This is it. The beginning of the MAC conference season...

I'm looking at the BSU schedule to date and I see a Rorschach test. One can see what one wants...

7 - 0 at home. Some blowout losses to good teams on the road (Oklahoma, Oregon). Some good wins, e.g. Notre Dame.

And, this is not mis-print: BSU hasn't played a game outside of the state of INDIANA since BEFORE Thanksgiving. I know Tom Izzo is jealous. They are in the midst of a SIX game home streak. During the rest of the time they traveled across Indiana playing ND, IN. State, etc. while EMU had to go to Florida and California. (I think the EMU players enjoyed their schedule more. FL and CA )

I REALLY wish this game was at EMU. Want to get BSU out of their home arena, go on the road, get away from shooting at the same baskets day after day...

ON PAPER, this sets BSU up for a very good start to both the OOC and conference season. GREAT job of scheduling.

MAC lets them start at home against EMU and UB, easily among the top 4 teams in the MAC. Thanks, MAC for dropping BSU a dime or two.

They managed to pony up the $$$$ for SIX D-I OOC home games. Great if they can do it. We did THREE.

http://ballstatesports.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball

We all know how B1G schools just keep writing checks to teams needing some $$$$ while they sit home and build up gaudy records.

Here is the OPPOSITE. Howard U, a HBCU, in D.C. (whom we've played).

http://www.hubison.com/schedule.aspx?pat...asketball2

They've played 16 games. THREE at home including Central Pa. U, and Washington Adventist U. 13 on the road. Good luck Bison with that schedule. At least the kids have seen the country: IN, MI, FL, VA, AL, TX, WA, Hawaii, etc. :

Isn't it a little silly for a bad team to travel from Washington, D.C. to Hawaii for ONE game, get beaten like a drum, etc... Like this wasn't part of a schedule with a game or two in CA and then on to Hawaii...

Our best chance to beat Ball State is by frustrating them with our length defensively, and feeding JT offensively. He NEEDS to stay out of foul trouble, which he's had a problem with against the Cardinals in the past.

Whitford has the best game plan for the zone that I've ever seen, and I continue to wonder why no one ever copies it. He puts both bigs on each elbow, and allows whichever one that gets the entry pass to be the playmaker. Both guys attack the basket at the same time, which leaves Thompson responsible for guarding two guys at once, and if one of the wings collapses to help, the big kicks out to an open shooter. Pick your poison.

The only way to combat this is by preventing the entry pass altogether, but then that likely leaves Persons with a pull up three, which he is lethal at. Starting Nobles at the top of the zone should help a little bit, but I think they'll light us up. I've long said that this is the team I would play man-to-man against (and we did for like 2 minutes last year). Even then, this is a skilled, unselfish team that can beat us in a variety of ways.

We have the talent to outscore them, but we need to take better care of the ball. Jackson should be able to beat Persons off the dribble on every possession, and we will have a couple huge mismatches with whoever covers Thompson and Minnie. If those three play efficiently, we have a good chance to spring the upset. But if we turn it over and our best players get in foul trouble, then it will likely be a blow out.

(01-01-2018 09:36 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  Our best chance to beat Ball State is by frustrating them with our length defensively, and feeding JT offensively. He NEEDS to stay out of foul trouble, which he's had a problem with against the Cardinals in the past.

Whitford has the best game plan for the zone that I've ever seen, and I continue to wonder why no one ever copies it. He puts both bigs on each elbow, and allows whichever one that gets the entry pass to be the playmaker. Both guys attack the basket at the same time, which leaves Thompson responsible for guarding two guys at once, and if one of the wings collapses to help, the big kicks out to an open shooter. Pick your poison.

The only way to combat this is by preventing the entry pass altogether, but then that likely leaves Persons with a pull up three, which he is lethal at. Starting Nobles at the top of the zone should help a little bit, but I think they'll light us up. I've long said that this is the team I would play man-to-man against (and we did for like 2 minutes last year). Even then, this is a skilled, unselfish team that can beat us in a variety of ways.

