at Northern Iowa - 01/18/2023 - 7:00 PM - ESPN+

Redbird82

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We did a lot of good, missed a couple free throws and shots down the stretch, they bank in a 3. Would be nice if we could play the first 5 minutes of a game. It’s better we are playing better, but if we get blown out it doesn’t get so frustrating to lose🤷‍♀️
 

cubird

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Their freshman hit 6 of 7 3s. Post game I believe they said he was 3 for 27 in Leaque Play.
 
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Popsto4

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Look, the two guys that I think you are directing the lack of basketball iq are the only two players on this team that can attack the basket off the dribble and actually make buckets in the paint. And they were the reason we were in this game with a chance to win. We have to take the good with the bad with them.
I agree somewhat only. You can’t force a shot in traffic more than half the time. Certain situations call exactly for that. The Birds have a knack of doing it without regard to shot clock, or in game situation. It’s happening way more often than not. It’s not going to matter who comes here next year if collectively basketball IQ isn’t coming with them.
 

Redbirdfan06

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I agree somewhat only. You can’t force a shot in traffic more than half the time. Certain situations call exactly for that. The Birds have a knack of doing it without regard to shot clock, or in game situation. It’s happening way more often than not. It’s not going to matter who comes here next year if collectively basketball IQ isn’t coming with them.
We shot 48 % from the field and 25% from three. Forced shots in traffic didn’t lose us tonight’s game.
 
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Popsto4

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We shot 48 % from the field and 25% from three. Forced shots in traffic didn’t lose us tonight’s game.
There’s never just one thing that cause a loss my friend. It’s called making the simple play. This team is close but still a year or two away. As a unit they don’t make enough of the simple basketball plays to become more consistent. I’m loving their fight though.
 

BirdGrad2011

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There’s never just one thing that cause a loss my friend. It’s called making the simple play. This team is close but still a year or two away. As a unit they don’t make enough of the simple basketball plays to become more consistent. I’m loving their fight though.
They are on the cusp of a major breakthrough. They need to learn how to win as well. All things I’m not all that surprised by.
 

Birdfriend72

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McChesney and Lewis combined:
0 points
8 fouls
3 turnovers
I was telling a buddy this. Lewis has been slacking the last few weeks- maybe a month. He has to get to the 10 points 5 rebounds a game minimum and the close to the same for McChesney if they want to be a clear contender. It doesn’t alway have to be on the offensive end. Sometimes it’s as simple as the offensive glass! Play smart- be aggressive.
 

Birdfriend72

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Call me crazy, but I have a good feeling about Pedon. Given the situation, I like what I see After year three we can be judgemental, but not yet.
Time will tell. We have to give him time to bring his own guys in here and brand his own game on them. He should be able to teach these guys the same way- but I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I expect a good coach can bring them together by the end of the season. He has some talent- they all don’t show up together on the court night in-night out!
 

Matt Hein Fan

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Ever since the Indiana State game you can tell a true defensive identity is seeming to come into place. There have been far fewer defensive breakdowns over the last several games and the results have been trending much better. This team still doesn’t know how to string an entire complete game consistently yet but if they continue to play like this and Kendall can get out of this awful cold stretch he has been in over the last month the wins will start to come. We are at least competing in road games again, something we did not see over the last 4 years or so of Dan’s tenure.

Over in the B10 Chris Holtmann and the Buckeyes of Columbus have lost 5 straight and are a disappointment at 10-8 overall. How much of that is losing Coach Pedon or EJ Liddell, hard to tell but I thought it was worth noting.
 

Redbird28

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Critical empty possessions from 5 minutes left to 3 minutes left undid the Birds last night. Simply can't have those types of possessions on the road in a tight game against an always disciplined team.

As others have said, love to see the fight in this team, but need to see more smart plays and sharing of the ball especially down the stretch in tight games. Never mind seeing players miss wide open looks, but taking ill advised contested shots when it's clear the refs are swallowing the whistles to "let the players decide it" calls for guys to identify and change the approach. We just aren't there yet on identifying and changing.

Had 4 guys in double digits last night as well. Like to see that, but got virtually nothing from anywhere else, and getting zero scoring from a guy that's getting 21 minutes just doesn't work at all.

Back to the drawing board and get ready for Valpo. Can't look past them with the biggest regular season game just one away. Need to take care of business Saturday night.
 

Phantom

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Good effort on the road. Sucks we didn't pull it off. Agreed on the steady uptick in defensive performance and protecting the ball better, but then there's inconsistencies everywhere else. Just haven't been able to put a complete game together. These are the growing pains.
 

BirdGrad2011

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Depth is the issue. Liam being a no show due to foul trouble, H getting hurt, and Sandy still battling the back and not making the trip were the difference. I am loving our likely future core of Poindexter, Kasubke, and DB. Those 3 are turning out to be gamers. Just wish we had some depth to more comfortably sub them out to rest.
 

