**2019 March Madness RF Thread**

[mr.checkerboards]

hit 'em with the juice!

Nova last season was 36-4 and lost not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 players to the NBA and all 4 were the top 4 scorers for that championship team. Nova was in a rebuild year and Purdue drew the softest 6 seed in the whole tournament.

Like Murray St drew the softest 5

 

[VolsnCards5]

Look at KenPom offense and defense ratings. Purdue is us, we are Purdue. We might get there in different ways, but the final result is the same. We are going to have to play a near perfect game to win, but so are they

How the refs call the game might be the difference

 

[Devo182]

Look how UNC is still playing hard defense up big. That's how you play dammit rick

Aight. c'mon how many times did that happen this year? We've closed strong all year. But we clealy haven't played our best ball recently. Better find our spirit this week or Purdue will shame us

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Like Murray St drew the softest 5

I mean Wisconsin is pretty soft too, but I agree. I thought Marquette as a 5 was a bit of a shock.

 

[Devo182]

Look at KenPom offense and defense ratings. Purdue is us, we are Purdue. We might get there in different ways, but the final result is the same. We are going to have to play a near perfect game to win, but so are they

Indeed. Main difference between us is luck factor. I certainly believe in this concept (variance). But there could also be something to us playing better in clutch situations while they do not. "clutchness" has generally neen debunked by statisticans, but one can hope if we get into a nailbiter that we will have an advantage. I certainly believe in Grant.

 

[Nash_Vol97]

The touch fouls on us in the second half changed how we were defending.

On the other end of the court, Cooks was murdering folks with no calls.

I’m telling y’all our players complain nonstop in first half. Especially Williams. It was like refs were determined to call everything on us.

Meanwhile their PG can openly full extension shove Fulk 3 straight times in the open court before they call anything, and when they do, they call it a double foul.. Unreal.

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

He also said the team lost focus and intensity in second half.

They lost focus and intensity, because we slowed down the offense. It took us completely out of everything that we did to get the big lead in the first place.

 

[volatil]

Meanwhile their PG can openly full extension shove Fulk 3 straight times in the open court before they call anything, and when they do, they call it a double foul.. Unreal.

Did you notice that he was shoving Lamonte to create space all the way down the court too?

My blood pressure was through the roof.

 

[VolGee4]

They lost focus and intensity, because we slowed down the offense. It took us completely out of everything that we did to get the big lead in the first place.

I am just now watching the game. Pace starts on the defensive end. I am not so sure that we slowed down on offense as much as our defense wasn’t good and it caused us to be stagnant on offense. When the opponent scores, you can’t pkay with much pace.

 

[OGbabyaviVol]

Look at KenPom offense and defense ratings. Purdue is us, we are Purdue. We might get there in different ways, but the final result is the same. We are going to have to play a near perfect game to win, but so are they

How the refs call the game might be the difference

If that’s the case, we are doomed.

 

[JohnnyD1024]

With their size I fully expect Purdue to play zone against us starting out.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

So here's the things I like about this match-up with Purdue.

They have a worse bench than us, 5 guys average 20+ minutes, their 6th man is only averaging 13.5. = advantage us, even though we've got a weak bench we at least have 6 legit starters
They don't have great team size, they have one 7'3" guy in Haarms so if Grant & Kyle can get him in foul trouble we can have a great game download.
Almost all of their scoring comes from 2 guards, and I feel like Turner, Bowden and even Bone have been playing great defensively against guards. Colgate's Burns was just "on" he made shots that normally don't go in.

Despite them giving up very few points (just 66.1 a game and 46th overall) they don't seem to really do anything great defensively... 52nd in total rebounding, 131st in steals, 88th in blocks. They also foul a lot and give teams plenty of attempts at the line.

We actually have the right type of offense to beat them, play through Grant and get to the line early/often and get their lone big Haarms in some foul trouble.

 

[Devo182]

What worries me about Purdue is they are 26th nationally in made 3 pointers per game.

