Muller cutting rotation....

[ISU FAN 1]

Doesn’t look like he cut the rotation much. Played 9 with only bruniga out.

Seemed like Gassman was an add-on when Valpo went zone.

He’s the 1/2 a guy for foul thouble. Gasshalfman.

 

[Redbird222]

Based on how they’re sitting on the bench, looks like Bruninga is the 9th man.

Gassman played four minutes so lools like 10th

 

[Bird Friend]

Based on how they’re sitting on the bench, looks like Bruninga is the 9th man.

Still love Bruning’s upside, but just not getting it done lately in games. Maybe hitting that freshmen wall.

Yeah, I think having to play underneath against guys much stronger than him has probably worn him down. I’m sure he’ll be a really good player for us in a couple years.

 

[GraigDen]

if 2130 makes the rotation then it is going to be hard not to give some credence to those posts on here regarding Muller's stubbornness and ego issues.

I disagree. Hein making the 8 man rotation would tell me that we need guard depth. With Madison's propensity to foul (he is second on the team in fouls, and leads the team in foul outs, including missing 2 games), and the fact that we don't want Key to be in foul trouble, you put Hein in the 8 man ration to help bring the ball up the floor on offense, and stop the Point Forward Turnover Machine experiment, and keep key from guarding the other team's best guard and getting into foul trouble. Nothing to do with stubbornness or ego, and more to do with what our players do regularly and the options we have available, in my opinion.

All that makes sense but what remains is the fact that the ball is in the hands of a player that struggles to dribble east/west, basically is not capable of beating a defender to go north/south and get to the rim, is a poor 3pt/2pt/1pt shooter, is a weak passer with own turnover and foul issues, can not defend nor rebound well. 2130 does hustle (excellent) and is a good teammate in many other ways but is physically overmatched which is highlighted by slow feet/reaction. Please give me your perspective if you feel anything I stated is inaccurate.

I think you've hit the nail on the head, Chi. He's just got too many shortcomings to be truly great. No amount of wishful thinking will change that.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Hein is banging congressman dan brady's daughter. The only reason hein plays more than garbage time is because someone is holding something over ISU's head. Maybe that someone is a politician playing a card.

 

[Morans14]

Hein is banging congressman dan brady's daughter. The only reason hein plays more than garbage time is because someone is holding something over ISU's head. Maybe that someone is a politician playing a card.

beyond the pale. C'mon man.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tpguy]

when I saw Hein miss a lay up in warm ups I was sure he was going to lose the game for us

 

[ricohill]

Really liked the rotation last night. Less subbing, more flow on offense. I’m not all that concerned w TB being out of the rotation. Had circumstances been different with the roster he probably would have redshirted. I think the future is bright with him once he gets in the weight room this off season.

 

[Redbirdwarrior]

Anyone think this might have been long-form gamesmanship from HCDM? I mean, let's stop lying- after our loss vs Charleston, at large was dead, so coach may have very much just been trying as many combinations as possible to this point. He always knew he was going to win with Evans, MY, and Fayne scoring 70% of the points. If MW and DN can play major minutes defensively, that may be the key to effectively making the tape from the first half of the Valley season useless to all other teams.

Just a thought.

 

[HT59]

Anyone think this might have been long-form gamesmanship from HCDM? I mean, let's stop lying- after our loss vs Charleston, at large was dead, so coach may have very much just been trying as many combinations as possible to this point. He always knew he was going to win with Evans, MY, and Fayne scoring 70% of the points. If MW and DN can play major minutes defensively, that may be the key to effectively making the tape from the first half of the Valley season useless to all other teams.

Just a thought.

You might be on to something there.

 

[Hamdonger]

Anyone think this might have been long-form gamesmanship from HCDM? I mean, let's stop lying- after our loss vs Charleston, at large was dead, so coach may have very much just been trying as many combinations as possible to this point. He always knew he was going to win with Evans, MY, and Fayne scoring 70% of the points. If MW and DN can play major minutes defensively, that may be the key to effectively making the tape from the first half of the Valley season useless to all other teams.

Just a thought.

You might be on to something there.

So, in other words, tanking...or, at least a form of it?

Nope. Just a thought on my end, too.

