Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

In my opinion, PSAC officials let coaches (and sometimes players) yap at them far too much. Some of the coaches are glad to do it all night if they're allowed to.

My biggest annoyance is the "coaches' box" ... which, is totally irrelevant and pretty much a made up, magical place.

Danny is a habitual abuser. I'm not talking a couple feet outside the box. He's dang near in the beer line at some points.


In this current era, Joe vs Danny is the biggest headache for officials in the West. They better take some Tylenol and pound 3-4 Red Bulls. They are going to take a verbal beating. Those two don't get along real well, and they certainly don't like losing to one another. Every call for 40 minutes should be against IUP -- or Danny loses his you know what.

Put it this way, it's actually hard to get the KCAC fired up. By and large, it's a somber crowd (even when it's packed). Kevin Reynolds was -- far and away -- the best at getting that place to a fever pitch. Trust me, it's not easy to get that place humming. He could have the whole place screaming at him 3-4 minutes into a game.

Danny isn't quite on the KR level within the KCAC, but, he's close.

I love when he visits. He gets some life into the building. Far too many forget these are college basketball games, and not quilting club.

[Ship69]

My biggest annoyance is the "coaches' box" ... which, is totally irrelevant and pretty much a made up, magical place.

Danny is a habitual abuser. I'm not talking a couple feet outside the box. He's dang near in the beer line at some points.


In this current era, Joe vs Danny is the biggest headache for officials in the West. They better take some Tylenol and pound 3-4 Red Bulls. They are going to take a verbal beating. Those two don't get along real well, and they certainly don't like losing to one another. Every call for 40 minutes should be against IUP -- or Danny loses his you know what.

Put it this way, it's actually hard to get the KCAC fired up. By and large, it's a somber crowd (even when it's packed). Kevin Reynolds was -- far and away -- the best at getting that place to a fever pitch. Trust me, it's not easy to get that place humming. He could have the whole place screaming at him 3-4 minutes into a game.

Danny isn't quite on the KR level within the KCAC, but, he's close.

I love when he visits. He gets some life into the building. Far too many forget these are college basketball games, and not quilting club.

If you played Millersville's Casey Stitzel twice a year, as Ship does, he might get your building going a bit. He is something else. Damien Blair has his moments as well, and the dude at Shepherd can get a little fired up. East Stroud can play some rough-house style ball, but Jeff Wilson himself is usually pretty restrained on the sidelines. I agree that the ooaches' box is pretty much a joke these days. Some of these coaches roam all over the place, including actually onto the court at times.

[IUPalum]

What a trash loss last night! How does Joe lose a double digit lead with 10 minutes left in the game?

Simple, you don't guard Bryson Lucas and you supposed two best guards turn into a turnover fest because they want to get cute!

What has Rodriguez done to help?

Can Herring do anything fundamentally right?

If it wasn't for Moore, this team would be dead.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

What a trash loss last night! How does Joe lose a double digit lead with 10 minutes left in the game?

Simple, you don't guard Bryson Lucas and you supposed two best guards turn into a turnover fest because they want to get cute!

What has Rodriguez done to help?

Can Herring do anything fundamentally right?

If it wasn't for Moore, this team would be dead.

It may not always seem like it, but I'm about as loyal of a fan as this program has. There's nothing I want more than for the team to do well. Unlike many, you and I have stuck out these bad years.

But, last night wasn't just the tragedy of blowing a 16-point lead in the second half. It wasn't just leaving Cal's best player (literally) unguarded on 5 straight possessions. It wasn't all the missed layups and somehow committing 4-5 turnovers in the halfcourt against a team that WASN'T pressing. It wasn't refusing to change things up on defense when what you were doing was getting sliced and diced Jason Vorhees style. It wasn't even just the number of self-inflicted turnovers.

Last night was kind of just a reality check for the state of the program. And, it's not good.

Cal's team LOOKED like what IUP used to LOOK like. Cal is built how IUP used to be built. The Vulcans play with an intensity IUP 'used' to play with.

I don't even know what the roster makeup is of Joe's team. Honestly, I don't think there is a roster makeup. Joe has a total mess under the basket -- and based on how the rotations change -- sometimes by the minute -- I think he fully knows he has a mess.

Luke Triggs was effective in the first half (and has played well all season). Naturally, the move is to then sit him (basically) the whole second half. Tyler Grove was playing well and spreading the floor for the guards. Of course, sit him most of the second half. Playing Damir and Bautista together is really doing nothing for this team -- at least not against good teams. Opponents know neither is shooting beyond a foot or two from the basket. They can then clog IUP's guard trio.

Again, you have to ask: Why was a guard signed to sit in a tracksuit when the team DESPERATELY needed a legit post player? The team has enough hybrid forwards.

