Post game thread - BU 68 isu 72

[shaunguth]

The most irritating part was I felt like a lot of the easy inside baskets came against our zone... which, at least in my simple basketball world is supposed to make scoring inside harder. I also think it has a bit to do with the "4-guard." It seemed like a lot of the scores came after whoever was playing center came out to help on something, and there was no other big to rotate in behind him.

Yes, I noticed a lot of "clearing out" as well where it seemed nobody was below the free throw line until they were laying it in for an easy score.

[shaunguth]

from Danny Cooksey on another board:

Now we know who the better team is. We were both at full strength. No excuses. If Ruffin doesn't throw a couple prayers in, we win this game going away.

I guess he doesn't realize it was a home game for isu. I would love to see these two teams play in STL and see who the better team is. Add in Sampay and their "bigs" shot 93% from the field and they still only won by four points.

[Phantom]

Hey Braves fans, a few things here from a LONG time ISU fan and current student...

First of all, good game. The 2 times we met up this year are precisely what the War on 74 should be, have been in the past, and hopefully will continue to be in the future. The War is back!!! You guys have a very solid, athletic, smart team who plays good team basketball, is unselfish, moves the ball well and never quits. I can say similar things about our team. This year's series meant something again, and we all know our games are much better & more intense when they have an impact in the standings. Once again we had some trouble guarding the perimeter, and your guards hit their shots. We were able to counter with some solid post play, and that was one of the big differences in the game IMHO.

As for the "classless" chants/cheers, etc., here's my 2 cents on that:

When one of our players gets fouled, the "you, you, you...YOUUUU..." cheer has been going on for 20+ years. (Indy St, UNI, UCONN, North Texas, etc. all do variations of it.) Over the years, the students started saying "SUCK!" after the "you's." A few years ago, some students started adding certain words to the end of that cheer. It went away for awhile, but the last couple home games we've had, those certain words have come back. Tonight was very obvious, and for that, I apologize if you were offended. I am one of the co-creators and current Executive Board members of Red Alert, the ISU student section...and I can promise you that we do NOT condone or advertise that cheer. It's just something that has been part of ISU basketball for a very long time. Even if the cheerleaders dont take part in it, the students will still do it, and it's not easy to govern a couple thousand of us during a game (belive me, we've tried.)

So while I understand the thought and impluse to label that cheer as "classless" and "rude" or whatever, and I dont disagree with that, I just want you to know that cheers like that have been around for a long time and because of that, some students take advantage of the situation and add vulgar words to it. I dont agree with it, but it happens...I'm not making excuses here, but students are students. Cpacmel, DannyCooksey, etc. all were part of the ISU student section at one point and they all were part of the same cheer. They can attest to what I'm trying to explain.

Good game tonight guys. The War on 74 is definately back!

[BUFAN]

Thanks for the insight and summery phantom

[patrick_o'brian]

All I can say is this game proves how talented Osiris Eldridge can be. His bucket at the top of the key with Crouch on him was the dagger. Although we probably could have came up with some better free throw shooting down the stretch, the biggest reason we lost is Osiris Eldridge. That may be only my take on the game, but every time they needed a bucket, he was there. That is what a superstar does. I. E Ruffin's 29 footer, OE's three from the corner and the afforementioned dagger from the top of the key. We really need to figure out an inside game because we just got murdered. You cannot tell me Okiadosa is that good of a basketball player. Either he played out of his mind tonight due to the rivalry or we are in desperate need of effective big men. I'll go with the former. PM got some excellent players for Jank to build on, I really don't like Dom Johnson, don't really know why, I just can't stand him. In my opinion, an above average telecast by WMBD, they had a clock that was on the screen the whole time, which with most of our telecasts have been hard to come by, they had replays, the commentary was of course pro-ISU, but that is to be expected, and Kurt Pegler is pretty good at what he does. I guess the biggest plus to come out of this game is that the rivalry is back! We need to stay focused, we have some HUGE games coming up on our schedule, although this one hurts we gotta keep on truckin' and win the tournament. GO BU!

[Double D]

My feelings follow many others.

I am obviously very sensative to some of our weaknesses and I think they were exploited perfectly by ISU. They also kept our best players out of rythim and made them work very hard for their points.

But that being said, I feel like we made ISU play almost a perfect game to beat us. Our players deserve that as a credit to them.

From their shooting percentage, OE's almost flawless game, Odiakosa was even perfect from the FT line.

ISU has a very deep team, they were playing on their home floor, they had to have a win to keep their position as one of the top two teams in the league and they did it.

Hats off to them the better team certainly won the game last night. Let's regroup, get on the bus again and get a win Tuesday.

[real fan]

We lost because of our lack of inside defense and scoring ; Eldrige made more 3 point shots then normal and we were still in the game, thought officiating was fair except the call when T.Wilson had set a screen and Slack jumped on his back trying to get past him and Wilson ended up getting the foul (that was a 4 point swing) , if this team had a good center no one in the conference could touch us.

