Game Thread: Indiana @ Wisconsin

by Alex Bozich in Game Threads | January 31st, 2008

Before we proceed, a couple of notes: 1) For those of you in Southern Indiana/Louisville, PostmanE will be on 93.9 the Ticket tonight at 7:20 ET with the Big EZ Zach McCrite breaking down the game. We’ll try to get audio up on the site, if possible. 2) We hope none of you consider this picture of Erin Andrews to be “scantily clad” or “softcore porn.” If you do, well, tough luck.

Opponent: Wisconsin

Date: Thursday, January 31, 2008 | 9:00 p.m. EST

Arena: Kohl Center (17,190) – Madison, Wisconsin

Line: Wisconsin by 4

All-time series: Indiana leads 93-55

Previous meeting: Indiana won 71-66 on Jan 31, 2007

TV: ESPN (Brent Musberger, Steve Lavin and Erin Andrews)

Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Todd Leary and Joe Smith)

Probable Starters:

Indiana (17-2, 6-0 Big Ten): Armon Bassett, Eric Gordon, Jamarcus Ellis, Mike White, D.J. White
Wisconsin (16-3, 6-1 Big Ten): Trevon Hughes, Michael Flowers, Marcus Landry, Joe Krabbenhoft, Brian Butch

Game Notes (Adobe Reader required to view):

Gameday reading:

Badgers blog (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter blog)
Gordon’s dad: Wrist pain is no big deal (Indianapolis Star)
Injured Gordon, Hoosiers head to Wisconsin (Indiana Daily Student)
UW hosts IU, hopes to rebound from upset loss (Badger Herald)
Showdown in Mad-town (The Daily Cardinal)

As always, your predictions, analysis and comments are welcome in the game thread.

Tags: Wisconsin Badgers

Disco Briscoe

We play better when not trying to execute Sampson's offense (whatever that maybe). It was hard enough watching us play before but it's extremely hard to watch us vs "good " teams the last two games. Sampson is being out coached because we have the talent.

Alex

Plenty of chances to get back in this, just can't get over the hump.

SanDiegoIUfan

WTF.....33 secs on the shot clock and we heave up a 27 footer?!?!? AAAHHH

Chris

Call a foul again on the fat guy.......it's what they all do.

Kevin

Dee is a walking foul.

SanDiegoIUfan

Hmmmm...getting interesting. Go Hoosiers!!

TomCoverdale's Eyebrows

How about a couple of stops here

SanDiegoIUfan

You guys think we will score 40 tonight? I say barely.

bootsie white

12 minutes of Erin Andrews shots is the only way ESPN can keep people watching this disaster

bootsie white

eight seed?

Nine?

SanDiegoIUfan

I think we will hang onto a 4 or 5 seed....6 at worst. That is assuming we win just about all of our games besides @ MSU, @OSU, and @ ILL, and hopefully steal one of those.

SanDiegoIUfan

Boy this is one ugly, ugly game. We are doing the EXACT same things that cost us the UConn game. Not getting any rebounds, 1 or no passes before a shot...just terrible. I will chalk this up as we are in Wisconsin and they are tough has hell at home, but I am not optimistic about our chances at a BT title the way we are playing, and not adjusting to our mistakes. Sampson is a DEBACLE as a head coach. I had no idea he was this bad. I do not know x's and o's at all and feel like I could coach em up better than he can.

Alex

AJ RATLIFF ALERT!

bootsie white

bring back mike davis.

Disco Briscoe

im not sure he ever left, the way we're playing...

peaychris

Remember Jason Collier... he would have loved the swing offense

peaychris

well i hope dj isnt hurt

Kevin

It just doesn't seem like we are playing with the same energy as last year on the defensive end.

Wilmont and Callaway put everything they had into those games last year.

Disco Briscoe

I'm happy to be only 10 down. Sampson is showing what he can do as a coach...nothing!

hysteric

it seems those people who said sampson can't coach offense back when he was hired were right

Disco Briscoe

Doesnt look like he can coach defense or rebounding either

Kevin

Is there seriously nothing that our coaching staff can come up with to get some points?

Chris

20 points is pathetic. Put in McGhee and team him up with Ratliff for 20 minutes in the second half. Maybe Taber too. Doesn't help that the refs are messing us over too. That ref should get fined for the 2nd foul call on D.J.

TomCoverdale's Eyebrows

Sampson has got to work these refs harder. This is unbelievable.

Alex

It's not the fault of the refs that we're loafing.

TomCoverdale's Eyebrows

No one said it was, but lets be honest, there were some pretty questionable calls there towards the end of the half. He's got to be in the ref's ear a little more often. Whats the worst that could happen? He get's T'd up? Maybe that will light a flame under these guys butts.

Disco Briscoe

This sucks...I can't watch this garbage! We look like a DII school out there.

jgongora86

guys don't think of me as a pathetic fan. This is disapointing, and I have a busy day tommorow. I don't need to be frustrated. We have been exposed big time. We need a change our strategy, and Coach Sampson has to wake up, and change our offensive plan. hate to say this but our coach has to watch hoosiers. "how many times are we going to pass? five. HOW MANY? five. FIve!"

Kevin

Looks like we're going to a zone.

peaychris

anyone want to give IU's under/over i am going with 44points

Alex

Over/under minutes for AJ: 1

HoosierSmitty

Well I've learned all I need...we suck...goodnight

Alex

Where is Ratliff?

jgongora86

I'm hurting emotionaly right now. No picks , screens, or passing. Coach needs to wake up as well and reevaluate the offense or we are in very big trouble.

HoosierSmitty

He didn't call that a foul until the ball went out of bounds...what is that bs?

