Survive and advance...this team just wants the opportunity to have a another opportunity
In a season that went south quickly after some early season bright spots, this was something that can at least make us feel good for 24 hours..but actually its some positivity truly to take into the offseason win or lose tomorrow.
Second year in a row RU beat a team with better talent that sort of tanked during the season. Thats not knocking RU. Pikiell had this team ready to play and energized and focused...it was a 180 from the crappy Illinois performance. Of course not pretty at all, I think that is baked in at this point. Its about clawing and trying to find a way to win even if the offensive options are so limited and there is very little depth. Rebounding was exceptional especially in the first half but a couple of key rebounds late from Mike and Freeman were huge in the end. RU did it with 2nd chance opportunities and just some tough D on Minnesota disrupting the flow of their offense and just getting a hand on any kind of rebound.
those numbers...RU clobbered Minnesota on the boards 48-28 and 33-23 on the offensive end,. Thats your stat of the game right.
RU dug deep in the end, Corey came up big in crunch time as we know he can when he is on. 9-20 and 23 points, 7 boards.. Great to see Mike Williams finally have a solid game with 12 points and 5 boards. Eugene was a force at times at both ends of the court. Freeman...oh yes it gives us pains in our heads to watch him play with his jerky motions and attempts to go up in the trees but 11 boards and 7-8 at the line in the end. Yes he freaks everyone out but did contribute to this win. Its too bad Sa couldnt play because I think he could have helped with minutes. Geo just struggling whether its flu or something else, we need a better result from him tomorrow. Doorson played some great D in the first half.
Great to see Pike bounce back too after a couple rough games where he couldnt get the team motivated or have the answers to put the team in position to win. Winning another Big 10 game is another thing for him to sell.
Again its all about surviving and advance, tourney mode now, do not want to hear about tired legs, these are kids and often playing a game while the other teams comes in cold can be advantage RU cannot get off to a start like they did last year vs Northwestern and get their doors blown off....or get off to a start like the last time against Indiana. Hoosier hammed us at the RAC and they played a great defensive game. Hopefully with Eugene and Mike we can throw new wrinkles at them..they are pretty decent and have improved..thats why they finished 6th but they can beat.
Great turnout tonight, tv commentators on Big 10 raved about the RU presence and I am sure we will have more tomorrow in what figures to be a more juiced atmosphere inside with a strong Indiana presence there and hopefully more RU fans as well.
In a season that went south quickly after some early season bright spots, this was something that can at least make us feel good for 24 hours..but actually its some positivity truly to take into the offseason win or lose tomorrow.
Second year in a row RU beat a team with better talent that sort of tanked during the season. Thats not knocking RU. Pikiell had this team ready to play and energized and focused...it was a 180 from the crappy Illinois performance. Of course not pretty at all, I think that is baked in at this point. Its about clawing and trying to find a way to win even if the offensive options are so limited and there is very little depth. Rebounding was exceptional especially in the first half but a couple of key rebounds late from Mike and Freeman were huge in the end. RU did it with 2nd chance opportunities and just some tough D on Minnesota disrupting the flow of their offense and just getting a hand on any kind of rebound.
those numbers...RU clobbered Minnesota on the boards 48-28 and 33-23 on the offensive end,. Thats your stat of the game right.
RU dug deep in the end, Corey came up big in crunch time as we know he can when he is on. 9-20 and 23 points, 7 boards.. Great to see Mike Williams finally have a solid game with 12 points and 5 boards. Eugene was a force at times at both ends of the court. Freeman...oh yes it gives us pains in our heads to watch him play with his jerky motions and attempts to go up in the trees but 11 boards and 7-8 at the line in the end. Yes he freaks everyone out but did contribute to this win. Its too bad Sa couldnt play because I think he could have helped with minutes. Geo just struggling whether its flu or something else, we need a better result from him tomorrow. Doorson played some great D in the first half.
Great to see Pike bounce back too after a couple rough games where he couldnt get the team motivated or have the answers to put the team in position to win. Winning another Big 10 game is another thing for him to sell.
Again its all about surviving and advance, tourney mode now, do not want to hear about tired legs, these are kids and often playing a game while the other teams comes in cold can be advantage RU cannot get off to a start like they did last year vs Northwestern and get their doors blown off....or get off to a start like the last time against Indiana. Hoosier hammed us at the RAC and they played a great defensive game. Hopefully with Eugene and Mike we can throw new wrinkles at them..they are pretty decent and have improved..thats why they finished 6th but they can beat.
Great turnout tonight, tv commentators on Big 10 raved about the RU presence and I am sure we will have more tomorrow in what figures to be a more juiced atmosphere inside with a strong Indiana presence there and hopefully more RU fans as well.
