Two simple keys to tonight's game

[IthacaMatt]

1. Our guards must drive to the rim to (a) take advantage of their size advantage over Indiana's midget guards, and maybe (b) get some fouls on Zeller.

2. We must avoid early fouls on our bigs. I really am expecting, but hope not to see, 2 fouls each on Rak and Baye in the first 5 minutes of the game. I think Zeller is going to get the benefit of calls in a huge way. We've got to keep our bigs on the floor, and keep Zeller from shooting 15 or 20 foul shots. I expect to see Coleman in the first half, due to foul trouble. I hope not, but that's what I'm preparing myself for mentally, and hope like hell we can avoid.

 

[Lawrinson14]

Even simpler...

We have to make shots.
We have to hope they aren't making shots.

 

[armory]

1) Score more points than the other team.

2) Post many pictures of JLH

 

[Madbiker]

What is to stop IU from just copying Pitino's strategy and putting Zeller at the FT line to shoot 12 footers and force our center to come up to guard vacating the spot under the basket. Put Watford in the corner just like Hancock for a pass out to shoot open 3s and then have VO run the baseline for dunks like Harrell did? We showed no ability to stop it. I hope JB has a plan if they roll out the UL strategy.

 

[HakAttack]

Well according to Bruce Pearl on SportsCenter this morning...Indiana's good at crashing the offensive boards, so that's another area where they'll beat us.

Uh...what? Do these ESPN talking head shrills look at statistics anymore, or do they just make things up to suit their own agendas?

 

[kuethstheman]

What is to stop IU from just copying Pitino's strategy and putting Zeller at the FT line to shoot 12 footers and force our center to come up to guard vacating the spot under the basket. Put Watford in the corner just like Hancock for a pass out to shoot open 3s and then have VO run the baseline for dunks like Harrell did? We showed no ability to stop it. I hope JB has a plan if they roll out the UL strategy.

Isn't that everyone's strategy? It's all about execution. If Zeller can make the right play most of the time and if they hit their shots, we're toast.

e.g. Until this year, UConn has almost always been a very good team and their coach wrote the book (literally) on breaking down the zone. When they executed, they shredded the zone. With the same coach and the same strategy if they couldn't execute, we shut them down.

We're relying entirely on IU's inexperience attacking zones.

 

[Oakland]

What is to stop IU from just copying Pitino's strategy and putting Zeller at the FT line to shoot 12 footers and force our center to come up to guard vacating the spot under the basket. Put Watford in the corner just like Hancock for a pass out to shoot open 3s and then have VO run the baseline for dunks like Harrell did? We showed no ability to stop it. I hope JB has a plan if they roll out the UL strategy.

Would just like to point out that UL shot 40% against us in 3 games and averaged 69 pts - I think the zone held up quite well. If you take away the last 15 minutes when we were gassed, UL's numbers look much worse.

 

[David1234]

Even simpler...

We have to make shots.
We have to hope they aren't making shots.

If we make our shots, I don't think we are going to take more shots than them do to our players stealing their passes. So, I think if we play up to what we are capable of, then it does not matter how Indiana shoots!

 

[CorduroyG]

What is to stop IU from just copying Pitino's strategy and putting Zeller at the FT line to shoot 12 footers and force our center to come up to guard vacating the spot under the basket. Put Watford in the corner just like Hancock for a pass out to shoot open 3s and then have VO run the baseline for dunks like Harrell did? We showed no ability to stop it. I hope JB has a plan if they roll out the UL strategy.

give zeller the shot. big men aren't used to being playmakers. if he makes 3 or 4 foul line jumpers then come up on him and see if he can dish. I'd rather let zeller get his and contain everyone else than vice versa

 

[jdubs30]

give zeller the shot. big men aren't used to being playmakers. if he makes 3 or 4 foul line jumpers then come up on him and see if he can dish. I'd rather let zeller get his and contain everyone else than vice versa

This. If they want to put their only post threat at the foul line so he can shoot jumpers, let them do it.

 

[orangefan13]

Play with heart. This is the sweet 16 and we caught alittle bit of a break the first few rounds.

Wanting to win takes the time to take missed opportunities to heart, and continues with the will to win after timeouts, inbounding and fouls. We do that we are atleast in it to the buzzer.

If we just go through the planned practiced "motions" we will lose.

 

[Phillymoose]

In this round last year we ran into a Wisconsin team that seemingly couldn't miss from 3 in the 2nd half. It still amazes me we won that game, but it also shows that sometimes you have to throw out the books and the stats on what is needed for a win. Expect the unexpected.

 

[jdubs30]

In this round last year we ran into a Wisconsin team that seemingly couldn't miss from 3 in the 2nd half. It still amazes me we won that game, but it also shows that sometimes you have to throw out the books and the stats on what is needed for a win. Expect the unexpected.

This year and last year have flip-flopped. Our real challenge is tonight, I'm much more confident that if we win tonight we're going to Atlanta. I knew after the Wisconsin game we had an extremely tough game vs. OSU.