[Beninator]

I was just noticing the very same thing with Slack and Odiakosa shooting 92% from the field. That is completely unacceptable! If the guys aren't getting the job done, then at least put DC in the game. After all, you can't teach big! Personally, I don't think he could do any worse than the guys that were in there.

Just my opinion, but from what I have seen of DC in recent games, I think that the combination of Slack, Odiakosa, and Sampay would have completely out muscled and out positioned Collins.

[dogsrus]

from Danny Cooksey on another board:


I guess he doesn't realize it was a home game for isu. I would love to see these two teams play in STL and see who the better team is. Add in Sampay and their "bigs" shot 93% from the field and they still only won by four points.

How about "if RA and SM make a couple of bunnies.....if Slack gets the foul call jumping on RA's back to defend Ruffins 3......BU played a horrid 10 minute stretch and came within a good shooters bounce by OE of possibly winning.

Lets face it these are two EVEN teams that need now to play on a neutral court to see who's better.

I also like his comment about Les putting JC on OE for defense with the roll of the eyes. I think JL has proven he knows how to beat ISU. You won ONE game by a few points at HOME......yeah Les can't coach....lets forget about the previous 6 games.

[Beninator]

thought officiating was fair except the call when T.Wilson had set a screen and Slack jumped on his back trying to get past him and Wilson ended up getting the foul (that was a 4 point swing)

Agree...The only other call that I thought was a little off was the double foul on AW and a ISU player when we had a bit of a breakaway opportunity.

[Beninator]

if Slack gets the foul call jumping on RA's back to defend Ruffins 3......

Forgot about that one Dogs... Dont know what the zebra was smoking when he made that call. Overall though, I thought the officiating was pretty good.

[dogsrus]

Forgot about that one Dogs... Dont know what the zebra was smoking when he made that call. Overall though, I thought the offciating was pretty good.

Yeah...I agree. I was pointing out that if someone wants to say a couple "prayers" by the leagues best guard kept the game from being a blowout then we can play that game too listing a few things THEY gat prayers on i.e. RA and SM's missed point blank layups and the no call on Slack.

I guess when its been SO long since you beat your rival and it finally happens logic/common sense goes out the window.......

[tornado]

BU was not far from winning this game, it's hard to win on the road against a good Valley team, but BU was within grasp of it.
Just one of those wild three pointers, maybe the one that bounced on the rim for a few minuites, would have allowed BU to be shooting for the tie or win.

Props to OE for making a way better pct on those 3-pointers than he usually does. In the long run, I feel ISU is a team we can beat, as they rely on circus shots, windmill layups, and wild 3-pointers. Last night, those shots went in, but outside of Redbird Arena, I doubt they'll have the same success. We might just face this team again!

just got back....


the ISU students had some really classless chants. ...

always have, and always will....it is a big reason why they don't draw well, as I am sure there are people, especially fans of opposing teams who think like you that it is a rude, offensive, and moronic atmosphere.
ISU people defend this kind of childish hooliganism, but it hurts them in the long run.
Had this been Assembly Hall in Urbana, we'd have all the self appointed moral police like Jay Mariotti cursing the crowd...but I didn't expect anything less, so it didn't bother me.
The one redeeming fact, however, is that as soon as some of Porter Mosers players are gone, then I cannot imagine that Sead Odzic, Dinma Odiakosa, and Ty Modupe will be enough of a draw, and the seats at Redbird Arena will be empty again.
Recall...it is only when Bradley comes with its several thousand fans that they even come close to a sellout.

Just got back. I have not seen that many middle fingers in a long time. Props to all the BU fans that made it, there were a lot of Bradley fans there. For all the criticism we have about our own crowd, a Bradley home crowd is hand down better than a crowd at ISU. Noise, class...

The vast majority of the ISU fans are fine people, and nobody in the section where we sat was the least bit rude, and most were quite friendly.
Thankfully I wasn't too close to the students, but as you saw, it took a significant effort by security to keep them from rushing the floor after the win, as several tried it.

Where BU sets its sights on postseason play, NCAA appearances, Sweet Sixteen accomplishments, Top 40 home attendance figures, Top 25 all time wins, and even National Championship banners...
ISU sets its sights on one game in February each year, most of which they lose, and they storm the court even when they beat us in a 13-15 season like they did in 2004-2005!
This, above all, exemplifies how small their asprations are.....as they deem it a successful season just to win that one game.

[Beninator]

I guess when its been SO long since you beat your rival and it finally happens logic/common sense goes out the window.......

Yeah I was at the game last night and you could tell that we were ISU's Super Bowl. There were times in which I thought the crowd was the type of audience you would see for a professional wrestling venue.

[Beninator]

The vast majority of the ISU fans are fine people, and nobody in the section where we sat was the least bit rude, and most were quite friendly.
Thankfully I wasn't too close to the students, but as you saw, it took a significant effort by security to keep them from rushing the floor after the win, as several tried it.

Very true... The student section is another issue though..