armoni out for season and redshirt.

Vaughns on full ride but plays 30 seconds. That leaves 7 players.

Seven-man rotation for a fully-funded program.