ALL is well now...

[dogsrus]

...correct?


DId we right the ship...did we play with more intensity...did we hustle more....?

Or is /was this the ISU "way" ...play someone thats not very good at all.

I seriously don't know. Games like this don't tell me alot. I liked alot of what I saw but I expect that when you play a team that bad or at least thats not real good.

I do like what I saw from EM and DN...I think these guys really showed alot. No more Juco pg's IMO.

We played alot of guys...I do think if JL shortens the bench its a 20+ win but that doesn nobody any good. I think 9 or 10 guys got about 10 minutes each.

GO BU.........

[Braves4Life]

We played alot of guys...I do think if JL shortens the bench its a 20+ win but that doesn nobody any good. I think 9 or 10 guys got about 10 minutes each.

GO BU.........

I think it was clear we could have beaten these guys by 20+ if we really wanted to. Every time JL put "the winning combination" back on the floor we had a spurt back up to 15+ points. But I agree it mad more sense to get guys minutes. Just wish Thompson would have gotten more than Collins.

[Da Coach]

Any thoughts on the officials?

I thought that crew was very good. They did not try to overuse their whistles. What a pleasure it is to watch a game without so many foul calls. Today's officials didn't act like they felt they needed to be the show.

The only call I thought was bogus was the technical for hanging on the rim by Theron. He was fouled hard on the play, and I don't believe I have ever seen a technical foul called when a guy is fouled like that. And he didn't actually hang on the rim very long. The rule allows for the player to hang if he needs to avoid coming down awkwardly or injuring someone.

[romar]

Just wish Thompson would have gotten more than Collins.

Why? I believe Collins is a serviceable big man - not a star but can give 20 plus minutes (actually 15 today with 10 points & 5 blocks). He needs minutes too plus you only have him the rest of the year. AT lacks strength with the ball - he's going to be very good but needs another year with Ronnie Wright IMO & has 3 more years left, no need to rush him. I agree with the way JL is bringing him along. He even said in the post game that he likes what he sees from AT and he will be seeing more court time and be a big part of this BU team in the future.

Like it or not I think BU is going to have a center by committee this year with SS getting the most minutes, then Collins and then AT filling in based on fouls or situations.

[romar]

The only call I thought was bogus was the technical for hanging on the rim by Theron. He was fouled hard on the play, and I don't believe I have ever seen a technical foul called when a guy is fouled like that. And he didn't actually hang on the rim very long. The rule allows for the player to hang if he needs to avoid coming down awkwardly or injuring someone.

Officiating very good - the T very bad - thought they might have called taunting on TW until Herzog announced it as hanging on the rim. He did start to glare at the other player but then walked past him & bumped chests with SM. So even if that was what they were calling it was relatively weak.

[pfunk880]

Like it or not I think BU is going to have a center by committee this year with SS getting the most minutes, then Collins and then AT filling in based on fouls or situations.

And hopefully Singh isn't going to miss any time. Hopefully he just didn't play in the second half because the game was in hand.

I liked what I saw, but I agree that it's not a great barometer of where we are at. UWM will be a better test.

And the T was a horrendous call.

[real fan]

We looked good at the start but struggled to put a weak team away for good; it may have been because of all the substituions we made, one thing for sure is that are freshman are ready to play at this level .We also cannot let a player from the opposing team score 20 or more points (which is a major concern of mine) it has happened way too many times.

[jasonpeoria911]

I thought BU kind of went stale when Thompson was in the game. He does show aggression with the ball but rushes his shots at the same time. Probably has to do with his youth and this being his true first game of decent minutes.

As for Theron's Technical, if the NCAA wants to become like the NFL nicknamed "No Fun League", then the Technical was bonafide. Theron didn't really hang on the rim but he punched the bottom of the backboard with both of his palms. I've seen a T called a few times in other college games for the same actions. If he would of just came down and not hit the board, then I don't think it would of been called.

Jason

[Da Coach]

Theron didn't really hang on the rim but he punched the bottom of the backboard with both of his palms. I've seen a T called a few times in other college games for the same actions. If he would of just came down and not hit the board, then I don't think it would of been called.