We have the talent to outscore them, but we need to take better care of the ball. Jackson should be able to beat Persons off the dribble on every possession, and we will have a couple huge mismatches with whoever covers Thompson and Minnie. If those three play efficiently, we have a good chance to spring the upset. But if we turn it over and our best players get in foul trouble, then it will likely be a blow out.

This could be the best EMU conference game of the year.

Not sure BSU is the best team in the conference, but they are my #1 team to dislike with a passion.

I still remember that game at our Convo Jan. 2016 (I was there escaping the D.C. snow storm - crazy story - D.C. was to get 2 feet of snow so I looked where could I go? N. Carolina - nope. Philly/NYC - same snow story as D.C.) so I discovered with the help of Accuweather than the best way to beat the snow was to go to the Midwest. I left D.C. Friday morning ahead of the snow storm and didn't really see snow until I was driving home five days later.

I escaped all the snow and the roads were clear when I drove back. A thoughtful neighbor cleared my parking spots.)

That was the BSU game where the game officials swallowed their whistles and we lost a game we should have won. We then went into the tank losing I believe 3 of 4 and basically dooming the season.

(01-01-2018 09:36 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  Our best chance to beat Ball State is by frustrating them with our length defensively, and feeding JT offensively. He NEEDS to stay out of foul trouble, which he's had a problem with against the Cardinals in the past.

Whitford has the best game plan for the zone that I've ever seen, and I continue to wonder why no one ever copies it. He puts both bigs on each elbow, and allows whichever one that gets the entry pass to be the playmaker. Both guys attack the basket at the same time, which leaves Thompson responsible for guarding two guys at once, and if one of the wings collapses to help, the big kicks out to an open shooter. Pick your poison.

The only way to combat this is by preventing the entry pass altogether, but then that likely leaves Persons with a pull up three, which he is lethal at. Starting Nobles at the top of the zone should help a little bit, but I think they'll light us up. I've long said that this is the team I would play man-to-man against (and we did for like 2 minutes last year). Even then, this is a skilled, unselfish team that can beat us in a variety of ways.

We have the talent to outscore them, but we need to take better care of the ball. Jackson should be able to beat Persons off the dribble on every possession, and we will have a couple huge mismatches with whoever covers Thompson and Minnie. If those three play efficiently, we have a good chance to spring the upset. But if we turn it over and our best players get in foul trouble, then it will likely be a blow out.

Sam is on the money on beating a zone that all division 1 coaches should know how to execute. Surprisingly not all of them know how to beat the zone. Whitford and Kampe's 2nd game this season practically ran similar zone offense against EMU. Sam points out the weakness of the zone where you must deny entry passes into the paint. Man to Man has its weaknesses too, but the zone weakness are usually easier exploited.

(01-01-2018 09:36 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  Our best chance to beat Ball State is by frustrating them with our length defensively, and feeding JT offensively. He NEEDS to stay out of foul trouble, which he's had a problem with against the Cardinals in the past.

Whitford has the best game plan for the zone that I've ever seen, and I continue to wonder why no one ever copies it. He puts both bigs on each elbow, and allows whichever one that gets the entry pass to be the playmaker. Both guys attack the basket at the same time, which leaves Thompson responsible for guarding two guys at once, and if one of the wings collapses to help, the big kicks out to an open shooter. Pick your poison.

The only way to combat this is by preventing the entry pass altogether, but then that likely leaves Persons with a pull up three, which he is lethal at. Starting Nobles at the top of the zone should help a little bit, but I think they'll light us up. I've long said that this is the team I would play man-to-man against (and we did for like 2 minutes last year). Even then, this is a skilled, unselfish team that can beat us in a variety of ways.

