Post Game Chatter: ed 7, vol 19 - Michigan St

[Row6Seat10]

Get it and go! I have a hard time understanding why we struggle at getting the ball in-bounded when a team is pressing full court. My opinion is that they need to grab the ball as soon as it goes through the net when  the other team scores, jump over the end line and get the ball back in play before the opponent can set up their press. There are too many times where no one picks the ball up after a made bucket and lets it roll around before grabbing it, Other instances I even see Shavon tossing it to the official before in-bounding it.

[HuskerActuary]

Does anyone else know why MSU didn't press more during the game? I honestly think we would have lost if they would have pressed more.

[throwback]

The only reason they might suspend him would be that this is the second game in a row with a technical. That Costello wasn't hurt/injured is probably Walt's saving grace. I understand the frustration but saying that he needs to play smarter would be an understatement. He's also not going to get the benefit of the doubt in the future on close calls.

Good point - he deserved the ejection Saturday, but the T he got against Minny occurred in part because he's developing a rep among B1G refs. They're watching him closely, and Saturday's incident will only magnify that. Refs will assume he's guilty before he's proven innocent.   (Think Eric Martin a few years back for NU football.)

 

And that's what I was trying to say earlier, that B1G officials could look at it and hand out another game at their discretion, even though there's no specific penalty spelled out. I don't think they will, but who knows? I'm not sure how the B1G looks at this type of stuff as we really haven't had to deal with it. 

 

He now has 3 tech fouls and an ejection in 7 B1G games - strangely enough all of which have occurred at home - so I'm sure league big wigs will be looking at the incident closely and may choose to send a message. And since big wigs don't work on Sundays  we might not hear anything till tomorrow.

 

Again, I'm 99% sure he plays at Michigan, but at the very least he'll be under close scrutiny from B1G officials going forward. Hopefully it's nothing more than that.

[royalfan]

Does anyone else know why MSU didn't press more during the game? I honestly think we would have lost if they would have pressed more.

 

Just not Izzo's preferred method of coaching style is the answer I think.  Miles uncomfortable with it also.  Bugs me a little bit.  I think having it in the package to occassionally try to crank up the energy level would be a good thing.  Annoyance pressure also should not result in leak outs.  This is one thing I disagree with both coaches on to an extent. 

[GATA]

I keep saying it but teams are dumb not to slap the press on us from time to time. We are awful against it.

[Huskerpapa]

Article from the Detroit Free Press.  Nothing dramatic, but I kind of like looking at the game from the opposite side of the pond...

 

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2015/01/25/michigan-state-offensive-rebounds/22302051/

[Huskerpapa]

We are playing very physical, which I kind of like.  But our body language, and perhaps our mouths appear to be growing old to the officials.  Perhaps word is out there in the referee's corner...perhaps the Big Ten has said something to the crews...I don't know, but methinks we may be on a short leash with the officials at this point in time.

[hhcmatt]

The last time Michigan St beat us in basketball, the PBA didn't exist

[HuskerBB]

 

That cross-over step back 3 was so out of left field but it shows you what he is capable of when he has confidence. It's almost like his success on the defensive end (save for rushing out at 3 point shooters a little too aggressively) the last couple of games has given him more confidence on offense.

The foul on Trice at the end was total BS. It looked like nothing in person and watching the replay on TV this morning it was clear Tai didn't touch him. Don't know about anyone else but I'm tired of watching us get bad calls on three point fouls at home.

 

 

Good point.   Went back and watched the game and there were 3 times yesterday where Trice totally flopped after shooting 3's.  Twice he got the call from the refs.  On the one at the end there was absolutely no contact by Webster but Trice did a good job acting his way into a free throw.   We had the same thing happen in the Illinois game where a guy flopped on a 3.  That is something that is becoming far to prevalent in college basketball.   It is something they really need to make a point of emphasis for officials.  You probably can't really penalize the guy for flopping in that situation but you certainly should not reward it either.

 

Kind of reminds of when Jason Sutherland played at Missouri a number of years ago.   Probably the dirtiest player I can remember.  He had a trick where he would take a jump shot and then grab the jersey of the defender and pull the defensive player down on top of him.  He got a bunch of phantom foul calls that way.

[gobigredbrah]

Watching the replay, MSU could have had a chance to win on that last play where we had to inbound the ball. If the MSU player guarding shields would have boxed him out and allowed the ball to sail out of bounds, msu would have had the ball right near to basket with 2 seconds left to score

[HuskerActuary]

Pitchford is playing Tuesday, per Barfknecht

[a0t0w0]

Pitchford is playing Tuesday, per Barfknecht

 

I hope so.

 

I still think it was a bone head move.  

 

I like Walt

[AuroranHusker]

[jimmykc]

Pitchforks!

[AuroranHusker]

Pitchforks!

 

Head-Knockin' Pitch-Man

[Fullbacksympathy]

I watched the replay a couple of times... I don't really have a problem with what he did.  He should've punched the guy in the kidney or something instead, I guess.

 

When you hold a guy's extended arm like that in boxing, it usually means your intention is to break it, and anything goes (usually a headbutt) at that point.  Walt was begging the official to call an offensive foul.  When the dumbass didn't call the foul, which was right in front of his face, Walt took matters into his own hands.  I like the toughness.  If you look at the KU douche or CU douche who tried to mess with Terran, a similar result ensued.

