MBB vs Indy
- Thread starter bdgan
- Start date
Our first card in this Blackjack hand is an Ace!
Aire just fouls way too much to be a solid backup at this point.
Puff hit a couple of big 3's, and Ace had another fantastic half where got other guys involved and then scored when we needed it.
As an aside, this is the 6th game I've watched in the past 8 days that Szelc has officiated. He's doing ok with his frequent flyer miles.
If they want people to show up they can’t charge $63. Upper deck was $23. I bought one and moved down to a seat in the first row. It’s still a good crowd.
O'Boyle 4some:
1- stands up on sideline and Brown passes to him instead of Puff who was in the game for a turnover
2- He misses a wide open lay up off a great feed from Ace
3- commits foul after miss
4- gives up layup on other end with matador defense
9-12 point lead down to 3-5.
We'll see if he stays on the court after the timeout
1- stands up on sideline and Brown passes to him instead of Puff who was in the game for a turnover
2- He misses a wide open lay up off a great feed from Ace
3- commits foul after miss
4- gives up layup on other end with matador defense
9-12 point lead down to 3-5.
We'll see if he stays on the court after the timeout
O'Boyle is not good enough at the B1G level. Just isn't.
Meanwhile, IU has all but two points so far from the paint or at the foul line. I understand Rhoades doesn't want to send help inside, but when u have a terrible IU team from outside, it's inexcusable to keep doing this
2 and 3 were bad...can't really fault him on 1, and the layup was him coming with help defense after Brown got beat off the dribble (and not much he could do there).
Ace just has such a good feel of when to pass it, and when to score.
I really like how much we've taken advantage of Ware being out of the game, continually taking it to the rim.
Just can't understand why O'Boyle is getting minutes. It's like playing with 4 players on defense when he's in the game. He actually caused a turnover when he wasn't in the game today when he got up and stood on the bench and Brown threw a pass to him. And when he got into the game that's when IU made a run. Super glue his butt to the bench!!!
It's amazing how PSU gets dominated in the paint, especially with a big guy like Wahab. We just don't have a PF to complement him.
IMO one contributing factor is that Rhoades brings Wahab out 20' from the basket to help double team. Sometimes I question that strategy, especially with Lilley out. Wahab is playing a lot of minutes and doing a lot of running.
I think he's a good DII player but he doesn't have the athleticism to be good at this level.
Wahab needs a break at some point, and seems that Aire just isn't ready to contribute...O'Boyle gave us some spot minutes at the 5 (so did Puff for a couple of possessions). O'Boyle is being forced to play out of position often.
And that turnover certainly isn't on O'Boyle.
Nice win today! Now 14-14 overall and 8-9 in the BIG.
Be honest: How many of you thought we would be 8-9 in conference after 17 games? Our coach has done a superb job with what he started with when he was hired,
Be honest: How many of you thought we would be 8-9 in conference after 17 games? Our coach has done a superb job with what he started with when he was hired,
He was a 3.5 year starter and the leading scorer on a D1 team...he's well, well beyond the D2 level.
Overall, we're about where I would have expected (slightly worse in non-conf, but slightly better in B1G play). Tough two game road trip coming up...would love to get one of them, but I'd be ok with a 1-2 finish as it would almost certainly mean avoiding Wednesday in Minneapolis.
If you consider Lafayette D1. Maybe I should have said he's not P5 material.
Big win!!! It will be tough, but if we win out in our last 3 games of the regular season we still have at large hopes for the NCAA tournament! If we take 2/3, we’re still looking good for the NIT. 1/3 and we will need multiple wins in the big ten tournament to make the NIT it looks like.
We have no at-large hopes at this point...only possible way to dance would be to win the Big Ten Tourney.
The problem is the next 2 are on the road. And a 1st round bye in the BiG tournament means a tougher opponent in our first game.
I remember posting in early January we could get 9-10 wins in conference and was told don't expect any more than 6 and we were the worst or the second worst B10 team. Great job by Rhoades!
