Well it feels good to recap and post thoughts about games again because for about 11 games this year there was virtually nothing to talk about.
1. Overall I was pleased with todays performance. It is what it is. RU is shorthanded and lacks talent and lack bodies and lacks enough bball IQ. Today is pretty much the best you can ask for given the situation. I thought this game was going to be competitive and it was. I thought RU got some great carryover and confidence from the excellent shooting from the Lowell game. Indiana not a good road team, not a good defensive team and very turnover prone. I felt this was a game that if Indiana played down a bit, that RU could hang for much of the game. Listen Indiana gave their C-/D+ effort, I am not going to sugarcoat that. They turned the ball over 23 times, they took some ill advised 3s, and they let RU come back a couple times after seemingly being in control. Still RU must be given credit in this game for playing with full effort and believing they belong on the same floor. RU competed and that's all I can ask for right now. Sure it would have been nice to pull out a win and this game was winnable but there are too many warts on this team and with coaching to get upset about.
2. The emergence of Omari Grier is pretty stunning. Basically a role player with a limited role for much of the season, all of a sudden the last two games has blossomed into a 3 point thread that changes our offensive makeup and changes how opponents now have to defend RU. He has now scored 22 and 20 in his last 2 games after averaging under 4 ppg the prior 11 games he appeared. In fact Grier scored more points 42 in the last 2 games then he did in those previous 11 which was 41. Simple amazing to see and have to credit him for taking his opportunity as a 5th year senior and doing something with it and answering when he was called upon. Credit Eddie Jordan for trusting in him to be out there and giving him that opportunity. I do not know what the issue was before but I assume that with Freeman a huge part of the offense, Grier was not really going to be factored in other than as a 6th man. Now its absolutely necessary in Freemans absence to involve other players so I suppose this is what happened here.
3. Corey Sanders is legit. Not his best game but he was up against a good one in Farrell and his stat line not all that worse than Yogi's. Corey is a guy that would even as a freshmen start on at least half the teams in this league and get decent minutes on the others. This is the first time we can say this in a long time at this program. He is improving his decision making game by game and his shot selection has improved. I thought he was trying to do way too much early in this game but improved on that and that is a huge sign for such a young kid with talent who might want to do everything. This isn't a Rosario or Carter. This is the real deal.
4. Overlooked was the big guy Bryant getting into foul trouble. I believe when he got that 3rd foul in the first half, RU made its rally from 12 down. Then when he got his 4th and 5th, he sat again and RU was able to stay close. RU was able to limit the inside game of Indiana somewhat and didn't get abused on the inside. Obviously rebounding or lack thereof was a big reason for the loss today....Indiana outrebounded RU 43-29 and you give a team ranked in the top 5 in offense second chance opportunities they are going to make you pay. Unfortunately RU is so lacking on the inside that you have to live with being outboarded you just have to try and limit it.
5. I like some of the plays that Eddie runs for our offense but it seems feast or famine. There are those plays with great ball movement leading to open lay ins or dunks for Lewis or Laurant but there still is too much playground freelancing allowed. Most of it by Daniels, some by Foreman, a lot of not finishing around the basket because they are driving in with their heads down taking bad shots. This has been consistent so apparenty they have the greenlight to do it. Overall a mixed bag for Eddie today. Some good things that kept them in the game but some questionable personel calls such as Goode in the game for extended minutes early in the second half or why Grier seemed to disappear down the stretch and it was all about Daniels. I thought Daniels killed any chance of a win and there was not an effort to try and get Grier the ball. I just didn't like our offense at all those last 3 minutes.
6.He has been lauded here but I just do not think that Mike Williams is more than a career role player here. He plays hard, plays good defense but lets stop the nonsense that he is a good shooter. He is not. There is no evidence to suggest he is here. He is just 12-41 in his last 4 games and a goose egg today 0-6. His minutes are getting cut significantly right now mainly to Grier but even Goode getting time now.
7. When Greg Lewis comes to play RU is a different team. After sleepwalking through most of the season, he is showing signs of awakening. His Lowell performance was not good but 3 of the last 4 have seen him almost averaging a double double. I thought he was quite solid on both ends tonight. Went for 13 points/9 boards and shooting a whopping 11 times while making all 3 of his foul shots. Again like with Grier if Lewis is on, then the offense has an easier time flowing as the pressure is taken off of Sanders and Daniels to do it all.
8. Goode...well I just do not think he is a Big 10 player...too slow to play defense and he isn't even part of the offense. Just going to be used to give some minutes to rest others. DJ Foreman...how can this guy be winded after 8 minutes of play. I just question conditioning with him..Laurent...a lot of positives here. This is a very coachable player that will only get better. Obviously he is going to be at a disadvantage most nights as he is forced to play big but he is really making the most of his minutes. Daniels for every good play there is one if not two bad ones. He is a necessity because there is no one else so unfortunately we have to live with it and there is nothing we can do. I thought he killed the chance of a comeback with chucking up a bad shot and a horrific turnover in those last 4 minutes.
