Game 22- Ball State

[Illini Zip]

Sparks is scoring too easily down low. 

[clarkwgriswold]

21 minutes ago, Reslife4Life said:

That end of half play out of the timeout was weird, we really drew up a Gray pull up 3 from the top of the key?

Groce have him what looked like a " what in the hell was that?" on the way out.

[clarkwgriswold]

Too tight for this late 

[LZIp]

1 minute ago, Illini Zip said:

Sparks is scoring too easily down low. 

Yeah, if they’re smart enough to keep feeding him, they probably take this one.

[Illini Zip]

Gone small. Tavari, Young and Scott together. 

[zipinnc]

Halfway through the 2nd half is where our depth should start to make a difference 

[Illini Zip]

Marvin is going to need to improve from the line. 

[Let'sGoZips94]

Just now, Illini Zip said:

Marvin is going to need to improve from the line. 

 

He has 6 pts which is about 6 pts more than I thought he'd have all game. I will take this production from him regardless of his FT shooting. Baby steps. Haha

[Reslife4Life]

Not much hardman tonight 

[Illini Zip]

And Nate is struggling with a hurt ankle. 

[Let'sGoZips94]

7 minutes ago, Reslife4Life said:

Not much hardman tonight 

 

Not a chuck em up from 3 game. We're really attacking the paint and being more methodical. Also need more defense than usual. 

[Reslife4Life]

How was that a foul on lyles, sparks literally went right into his arms

[Illini Zip]

11 minutes ago, Reslife4Life said:

Not much hardman tonight 

Maybe not a good matchup for him defensively speaking. 

[Illini Zip]

Ball State is better than their record would suggest.

 

 

Edited February 5 by Illini Zip

[Let'sGoZips94]

Our worst game at home in a while, Nate Johnson's worst game during MAC play, and we still score 81 to get the W. Wild. 

[zipinnc]

We gained momentum and controlled the game. Safe and comfortable finish.

[clarkwgriswold]

Nice win.  Ball State is more solid than their record indicates.  Sparks is becoming more and more of a force as he gets in shape.  His year of sitting at Indiana did him no favors.

 

The offense was fine tonight but the defense was iffy, especially in rotations after they trapped out top off of pick and rolls and ball screens.

 

10 in a row!

[LZIp]

Good win. Agree like @Illini Zip said, they are better than their record. Don’t want to face them in Cleveland.

[1981 grad]

We wondered what would happen when we had a cold night shooting the 3.  We made the 2 pointers.  I thought Ball State was the best team we faced all year.  The big play tonight was the Scott 3 point play which gave us our first 6 point lead.  Groce indicated how well the bench played and that the starters did not have it.  I did not think the starters played poorly but thought Ball State played well and we could not hit any 3 balls in the beginning of the game.  I think we wore them down in the 2nd half with our pace of play.  Also, a shout out to Seth Wilson who drove the lane tonight and made some 2 pointers.  Love it!!

Edited February 5 by 1981 grad

[Illini Zip]

9 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

We wondered what would happen when we had a cold night shooting the 3.  We made the 2 pointers.  I thought Ball State was the best team we faced all year.  The big play tonight was the Scott 3 point play which gave us our first 6 point lead.  Groce indicated how well the bench played and that the starters did not have it.  I did not think the starters played poorly but thought Ball State played well and we could not hit any 3 balls in the beginning of the game.  I think we wore them down in the 2nd half with our pace of play.  Also, a shout out to Seth Wilson who drove the lane tonight and made some 2 pointers.  Love it!!

I would say, arguably our toughest challenge thus far in the MAC, but St. Mary’s has to be the best opponent for the season.

[kreed5120]

1 minute ago, Illini Zip said:

I would say, arguably our toughest challenge thus far in the MAC, but St. Mary’s has to be the best opponent for the season.

To be fair, all year would be 2025. Had he said all season, it would be St. Mary's. I still think on the grand schemes Miami is better than Ball State.

[Illini Zip]

4 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

To be fair, all year would be 2025. Had he said all season, it would be St. Mary's. I still think on the grand schemes Miami is better than Ball State.

I agree, Miami is probably the better team. But I don’t like the matchup with Sparks. He’s a load. 

[ewbrooman1]

21 minutes ago, Illini Zip said:

I agree, Miami is probably the better team. But I don’t like the matchup with Sparks. He’s a load. 

He is a load that got tired at the end of the game. Lyles beat him down the court for two easy buckets as Zips pulled away. He looked a bit winded at the free throw line late, too.

[NWAkron]

Impressed by Zips resilience.  When they climbed ahead  in 2nd half by 4 I knew and Mike Lewis likely knew that was ball game.  But for some missed 3s and that foul as the game closed Zips may have beat the spread. 

[Z.I.P.]

I missed the entire game (why are they playing weekday games in mid-afternoon???) 😆

BUT from stats only:  BSU may have been the first team (at least in MAC play) that could go nearly as deep on the bench as the Zips.  Their bench made 8 of 8 FG attempts.  My freshman flunker math tells me that's virtually one-hundred percent!