We have the talent to outscore them, but we need to take better care of the ball. Jackson should be able to beat Persons off the dribble on every possession, and we will have a couple huge mismatches with whoever covers Thompson and Minnie. If those three play efficiently, we have a good chance to spring the upset. But if we turn it over and our best players get in foul trouble, then it will likely be a blow out.

The big thing this year is the very good play at PG from Jackson.

With him playing his game we don't get disjointed and see things fall apart.

BSU 5 1/2 point favorite which is presumably mostly the home court advantage (usually worth 3 - 4 points).

The temps today in Muncie (this a.m.) -10. Ugh!!

Hustle belts prediction:

https://www.hustlebelt.com/2018/1/1/1683...tream-line

(01-02-2018 05:54 AM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Hustle belts prediction:

https://www.hustlebelt.com/2018/1/1/1683...tream-line

Definitely BSU is the favorite. They've beat us 5 of the last 6. We've lost two of them by a single point.

This is a budding rivalry, at least among EMU fans.

What this might show is if EMU is a much different team than in the past which struggled vs. BSU. I think the key is Jackson to keep the offense going and, of course, the zebras and their whistles and JT4. I think the most important thing I've noticed is that we are NOT getting blown out in bad losses.

This seems to be a different team with new players and some new coaches.

A nice MAC Basketball Preview.

https://spark.adobe.com/page/4sHsi3KrGth2W/

(01-01-2018 06:11 AM)emu steve Wrote:  I'm looking at the BSU schedule to date and I see a Rorschach test. One can see what one wants...

7 - 0 at home. Some blowout losses to good teams on the road (Oklahoma, Oregon). Some good wins, e.g. Notre Dame.

And, this is not mis-print: BSU hasn't played a game outside of the state of INDIANA since BEFORE Thanksgiving. I know Tom Izzo is jealous. They are in the midst of a SIX game home streak. During the rest of the time they traveled across Indiana playing ND, IN. State, etc. while EMU had to go to Florida and California. (I think the EMU players enjoyed their schedule more. FL and CA )

I REALLY wish this game was at EMU. Want to get BSU out of their home arena, go on the road, get away from shooting at the same baskets day after day...

ON PAPER, this sets BSU up for a very good start to both the OOC and conference season. GREAT job of scheduling.

MAC lets them start at home against EMU and UB, easily among the top 4 teams in the MAC. Thanks, MAC for dropping BSU a dime or two.

They managed to pony up the $$$$ for SIX D-I OOC home games. Great if they can do it. We did THREE.

http://ballstatesports.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball

We all know how B1G schools just keep writing checks to teams needing some $$$$ while they sit home and build up gaudy records.

Here is the OPPOSITE. Howard U, a HBCU, in D.C. (whom we've played).

http://www.hubison.com/schedule.aspx?pat...asketball2

They've played 16 games. THREE at home including Central Pa. U, and Washington Adventist U. 13 on the road. Good luck Bison with that schedule. At least the kids have seen the country: IN, MI, FL, VA, AL, TX, WA, Hawaii, etc. :

Isn't it a little silly for a bad team to travel from Washington, D.C. to Hawaii for ONE game, get beaten like a drum, etc... Like this wasn't part of a schedule with a game or two in CA and then on to Hawaii...

They also began the season playing 5 of 6 on the road and playing 5 of those games in an 11 day period while flying out to OKC, back to Indiana for Stony Brook, then to Eugene, Oregon and 2 days later to Bucknell in Central PA. That would help explain the not leaving Indiana for since Thanksgiving thing.

(01-02-2018 10:46 AM)EAGLE KING Wrote:  A nice MAC Basketball Preview.

https://spark.adobe.com/page/4sHsi3KrGth2W/

Nicely done!!

(01-02-2018 11:07 AM)Frozenbaugh Wrote:  

(01-01-2018 06:11 AM)emu steve Wrote:  I'm looking at the BSU schedule to date and I see a Rorschach test. One can see what one wants...