9. RAC is still dead and buried. Even with a close game the place was quiet as a church. Fans don't know how to root for the team anymore. Perhaps if there was some energy today this game could have tipped the other way but I really feel the fanbase has been beaten down so much that they are in show me mode now. Of course a bit more than 1/3 of the RAC was made up of Indiana fans that cant help
1. Overall I was pleased with todays performance. It is what it is. RU is shorthanded and lacks talent and lack bodies and lacks enough bball IQ. Today is pretty much the best you can ask for given the situation. I thought this game was going to be competitive and it was. I thought RU got some great carryover and confidence from the excellent shooting from the Lowell game. Indiana not a good road team, not a good defensive team and very turnover prone. I felt this was a game that if Indiana played down a bit, that RU could hang for much of the game. Listen Indiana gave their C-/D+ effort, I am not going to sugarcoat that. They turned the ball over 23 times, they took some ill advised 3s, and they let RU come back a couple times after seemingly being in control. Still RU must be given credit in this game for playing with full effort and believing they belong on the same floor. RU competed and that's all I can ask for right now. Sure it would have been nice to pull out a win and this game was winnable but there are too many warts on this team and with coaching to get upset about.
2. The emergence of Omari Grier is pretty stunning. Basically a role player with a limited role for much of the season, all of a sudden the last two games has blossomed into a 3 point thread that changes our offensive makeup and changes how opponents now have to defend RU. He has now scored 22 and 20 in his last 2 games after averaging under 4 ppg the prior 11 games he appeared. In fact Grier scored more points 42 in the last 2 games then he did in those previous 11 which was 41. Simple amazing to see and have to credit him for taking his opportunity as a 5th year senior and doing something with it and answering when he was called upon. Credit Eddie Jordan for trusting in him to be out there and giving him that opportunity. I do not know what the issue was before but I assume that with Freeman a huge part of the offense, Grier was not really going to be factored in other than as a 6th man. Now its absolutely necessary in Freemans absence to involve other players so I suppose this is what happened here.
3. Corey Sanders is legit. Not his best game but he was up against a good one in Farrell and his stat line not all that worse than Yogi's. Corey is a guy that would even as a freshmen start on at least half the teams in this league and get decent minutes on the others. This is the first time we can say this in a long time at this program. He is improving his decision making game by game and his shot selection has improved. I thought he was trying to do way too much early in this game but improved on that and that is a huge sign for such a young kid with talent who might want to do everything. This isn't a Rosario or Carter. This is the real deal.
4. Overlooked was the big guy Bryant getting into foul trouble. I believe when he got that 3rd foul in the first half, RU made its rally from 12 down. Then when he got his 4th and 5th, he sat again and RU was able to stay close. RU was able to limit the inside game of Indiana somewhat and didn't get abused on the inside. Obviously rebounding or lack thereof was a big reason for the loss today....Indiana outrebounded RU 43-29 and you give a team ranked in the top 5 in offense second chance opportunities they are going to make you pay. Unfortunately RU is so lacking on the inside that you have to live with being outboarded you just have to try and limit it.
5. I like some of the plays that Eddie runs for our offense but it seems feast or famine. There are those plays with great ball movement leading to open lay ins or dunks for Lewis or Laurant but there still is too much playground freelancing allowed. Most of it by Daniels, some by Foreman, a lot of not finishing around the basket because they are driving in with their heads down taking bad shots. This has been consistent so apparenty they have the greenlight to do it. Overall a mixed bag for Eddie today. Some good things that kept them in the game but some questionable personel calls such as Goode in the game for extended minutes early in the second half or why Grier seemed to disappear down the stretch and it was all about Daniels. I thought Daniels killed any chance of a win and there was not an effort to try and get Grier the ball. I just didn't like our offense at all those last 3 minutes.
6.He has been lauded here but I just do not think that Mike Williams is more than a career role player here. He plays hard, plays good defense but lets stop the nonsense that he is a good shooter. He is not. There is no evidence to suggest he is here. He is just 12-41 in his last 4 games and a goose egg today 0-6. His minutes are getting cut significantly right now mainly to Grier but even Goode getting time now.
7. When Greg Lewis comes to play RU is a different team. After sleepwalking through most of the season, he is showing signs of awakening. His Lowell performance was not good but 3 of the last 4 have seen him almost averaging a double double. I thought he was quite solid on both ends tonight. Went for 13 points/9 boards and shooting a whopping 11 times while making all 3 of his foul shots. Again like with Grier if Lewis is on, then the offense has an easier time flowing as the pressure is taken off of Sanders and Daniels to do it all.
8. Goode...well I just do not think he is a Big 10 player...too slow to play defense and he isn't even part of the offense. Just going to be used to give some minutes to rest others. DJ Foreman...how can this guy be winded after 8 minutes of play. I just question conditioning with him..Laurent...a lot of positives here. This is a very coachable player that will only get better. Obviously he is going to be at a disadvantage most nights as he is forced to play big but he is really making the most of his minutes. Daniels for every good play there is one if not two bad ones. He is a necessity because there is no one else so unfortunately we have to live with it and there is nothing we can do. I thought he killed the chance of a comeback with chucking up a bad shot and a horrific turnover in those last 4 minutes.
9. RAC is still dead and buried. Even with a close game the place was quiet as a church. Fans don't know how to root for the team anymore. Perhaps if there was some energy today this game could have tipped the other way but I really feel the fanbase has been beaten down so much that they are in show me mode now. Of course a bit more than 1/3 of the RAC was made up of Indiana fans that cant help