It's been some time now since this team won a legit big game. Don't get me wrong ... they still had their chances last night.

As of now, I think we're seeing a team that will be the Kings of the Second Tier. But, a team not ready for primetime. If I was betting the 'ceiling' right now, I'd say they'll win a game in the conference tournament. Maybe two. If they sneak into the NCAAs it will be as a low seed -- and then likely play WL or Gannon in Round 1. We've seen that movie and know the ending. The reality is IUP is 0-4 against the best 4 teams they've played this season. That's just factual.

Joe called out some players (not individually) after the game. That's fine and all. But, I think a big part of that disaster last night was on him. You can't lose that game at home. You just can't.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

What a trash loss last night! How does Joe lose a double digit lead with 10 minutes left in the game?

Simple, you don't guard Bryson Lucas and you supposed two best guards turn into a turnover fest because they want to get cute!

What has Rodriguez done to help?

Can Herring do anything fundamentally right?

If it wasn't for Moore, this team would be dead.

The reality is they are 0-4 against the four best teams on their schedule this season. That has to change.

[Fightingscot82]

What a trash loss last night! How does Joe lose a double digit lead with 10 minutes left in the game?

Simple, you don't guard Bryson Lucas and you supposed two best guards turn into a turnover fest because they want to get cute!

What has Rodriguez done to help?

Can Herring do anything fundamentally right?

If it wasn't for Moore, this team would be dead.

Boro also blew a 10 point lead in the second half. It didn't help that with campuses closed, official practices weren't supposed to happen.

[IUPalum]

Boro also blew a 10 point lead in the second half. It didn't help that with campuses closed, official practices weren't supposed to happen.

IUP was up 16. There is no excuse for blowing that large of a lead especially when you're supposed to be one of the top dawgs!

[EyeoftheHawk]

I see it the same way you guys do. I don’t see a plan when I look at the construction of the roster, or how the players that are here are being used. I think it was Dennis Eckersley that said the Pirates roster was a hodgepodge of nothingness. That’s a little harsh and I don’t equate that to the IUP roster, but it’s what I thought of. It’s just hard to see what the plan is, and even harder when the pieces are set in motion. No doubt Rodriguez has been a big disappointment and Herring seems to have regressed. With that being the case, why aren’t Grove and Triggs getting more of those minutes. I’ll also say something that might not be popular. Dallis has been a bit of a turnover machine and while he can have big games, he also tries to do too much and it hurts the team. Maybe he feels like he has to, who knows.

I’m the first to admit, I’m no basketball expert but anyone with two eyes can see how lazy this team is on defense. One thing you used to be able to count on with Joe’s great teams was outstanding defense. This team is the worst defensively I’ve maybe ever seen under Joe. How many times are you going to let a guy dribble to the top of the circle uncontested to drain a 3? It wasn’t that IUP lost that was maddening, it was the way it happened. Out coached, out hustled, and out classed from a talent perspective would be my summary.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I see it the same way you guys do. I don’t see a plan when I look at the construction of the roster, or how the players that are here are being used. I think it was Dennis Eckersley that said the Pirates roster was a hodgepodge of nothingness. That’s a little harsh and I don’t equate that to the IUP roster, but it’s what I thought of. It’s just hard to see what the plan is, and even harder when the pieces are set in motion. No doubt Rodriguez has been a big disappointment and Herring seems to have regressed. With that being the case, why aren’t Grove and Triggs getting more of those minutes. I’ll also say something that might not be popular. Dallis has been a bit of a turnover machine and while he can have big games, he also tries to do too much and it hurts the team. Maybe he feels like he has to, who knows.

I’m the first to admit, I’m no basketball expert but anyone with two eyes can see how lazy this team is on defense. One thing you used to be able to count on with Joe’s great teams was outstanding defense. This team is the worst defensively I’ve maybe ever seen under Joe. How many times are you going to let a guy dribble to the top of the circle uncontested to drain a 3? It wasn’t that IUP lost that was maddening, it was the way it happened. Out coached, out hustled, and out classed from a talent perspective would be my summary.

Roster composition-wise, this team comes the closest (in my eyes) to the infamous 2016 "island of misfit toys" group.

I say that because 75 percent of Joe's listed Forwards are probably more like guards - Grove is basically a shooting guard, Triggs is best at the hybrid 3 and Rodriguez rarely is actually anywhere near the paint. Damir essentially is tasked with playing some combo of Center and PF (and he's maybe 6'6").

Ian Herring is a Guard who plays more like a Forward.

So, if you count Herring as another hybrid Forward ... that's 4 out of 5 post players who are really G/F combos.

They are drastically missing a major inside presence (on both ends).

It's far and away the biggest weakness on the team.

Add to it that two of the above are really struggling as of late.

