Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

We don't talk about it a lot but this women's game is a great one ... national-level game.

I have some question of how tested Tom's team actually is .... avg margin of victory near 29.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

I was thinking they may have come up last night. It appears by late afternoon it should be OK. By going yesterday they could have avoided all this. That's my guess.

Leaving this morning would have been very difficult.

This live feed should get a good rating (not that there is one) ... not much else to do today.

I already had a sled riding shift. Hopefully not another one!

[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.