On the flipside they are more average at getting steals. The thing that hurt us vs Auburn is both 3s and steals. They are top 5 at each. We need to protect the ball and defend the 3!

 

[drvenner]

Worst call this season was that foul called on Turner for that clean block on the 3 attempt.

Ref blew the whistle and wasn't even sure if it was a foul. It was a 5 point swing.

Almost cost us the game.

I just watched it. That might be the worst call of the year.

 

[Nash_Vol97]

Did you notice that he was shoving Lamonte to create space all the way down the court too?

My blood pressure was through the roof.

Yup. He kept extending his arm to try and get Turner off and even with pushing off he still got dominated and shut down by Turner.

 

[Type Orange+]

Meanwhile their PG can openly full extension shove Fulk 3 straight times in the open court before they call anything, and when they do, they call it a double foul.. Unreal.

From what I saw, Fulk did not retaliate in the slightest. He merely reset himself to reestablish the screen. Which was his right to do so. The double foul call in that situation was highly suspicious. Much like the foul called on Turner at the end of the game.

 

[jakez4ut]

I am just now watching the game. Pace starts on the defensive end. I am not so sure that we slowed down on offense as much as our defense wasn’t good and it caused us to be stagnant on offense. When the opponent scores, you can’t pkay with much pace.

This.

Too many turnovers offensively and they started hitting shots.

Wet had no transition game in the secolnd half.

And all of that allowed them to play defense.... Which they really couldn't do earlier in the game... We had them on their heels the whole first half.

They had no choice but to be aggressive so you knew a run was imminent.

How the game was called also affected it.

It was stressful. But it was a classic NCAA tournament game.

Abd we won it. Cerebrate.

 

[JohnnyD1024]

From what I saw, Fulk did not retaliate in the slightest. He merely reset himself to reestablish the screen. Which was his right to do so. The double foul call in that situation was highly suspicious. Much like the foul called on Turner at the end of the game.

It makes me think that if Fulkerson would had shoved back after the 3rd shove that they would had only called a foul on Fulkerson.

 

[Nash_Vol97]

This.

Too many turnovers offensively abd they started hitting shots.

Wet had no transition game in the serving half.

Ask if that allowed them to play defense.

They had no choice but to be aggressive so you knew a run was imminent.

How the game was called also affected it.

It was stressful. But it was a classic NCAA tournament game.

Abd we won it. Cerebrate.

I’d rather celebrate, honestly.

 

[Orange Studs]

They lost focus and intensity, because we slowed down the offense. It took us completely out of everything that we did to get the big lead in the first place.

I don't normally like to put to much on refs but I think they had as much to do with us losing our intensity as anyone. That call on Fulky and Turner was as bad as I have seen all year. I think the refs changed the whole momentum of the game than anyone. Normally I said you play through the bad calls and they did but man it was so obvious and that to me helped Iowa get back into the game.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

What worries me about Purdue is they are 26th nationally in made 3 pointers per game.

On the flipside they are more average at getting steals. The thing that hurt us vs Auburn is both 3s and steals. They are top 5 at each. We need to protect the ball and defend the 3!

Auburn is also a top 35 team in PPG, where is Purdue despite making those 3s is 86th in PPG at just 76.1

 

[jakez4ut]

I’d rather celebrate, honestly.

I went and got more beer!!!

 

[Orange Studs]

I’d rather celebrate, honestly.

Yeah, I am not seeing much celebrating in here. WE MADE IT TO SWEET 16! Come on people!

 

[Nash_Vol97]

From what I saw, Fulk did not retaliate in the slightest. He merely reset himself to reestablish the screen. Which was his right to do so. The double foul call in that situation was highly suspicious. Much like the foul called on Turner at the end of the game.

Agreed. This foul set the tone for the rest of the half that the refs would be ****.

 

[Devo182]

Yup. He kept extending his arm to try and get Turner off and even with pushing off he still got dominated and shut down by Turner.

Turner's pressure D is so overlooked. He is elite at applying pressure without fouling. It's really impressive how he handchecks and moves his feet.