I’m not so sure about that. Hope you are right though. I really do
Maybe by pure numbers, but it’s tough to ignore the obvious transformation in Nik, Caris, Walton, Spike, JMo, etc. Verticals are pretty evidence too, especially when they post the videos. But sure, wouldn’t be surprised at all of 25 pounds gained was actually 17
That bench player of theirs also hit 2 late 3s with less than a minute. take those away what numbers are we looking at.
Yeah but that’s with some tougher shots they hit. I know you missed the first few minutes but they came out very good on D to build a lead quick.
Yeah the verticals have improved, but rarely has that translated to a huge uptick in finishing ability or blocking shots over the years in my opinion. Think that’s more of mindset thing. You can have the tools, but if you aren’t willing to use them, its moot.
Yeah when I tuned in at the 13:24 mark we absolutely locked up for the 3 minutes consecutively, extremely impressive. The last 10 minutes of the first half were absolutely brutal…I mean the defense was pathetic, and that is being kind.
Yeah I think they have a bad habit of saying “we’ll just outscore you and trade buckets” when they build a lead. That’s why I thought tonight they played good D when they needed to.
Yeah, the final 10 minutes of the first half was bad defense no doubt.
But holding Indiana to 25 points in the 2nd half is pretty crazy.
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Take away those 2 3s and Indiana had 19 points in 19 minutes in the second half. That’s damn good D.
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Yeah but we can say take away MAAR’S lucky 3 with the shotclock winding down, and take this away and take that away…that’s a slippery slope that you’re riding on a UM sled
Sometimes it’s blatant. Charles Matthews put on some weight from when he was at UK, but not 20 pounds like people believe.
I’m talking 2 3s when we had hibbits and loneragan in the game.
11 points in the first 10 minutes in the first half too. @MattD is 100% correct on D being bad the last 10 of the first half, but that was really the worst stretch in an otherwise good enough game against a top O.
Either way we debate on team D, the individual D on Blackmon was fantastic.
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Good news on Ward, is that he really has been struggling with fouls recently. Need to attack him early, because he will eat Mo if he gets too many touches.
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Those final two 3s came when the bench was cleared. The starting unit exceptional defense in the 2nd half.
Have to admit, I was checked out during the last 10 minutes of the second half…too busy writing praise for DJ. Perhaps the last 10 minutes stuck out more than the second half in part because the second half was largely just a formality?
Probably. And those final 10 minutes felt like Michigan should have been pulling away to end the half but IU kept “answering”. It was frustrating.
Who was mostly guarding him?
I believe mostly Walton with some MAAR. He was uncharacteristically not seeking out a shot, but I thought the D had a lot to do with that. Maybe the more closer eyes saw differently.
That’s an amazing sign for either of them. Both have been absolutely brutal at times this year.