Alex

Was that a turnover or a timeout?

Kevin

They said it was a violation of sorts, not sure what.

HoosierSmitty

We get beat by the most middle school stuff...

bleedingk crimson

where our grit to win...we have no control

Alex

Running a play would be nice.

peaychris

i used to hate crawford out of control but i dont mind any more... i mean nobody else wants to score. i just say give it to craword and let him do it all

HoosierSmitty

I suppose I will get to go to bed early tonight...

Kevin

This is offense I've come to expect. *sigh*

peaychris

this didnt start very well, a lot of standing around i think we need to go small and get mike white out of there

HoosierSmitty

Mike White...you will not block that shot...box out your man and we don't give up that off reb. basket. GET HIM OUT

HoosierSmitty

How many times are we going to go to Mike White for offense? Are you serious?

drode

yeah what is mike white all of the sudden the go to guy? Did I miss something?

HoosierSmitty

He should not be allowed to touch the ball offensively unless it's a rebound.

Alex

One helluva play there by Ellis.

peaychris

i love this swing offence

peaychris

wow ellis!!!!!

bleedingk crimson

We still play so timid...
let's get off our ass and show some movement without the ball

Matt

love her....
http://www.redsoxtimes.com/blog/wp-content/uplo...

Alex

http://blogs.heraldtimesonline.com/iusp/?p=1448

Looks like he's ready to go.

RobertSchell

IU by a long shot.....Bo Ryan will be too busy busting a move on the sidelines rather than coach his team....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TajSyEm-Qg

jgongora86

you know what we need guys? we need some freaking van halen. Anybody have some van halen? You Know RIGHT NOW! If that doesn't work nothing will.

Alex

Jamie,

Just because I love you, here you go:

http://www.michellesbridal.com/sounds/Van_Halen...

Matt

I WANT TO RUNNNNNNNNNN.... WHY CANT WE GET OUT AND RUNNN RUNN RUNN?? EEVRYONE SAYS DJ IS IN GREAT SHAPE, WELLLL LETS USE IT AND GET OUT AND RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

peaychris

thats what i think too!! i think we put crawford in as the 4 man and run them to death!

peaychris

well the guys in vegas know what they are talking about right??

Bucky 67
hoosiers 63

HoosierSmitty

Hoosiers dominate and take the thrill of a 15 point win home with them. Sampson can miraculously coach, we've learned how to play defense, and EJ finally remembers how to drop 30 on somebody (hell I'll take 20).

IU 77
Wisconsin 62

Reverse psychology...can't hurt, right? Someone's gotta be positive, but chances are I end up breaking something again tonight.

Luke24

It's hard to think of a way our Hoosiers will win tonight but I'll try anyway. First we must win the battle of the boards. And that doesn't mean letting DJ to all the work. Tone will get his 6-8 but EJ, Basset, Crawford, and whoever plays the 4 must attack the glass. Next limit the turnovers we can't afford to have another 26 like the Minny game. Now for the offense no more of this one on one BS. They have to move the ball set screens and get the ball to DJ so he can either draw a foul or make that baby hook. Also no more dribbling for contested 3's ( which seems to be the method of choice). Work the ball inside and kick out for a good look. Also EJ must snap out of this funk he's in for us to win on the road. Now the power forward position. I believe Lance gets most of the minutes tonight. Dre will get those tick tack fouls on the road and MW might be over matched with there size. If Lance can hit a few of those ever so timely 3's, make the hustle plays and grab 6-8 boards would be huge. Well there are few things that I believe our Hoosiers must do to beat a worthy opponent on the road. Oh yeah if I see one more full court pass tonight I might break my T.V.

HoosierSmitty

wait....wait...offense? Offense? I will be thrilled to see more than one or two plays that resemble an offense....an entire offensive system would send me in to a convulsive shock.

Luke24

Aw yes but we can all dream about seeing an effective offensive system throughout an entire game.....right?

ZachH

Prove me wrong Hoosiers. I was never worried about the UConn game; I just didn't expect us to ever lose at home. However, I was always looking ahead to this game with a bit of fear. I hope it's not legitimized tonight.

DavidC

Everything is going against the Hoosiers:

IU 72
UW 56

Brett

uhh is it cold in the arena erin? nipping through two shirts is quite impressive. great find on the picture.. when will she pose for playboy?

Quincy

Yes, I see this as a important gamefor us, also Iam afraid, that the weak schedule might be catching up with us. We need better defense!.. no long droughts of not scoring, REBOUND.. yes more people people than DJ .. Hell play AJ more, cant hurt. We are in 1st place, currently, but have more tough road games (@ ill @ osu @ m.s.) So big road game tonight, win is necessary. 12 games left, we need 8 or 9 Ws.
We are either going to be a contender or pretender..
Go Hoosiers...

T

Wisconsin: 74
Indiana: 70

The combination of EJ's wrist, Wisconsin needing this win more, and their ability to throw two good bigs to our one....not a good situation

Hopefully DJ and the Hoosiers prove me wrong

Sherron Wilkerson

If you don't like the pic of Erin Andrews then you just plain suck. Go Hoosier!!

SanDiegoIUfan

From the neck down it looks pretty good. Neck up however looks pretty rough in that picture. I guess I suck...o well! Go Hoosiers!!

Tom

totally agree...erin andrews has the face of a dude.

peaychris

is this the first game this year the hoosiers have been dogs??

Alex

Yes, I believe so.

Mr_C

I'm trying to stay positive, but its hard. We definitely need great guard play and dj cleaning the glass for all 40. They will still have the bitter taste of the upset from last year which worries me.

Game Thread: Indiana @ Wisconsin

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