Re-watching the game on FS1

[NJcatsfan_rivals139741]

Really a thriller. I will take any B1G win, especially on the road, but this one was exciting. However, it got TOO exciting. NU was up 16 in the 2nd half, up 11 with just 2 mins left, and up 9 with just 40 seconds to go. And they only won by one point! Yes IU hit some crazy shots, including the buzzer heave, but the way these teams played, that should have been a 7-10 point win. It didn’t feel like a meltdown watching it live, and didn’t really feel like an “escape” win. But man, if got scarier than it should have. Not sure what the corrective is there. But a win is a win.

Anyway, hope the joint is jumping when Rutgers rolls in…

 

[GatoLouco]

Somehow I never felt the game was in danger. Not sure why, maybe my gut trusts this team more than what’s normal for NU teams.

First 11:30 of the first half was the best offense I remember an NU team play. IU made a lot of stupid mistakes on defense, but it was still very impressive. We took advantage of it and that’s what a mature team does. You stay aggressive and focused because offense is putting pressure on the defense tilll it breaks down somewhere. And go for the kill when it does. And we did kill them on every poor positioning on the help side.

 

[Catdude]

Really a thriller. I will take any B1G win, especially on the road, but this one was exciting. However, it got TOO exciting. NU was up 16 in the 2nd half, up 11 with just 2 mins left, and up 9 with just 40 seconds to go. And they only won by one point! Yes IU hit some crazy shots, including the buzzer heave, but the way these teams played, that should have been a 7-10 point win. It didn’t feel like a meltdown watching it live, and didn’t really feel like an “escape” win. But man, if got scarier than it should have. Not sure what the corrective is there. But a win is a win.

Anyway, hope the joint is jumping when Rutgers rolls in…

The one-point margin is misleading because we were up six with two seconds left. But seeing only the score makes it look like we won a nail biter when in fact we were up double digits most of the game.

 

[Alan Smithee_rivals156293]

Really a thriller. I will take any B1G win, especially on the road, but this one was exciting. However, it got TOO exciting. NU was up 16 in the 2nd half, up 11 with just 2 mins left, and up 9 with just 40 seconds to go. And they only won by one point! Yes IU hit some crazy shots, including the buzzer heave, but the way these teams played, that should have been a 7-10 point win. It didn’t feel like a meltdown watching it live, and didn’t really feel like an “escape” win. But man, if got scarier than it should have. Not sure what the corrective is there. But a win is a win.

Anyway, hope the joint is jumping when Rutgers rolls in…

And that’s why teams who are behind foul, especially in the last minute.

And we’re a team that shoots free throws pretty well. We didn’t collapse underneath a press, and we didn’t fall apart at the line, though it wasn’t our best night at the line either. But IU has a couple of great scorers who worked their *** off to tighten up the game.

I wanted to have Berry on the court available to get fouled in the last minute, but other than that the cushion was big enough and we shoot free throws well enough that I didn’t really get worried. Also, IU burned their second- to-last timeout with quite a bit of game left, so they were going to have limited opportunities to set up plays.

Finally, on the whole these guys don’t quit. Even on the very late three that drew them to within 4 with two seconds left, we played good D and he had to take way too much time to get the shot off.

 

[Hungry Jack]

The first ten minutes of the game was a thing to behold. It was the finest basketball I have ever seen out of NU. We were on pace to score 108 after 10 minutes...

 

[TheC]

And that’s why teams who are behind foul, especially in the last minute.

And we’re a team that shoots free throws pretty well. We didn’t collapse underneath a press, and we didn’t fall apart at the line, though it wasn’t our best night at the line either. But IU has a couple of great scorers who worked their *** off to tighten up the game.

I wanted to have Berry on the court available to get fouled in the last minute, but other than that the cushion was big enough and we shoot free throws well enough that I didn’t really get worried. Also, IU burned their second- to-last timeout with quite a bit of game left, so they were going to have limited opportunities to set up plays.

Finally, on the whole these guys don’t quit. Even on the very late three that drew them to within 4 with two seconds left, we played good D and he had to take way too much time to get the shot off.

As I mentioned elsewhere, the only reason the final score looked tight is that Indiana had three prayers answered behind the three-point line in the final minute. That's 9 quick points. Both of Hood-Schiffino's threes were lucky step back shots near NBA range with a guy in his face. No way he makes those most of the time. And then, of course, the three-quarter court heave.

It's truly amazing we overcame that.

 

[Alan Smithee_rivals156293]

As I mentioned elsewhere, the only reason the final score looked tight is that Indiana had three prayers answered behind the three-point line in the final minute. That's 9 quick points. Both of Hood-Schiffino's threes were lucky step back shots near NBA range with a guy in his face. No way he makes those most of the time. And then, of course, the three-quarter court heave.

It's truly amazing we overcame that.

Yep, and the fouling at the end of games is an attempt to extend the number of possessions to get just such Hail Mary shots off. It worked for them, but the lead was big enough and we made enough of our fts that it still wasn’t enough.

 

[SDakaGordie]

And this is a reason why we take the air out of the ball at times.

 

[ThatadultfromHolland]

And this is a reason why we take the air out of the ball at times.

Still do that too early imo. Can’t argue/complain about it when we win though.

 

[EvanstonCat]

Somehow I never felt the game was in danger. Not sure why, maybe my gut trusts this team more than what’s normal for NU teams.

First 11:30 of the first half was the best offense I remember an NU team play. IU made a lot of stupid mistakes on defense, but it was still very impressive. We took advantage of it and that’s what a mature team does. You stay aggressive and focused because offense is putting pressure on the defense tilll it breaks down somewhere. And go for the kill when it does. And we did kill them on every poor positioning on the help side.

Wow, you are calmer and more trusting than me. When Roper missed those two free throws, I started to have some doubts. I was very nervous with a couple minutes to go and as I watched the lead shrink with the Hoosiers putting ridiculous 3 balls in, I was freaking out. Boo missed that first one, and I was dying.

Boo doesn’t make that 2nd free throw and you don’t feel that way.

 

[TheC]

Boo doesn’t make that 2nd free throw and you don’t feel that way.

I thought about that after the game and concluded that if Boo had missed his second FT, then an IU bigman would have gotten the rebound and would have had to turn around, head up court and take that shot. It wouldn't have been nearly the same scenario as the out of bounds pass to a wing who was turning up court on the catch with no defender getting in the way.

Bottom line: I am 99.99% sure we would have been alright.

 

[GatoLouco]

Wow, you are calmer and more trusting than me. When Roper missed those two free throws, I started to have some doubts. I was very nervous with a couple minutes to go and as I watched the lead shrink with the Hoosiers putting ridiculous 3 balls in, I was freaking out. Boo missed that first one, and I was dying.

Boo doesn’t make that 2nd free throw and you don’t feel that way.

I don't know how to explain it. Still searching for the answer. The scars run deep with NU basketball, so I am befuddled.

If Buie does not make the FT we still, almost 100% sure here, win:
1) rebound happens under the basket, further away. More than 1 dribble would run out the clock. Hail Mary is from further away
2) we put a hand up, which we (rightfully so) did not

Best scenario in my mind we lose is if we foul after the FT miss.

 

[Username Not Available]

Yeah, Matt and Roper missing all their free throws at the end, then Boo missing his first - all that had my head in the past.