 

Cheap players deserve to get punched in the face.  That's life.  I don't mind the tone it set, and the tech was dumb considering Walt was defending himself. 

 

Whatever.  Get after Mich, Walt.  Don't take crap from anyone. 

[HB]

I watched the replay a couple of times... I don't really have a problem with what he did.  He should've punched the guy in the kidney or something instead, I guess.

 

When you hold a guy's extended arm like that in boxing, it usually means your intention is to break it, and anything goes (usually a headbutt) at that point.  Walt was begging the official to call an offensive foul.  When the dumbass didn't call the foul, which was right in front of his face, Walt took matters into his own hands.  I like the toughness.  If you look at the KU douche or CU douche who tried to mess with Terran, a similar result ensued.

 

Cheap players deserve to get punched in the face.  That's life.  I don't mind the tone it set, and the tech was dumb considering Walt was defending himself. 

 

Whatever.  Get after Mich, Walt.  Don't take crap from anyone. 

 

Wow.  Couldn't disagree more.  It wasn't tough, it was selfish and stupid.

[49r]

I'm somewhere in the middle.  On the one hand I like to see the toughness, Walt has been maligned for appearing soft in the past, so some toughness is good to see.  On the other hand, it was really really poor judgement on his part and he needs to realize that he's hurting the team.

 

There's a lot of stuff going on in that kid's head I suspect, and he's got lots of maturing to do.  Hopefully he'll get it together sooner rather than later.

[Huskerpapa]

As a program you cannot condone what Walt did.  It was a move/act with nothing but negativity attached to it.  I imagine that while sitting in the locker room during the game he may have come to terms with that conclusion...or at least I hope he would.  We were down one big man (Rivers) and we had two others (Moses and Leslee) in various stages of injury recovery.  Throwing an elbow to the head had only one possible result.  Postgame, Coach Miles spoke volumns with his comment...he deserved to be tossed.

 

Now that said, if Walt could put selfish actions to the side and play quality team ball (see Tai) and if he plays aggressive but not stupid, then this team can really cash in on the results for the remainder of this year and next!!!

[HB]

I'm somewhere in the middle.  On the one hand I like to see the toughness, Walt has been maligned for appearing soft in the past, so some toughness is good to see.  On the other hand, it was really really poor judgement on his part and he needs to realize that he's hurting the team.

 

There's a lot of stuff going on in that kid's head I suspect, and he's got lots of maturing to do.  Hopefully he'll get it together sooner rather than later.

 

Then it's high time for him to do the maturing, and get his head right.  He's in his 4th year of college.

[Fullbacksympathy]

A few things for clarification:

 

1.  He was correctly ejected.

2.  He had to do something to defend himself and get his arm back.

3.  He should've forearm shivered the dude's body--he aimed too high.  A review of that wouldn't have resulted in an ejection and would've shed a fair light on what was happening.

4.  I don't think Miles was that upset about it because Walt didn't let himself get bullied, which has been Walt's biggest problem in the past.  Remember he's been telling Walt to "play like Rodman"... well?

5.  I pretty much share what I perceive to be Miles' sentiment... getting ejected wasn't the best decision, but I understand what Walt did.  Was it smart for Petteway to escalate a fight with Gibbs?  To punch the KU kid when he was at Tech?  No, but I understand those decisions.   

6.  I thought it was mature of Walt to holler at the official while it was happening, and immature to aim high with the forearm.

[jimmykc]

I would guess that it was a spur of the moment reaction with absolutely no thought. Somewhat like flipping the bird to someone who cuts you off in traffic. Unfortunately this type of reflex response usually does not end well since the previously mentioned driver will usually brandish the Magnum he stores under his seat at the next stop light.

[Norm Peterson]

I just happened to notice Realtime RPI had us picked to beat Michigan State 72-70. 

 

They were correct on the winner and the final margin, but missed on the score by 14 total points.

 

Would they have had the top score in the HHCC for the Michigan State game?

[Silverbacked1]

I agree Walt just aimed a bit too high. Not his best move of the year, but we have been complaining that this team is soft.

[HB]

A few things for clarification:

 

1.  He was correctly ejected.

2.  He had to do something to defend himself and get his arm back.

3.  He should've forearm shivered the dude's body--he aimed too high.  A review of that wouldn't have resulted in an ejection and would've shed a fair light on what was happening.

4.  I don't think Miles was that upset about it because Walt didn't let himself get bullied, which has been Walt's biggest problem in the past.  Remember he's been telling Walt to "play like Rodman"... well?

5.  I pretty much share what I perceive to be Miles' sentiment... getting ejected wasn't the best decision, but I understand what Walt did.  Was it smart for Petteway to escalate a fight with Gibbs?  To punch the KU kid when he was at Tech?  No, but I understand those decisions.   

6.  I thought it was mature of Walt to holler at the official while it was happening, and immature to aim high with the forearm.

 

Walt's "biggest problem" in the past is that he lets himself get bullied?  I would say it's more that he either hasn't or won't play interior defense (he might have gotten abused by that 6'5" Incarnate Word guy, but he wasn't bullied), doesn't want to rebound consistently, and wants to be a 6'10" perimeter 3 point shooting specialist.   He also commits a lot of dumb, undisciplined fouls.   And talks a bunch of junk, which I believe has resulted in a T.  Rather than praise the cheap shots he put on the MSU guy, we should implore Walt to be a smarter and better player and teammate.   Stuff goes on all the time like the MSU  guy was doing.  Not what Gibbs did.