Written by BTN.com staffIn addition, click over to BTN Connect and bookmark that page for a live stream of tweets about all four teams: Nebraska, Indiana, Illinois, and Purdue.
Too soon to tell with guys like Davis and Simpson, and Painter has some more top 100 players coming in next season. I think long term, they’re fine. Just not a lot of upperclass talent on the roster this season.
Byrd showed last year that he can be a really effective role player, but he’s miscast as the main option.
I think the Johnson brothers are solid. Terone is being asked to do too much, and Ronnie is young, but he’ll be good.
Outside of getting Moore, Hummel and JJ–which Painter got early on started recruiting hard when he was head coach in waiting, Painter really hasn’t signed any players of note. Think about it. Aside from Hammons, who else would you want from this roster?
Well, other teams win with freshmen and young players. Michigan relies on a sophomore and three freshmen.
It’s a rebuilding year for a young team. I think they’ll bounce back next year, when these freshmen become sophomores.
File this under: Too little, too late. This Purdue team has made little if any improvement all season.
Painter with a double technical, and is ejected. He might get a third walking off the court.
Christian Watford talks with our Stephanie White after tonight’s game: http://bigtennetworks.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/uspw_7037620.jpg?w=640
Little bit of a run here for Purdue. If they can get it under 10 in the next couple of possessions, we’ll have a game
I’d love to see a shot chart for Illinois. How many point-blank looks do they have?
It wasn’t as close as score indicated. What was it, a 12-point loss. Either way, it’s a bad loss.
Any home loss like that is pretty bad. Even if you’re playing a top team.
I don’t know–Northwestern has a pretty bad efficiency margin. I think they do qualify as a bad team. They were at full strength, but that game wasn’t close. It’s certainly not the kind of result you’d expect from a team with the kind of wins Illinois has.
Well, it’s not like Northwestern is a bad team. They were still at full strength when they won in Champaign, right?
Probably not. But does any Big Ten NCAA Tournament team have as bad a loss as a home blowout loss to Northwestern. I agree with Brent, this is a very hot and cold team.
And I ask: Does any Big Ten team have more impressive wins? Gonzaga, Butler, Indiana, Ohio State, Minnesota ……
You don’t really need a big man. Illinois can get to the hoop on drives. And rebounding is all about hustle/desire. We have seen that Illinois can beat anyone with this roster.
In my mind, it can go the opposite way just as fast as they turned it around. Still need an inside game, or more consistent defense.
Illinois looks like it did early in the season. That’s the thing with them, they’re either very good or very bad. It all depends on whether jump shots are falling.
Sorry-that’s 4 home games in a row.
Agreed. They looked like they were ready to phone in the season after losing 5 home games in a row.
That Illinois win at Minnesota impressed me in some ways as much as the win over IU. Illinois seems to be dialed in for the long haul. Nice job by Groce.
Purdue is 4-17 on 2s
It would be nice if Purdue tried to rebound.
Illinois suddenly getting open 3 point looks. Purdue needs to start closing out, or it could get ugly.
Nnanna Egwu seems to be doing a lot of this recently:
They really need a strong rebounder in the paint.
They aren’t a very good defensive team, that’s holding them back.
Illinois is too talented to be fighting for its NCAA life. Look at those guys: Richardson, Paul, Abrams, Egwu ….. WAY more talent than Purdue.
They are, and they’re missing a lot already tonight.
Yes, well, defense is good. But you have to score to win. And, Purdue is a horrible offensive team.
Purdue defending the three-point line very well so far. That’s why this is such a tough matchup for Illinois.
I think Byrd had ONE shot in the last game. Think about that….. Pretty easy to take the guy out of a game.
Illini rolling, too. They aren’t gonna get beat by this team. Purdue has absolutely NO shooters outside of Byrd, who is either hot or cold.
I like Illinois. Purdue just can’t score.
Who do you guys like in the 2nd game? I think Illinois wins, but close. Purdue is a tough matchup for them.
In the end, Indiana has taken care of business like a No. 1 team should vs. a team like Nebraska. But why is Zeller still in the game?
Oh, The Wave:
Jordan Hulls no-look pass sets up another Victor Oladipo dunk:
Man, Watford just seems like he has no fire about him. Too bad. Seems so casual.
Still no assists for Huskers.
He really has, Brent. And I don’t feel like he gets enough credit for that.
This was a nice swat from Cody Zeller. Kid has gotten so much better on defensive end.
