The reason why I think we win

[Gabjon]

Because I think we are going to turn them over in the zone not because they are a bad passing team but because they are a good passing team. IU will attempt passes that look good and would be good verse most teams but the length of the zone will be able to get to those passes. This is where our height will be most noticeable MCW and James are both very good at playing passing lanes hopefully it will lead to easy baskets in transition.

 

[jdubs30]

I just don't think they have a good PG who can direct the offense. You could say that the majority of the BE teams have a better PG than IU has with Hulls/Ferrell. You really need a guy who can direct traffic and handle the ball, I'm not sure IU has that.

Not to say that they aren't good players, because they are obviously are. But they don't have someone like Starks, Siva, Woodall, Council, Napier, etc.

 

[zeekay]

We generally do very well against teams outside of Big East (who see us too often) who don't have star point guards. Zone does confuse most guards who haven't seen it and are not talented enough to figure it out on the fly. If we had a choice between playing Michigan, OSU, or Indiana, we should pick Indiana 100% of the time.

I think if we keep them at 65 points, it's a job well done. The question is can we score 66? I'm not so sure with our 4 man offense (50/50 chance that it will be a 3 man offense given how often Triche decides to show up).

If we do have a good offensive game, Indiana might be in for a rude awakening. They did not look sharp against Temple.

 

[jdubs30]

We generally do very well against teams outside of Big East (who see us too often) who don't have star point guards. Zone does confuse most guards who haven't seen it and are not talented enough to figure it out on the fly. If we had a choice between playing Michigan, OSU, or Indiana, we should pick Indiana 100% of the time.

I think if we keep them at 65 points, it's a job well done. The question is can we score 66? I'm not so sure with our 4 man offense (50/50 chance that it will be a 3 man offense given how often Triche decides to show up).

If we do have a good offensive game, Indiana might be in for a rude awakening. They did not look sharp against Temple.

Well according to the IU board, their starting PG played a lot of 2-3 zone in HS, so he should know how to beat it.

 

[Gabjon]

We generally do very well against teams outside of Big East (who see us too often) who don't have star point guards. Zone does confuse most guards who haven't seen it and are not talented enough to figure it out on the fly. If we had a choice between playing Michigan, OSU, or Indiana, we should pick Indiana 100% of the time.

I think if we keep them at 65 points, it's a job well done. The question is can we score 66? I'm not so sure with our 4 man offense (50/50 chance that it will be a 3 man offense given how often Triche decides to show up).

If we do have a good offensive game, Indiana might be in for a rude awakening. They did not look sharp against Temple.

If we get 16pts off of TOs that leaving 50 in the half set. I also like James and CJ's ability to score against their forwards. I feel good about this game.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Well according to the IU board, their starting PG played a lot of 2-3 zone in HS, so he should know how to beat it.

LOL. I saw that too. Who knows, they may shred the zone, but it won't be because of that!

Although Wisconsin 2012 was the only Big Ten team we have ever beaten in the tournament, iirc. I re-watched the OSU game from last year and they really had no troubles vs the zone. Sure they had some turnovers, but they went right to work on it and scored right out of the gate.

Of course, we decided to sit the Big East Defensive POY for that game, so there's that...

 

[BlackKnight76]

Well according to the IU board, their starting PG played a lot of 2-3 zone in HS, so he should know how to beat it.

By that logic, we should have the best zone offense ever.

 

[Moontan]

Well according to the IU board, their starting PG played a lot of 2-3 zone in HS, so he should know how to beat it.

Between that and IU's review of every SU game's analyst's half-hour lecture on how to beat the zone(*) there's really no reason to play the game.

* - do they really need to do this every game? Does every TV dude believe that he's the expert in the subject? It's old, overly repetitive and clearly not accurate, since 75% of the subsequent teams/coaches continue to fail.

 

[TomCreanShow]

I just don't think they have a good PG who can direct the offense. You could say that the majority of the BE teams have a better PG than IU has with Hulls/Ferrell. You really need a guy who can direct traffic and handle the ball, I'm not sure IU has that.

Not to say that they aren't good players, because they are obviously are. But they don't have someone like Starks, Siva, Woodall, Council, Napier, etc.

Yogi is a better director than many of you probably think. He is a freshman, but never played like one this year. An incompetent PG wouldn't be able to direct a 29-6 team with arguably the best offense in the country. He actually compares favorably to many of the PGs in the Big East.

I do think IU will have some trouble with the zone, but I don't think it will be due to Yogi. We have other players that kill ball movement much more often than Yogi. See Remy Abell or Christian Watford.

 

[4evaOrange]

Yogi is a better director than many of you probably think. He is a freshman, but never played like one this year. An incompetent PG wouldn't be able to direct a 29-6 team with arguably the best offense in the country. He actually compares favorably to many of the PGs in the Big East.

I do think IU will have some trouble with the zone, but I don't think it will be due to Yogi. We have other players that kill ball movement much more often than Yogi. See Remy Abell or Christian Watford.

Welcome aboard, I see you finally got accepted.

 

[TheCusian]

Between that and IU's review of every SU game's analyst's half-hour lecture on how to beat the zone(*) there's really no reason to play the game.

* - do they really need to do this every game? Does every TV dude believe that he's the expert in the subject? It's old, overly repetitive and clearly not accurate, since 75% of the subsequent teams/coaches continue to fail.

This. It dives me bonkers. Coming out of the half, ESPN rolls out the "How you beat the zone" and shows the one time the opposing team actually beat it. Never mind that they couldn't replicate the success or that JB has adjusted the defense and the "opening" is somewhere else. For once, I'd like to see a segment on how we broke down their weak defense.

 

[TomCreanShow]

This. It dives me bonkers. Coming out of the half, ESPN rolls out the "How you beat the zone" and shows the one time the opposing team actually beat it. Never mind that they couldn't replicate the success or that JB has adjusted the defense and the "opening" is somewhere else. For once, I'd like to see a segment on how we broke down their weak defense.

Syracuse must be able to slow the game down if they want to win. They can't run with Indiana, not many can. If MCW and company can be baited into a track meet, Syracuse is in trouble. If they listen the JB, which I'm sure will tell them to take their time on offense to get good shots, IU could be in trouble. My question is, does Syracuse have the patience and discipline to methodically slow the game down?

 

[Flora'cuse]

The reason why I think we will win!
(there, I fixed it for you)

 

[Gabjon]

Yogi is a better director than many of you probably think. He is a freshman, but never played like one this year. An incompetent PG wouldn't be able to direct a 29-6 team with arguably the best offense in the country. He actually compares favorably to many of the PGs in the Big East.

I do think IU will have some trouble with the zone, but I don't think it will be due to Yogi. We have other players that kill ball movement much more often than Yogi. See Remy Abell or Christian Watford.

I think your PG is very good, but it still will be his first time playing against the zone. Most PG get better at attacking the zone the more they see it. Yogi needs to be good on his first shot at it. The frustrating thing for me as a SU fan is the zone we play is so different that there is no real to judge how a team will attack our zone until they attack it. That said Temple was the only NON-BE team that attacked the zone well this year and that is because one player go for 33pt 15 of which was from the line.

 

[jdubs30]

Yogi is a better director than many of you probably think. He is a freshman, but never played like one this year. An incompetent PG wouldn't be able to direct a 29-6 team with arguably the best offense in the country. He actually compares favorably to many of the PGs in the Big East.

I do think IU will have some trouble with the zone, but I don't think it will be due to Yogi. We have other players that kill ball movement much more often than Yogi. See Remy Abell or Christian Watford.

There is no question that Ferrell is a good player, but we've gone up against some really good PGs this year who have experience against the zone, I'm just saying those guys are more likely to hurt us than Ferrell is. I'm curious, which PGs would you compare him to? The only PG's he really compares to size wise in the BE is Peyton Siva and Ryan Boatright, but I think both are more explosive.

I think overall you're a very good passing team. I think it's necessary to have a PG to direct traffic and get players in the right spots while on offense (unless you have Khalif Wyatt, who went off on us as well).

