It's amazing how breaking through to get a lead is so important in these comebacks.... Even if you give up the lead again it's just a huge mental barrier.
Matthew missing the first free throw with potential to take the lead was a tough one
Purdue 76, Illinois 71 Postgame
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Matthew missing the first free throw with potential to take the lead was a tough one
Mayer is a big talent, but he takes way too many contested 3s instead running the offense. He was 1-10 today from deep and took some awful shots down the stretch in winning time.
On the Baylor national championship team, Mayer came off the bench (15.7 min/gm). He had a great team around him, which is why they won.
He hits tough threes and doesn’t turn it over much. He didn’t shoot it wel today but he has most games taking those same shots. I am far more frustrated with Shannon’s 6 turnover and 5 out of the gate. We had like 3 shot attempts in the first 3 or 4 minutes as much as we turned it over. Which lead to easy Purdue buckets! That’s far more frustrating!
There is a reason Mayer gets fouled on 3s so much and others don’t. Teams don’t want him shooting threes because he will beat ‘em! Hawkins, Harris, and others are open because they are focused on Mayer. He had an off day shooting but I hope he shoots more than anyone on the team doe. Today he missed more than normal but get off him please. Without him we are done!
No attempt at the ball and a 2 hand shove to the floor.
Here’s the thing about Shannon. He feels the pressure to be the floor leader out there. And he starts to force some things he’s not comfortable in doing but he’s trying to compensate for the guys who are not available. So he gets into situations that are not in his comfort zone. Then he gets caught and has to force something. He’s done that at times all season.
His kind of game has to develop organically rather than feeling pressured. No player is good when he is forced out of that natural flow.
We can recognize when something he tries doesn’t work out but we should commend him for always trying to step up for his team. And the same could be said about Mayer. He too is forcing some things out there for the same reason.
These guys hearts are in the right place even if the play they’re trying to make at the moment isn’t.
You know, Julie, that's what I'm wondering about. Not so much changing conferences but moving on from the B1G to the tourney. Different styles of play and different refereeing; are those differences what it will take to effectively change our habit of first half complacency and second half maniacal aggression? I don't know. I hope so. Generally speaking, teams are who they are. I'm not sure this team has it in them to play with a sense of urgency for an entire game. Also, I can't figure out why they don't seem to be able to do so. BU has been around. I'm sure he much more aware of this issue than we are. So I'm sure he is stressing this to the guys but somehow it just doesn't manifest itself into games. Color me puzzled.
Mayer absolutely cannot be on the floor during the final 2 minutes of a tight game. He will screw it up every single time by playing hero ball, just like he did today - if he had been on the bench during the last few possessions we would have won this game. If you can't isolate TSJ, keep the ball in Hawkins hands and let him create.
I’m usually quick to jump on the refs, and, couple calls late were no bueno, but (the ‘but’ comes from the other side today), if we didn’t spot them 11 points to start the game and if we knew what play we were running late…
This one on us, not the refs.
Still hope in Mudville going into tournaments given lack of quit in these guys, but, maybe let’s not put ourselves in those positions to begin with; pretty please with a cherry on top.
This one on us, not the refs.
Still hope in Mudville going into tournaments given lack of quit in these guys, but, maybe let’s not put ourselves in those positions to begin with; pretty please with a cherry on top.
Not trying to be argumentative, but we've been trying to build off these crazy second halves all year and it seems we always revert back to the same lackadaisical play in the first half. I wish they would finish building and just do it.
ginabackes00
CrazedUIFan
The major plusses about this team are they never think they’re out of a game, they are a versatile group, and they don’t back down from the physicality of the game. It’s so hard not to think they can put it all together. They have the pieces.
Mayer doesn’t turn the ball over because he doesn’t try to create offense for anyone besides himself. And he’s shooting barely over 30% from three over the past 10 games.
You’re right that we need him, but we need him to be something else than he is right now. And he’s never going to be something else than he is right now.
Ha you won't get an argument from me. After 31 games, we are who we are. I was just saying that, with our 2nd half surge, we kind of ended the season with some positive momentum. But you're right, there's no evidence that we carry anything over from game to game, half to half.
Me too! I think that came with about 50 seconds left and Hawkins dribbled the ball for about 15 seconds of the shot clock time. The announcers seemed to question that situation also.
Thank GOD you do not coach our team. Are you serious or just trolling
If we had the crew doing this Northwestern/Rutgers game, we would've won by 20. They only call it a foul if you are concussed...let em play.Refs weren’t the issue. All in all a very good game, ESPECIALLY for Big10 refs!
That is the frustrating part of some B10 officiating. Several inconsistent Crews and a couple need tv time.
AyoDos11
- Southern Illinois
Hero ball is what wins tourney games. In clutch time you always let your best guy/guys do their thing. Think Max Abmas for Oral Roberts a few years back. There's no way they make the Sweet Sixteen if Abmas tries to "create for his teammates."
That works a lot better when you have a single best guy. We have 3 to 4 who want the ball at the end of games. Which isn't always a bad thing. But it is sometimes a bad thing.
illini55
- The Villages, FL
I would like to see every reference to the referees deleted by Dan. It’s so tiring to have to read through 20 pages of whining every game about a factor of sports that has never changed in my 60 years of following competitive athletics at every level. Referees/umpires are going to be wrong some of the time. Over time, it all evens out. It really really does. (thanks, pru). There is no master plan to favor one team over another. It makes our fan base sound like little whiny children. How about a postseason moratorium on complaining about the striped shirts?
On that note, as frustrating as MM (cough cough… @pruman91) can be, I am super thankful he didn’t have a concussion from his hard hit earlier in the game. When his head hit the floor I thought it was going to be a concussion for sure. Glad he was alright. Also, to be clear, MM is by far a positive on the team so in no way did the beginning of this mean to act like he hurts us more than he helps us.
Have to clarify before the orange and blue police “@“ me.
Listen to Brads post game interview. He said players got confused out of timeout. Coleman went the wrong way with the ball and that’s how the play got screwed up. I don’t know why Matt didn’t try to drive because that’s what Underwood wanted him to do. Maybe because the play got screwed up from the beginning? I like Matt with the ball at the end because he can create, drive and get a shot off. Just wish he didn’t fall in love with the step back 3.
Did he take part in the senior day ceremony?
Here's the other thing -- he's been forced into being our PG. He's a talented player, but he's obviously not a PG. Nor is anyone else we have healthy right now. Trying to play PG puts too much pressure on him.
Not trolling....if Mayer plays within our normal offensive flow he is an effective offensive player. Unfortunately, that all goes out the window the last couple minutes of the game - he has an unfortunate tendency to want to play one on five and to force low percentage shots. If he touches the ball in that situation the other team doesn't have to worry about defending anyone else because it's guaranteed Mayer will throw something toward the hoop
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