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Alright let's keep the good times rolling.
Biggest game of the year to date Wednesday in the McLeod. I say that because Illinois State comes in in 2nd place 2 games back-this is our chance to get some separation from a team that is chasing us. It is a home game and we have already given one of those away in conference. It is also a chance to establish with the whoever is setting the BracketBuster match-ups that we are the top team to come out of the Valley for the event and hopefully it will garner us a game that we can use to bolster a marginal non-conference resume.
We may have surprised people in the first half, but those same people are now looking to see if we are for real. I believe we are and as long as we continue to play solid team defense and execute on offense, we can continue on this run we are on. But it won't be easy.
Illinois State is as athletic a team as we will face this year. They are similar to us in that they have 4 players averaging 10 ppg or better and their 5th is at 9.3. 4 starters shoot at or better than 40% from 3 and they take about 45% of their shots from the arc. They force a lot of turnovers but also turn it over quite a bit as well. They are not real deep (only 7 guys see regular action) and they only have 2 big men.
We need to make this game one of attrition and wear them down as I doubt we will be able to blow them away. Adam Koch will have his hands full with Champ Oguchi (6-6 G/F who leads them in scoring at 15.4 ppg) and I would suspect Kwadzo will get the starting assignment on Osiris Eldridge (14.7 ppg). I think Jordan will be a big key as he will have to be strong against the two 6-8 post players the Redbirds will throw at us and allow us to rotate players on Oguchi and Eldridge and not have to play small.
On offense, we need Jordan to establish a prescence with his size down low and force ISu to commit someone to double him, at which point he has to find the open man and we need to make them pay with open shots. We need to protect the ball and not give up second chance points. They will probably try to get us into a game of athletic skill, we need to be patient and execute basketball skill.
Do what we've been doing, play as a team, protect the home court, handle the adversity and come out on top. One game at a time, this is a big one.
GO PANTHERS!!
Biggest game of the year to date Wednesday in the McLeod. I say that because Illinois State comes in in 2nd place 2 games back-this is our chance to get some separation from a team that is chasing us. It is a home game and we have already given one of those away in conference. It is also a chance to establish with the whoever is setting the BracketBuster match-ups that we are the top team to come out of the Valley for the event and hopefully it will garner us a game that we can use to bolster a marginal non-conference resume.
We may have surprised people in the first half, but those same people are now looking to see if we are for real. I believe we are and as long as we continue to play solid team defense and execute on offense, we can continue on this run we are on. But it won't be easy.
Illinois State is as athletic a team as we will face this year. They are similar to us in that they have 4 players averaging 10 ppg or better and their 5th is at 9.3. 4 starters shoot at or better than 40% from 3 and they take about 45% of their shots from the arc. They force a lot of turnovers but also turn it over quite a bit as well. They are not real deep (only 7 guys see regular action) and they only have 2 big men.
We need to make this game one of attrition and wear them down as I doubt we will be able to blow them away. Adam Koch will have his hands full with Champ Oguchi (6-6 G/F who leads them in scoring at 15.4 ppg) and I would suspect Kwadzo will get the starting assignment on Osiris Eldridge (14.7 ppg). I think Jordan will be a big key as he will have to be strong against the two 6-8 post players the Redbirds will throw at us and allow us to rotate players on Oguchi and Eldridge and not have to play small.
On offense, we need Jordan to establish a prescence with his size down low and force ISu to commit someone to double him, at which point he has to find the open man and we need to make them pay with open shots. We need to protect the ball and not give up second chance points. They will probably try to get us into a game of athletic skill, we need to be patient and execute basketball skill.
Do what we've been doing, play as a team, protect the home court, handle the adversity and come out on top. One game at a time, this is a big one.
GO PANTHERS!!
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