Friday, March 9, 2007

Illinois 58 IU 54


We all knew it would be an ugly game, but that was rediculous.

For those of you who questioned Wilmont because of his consistency, you were right. I was wrong. What a horrible game by Wilmont.

Even though it was an ugly game, IU had their chances to win..........

Wait. Let me back up to that call where there was an inside foul called and all the officials clearly waive off the 3 that Illinois made and simply whistled an inside foul. We come back from commercial with the Illinois fans cheering and learn that the officials have counted the 3 and the inside foul to give Illinois a potential 5-point play. Let me tell you, in a game that is being played in the 40s, that's like a 20-point play. Let me also tell you that the call they made was complete bullshit. It was a game-changing bullshit call. Since when can you refer to the replay during a timeout to accurately determine when a foul was called vs. a shot, especially..... awwww, forget it. It was bullshit and we'll leave it at that. Bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit.

Anyway, IU had their chances to win in regulation. It looked pretty bad when Illinois started hitting some 3s, but then IU answered back with Ratliff and Bassett hitting some 3s and IU looked in great shape to pull this one out.

It got tight down the stretch and IU had the final possession......Here is where IU has trouble -- what's the play call here? IU has nobody that has proven to be the man down the stretch. The guy that at least has shown the willingness is Bassett and he got the call, but came up empty and we headed to overtime.

The overtime was a disgrace as IU didn't even score for the first 4 1/2 minutes. At one point, I kicked an exersauceer into my wife's leg and now I was faced with the pending IU loss, some much-needed apologies to my wife, and whatever else goes along with being an obsessed asshole of an IU fan. (Note: this is where obsessed asshold IU fans start thinking back to complete bullshit calls. It is also the point where the term "FIB" becomes the understatement of the year.)

This game just killed me. It absolutely killed me. The Hoosiers sucked. My main man Wimont sucked beyond belief.

It's known that I do like Sampson, but I do have a beef with the head coach. Ok, D.J. is your best player. D.J. is looking pretty good most of the night. D.J. is a true post player. These things should line up to put major pressure on the defense, but it doesn't happen for IU.

If you're best player is a post player and he is having a good night, any defense should be vulnerable, especially when you have some guys that can shoot the 3. But I don't like how they have coached D.J. to handle the double-team. If he gets double-teamed, they have coached him to dribble out and find the safe pass back to the perimeter. That is not making the defense pay for the double-team. They need to identify where the double-team is coming from and either hit a slasher or hit the open 3-point shooter. Or even if you kick it back out, there should be ball movement to find the open shooter. By having D.J. take a dribble or two to back out of the double-team, they are not making the defense pay for the double-team at all.

I have another idea....D.J. just turns and shoots. Wouldn't you rather see D.J. go 8-18, rather than 4-9???? D.J. shot 44%, the rest of the team shot 28.6%....don't you like your chances with D.J. just catching, turning, and shooting????

One other really disturbing factor was the loose balls. There was one IU player and only one IU player that was getting to loose balls and that was Calloway. If Calloway wasn't there, IU was getting out-hustled on many loose balls. Speaking of Calloway, I thought he was mostly great tonight. Sure, he didn't have his shooting touch like the Penn State game and he had a couple ugly plays, but I really thought he was the only IU player that would chase a loose ball and come out the victor. Only 2 points, but he had 9 rebounds and 6 assists.

I guess I am probably talking in circles by now, but I just find it troubling that Bassett has to step up as a freshman and be "The Man" on this team. That is shameful for D.J., Wilmont, Calloway, Ratliff, and Sampson that they haven't found a "bread & butter" down the stretch.

We'll see what happens on Selection Sunday. I still believe the Hoosiers are a lock, but it ain't gonna be a pretty seed.

Go IU!

2 comments:

TheCoach said...

Great points.
#1 We're starting to look more and more like a Mike Davis team offensively.
#2 Basset has been great, but how does D.J. not even touch it on such crucial possessions in the end of regulation?
#3 D.J. needs more shots. It's not easy with the double team, but it has to happen!
#4 Wilmont ticks me off. Ratliff was all right, but he was ridiculous at times too!

Tom Earth said...

I was unfortunate enough to be at the game. I swear that last shot by Bassett went it. As soon as he let it go, I just knew it was in. I was almost in mid cheer when it clanged off the rim.

I have to give Sampson an F for last night's performance. When Mike White picked up his second foul, I was praying to see Stemler come in (was he hurt? I don't remember him on the floor). I knew Mike White was not smart enough to be able to play with 2 fouls. Sure enough, White picks up a STUPID foul a couple of possessions later. Ben Allen comes in and looks lost as usual.

I know Jeff touched on that 3 point play. That undoubtedly decided the game. I guarantee that call is not made if that game is at IU or at a neutral court (the UC was by no means neutral. 80% were Illinois fans). The fans were screaming during the whole review. I guaranteed the guys sitting with me that the refs were going to count the basket. I was sitting behind the basket that it happened and I heard the whistle and that guy had not shot the ball yet. By the way, I was sober.

The worst thing about that game is that I'll be sweating on Sunday until I actually see IU's name up there.