Add to it further, two of them playing the best (Triggs and Grove) don't play that much.

As you said, this hasn't been a prototype Joe defensive team. It's not going to be, either. Too many issues underneath.

So, change it up. Go with the "the best defense is more offense" theory. That means Grove and Triggs play way more.

Hell, play them together and have 5 scorers on the floor together. All five can shoot outside. Create pressure on the defense. That really spreads the floor.

Fact is the team is 0-4 against the four best teams it has played. I'd say it should be 2-2 or 3-1 but that's a different topic.

Point is ... play to the strengths of the hand you have. Quit trying to mold it into something that isn't working.

And, for freaks sake, guard the trey line !!!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Joe's team played a great first half (as expected against a Seton Hill lineup sans its two best players).

The second half? Yikes. It sure wasn't pretty.

Regardless, IUP won by 11 as the Griffins hit several late treys to tighten up the final.

But, giving up 84 points today was ugly.

Joe said on the radio it may be his worst defensive team since his first season. His words not mine.

IUP was up 25 or so at the half and it sure appeared they put the cruise control on.

Other items:

Ian Herring dressed but didn't play a second. They need him (the right version of him). Hopefully today gets his mind right.

Tyler Grove went for 18 and is shooting the ball well the past month.

PSU-Dubois visits Wednesday. IUP plays at Edinboro next Saturday.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I see it the same way you guys do. I don’t see a plan when I look at the construction of the roster, or how the players that are here are being used. I think it was Dennis Eckersley that said the Pirates roster was a hodgepodge of nothingness. That’s a little harsh and I don’t equate that to the IUP roster, but it’s what I thought of. It’s just hard to see what the plan is, and even harder when the pieces are set in motion. No doubt Rodriguez has been a big disappointment and Herring seems to have regressed. With that being the case, why aren’t Grove and Triggs getting more of those minutes. I’ll also say something that might not be popular. Dallis has been a bit of a turnover machine and while he can have big games, he also tries to do too much and it hurts the team. Maybe he feels like he has to, who knows.

I’m the first to admit, I’m no basketball expert but anyone with two eyes can see how lazy this team is on defense. One thing you used to be able to count on with Joe’s great teams was outstanding defense. This team is the worst defensively I’ve maybe ever seen under Joe. How many times are you going to let a guy dribble to the top of the circle uncontested to drain a 3? It wasn’t that IUP lost that was maddening, it was the way it happened. Out coached, out hustled, and out classed from a talent perspective would be my summary.

This team has an oddity in that it just cannot play a full game.

They seem to love the first half, but almost without fail, hit some sort of wall in the second half. I'm not talking gradual decline. I'm talking driving into a wall 95 mph. Jack brought it up on the post-game several times and Joe didn't really have an answer.

Most of Joe's teams historically were all actually better in the second half of games so this is a new one.

And, by 'wall' I mean they go from shooting the lights out to not being able to hit the side of a barn.

Their defense goes from somewhat good to WAY below-average during said stretch, too.

I thought the second half against Cal was the worst I'd ever seen under Joe ... until a few days later when I saw the second half at Seton Hill.

And, if anybody is just a box score reader, don't get fooled. That wasn't 'really' Seton Hill who put up 84 on them. That was a Griffins' lineup sans its two best players, a third starter and a rotation reserve player.

I'm a realist (most of the time). Cal has a very good team and is going to go on runs and can score a lot of points in a hurry. But if you actually re-watch the second half of the Cal game, it honestly looks like IUP had no idea what it was doing on defense. I mean none. Zilch. I can still see Bryson Lucas bringing the ball up, stopping at the top of the key (his well-known best shot) and bam. Seriously, how many times was that going to happen until they realized 'gee, we better stop letting him have a free stop-n-pop' ?

I'll say this for the 'back in my day' crowd:

Joe's strong teams would have never, ever blown that lead against Cal.

Joe's strong teams would have never, ever given up 84 points to Seton Hill's junior varsity lineup.

This team is capable. It's talented. It's deeper than usual. But, something isn't there. I don't know what it is. It doesn't seem like Joe does, either. But, he best get it figured out soon. The train is coming into the station, as they say. It's February 3 and you can't stop time.

The one thing -- totally not related to X's and O's -- that I see missing on this team compared to all of Joe's teams from say, 2009 to 2023, is a killer instinct. I think this team is a bit too nice. They don't have the aggression of past teams -- and certainly not the defensive aggression.

I'll give you an example. Years ago IUP lost a borderline corrupt game up at Morrow Field House. About 3-4 weeks later when they met again, Armoni brought out the team with his hood up and they looked like they were ready to kill somebody. IUP won the rematch by nearly 40 points.

THAT, boys and girls, is what's missing.