Jason

I can believe it was for that instead of the "hanging on the rim" rule. Maybe the interpretation got confused in transmitting the ruling to the scorer's table. Although it's hard to believe that since the officials were at the scorer's table for a long time, and the PA guy is right there.

[houstontxbrave]

I guess I seen it differently. I thought we lacked a constant effort defensively, we did not rebound very well, we shot the 3 horribly and simply we did not play a full hard effort filled 40 minutes.

There were possessions we played well then the very next one we take a 3 pt shot on the first pass over half court.

Fine we won against a team that is likely the worst we have played and might play all season. I realize we used many different combinations but we lack a killer finish it off mentality.

I suppose that comes from playing a lot of underclassmen and combinations but overall I still am not thrilled with the way we shoot the basketball on open 3's.

[jasonpeoria911]

On a side note, what happened to that guy just before halftime near section 20? I saw everyone looking up that way and I turned around just in time to see them carrying him into the corridor. Then saw the medics wheeling the stretcher in a couple minutes later during halftime.

Jason

[Rusty 54]

No matter if today was us playing well or SEMO playing bad or a combination of both, walking out of Carver with a win feels so good.

I love McCains inensity

I'm glad that Les emptied the bench at the end, good to see Lavin, Phillips, and Ned get in, they might not have another chance (SIUE perhaps)

[Beninator]

DRU, hats off to you for starting an interesting thread. I posted on another thread that I did not like this starting lineup. I still dont like this starting five for the long haul. What I believe happened today was that Coach Les realized we were playing a terrible team and used this shake up as a motivational tool for the Braves. Message delivered. I hope Sam Singh is well. Singh is a tough guy and a broken nose wont slow him down. DC is DC and my opinion on him remains that we need to give more of his minutes to AT. Hats off to the freshmen... PT for Mccain et al today is valuable experience for the future.

[SFP]

I guess I seen it differently. I thought we lacked a constant effort defensively, we did not rebound very well, we shot the 3 horribly and simply we did not play a full hard effort filled 40 minutes.

There were possessions we played well then the very next one we take a 3 pt shot on the first pass over half court.

Fine we won against a team that is likely the worst we have played and might play all season. I realize we used many different combinations but we lack a killer finish it off mentality.

I suppose that comes from playing a lot of underclassmen and combinations but overall I still am not thrilled with the way we shoot the basketball on open 3's.

I'm in this camp. We should have put this game away a lot earlier and been up by at least 20 at 1/2. Our guys right now need to develop a killer instinct. It can be developed. We had them on the ropes and we then failed to do the things that got us that 20 point lead. Our jump shots were not going in again, now it's time to be concerned, so we needed to continue going to the rim hard and playing intense D. It seemed once we got decent lead the players would let up just a bit. Our intensity though overall good was up and down. A good team plays for 40 minutes, we played for 30 minutes. SEMO is just a bad team and when we play these types of teams it's time to put your foot on their throat and not let them even get another glimmer of hope. We could learn from the Michigan State game, when they took command they made sure we never had a chance to rally back. I'd like us to take a more business attitude with each possession.

I also would have liked to see AT in a bit more because the only way he'll get better is by playing. We were passing the ball more into the paint which was a huge plus. The Freshmen are playing beyond my expectations. TB has talent but gets a bit out of hand occasionally. TW played a very good game and we'll need more games like this from him in order to stay out of Thursday! We have a nice stretch of winnable games and I hope this team rises to the occasion and plays more consistent. With the current makeup of this team we should be able to play high caliber basketball for 40 minutes and if we do then we may suprise some people.

[SFP]

DRU, hats off to you for starting an interesting thread. I posted on another thread that I did not like this starting lineup. I still dont like this starting five for the long haul. What I believe happened today was that Coach Les realized we were playing a terrible team and used this shake up as a motivational tool for the Braves. Message delivered. I hope Sam Singh is well. Singh is a tough guy and a broken nose wont slow him down. DC is DC and my opinion on him remains that we need to give more of his minutes to AT. Hats off to the freshmen... PT for Mccain et al today is valuable experience for the future.

B I agree and I hope you are right that JL was sending a message.