 

[Hamdonger]

Anyone think this might have been long-form gamesmanship from HCDM? I mean, let's stop lying- after our loss vs Charleston, at large was dead, so coach may have very much just been trying as many combinations as possible to this point. He always knew he was going to win with Evans, MY, and Fayne scoring 70% of the points. If MW and DN can play major minutes defensively, that may be the key to effectively making the tape from the first half of the Valley season useless to all other teams.

Just a thought.

You might be on to something there.

So, in other words, tanking...or, at least a form of it?

Nope. Just a thought on my end, too.

You know what? I take that back, just a shade. Dan did sit Milik earlier in the year and more or less said it probably cost them the game.

 

[Redbirdfan06]

Anyone think this might have been long-form gamesmanship from HCDM? I mean, let's stop lying- after our loss vs Charleston, at large was dead, so coach may have very much just been trying as many combinations as possible to this point. He always knew he was going to win with Evans, MY, and Fayne scoring 70% of the points. If MW and DN can play major minutes defensively, that may be the key to effectively making the tape from the first half of the Valley season useless to all other teams.

Just a thought.

I hope that thought was after a case of beer.

 

[Hamdonger]

You might be on to something there.

So, in other words, tanking...or, at least a form of it?

Nope. Just a thought on my end, too.

You know what? I take that back, just a shade. Dan did sit Milik earlier in the year and more or less said it probably cost them the game.

 

[RedbirdNation24]

Anyone think this might have been long-form gamesmanship from HCDM? I mean, let's stop lying- after our loss vs Charleston, at large was dead, so coach may have very much just been trying as many combinations as possible to this point. He always knew he was going to win with Evans, MY, and Fayne scoring 70% of the points. If MW and DN can play major minutes defensively, that may be the key to effectively making the tape from the first half of the Valley season useless to all other teams.

Just a thought.

I agree with this. I remember when they first hired DM and one of the first things he said that really endeared him to me was that he was going to schedule well enough to get at-large bids. He has done just that, just have to win the games. Point is, he's shown from the beginning that he has a realistic idea of what it takes to get to the tourney without the auto bid, and I'm reasonably certain that his decision making changed after our at-large hopes were effectively gone. And I am 100% OK with that. Personally, I'd rather have a coach that understands the NCAA system like that and isn't afraid to work on developing the team for an arch madness run, and possibly take some lumps in the process.

 

[Redbirdwarrior]

Also, this isn't "Tanking".

"Tanking" is the concept of losing on purpose with the goal of playing for a better draft pick or other opportunity for next season. Tanking does not exist in college basketball or, for that matter, any college sport.

This is simply coach going into the first half of the Valley season with more of an exhibition mindset rather than a "win at all costs" mindset.

Think about out it. The guy we lost from the rotation shortening was Bruninga who, though the first 15 games of the season, averaged more than 20 minutes as true freshmen and, honestly, impressed a few people. I don't think Muller had originally planned on having a bunch of PT built in for he and Gassman, but when the injury bug hit and the at large was dead by Thanksgiving, he decided to throw the kids out there for extended minutes to see how they reacted. THAT will pay off large next season and allowed him to give extended rest to Clarence (who, the more I think of it, probably had never been injured to the level he started the year off with in his life and is very rusty because of it), David and MW.

Of course, this could just be giving Muller way too much credit and we could just be a .500 team at our best this year (which happens). I believe we will learn a lot tomorrow night.

 

[HT59]

:text-+1:
I disagree. Hein making the 8 man rotation would tell me that we need guard depth. With Madison's propensity to foul (he is second on the team in fouls, and leads the team in foul outs, including missing 2 games), and the fact that we don't want Key to be in foul trouble, you put Hein in the 8 man ration to help bring the ball up the floor on offense, and stop the Point Forward Turnover Machine experiment, and keep key from guarding the other team's best guard and getting into foul trouble. Nothing to do with stubbornness or ego, and more to do with what our players do regularly and the options we have available, in my opinion.

All that makes sense but what remains is the fact that the ball is in the hands of a player that struggles to dribble east/west, basically is not capable of beating a defender to go north/south and get to the rim, is a poor 3pt/2pt/1pt shooter, is a weak passer with own turnover and foul issues, can not defend nor rebound well. 2130 does hustle (excellent) and is a good teammate in many other ways but is physically overmatched which is highlighted by slow feet/reaction. Please give me your perspective if you feel anything I stated is inaccurate.