Can that be fixed this late? Maybe. Maybe not. That's why Joe makes the big bucks.

[Ship69]

This team has an oddity in that it just cannot play a full game.

They seem to love the first half, but almost without fail, hit some sort of wall in the second half. I'm not talking gradual decline. I'm talking driving into a wall 95 mph. Jack brought it up on the post-game several times and Joe didn't really have an answer.

Most of Joe's teams historically were all actually better in the second half of games so this is a new one.

And, by 'wall' I mean they go from shooting the lights out to not being able to hit the side of a barn.

Their defense goes from somewhat good to WAY below-average during said stretch, too.

I thought the second half against Cal was the worst I'd ever seen under Joe ... until a few days later when I saw the second half at Seton Hill.

And, if anybody is just a box score reader, don't get fooled. That wasn't 'really' Seton Hill who put up 84 on them. That was a Griffins' lineup sans its two best players, a third starter and a rotation reserve player.

I'm a realist (most of the time). Cal has a very good team and is going to go on runs and can score a lot of points in a hurry. But if you actually re-watch the second half of the Cal game, it honestly looks like IUP had no idea what it was doing on defense. I mean none. Zilch. I can still see Bryson Lucas bringing the ball up, stopping at the top of the key (his well-known best shot) and bam. Seriously, how many times was that going to happen until they realized 'gee, we better stop letting him have a free stop-n-pop' ?

I'll say this for the 'back in my day' crowd:

Joe's strong teams would have never, ever blown that lead against Cal.

Joe's strong teams would have never, ever given up 84 points to Seton Hill's junior varsity lineup.

This team is capable. It's talented. It's deeper than usual. But, something isn't there. I don't know what it is. It doesn't seem like Joe does, either. But, he best get it figured out soon. The train is coming into the station, as they say. It's February 3 and you can't stop time.

The one thing -- totally not related to X's and O's -- that I see missing on this team compared to all of Joe's teams from say, 2009 to 2023, is a killer instinct. I think this team is a bit too nice. They don't have the aggression of past teams -- and certainly not the defensive aggression.

I'll give you an example. Years ago IUP lost a borderline corrupt game up at Morrow Field House. About 3-4 weeks later when they met again, Armoni brought out the team with his hood up and they looked like they were ready to kill somebody. IUP won the rematch by nearly 40 points.

THAT, boys and girls, is what's missing.

Can that be fixed this late? Maybe. Maybe not. That's why Joe makes the big bucks.

Your description of IUP is almost a perfect description of Ship's team this year, albeit IUP has deeper overall personnel and is certainly a better team. I've watched in amazement several times this year as the Raiders go from a well-oiled offensive machine to a trainwreck in the space of a few minutes. How does a team that can beat East Stroud at home, go to the last seconds with Millersville, blow the doors off Lock Haven and compete strongly in several other games manage to lose to Bloomsburg, barely beat Kutztown, and get destroyed by a good, but certainly not great, Shepherd team last night? It's just hard to comprehend. I do see across multiple teams both at our level and in D1 that sometimes the worst thing college basketball teams can have ia a big lead at halftime. They seem to say, "well we gof this," and forget to play the first five minutes of the second half. With the three-point shot, you just can't go to sleep.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Your description of IUP is almost a perfect description of Ship's team this year, albeit IUP has deeper overall personnel and is certainly a better team. I've watched in amazement several times this year as the Raiders go from a well-oiled offensive machine to a trainwreck in the space of a few minutes. How does a team that can beat East Stroud at home, go to the last seconds with Millersville, blow the doors off Lock Haven and compete strongly in several other games manage to lose to Bloomsburg, barely beat Kutztown, and get destroyed by a good, but certainly not great, Shepherd team last night? It's just hard to comprehend. I do see across multiple teams both at our level and in D1 that sometimes the worst thing college basketball teams can have ia a big lead at halftime. They seem to say, "well we gof this," and forget to play the first five minutes of the second half. With the three-point shot, you just can't go to sleep.

Joe's not a big fan of calling timeouts, either. So, these prolonged lapses can result in some serious damage.

I fully get no team is strong for all 40 minutes. IUP's second half 'issues' however seem to last 8-9 minutes (or longer).

It's not an effort thing.

[Ship69]

Joe's not a big fan of calling timeouts, either. So, these prolonged lapses can result in some serious damage.

I fully get no team is strong for all 40 minutes. IUP's second half 'issues' however seem to last 8-9 minutes (or longer).

It's not an effort thing.

It's usually not effort at Ship, but I think it is a concentration thing at times — often by players who should know better.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It's usually not effort at Ship, but I think it is a concentration thing at times — often by players who should know better.

What we are unfortunately seeing is good 'team' play the first 20 minutes and then more 'me' play once adversity strikes.