7 - 0 at home. Some blowout losses to good teams on the road (Oklahoma, Oregon). Some good wins, e.g. Notre Dame.

And, this is not mis-print: BSU hasn't played a game outside of the state of INDIANA since BEFORE Thanksgiving. I know Tom Izzo is jealous. They are in the midst of a SIX game home streak. During the rest of the time they traveled across Indiana playing ND, IN. State, etc. while EMU had to go to Florida and California. (I think the EMU players enjoyed their schedule more. FL and CA )

I REALLY wish this game was at EMU. Want to get BSU out of their home arena, go on the road, get away from shooting at the same baskets day after day...

ON PAPER, this sets BSU up for a very good start to both the OOC and conference season. GREAT job of scheduling.

MAC lets them start at home against EMU and UB, easily among the top 4 teams in the MAC. Thanks, MAC for dropping BSU a dime or two.

They managed to pony up the $$$$ for SIX D-I OOC home games. Great if they can do it. We did THREE.

http://ballstatesports.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball

We all know how B1G schools just keep writing checks to teams needing some $$$$ while they sit home and build up gaudy records.

Here is the OPPOSITE. Howard U, a HBCU, in D.C. (whom we've played).

http://www.hubison.com/schedule.aspx?pat...asketball2

They've played 16 games. THREE at home including Central Pa. U, and Washington Adventist U. 13 on the road. Good luck Bison with that schedule. At least the kids have seen the country: IN, MI, FL, VA, AL, TX, WA, Hawaii, etc. :

Isn't it a little silly for a bad team to travel from Washington, D.C. to Hawaii for ONE game, get beaten like a drum, etc... Like this wasn't part of a schedule with a game or two in CA and then on to Hawaii...

They also began the season playing 5 of 6 on the road and playing 5 of those games in an 11 day period while flying out to OKC, back to Indiana for Stony Brook, then to Eugene, Oregon and 2 days later to Bucknell in Central PA. That would help explain the not leaving Indiana for since Thanksgiving thing.

Very interesting way to schedule. Probably a big plus getting the road trips out of the way early and staying home for finals, holidays, and to prepare for the beginning of the MAC season.

The early travel for BSU wasn't really by choice... was dictated by ESPN for the most part.

Expecting a good game tonight. Should see where both teams are at early in the season.

Time to see if Murphy has adjusted the defense to stop what has beat him before.

(01-02-2018 06:36 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  Time to see if Murphy has adjusted the defense to stop what has beat him before.

Nope - no adjustment!

EMU needs to win the next 5 games. No reason they can't. All home games except one in MIA.

(01-02-2018 09:27 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  

(01-02-2018 06:36 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  Time to see if Murphy has adjusted the defense to stop what has beat him before.

Nope - no adjustment!

Not true.

Murphy made adjustments to his zone defense (if you heard Chad on the radio).

Murphy isn't coming out of his zone any more than Army is going to come out of their offense (FB) and start playing up tempo passing game.

Other mid-major leagues play games on 2+ games of the week. The MAC only plays on Tuesday and Saturday.

Moving more games off Saturday is really helpful in getting on cable TV. Less competition with power conferences. For example, the MAC only moved one game off Saturday, and it's on CBS Sports. The Horizon has multiple games tonight, which are on ESPN2 and ESPNU, which have higher viewership.

I will never understand why the MAC makes at least 11 of 12 games play on the same day, usually at the same time...

(01-05-2018 06:58 PM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  Other mid-major leagues play games on 2+ games of the week. The MAC only plays on Tuesday and Saturday.

Moving more games off Saturday is really helpful in getting on cable TV. Less competition with power conferences. For example, the MAC only moved one game off Saturday, and it's on CBS Sports. The Horizon has multiple games tonight, which are on ESPN2 and ESPNU, which have higher viewership.

I will never understand why the MAC makes at least 11 of 12 games play on the same day, usually at the same time...

Agree, Frank.