I can buy that he shouldn't be a P5 rotation player. But there are 200+ D1 schools that he'd likely be starting at today.
Maybe a remote shot if we win out and lose in the BTT finals? We would finish 20-15 in that scenario. Nevertheless, that is not happening.
20-15 would get us a home game in the NIT (I'd assume), but wouldn't be enough to dance this year.
I agree. If we win our last 3 games in the regular season (will be very tough to do but possible), and win at least 2 games in the big ten tournament, I think we’re in. You can’t leave a team out from a conference like the Big Ten that’s won 7 of its past 8 games and finishes 19-15/20-15. What happened in November/December of 2023 in non-conference games should have no bearing with how we’re playing now.
Aire hasn't gotten much of a chance. And he has had some good moments in limited action where he at least was a defensive presence and displayed some athleticism. The other thing about Aire is that he has eligibility left and any minutes he gets now, any progress he makes and lessons he learns now, will pay dividends later in this season or in the next few seasons. Also, minutes for Aire could help solidify his return for next season and this team surely needs as much size and shotblocking as it can keep or acquire with Wahab leaving after this season.
Are you trying to give your own spin on it, or what would actually happen?
With the NCAA Selection procedures, your current form has no bearing on your resume. A game in November means the exact same as a game in March. Winning 7 of 8 means nothing. And the Big Ten unfortunately isn't even that strong this season.
With 15 losses, we'd have to have a ridiculously good resume elsewhere to make up it, like an incredible SOS, a great NET, and/or a great non-conference performance. Instead, we've got a poor NET (that wouldn't rise enough over the next 3 weeks), an ok schedule, and a very poor non-conference performance.
19-15 or 20-15 has no chance at all with our resume this season.
Maybe in a low level D1 league, but he sure is not a competent B10 player that can help a team win against top 50 competition.
Didn't contribute on offense with scoring. But he didn't take bad shots and he wasn't a turnover machine like O'Boyle can be if he is forced to handle the ball. And he played very good defense on the the IU guards which O'Boyle can't do. And he'll likely be back next season which is also a positive for Brown getting minutes.
No question. Our non-conf was terrible considering we went 0-3 in that Fla tournament and got hosed vs GT. Compile that with three home losses to Bucknell, Minn and NW, we have zero shot of an at large IMO. Our chance is to win the conf tournament. It's too bad that our Nov and Dec weren't great...but hard to criticize too much as the team was brand new learning to play together. But, Rhoades looks like he is a darn good coach, especially defensive mentality. This is a likeable group.
Yep, how could anyone realistically expect a team brought in with only a couple of players ever having played together before be expected to get off to a good start this season unless they played Robert Morris 5 time in Nov and Dec? And at 8-9 in the B10, more wins than Indiana, Maryland, OSU and UM, all teams that have richer basketball history and success than PSU.
For me it would be great if the team could keep playing tough BB to close out the season and some how get into the NIT and get a few more games and practices for all the players coming back for next season and for a little more exposure to build recruiting momentum. But at any rate the team has shown tenacity and taken on the defense first mentality of coach Rhoades, and as a fan I'll remember the Q1 and Q2 wins of the last couple months fondly over the coming off season.
And it would be great if Rhoades can get Ace to come back for another year. He's a warrior and could lead the team to the NCAA next year if Rhoades can get a player or two in the portal. He'd also hopefully train the next relentless point guard to lead the defense and run the team in 2025/26.
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If the clown ref doesn't steal the Ga Tech game from us and we take care of business vs Bucknell then we would have a good shot of being in at say 20-13 but would still require beating Iowa and Minny on the road which has probably less than 10% odds.
If we had beaten NW and Minny at home which both games were there for the taking then we would be sitting at 10-7 in conference and could afford to lose the two road games coming up then beat MD to finish 11-9 in conference. Pair that scenario with beating GA Tech and Bucknell then win a couple in the BTT and we are looking good. I know a bunch of "ifs" and "wishes" but it shows how close this team is and the high quality job Rhoades has done this year.
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