Good point, Josh. More of a finesse, wing player. Is really deadly as a trailer on the break hitting a 3-pointer.
I really don’t understand why Indiana runs sets to get the ball to Watford in the post. He’s just not very effective there.
Took IU over 10 minutes to get 3 FGs in first half, just a minute and a half in second half to get 3 FGs—
Mike Pegram (@peegs) February 14, 2013
I don’t think so, Brent. Next time I will say: Well, good think it’s not diving. LOL
Indiana is shooting 4 free throws for every 5 field goal attempts. Yeesh.
That’s one of Shon Morris favorite lines. The figure skating thing. Did he just say it?
Gotta get a Tom Crean bobblehead!
This isn’t figure skating, thank goodness!!
Halftime recap:
No. 1 Indiana leads 27-18 at halftime thanks to its ability to attack the rim and get to the free-throw line (13-of-16). The Hoosiers shot only 30 percent and made six field goals, but they limited Nebraska to seven field goals and four free throws.
Dylan Talley scored 10 points and Shavon Shields added four for Nebraska, which failed to tally a single assist in the first 20 minutes. Nebraska leading scorer Ray Gallegos (13.3 ppg) was held scoreless.
Victor Oladipo and Christian Watford paced the Hoosiers with seven and six points, respectively. Oladipo also tallied two steals and Watford corralled four rebounds.
Well, it wasn’t pretty, but IU has a 9-point lead at halftime.
Do yourself a favor and watch this Oladipo dunk montage:
Only one Hoosier — Oladipo — has made more than one basket tonight, and he has two. #IUBB—
Ken Bikoff (@kbikoff) February 14, 2013
I think the last time he missed a shot was before the 2nd presidential debate.
Well, considering he’s shooting about 94% from the field, it’s hard to see his stock getting much higher, no matter where he is on the board right now.
He’s in the top 10 of mock drafts now, right? I thought I saw him No. 8 in one.
All four will be gone. No way Oladipo stays now. I can’t see it happening.
Throw Hulls in there, and you have a hyperefficient group. All 4 might be gone after this year, too. Big shoes to fill.
Does it get any better than the trio of Zeller, Oladipo and Watford? I think not.
Nebraska has zero assists and eight turnovers. Not exactly a winning recipe on the road.—
Alex Bozich (@insidethehall) February 14, 2013
How does a 5-second call happen with 4 timeouts?
Finally. Here is where IU takes off….
And Indiana leads, 12-plus into this one.
Nebraska is shooting a higher percentage and outrebounding IU.—
Ken Bikoff (@kbikoff) February 14, 2013
Huskers might run out of players here, with their lack of depth and early foul trouble.
Then again, Zeller grabs pine right now, when IU could really capitalize. I don’t get it.
And just like that, both of Nebraska’s centers have 2 fouls. Trouble.
Fact: All three of us have a better vertical than Almeida.
They haven’t realized the game has started.
Indiana’s defense has been really bad so far tonight. Especially defending off the dribble.
How can Andre Almeida possibly guard Cody Zeller? That has to be as big of a mis match as I've seen in the Big Ten this year.—
Terry Hutchens (@indystar_hutch) February 14, 2013
Few teams can go a run like Indiana. You know a spurt like that is coming at some point.
Real key will be whether Nebraska’s bigs can stay out of foul trouble against Zeller. Ubel is their best interior player, and he’ll need to be on the floor a lot for them to have a chance.
Indiana's start matches the buzz in the building … lacking a little … Nebraska up 8-4. IU 2-8 FGs …—
Jeff Rabjohns (@JeffRabjohns) February 14, 2013
Is this 8-4 score a typo? Nah, still very early.
I think it’s sold out; just a late arriving crowd.
They should be sold out regardless of WHO they are playing.
It’s strange to see Assembly Hall with open seats. Not many of them, but you can see a few. It’ll fill up.
How motivated and dialed in will Indiana be?
And we’re underway. Oladipo with an easy layup on first possession.
The regular IU pregame is showing on the video board and Nebraska players are watching it. I forget this is the first time for them at IU—
Terry Hutchens (@indystar_hutch) February 13, 2013
And yes, I know Nebraska won the lone meeting last year. Different teams. Much different teams. And this one is in Assembly Hall.
And we’re about ready to start. I’m going to go out on a limb and say this first one isn’t close at all. Go figure.
Come back around 6:30 p.m. ET, folks. We’ll get this going then.
Matt Painter gets booted: