Illinois State loses first game on the tour of Canada

[Da Coach]

Here is the box score for last night's game-

[LittleBrave]

Just watched the 1st 30 minutes of the stream.

The 'Birds didn't look terrible IMO.

As a team, they looked pretty solid on D - not sure how they ended up surrendering 91 pts. Rebounding looks to be kind of weak.

No real offensive threats - a LOT of 3-point shooting.

Individual observations: (this is only taken from the 1st 30 minutes!)

#11 looks really smooth handling the ball, and #5 (Cousin) does as well.
They appear to be strong at the point this year.

Carmicheal struggled - only can score on easy lay-ups or FT's. Ekey struggled too - didn't take bad shots - just didn't have the touch.
Cousin looked good, and Wilkins seems to have improved - a little quicker and no so awkward-looking.

I think this team has potential - this kind of experience before the season begins is great for them, especially with so many newcomers. They will only get better - losses in this trip are kind of misleading.

I don't see them as being a top half Valley team, but I dont' think they'll finish last either.

[Da Coach]

I watched the last 30 minutes or so, and the one comment I will make is that John Wilkins could be an awesome player is he changed his game a little to be more like a Theron Wilson type. He has the athleticism to do it, but he appears to prefer to play mostly a guard position and spend all his time hanging around the 3-point line and looking to launch threes. Carmichael also could have had a big game if he played more like a center, but he, too, does not seem to like to try to get to the basket. Maybe it will change as the season progresses.
Carleton was a slow team without a lot of size, yet ISU never figured out how to defend them, and fouled excessively (38 personal fouls).

[LittleBrave]

I watched the last 30 minutes or so, and the one comment I will make is that John Wilkins could be an awesome player is he changed his game a little to be more like a Theron Wilson type. He has the athleticism to do it, but he appears to prefer to play mostly a guard position and spend all his time hanging around the 3-point line and looking to launch threes. Carmichael also could have had a big game if he played more like a center, but he, too, does not seem to like to try to get to the basket. Maybe it will change as the season progresses.
Carleton was a slow team without a lot of size, yet ISU never figured out how to defend them, and fouled excessively (38 personal fouls).

OK - maybe I WAS wrong that ISU was alright on defense. 38 fouls commited is horrendous! Unless you, as a team, are getting fouled as much (maybe an officiating issue) Nonetheless, you just can't foul that much...especially to a team not blessed with quickness.
Wilkins and Ekey both have an advantage in shooting from the outside because of their height and good touch, but this should only be a part of their game - maybe 5 three's a game between the 2. They should be taking as many inside shots as outside shots for this team to be effective. If they just bomb away from 3, there is very little relieable scoring in the post - Threloff & Carmicheal are inconsistent - I think that ISU (red) was successful from '07 to '10 due to their strong inside game in which they hammered away in the paint.

BU might be just as weak inside though - we'll see in a couple months!

[Da Coach]

BU might be just as weak inside though - we'll see in a couple months!

I think we will be, especially with our starting 5 man out for the season.
Who will be our starting 5? Bradley just doesn't have enough depth yet among big men to compensate for Will's loss.
However, ISU has no injury excuse, and to have a 6'9" big man like JW who may be their most athletic player hovering at the 3-point arc when they are weak inside will hurt ISU.

[tornado]

whoever did the scoring was incredibly soft on Nic Moore and I'll bet the ISU fans would even agree...
In fact, about half the Redbirds 1st half possessions could have been scored as turnovers...

In one short stretch - Moore coughed it up on three consecutive trips down the floor in the late first half leading to a nice Ravens run -- and yet they have him for just 2 TO in the whole game, and the whole team for just 8 TO --

[45otseoj]

Threloff & Carmicheal are inconsistent

I've got to agree with this. I was glad to see Jordan have a nice night scoring the ball, but his production last year was just horrid.

to have a 6'9" big man like JW who may be their most athletic player hovering at the 3-point arc when they are weak inside will hurt ISU.

I've got to agree with this as well. The gangly fella with suspect coordination from Europe is a far superior athlete to Ekey and Carmichael.

[tornado]

ISU moves to 1-2 with a 94-52 win over UQAM - a directional Canadian school -- Universit?İ du Qu?İbec ?  Montr?İal,

UQAM also plays Akron Saturday, then Albany, New Hampshire, and Niagara

[Da Coach]

ISU wins the 4th game of their Canada trip over McGill 90-66-

http://www.goredbirds.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/081211aaa.html

They finish their trip 2-2