First Game vs WIU

[gobirds85]

Not that it matters but very, very few teams lost at home tonight…so we have that going for us. Nowhere to go but up.

 

[Birdfriend72]

Is that a promise?

I'm not saying anything about any of that. Just saying that was clearly a travel when he caught the ball. That being said, they were much more physical defensively, getting into lanes aggressively and going for the ball than we were. I would expect more free throws based on that.

It sounds a lot like excuses! When you go to the line like we did you have to win by double digits!

 

[Metamoron]

Maybe I will take that bus trip to the Caribbean

 

[DoubleDeuce]

Not a great start to the season, but happy it's basketball season again. Excited to see how this team grows throughout the season. Bring on eastern! Got to say, don't miss the coaching drama.

 

[DWRedbird]

We stand around on offense a lot.

This bugged me the most. We did almost exactly what we did last year offensively. We had minimal motion offensively, spent most of our time camped out, outside of the 3pt line, and rarely moved off ball. There was very little flow to the offense. I'm hoping this is an aberration, and not the norm or this will be a rough year.


My other thoughts:

- I hate the new ticket buying process. The lack of choice of where I sit is extremely annoying to me.

- I did like the in arena production, the graphics and overall production was better.

- We need to call less plays from the sideline. We missed several guys open down the floor because we were immediately looking to the coaches for the play.

- Mal looked the most confident early in the game, and I thought the sharpest of the guards tonight. Glad he was alright after the injury.

-Buford needs to clean up his passing and not force the game as much.

-With the athletic forwards we have in Lewis, Knight, Liam and Petrakis, we should run pick rolls with them constantly. We looked really good with those guys getting the ball about 15ft out and driving toward the bucket.

- We looked good from the FT, I think the best we've looked in a while.

- We need to mix some zone in, at least until our guys learn to guard with our feet and rotate defensively. We got beat a lot.

- We did attack the boards better than I thought we would, so that was promising.

 

[jwa123]

Lot of new moving parts that have not played together before. I’m not going to make a lot out of tonight’s game for that reason. I’ll be interested in seeing how they play 10 games in.

 

[DougSutton]

It sounds a lot like excuses! When you go to the line like we did you have to win by double digits!

I'm not making any excuse

I simply said this was a travel in the same way I'll say there was a pass interference at the end of the Bears game that wasn't called. Neither team lost because of the missed call. In both cases, there were plenty of other reasons the teams lost. I just made an observation...

 

[Trey_Guidry4three]

Our guys gave it their all tonight. You all know how critical I am but I just don't think it's fair to be tough on this team quite yet. Loved the effort and hustle tonight !

 

[Hamdonger]

4 assists is the scariest stat I've seen in a while. 4. Assists.

Let's go win the next 3. Loudest I've heard Redbird in a minute...but it wasn't all that loud either. LOVED the band, wish they'd let 'em play all game. Win the next 3 please.

PS. So much doggone dribbling.

 

[isuquinndog]

By my count, not counting the fight song and anthem, the band played 5 songs in the 50 minutes before the game they were out there. That’s not good. They definitely need to play more.

 

[Hamdonger]

By my count, not counting the fight song and anthem, the band played 5 songs in the 50 minutes before the game they were out there. That’s not good. They definitely need to play more.

I know - that was disappointing!! They played with GREAT energy and it reminded me of the old days.

 

[MadBird]

Disappointed to get home from Badgers beating South Dakota Ky-oats, and seeing what happened to the Birds. Have read the thread and checked the box score, so will see if I can watch the replay later on. But can't get too down on them first game - would have been nice to come out and make a statement, but even Norman Dale lost a few while he was getting the boys organized. Take it to the Panthers Thursday - is there a special trophy??

 

[Redbirdfan06]

Up one, with the ball, and under a minute, mcchesney misses a wide open 3. Make that and it’s a two possession game. I know Lewis had the two turnovers on the next two possessions but that wide open missed 3 hurt.

 

[Hamdonger]

- We need to call less plays from the sideline. We missed several guys open down the floor because we were immediately looking to the coaches for the play.

- We did attack the boards better than I thought we would, so that was promising.

It drives me NUTZ when rebounders and outlet man don't immediately have their head up seeing the floor. Sounds ridiculous but that first half a second from rebound into transition is EVERYTHING. It can give you 10 quick (and sometimes easy) pts a game. Things have to be happening even before rebounder hits the floor!

-I was def satisfied with our rebounding.
-One of our major players has ZERO court awareness.
-Kendall, despite the last minute (he DEFINITELY doubled), was the heart of the team tonight.

 

[Hamdonger]

Up one, with the ball, and under a minute, mcchesney misses a wide open 3. Make that and it’s a two possession game. I know Lewis had the two turnovers on the next two possessions but that wide open missed 3 hurt.

It hurt but it was a good shot and good quick possession. You're right though. That shot falls we probably win the game.

 

[stats]

That was a double dribble. He caught it with one hand, put it on the floor, stopped and dribbled again.

From the upper bowl it looked like a drop then a dribble, but you are probably right.

 

[Scipio]

Maybe someone can explain why McChesney is still in the picture. He played a ton of minutes tonight and contributed zero points. He missed a bunny and then a 3 near end of game.

 

[Redbird222]

The most disappointing thing about the game was I went to the bathroom at the 18:42 mark of the second half and returned at the 14:26 mark only to find out a Western fan stole my swagger. Wish someone would have called timeout to stop him.

 

[Redbird222]

Maybe someone can explain why McChesney is still in the picture. He played a ton of minutes tonight and contributed zero points. He missed a bunny and then a 3 near end of game.

He should have been pulled or substituted at some point down the stretch. In my opinion he looked gassed and was not effective down the stretch.

 

[fdbird83]

Western Illinois doesn't go away, spoils Ryan Pedon's debut as Illinois State's head basketball coach

Alec Rosner's 25 points helped Western Illinois come back from a 13-point second-half deficit to beat Illinois State.

pantagraph.com