I think quite a few people latch on to his struggles from last year when it comes to saying things like "he struggles to dribble east/west and can't beat a defender". This year, I've watched him dribble up under pressure, and look the least fluster of our guards when coming down on a press. I've also watched him shake defenders on several occasions, some of them led to points (There was one against MSU where he crossed a defender up, the defender left him, and Hein hit a step back 3). As much as some would make him out to be, he isn't the keystone cops of basketball.

Does he have foul issues...yes, he is not quick so quicker guards beat him on their first step. That said, so do our other guards. None of our guards can guard anyone, its not just an MH issue, its a full blow epidemic on our team. I'm also not saying he is who I would put in, but in my opinion having him isn't an ego thing. Its a need to have another guard because our guards foul a lot sort of thing.

 

[HT59]

:text-+1:
Anyone think this might have been long-form gamesmanship from HCDM? I mean, let's stop lying- after our loss vs Charleston, at large was dead, so coach may have very much just been trying as many combinations as possible to this point. He always knew he was going to win with Evans, MY, and Fayne scoring 70% of the points. If MW and DN can play major minutes defensively, that may be the key to effectively making the tape from the first half of the Valley season useless to all other teams.

Just a thought.

I agree with this. I remember when they first hired DM and one of the first things he said that really endeared him to me was that he was going to schedule well enough to get at-large bids. He has done just that, just have to win the games. Point is, he's shown from the beginning that he has a realistic idea of what it takes to get to the tourney without the auto bid, and I'm reasonably certain that his decision making changed after our at-large hopes were effectively gone. And I am 100% OK with that. Personally, I'd rather have a coach that understands the NCAA system like that and isn't afraid to work on developing the team for an arch madness run, and possibly take some lumps in the process.

 

[HT59]

:text-+1:
Anyone think this might have been long-form gamesmanship from HCDM? I mean, let's stop lying- after our loss vs Charleston, at large was dead, so coach may have very much just been trying as many combinations as possible to this point. He always knew he was going to win with Evans, MY, and Fayne scoring 70% of the points. If MW and DN can play major minutes defensively, that may be the key to effectively making the tape from the first half of the Valley season useless to all other teams.

Just a thought.

:text-+1:
I agree with this. I remember when they first hired DM and one of the first things he said that really endeared him to me was that he was going to schedule well enough to get at-large bids. He has done just that, just have to win the games. Point is, he's shown from the beginning that he has a realistic idea of what it takes to get to the tourney without the auto bid, and I'm reasonably certain that his decision making changed after our at-large hopes were effectively gone. And I am 100% OK with that. Personally, I'd rather have a coach that understands the NCAA system like that and isn't afraid to work on developing the team for an arch madness run, and possibly take some lumps in the process.

 

[Redbirdfan06]

Also, this isn't "Tanking".

"Tanking" is the concept of losing on purpose with the goal of playing for a better draft pick or other opportunity for next season. Tanking does not exist in college basketball or, for that matter, any college sport.

This is simply coach going into the first half of the Valley season with more of an exhibition mindset rather than a "win at all costs" mindset.

Think about out it. The guy we lost from the rotation shortening was Bruninga who, though the first 15 games of the season, averaged more than 20 minutes as true freshmen and, honestly, impressed a few people. I don't think Muller had originally planned on having a bunch of PT built in for he and Gassman, but when the injury bug hit and the at large was dead by Thanksgiving, he decided to throw the kids out there for extended minutes to see how they reacted. THAT will pay off large next season and allowed him to give extended rest to Clarence (who, the more I think of it, probably had never been injured to the level he started the year off with in his life and is very rusty because of it), David and MW.

Of course, this could just be giving Muller way too much credit and we could just be a .500 team at our best this year (which happens). I believe we will learn a lot tomorrow night.

I think Muller has too much respect for the coaches and competition in the valley to go in the regular season with an exhibition mindset. Also, we have seen enough turnover over Mullers six years to know that you can’t just assume all your pieces will return next year and not put all your effort in making the current year a success.

I am pretty sure dan wanted it bad that Indiana State home win when we were down 10 and won it in overtime. I don’t think he had an exhibition mentality. Also, your Taylor example doesn’t make much sense. Yes, he played out of necessity but he got hot and we rode him out until he started to wear down. If he had contributed nothing initially, he wouldn’t have gotten so many early season minutes. Plus, his minutes wentdown significantly in the first half of the valley season.