Indiana wins 79-70

[CMJ]

If yall hadn't noticed...I've been away. Visiting the family and all....and I *just* got back home moments ago. I looked online and saw that the Hoosiers took us down, but in a fairly close game. So how'd we look?

Oh and by the way...it's good to see the board again.

[PerryG2480]

Hard fought game. I feel bad for Indiana if that Wright kid ever gets hurt or has an off night, he was pretty much their whole team. Shawnson Johnson showed some real promise for us (21 pts, 11 boards, 5 blocks!). It was good to see over 6,000 people in the Super Pit, and the crowd was very into the game towards the end. We cut the lead to 5 with I think 4 or 5 minutes left and just couldn't pull it off in the end. Fun game though.

[Zeke]

I really enjoyed the game. Cutting it to 5 with 3 min or so really made getting that close hurt.

Bracey Wright was amazing in the first half. I believe he was 9 for his first 9 !! Minus his amazingly hot shooting and this game is a bit different. I was really impressed with Wright.

[Guest e-bone]

The first 10 minutes of the game was the Bracey Wright Show, with him making like 8 or 9 consecutive shots. Other than that it was a pretty closely played game, with UNT controlling the pace by going inside a lot for a good portion of the game. We fouled out both of Indiana's starting posts and put their backup post in foul trouble as well. I think that if UNT could have kept it a little closer in the beginning that we might have pulled it off due to our pounding it inside and Indiana's lack of depth at the post position.

It all comes down to the fact that Bracey Wright was unstoppable in the first part of the first half and Indiana built a lead that carried them the whole way.

[IronMan4]

Johnson is the easily the best post player we have had since I have been going here. With him playing like that and a little more consistent outside shooting (how come we hit all the big jumpers against Baylor and couldn't get one to fall tonight?), I seriously think we can make a run in the Sun Belt. We are in the tougher Western division, and there are some good teams out there, but there is a good shot at it. So all of you who went tonight and had a blast and feel like that is all the games you have to go to, make out for some Sun Belt games, and support this team.

Indiana won, but everyone there -especially the IU fans- went in expecting a romp, and except for Wrights ungodly shooting in the first 15 minutes, they sat on their hands the whole game. But the best part is they all paid 10-15 bucks to get in. I wish we could get a name opponent like that every year, but we gotta stop scaring them like this or they won't come back.

[FirefightnRick]

Wright pulled down 39 points tonight. With that being the jist of their game, if anyone for us gets hot late we win. Hot? Hell how about luke warm? After that huge first half for Wright, it basically comes down to us within 5 points with 3 minutes to go and the ball. Jerome Rogers brings the ball down quickly for us, does his best street ball show between the legs with his man in his face, quickly and off balance stops at the three point line with over 20 seconds remaining on the shot clock and chunks up the ugliest brick of the night. If he or anyone else waits to take a good open shot right then and hits it, then it's a two point game, our momentum and eventually our game. We need a shooter.

Rick

Edited December 30, 2003 by FirefightnRick

[UNT_92_Fan]

I love shawnson Johnson...but Rick is soooo correct...we need us a shooter...those cornfed indianaians (?) were not much better than the MEAN GREEN...without the TEXAN on their team TOTALLY different game....

[risinggreen]

I really enjoyed the game (especially Johnson) and I haven't seen The Pit look so good in years, but there's no doubt that we need a go to guy on the outside to fill it up when we need some points. Since Chris Davis is gone, who's it gonna be? Any thoughts? We've got to settle on somebody before we get deep into the SBC. If this team finds a way to come together, IMHO we have a reasonable chance to come out of the SBC tournament on top.

[Gakusei]

Our outside guys are Rogers and Hopkins. Unfortunately, Rogers was cold beyond the arc tonight, and they didn't feed it to Leonard for 3's too often. JJ's plan for tonight was good, getting the ball to Johnson against a weak Indiana inside crew. Our problem was more of letting them (and by them I mean Bracey Wright) get too far ahead of us during the first half. Never made up that margin all the way, but did cut into it nicely in the 2nd half, getting as close as 5 down.

[class84]

The thing that will continue to kill us is that we have no DI-caliber point guards. The whole offense consists of 5 guys trying to create their own shots. We were challenged to make even the simplest inbounds or entry passes last night. We have no fast break at all.

I don't know if Roninger was all that good, but there is a huge hole in that position at the moment.

[MeanGreenNation]

The first 10 minutes of the game was the Bracey Wright Show, with him making like 8 or 9 consecutive shots. Other than that it was a pretty closely played game, with UNT controlling the pace by going inside a lot for a good portion of the game. We fouled out both of Indiana's starting posts and put their backup post in foul trouble as well. I think that if UNT could have kept it a little closer in the beginning that we might have pulled it off due to our pounding it inside and Indiana's lack of depth at the post position.

It all comes down to the fact that Bracey Wright was unstoppable in the first part of the first half and Indiana built a lead that carried them the whole way.

actually he made like 16 of 18 and didn't miss untill his last 2. The kid was one away from 40 and it came off a missed free throw. It was kind of funny because he said in the post game interview his mom wanted him to score 40 for her and he said he would. I'm sure he would have two but he decided to get his teamates the ball more in the second half.

[jbchis]

I agree. No legit point guard still. Why does Rogers feel the need to put on a dribbling exhibition, especially in crunch time? Immaturity.

All in all, I was very proud of the team. They kept fighting to stay within 10 points. But, when we got it down to 5, Indiana put the ball in Wright's hands and he made some great passes to teammates for hoops and he got to the free throw line.

We may make some noise in conference if we take better care of the ball.

[Gakusei]

The thing that will continue to kill us is that we have no DI-caliber point guards.  The whole offense consists of 5 guys trying to create their own shots.  We were challenged to make even the simplest inbounds or entry passes last night.  We have no fast break at all.

I don't know if Roninger was all that good, but there is a huge hole in that position at the moment.

Roniger was decent, but I never saw what all the fuss was about. Next year we'll be bringing in Michael Sturns to the PG position from #2 North Crowley. There's a post somewhere on this forum about him...he averages 22 ppg and turned down Tulsa and Colorado State to play for us, I believe. I don't know how quickly he'll start playing as it'll be Marquis Mitchell's senior year.

[Guest e-bone]

actually he made like 16 of 18 and didn't miss untill his last 2.

Umm, he was 9-15...

[Guest e-bone]

Jerome did have an off night, but I was wondering how many of you bashing him have seen any other games he has played this season? He is probably our best three point threat and is by far our best ball handler. In fact, he is the only reason that we ever have a fast break, since he really pushes the ball. It isn't his fault if no one else runs the court though.

Edited December 30, 2003 by e-bone

[jbchis]

I've seen his act for 3 years. I will concede that he can get hot from 3 point land. But, most nights he is style over substance.

We need a floor general. Nothing flashy. He doesn't even need to pour in many points. We need a point with a respectable shot who can run the offense efficiently.