vs. Ole Miss 12/8/18

[Phantom]

Extremely rare thing to have a P5 team in our arena. Obviously not the prettiest start for us and we are working with a very short bench. They come in at 5-2 with losses to Cincinnati and Butler. Notable wins against Baylor and San Diego. They have given up some points on occasion.

One of two things will happen:

Rebels 89
Redbirds 73

We hang around awhile and then run out of gas/bodies.

Redbirds 80
Rebels 77

We wake up after the bitchslapping UIC gave us, finally click, hit some shots, and gut-out a win BYU style.

Before the season began, I was thinking a game like this (provided we had the momentum we expected), would be in the 9K range. Now? 6500.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

I give them virtually no chance of winning.

 

[ricohill]

NET Rating:
Ole Miss - 60
ISU - 195

 

[Buffett]

Ole Miss beat San Diego .. who beat San Diego State by 12

 

[SgtHulka]

https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/kindred-super-hen-is-a-super-fan-of-ole-miss/article_c1bef58a-efe1-5640-92c8-4db80b98612d.html

Birds - 76
Old Mrs - 69

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

I remember someone saying last game that we were delusional if we though ISU would beat UIC. They were right (kudos to whoever you are. Cali maybe?) I'm not sure how anyone can pick ISU to win this game with a straight face.

 

[Retire 12]

I'll pick ISU with a straight face.

The talent is there. Just need to have the effort match it.

 

[Phantom]

I'll pick ISU with a straight face.

The talent is there. Just need to have the effort match it.

Boom.

As non-pretty as these first 9 games have been, and as hard as I've been on these guys, I'm still confident there's going to be a Erueka moment with this team. I thought it was the BYU game. But maybe it was getting destroyed by UIC...

 

[birdlife]

any status updates on copeland/chastain/bruninga/hein, specifically for this game?

 

[RedBirdBallisLife]

Rebels 87
Redbirds 79

 

[Buffett]

this one may be close, but I do see us losing every away game except for 2, on the schd .

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

this one may be close, but I do see us losing every away game except for 2, on the schd .

Who are we beating? Evansville is a respectable 4-4 that beat TXSO who beat top-25 Oregon. MSU? Possibly. Drake is 6-1. I'm betting on no. They usually don't play well in Cedar Rapids. They might lose every road game. from here on out (10 losses)

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

By chance they probably will win a few but this team is probably 17-14 maybe 18-15 at this point. If that happens I really think the AD has to at least consider the possibility of moving on from Muller. Agreed they probably won't but there is no excuse.

 

[Buffett]

Evansville and Missou State

 

[Birdman85]

any status updates on copeland/chastain/bruninga/hein, specifically for this game?

Yep, none of them can defend a light pole!

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

I'll pick ISU with a straight face.

The talent is there. Just need to have the effort match it.

Boom.

As non-pretty as these first 9 games have been, and as hard as I've been on these guys, I'm still confident there's going to be a Erueka moment with this team. I thought it was the BYU game. But maybe it was getting destroyed by UIC...

THe talent level on this team is an area I seriously question after watching many games. There are pockets of talent and some things the team does well but we have some holes in some areas. Isu ball handling/getting to the basket and to a lesser extent passing are a couple of areas where I believe we lack talent/skills relative to some teams when it comes to offense. But overall our offense has not been the issue as ISU can score so picking apart the offense is nitpicking. However when it comes to defense, outside of Fayne / Milik, I do not see the talent when it comes to players that can consistently and meaningfully lock down a defender, disrupt the ball handler and passing lanes, alter or block shoots and in the end go up and rip down some boards. Tinsley will do it once in awhile but does not do it near enough. Chastain was starting to make an meaningfully impact defensively but now he is gone. Hoping big Reye can play more and help but he is so raw. Overall I just do not see the defensive talent on this team.

Without knowing where we stand health wise it is hard to have a lot of confidence going into this game esp if we are 8 players with some being limited. Playing.a P5 team likely means long, tall athletic players overall so foul trouble could be an issue for ISU. Guessing ‘Birds go down by double digits

 

[cpacmel]

ISU + 4.5
Over / under 156

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Isu won't cover

 

[NaperRedbird88]

@Pg_Benson: Illinois State coach Dan Muller hopes Zach Copeland (knee), Matt Chastain (ankle) and/or Matt Hein (leg) will be available Sat vs. Ole Miss. "There's a chance all three play and a chance of combination of the three play," said Muller.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

 

[Adunk33]

any status updates on copeland/chastain/bruninga/hein, specifically for this game?

Taylor out. The other three: all three could play, none of them could play, a combination of the three could play. Straight from Coach Muller.