 

[orangeinohio]

When Boeheim picks his nose, we win. 2012 BET vs UCONN. This year vs Seton Hall.


I say, Jimmy, pick away.

 

[erog78]

I don't think our centers will be in foul trouble as much as Dirty and CJ. I expect Watford or Sheehey to work the high post and dump the ball in to Zeller under the basket where are forwards will probably be late to recover as the will need to account for someone in the corner.

Zeller normally picks up fouls on opposing centers through traditional post ups on the block, which really aren't there against the zone.

 

[CorduroyG]

This year and last year have flip-flopped. Our real challenge is tonight, I'm much more confident that if we win tonight we're going to Atlanta. I knew after the Wisconsin game we had an extremely tough game vs. OSU.

was thinking the same thing. win tonite and we got a legit shot to cut down the nets. wasn't confident going into the Ohio St game, but even if we got by them we still had Kentucky standing in our way. that's probably why I'm a lot more nervous/excited/anxious/pumped for tonites game than I was last year against wiscy. win tonite and the title is right there for us.

 

[Toga]

No handwringing. We're going to kick their ass!

 

[cap2nine]

General response to this thread and other comments I’ve seen over the past few days-

Don't expect to see a single second of Coleman unless a) both Rak AND Baye foul out or b) the game is well in hand (one way or the other) with only a minute or two left.

I see lots of people referencing Indiana's small guards as an exploitable advantage for us. I'm not seeing it. Yes, they're a little smaller. Hulls and Ferrell are about 6' and Oladipo is listed at 6'5". The anticipation is that VO is on MCW, which makes sense, so I don’t think that a 1 inch height advantage along with a relatively high handle amounts to any advantage for us there and the few inches that Triche or Cooney will have over Hulls and Ferrell won't amount to much on the offensive end, once they hit the lane. It’s probably more of an advantage on our defensive end.

I think the keys for us are pretty simple though. 1) We have to win the battle on our glass (this is where a little more height should help us). If IU gets second chance opportunities, we are in big trouble. 2) We have to win the turnover battle and specifically I mean with MCW. If he's distributing well and not throwing the ball to the Hoosiers then we are in good shape. If he gets 9 assists or more, with 3 or less turnovers, we win. 3) JS must be on the floor for the last 10 minutes of the game. Even if this means Grant gets some extra minutes late in the 1st half or to start the 2nd, Southy has to be there for us in the end. 4) Seniors must be solid!! Obviously this touches on JS again but he and Triche both have to have solid games. Otherwise they'll take away drives and double-team Fair whenever he touches the ball.

I realize that I could probably list these items as a recipe for success against just about any opponent in pretty much any game but the bottom line is that these are things that we’ve either done pretty well all year long or are absolutely within the control of our team.

Anyway, that's the way I see it. It's really not a Herculean task we're confronted with. Our D will be solid, as it has been all year. A team effort on the offensive end wins this game for us!!

 

[All4SU]

give zeller the shot. big men aren't used to being playmakers. if he makes 3 or 4 foul line jumpers then come up on him and see if he can dish. I'd rather let zeller get his and contain everyone else than vice versa

I agreed with this. I'd let him shoot 50% from 15 feet. We would get most of those rebounds. And I would rather he shoot jumpers than draw fouls under the basket.

But I still would stand on his toes.

 

[zhanjuzi]

Play with heart. This is the sweet 16 and we caught alittle bit of a break the first few rounds.

Wanting to win takes the time to take missed opportunities to heart, and continues with the will to win after timeouts, inbounding and fouls. We do that we are atleast in it to the buzzer.

If we just go through the planned practiced "motions" we will lose.

I like this .. play as if there is no regional final. Play with complete abandon and intensity ..

 

[IUfanborden]

Would just like to point out that UL shot 40% against us in 3 games and averaged 69 pts - I think the zone held up quite well. If you take away the last 15 minutes when we were gassed, UL's numbers look much worse.

Indiana is better than UL offensively...You'd better hope IU has a "UL offensive day".

 

[SoBeCuse]

Indiana is better than UL offensively...You'd better hope IU has a "UL offensive day".

Oh no doubt. Closest thing we have seen to you guys offensively is UL but you guys have better shooters, obviously. No brainer.

 

[rhcuse]

1. Triche must score the basketball. Something like 3 of 7 from 3-pt. and 4 of 9 from 2-pt., plus get to the FT line 4 or 5 times.
2. Dirty cannot commit half-assed fouls on cutters giving help-D sliding over to cover the post when Rakeita is drawn up to the foul line. Would rather he give up a couple buckets and keep himself in the game.

 

[Chris02M]

I have got to see Zoeller make those free throw jumpers before I adjust and move center out to him. IM more concerned about staying on shooters and trying to make them take long 2 vs. threes

 

[Oakland]

Indiana is better than UL offensively...You'd better hope IU has a "UL offensive day".

As I have said before, SU matches up better with a strong O team vs a strong D team.