Adunk33

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Depth is the issue. Liam being a no show due to foul trouble, H getting hurt, and Sandy still battling the back and not making the trip were the difference. I am loving our likely future core of Poindexter, Kasubke, and DB. Those 3 are turning out to be gamers. Just wish we had some depth to more comfortably sub them out to rest.
I agree with this. The team fights hard, but at the end of the day, it's tough to play nearly 40 minutes which leads to fatigue down the stretch. You can condition all you want in practice, but it's tough to simulate in-game conditioning. You never know how many screens a guy will have to run around on a given night. Luke and Malachi played 38 min, Seneca with 35, and DB 34 and that's all of your scoring.

Ultimately, the team really only has 7 guys, one of which is battling through injuries and hasn't been consistently available and two were hindered by foul trouble and combined for 0 points. So, you're asking them to go out and win only having 4 dudes. It's a tough ask. I was excited to see Joe make one. He's the ultimate teammate. The shot he took, which would've tied the game, was a good one. Tough break on the in and out. If these guys are going to make a run, it's going to take other guys stepping up outside of the main 7. Whether that be Joe, Ryan, H...they need at least one of them to help the team collectively take a step forward.

Also, maybe it's because I don't expect to win every game this year so I'm not as emotionally tied to each outcome, but I felt the game overall was very well officiated. Yeah, there were some weird calls, but I felt it was fair both ways. Free throws were 15-14 in favor of the Birds, fouls were ISU 19, UNI 16. If Seneca hits his FTs...we might be talking about a W.
 

SgtHulka

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Bad luck and Pollard. A lethal combination. Double foul was ridiculous and so was our three point shooting. We were too content to hoist off balance threes when the inside game/penetration was working. Heartbreaking
If he hadn't called a double foul, or technical, or pulled a couple of players into a huddle to explain the finer points of the game or issue a warning then I would have Munn check him for a concussion.

Could have uses Sandage nailing a couple threes. Or to have Lewis and Mayor McCheese contributing anything positive

The glaring need for a true PG continues. And a good big

All in all, the game looked like a 20+ blowout for much of the first half, but we played well the rest of the way. Keep on the improvement path.
 

DaveBird10

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These kids play hard and I love to see that, I do feel really bad because that game felt like a punch to the gut not being able to pull it out. Hats off of to them for being in it til the end and competing, just wish with how hard the kids played they would get the satisfaction of winning along with it. With a bank 3 and a kid who usually shoots 27% from 3 goes 6/7 last night is tough to overcome. Just wish everyone on the team would have recognized that he already hit 4 or 5 and recognized where Campbell was when he was on the floor.
With Liam playing only 4 minutes, H getting hurt and Lewis not playing his best it was nice to see Petrakis get extended minutes. He got a hustle put back and hit a 3 to pull us within 1. I agree with the above that depth is a huge issue but we need Lewis, Liam and Petrakis to play consistent with Sandage being out. If they play consistent then Knight can slide over to a guard. Knight and Kasubke can then give Burford and Malachi a rest. We don't have depth but if we get some consistent play then that would kind of fix some of the depth with Burford and Malachi playing so many minutes. We don't have the depth for the inconsistent play along with the injuries that are starting to pop up now.
 
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Popsto4

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Time will tell. We have to give him time to bring his own guys in here and brand his own game on them. He should be able to teach these guys the same way- but I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I expect a good coach can bring them together by the end of the season. He has some talent- they all don’t show up together on the court night in-night out!
That was well said. Pedon have repeatedly said what he’d like to do but don’t know if he have the bugs for it. It’s plain as day to know what he wants in a team. Through it all at the end of the day it’s on the players. Pedon is doing an admirable job with what he have.
 
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Popsto4

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I agree with this. The team fights hard, but at the end of the day, it's tough to play nearly 40 minutes which leads to fatigue down the stretch. You can condition all you want in practice, but it's tough to simulate in-game conditioning. You never know how many screens a guy will have to run around on a given night. Luke and Malachi played 38 min, Seneca with 35, and DB 34 and that's all of your scoring.

Ultimately, the team really only has 7 guys, one of which is battling through injuries and hasn't been consistently available and two were hindered by foul trouble and combined for 0 points. So, you're asking them to go out and win only having 4 dudes. It's a tough ask. I was excited to see Joe make one. He's the ultimate teammate. The shot he took, which would've tied the game, was a good one. Tough break on the in and out. If these guys are going to make a run, it's going to take other guys stepping up outside of the main 7. Whether that be Joe, Ryan, H...they need at least one of them to help the team collectively take a step forward.

Also, maybe it's because I don't expect to win every game this year so I'm not as emotionally tied to each outcome, but I felt the game overall was very well officiated. Yeah, there were some weird calls, but I felt it was fair both ways. Free throws were 15-14 in favor of the Birds, fouls were ISU 19, UNI 16. If Seneca hits his FTs...we might be talking about a W.
I completely agree. Balls always hit the front of the rim when fatigue sets in. Kudos though, like you said the play hard and compete.
 
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