He hasn't played like a freshman, but he hasn't been very good in many of your close or "big" games.

opts, 3 assists, 3turnovers in 31min vs. Temple (that doesn't look like a freshman to you?)
6pts, 3 assists, 2 turnovers in 30 min vs. Wiscy in the B10 tourney
7pts, 2 assists, 2 turnovers in 30 min vs. that OSU loss a few weeks ago
He did have 10pts in your loss to Minnesota, but he was 2/10 from the field
3/8 with 3 turnovers and 4 assists in the Illinois loss

And he's going against a defense that he's never seen before, I think he will have problems.

Siva always struggled with our size and length, and really has never done anything against us in his 4 years at UL. I expect our guys to lay off Yogi and dare him to beat us from the 3 like we do with Siva. You can't underestimate a 6'6 and 6'4 guy at the top of the zone.

 

[zeekay]

LOL @ Syracuse slowing the game down. I don't think we played a team yet this year that hasn't tried to slow US down. Our best O game is transition and has been for years. I'll bet good money Indiana will try to slow it down not us.

 

[jdubs30]

Syracuse must be able to slow the game down if they want to win. They can't run with Indiana, not many can. If MCW and company can be baited into a track meet, Syracuse is in trouble. If they listen the JB, which I'm sure will tell them to take their time on offense to get good shots, IU could be in trouble. My question is, does Syracuse have the patience and discipline to methodically slow the game down?

We can win either type of game, but we prefer to run.

 

[4evaOrange]

Syracuse must be able to slow the game down if they want to win. They can't run with Indiana, not many can. If MCW and company can be baited into a track meet, Syracuse is in trouble. If they listen the JB, which I'm sure will tell them to take their time on offense to get good shots, IU could be in trouble. My question is, does Syracuse have the patience and discipline to methodically slow the game down?

The one thing I've sen over on HSN is about running with IU, but the fact is that SU depends on transition points off turnovers and when the defenses aren't set...I wouldn't be surprised if we run. Our half court sets struggle. More than usual they end with a bad shot or 25 foot 3.

 

[jdubs30]

LOL @ Syracuse slowing the game down. I don't think we played a team yet this year that hasn't tried to slow US down. Our best O game is transition and has been for years. I'll bet good money Indiana will try to slow it down not us.

It'll be interesting to see how hard IU crashes the offensive boards. Because if they do, that leaves Ferrell and Hulls back trying to stop MCW and Triche coming full speed.

 

[Fly Rodder]

It'll be interesting to see how hard IU crashes the offensive boards. Because if they do, that leaves Ferrell and Hulls back trying to stop MCW and Triche coming full speed.

And CJ or Southerland as a trailer waiting for a drop-off or 'oop.

 

[TomCreanShow]

I think you guys are in for a surprise. I don't see how JB will allow Syracuse to turn this into a track meet. Nobody has been able to beat IU that way this year. IU generally loses when the final score is the the 50s or 60s. Run-n-gun may be one of your strengths, but it is absolutely Indiana's biggest strength.

 

[TomCreanShow]

It'll be interesting to see how hard IU crashes the offensive boards. Because if they do, that leaves Ferrell and Hulls back trying to stop MCW and Triche coming full speed.

Same can be said for Syracuse crashing the o-boards.

 

[br801]

Syracuse must be able to slow the game down if they want to win. They can't run with Indiana, not many can. If MCW and company can be baited into a track meet, Syracuse is in trouble. If they listen the JB, which I'm sure will tell them to take their time on offense to get good shots, IU could be in trouble. My question is, does Syracuse have the patience and discipline to methodically slow the game down?

Be careful what you wish for. I don't think seeing Syracuse out in transition will work out too well for you, unless you're planning to be home for the weekend. Then again, playing Syracuse in a meat grinder of a game might not work out well for you either.

 

[TomCreanShow]

The one thing I've sen over on HSN is about running with IU, but the fact is that SU depends on transition points off turnovers and when the defenses aren't set...I wouldn't be surprised if we run. Our half court sets struggle. More than usual they end with a bad shot or 25 foot 3.

Sounds like our teams have some similarities then.

 

[Knicks411]

Indiana can be pretty deadly in transition, Zeller runs the floor like an animal. And of course we like to score in transition as well.

I don't think this is a game we would actively look to slow the pace in, at least not to start.