2011/12 Observation Deck

[KG215]

I think the key is the play of the bench. Easily, today was the best the three have played in one game, and the best overall game from Mac, this season. Watts was fine as well.

Last season I thought we had a ceiling (and, frankly, overachieved) because we just didn't have the depth. Leslie was solid, Watts admirably out of position, and you got what expected from Knox. This year, I thought the depth along with the natural progression of the players would push us over the top. Other than Reggie, I don't think the bench has been any good. Now that Reggie has to start, it's back to last season... Except there's so much untapped potential this time around.

With Knox you had a guy who played average defense, rebounded ok, and had surprisingly more offensive skill than I thought he would have. Up to this point you got good rebounding, ok defense, and terrible offense from McAdoo. However, today for the first time he looked comfortable out there. If he clicks... I still think he can potentially be somewhere between Davis and Marvin in terms of impact this season. I don't expect to see it, but I think that's his potential for the year.

Then Leslie gave you improved defense and inconsistent 3pt shooting. PJ gives bad defense with inconsistent 3pt shooting. Although PJ shows signs of... Actually he kind of reminds me of freshman Danny Green. Chucking 3's like no one's business and an occasional explosive play (dunk out of no where, block from behind, etc). I don't know what to expect from him before the year is over. Personally, I'll gladly take someone who can knock down open shots. I know he can do that if he just needs to set his damn feet before he shoots.

Watts is still Watts. Roy trying to use him at pg... I don't know why Roy thinks he is David Noel.

And Stilman is sort of interesting. A lot better than I thought he would be, but I still want to see what happens when he comes in and can't make a mistake. That move where he dropped the defender and drilled a 3 At least we have a back-up PG, unlike last season.

So yeah.

Also, you can tell this team is on the verge of peaking. Hopefully not too early. Roy's UNC veteran teams (05, 08, 09) tend to peak at the perfect time. The entire starting lineup is playing at a very high level and they are just waiting on the bench.

Barnes was just toying with GT for a stretch in the second half. The drive, spin, dunk he had about midway through the second half was ridiculous; so was the post move he made where he gave a little shudder-move and spun baseline for the bucket. Oh, and how about the ridiculously and almost impossible drive for a reverse lay-up in all sorts of traffic in the first half? When he wants to be, he's the most unguardable player in college basketball and, given his size, shooting ability, and body control, he can be one of the most devastatingly effective one-on-one takeover a game type players of the last 10 years or so.

If Stillman can continue to average one made three a game in his new role then we'll be getting more from him than I ever expected as the back-up PG.

[InspiredLebowski]

UConn's legitimately on shaky tournament ground. 14-6, best wins are an OT home win against FSU (which really does look better and better) and a home win over WVU. Both good solid wins, but after a crap non-con and clearly sliding lately, they need some good showings in upcoming games.

[Rose]

Yeah! MTSU in the top 68 right now.


Hilarious, given almost everyone's a transfer of those who see any meaningful minutes.

[HB40TheNextStar]

I don't know what goes through Barnes' head and I'm not going to try and decipher it.

There are times where he completely coasts. Those times when he doesn't play defense and he settles for long jumpers.

Then he over-thinks what he does. You will see he pull off a move, regardless of the what the defense shows. Remember early in the season when he got the ball at the 3 wide open, pump faked no one, and then drove into a contested shot? What?

Then there is the middle when he can get to anywhere he wants on the court and drains everything. His offensive game can be so diverse, and to be hoenst, unguardable at times.

And thankfully he has that extra gear. The get the **** out of my way one where he can take over the game.

The problem is that they all show up frequently, sometimes in the same game. He's not just toying with the opponents, he toying with us.

[StateProperty]

Royce White intrigues me so much. 6'8" 270 with great handles and passing ability? And athleticism? Not a shooter but still a joy to watch. Was reading an article on espn about his severe anxiety disorder, pretty crazy.

[skan72]

Royce White intrigues me so much. 6'8" 270 with great handles and passing ability? And athleticism? Not a shooter but still a joy to watch. Was reading an article on espn about his severe anxiety disorder, pretty crazy.

I tweeted DraftExpress about him a couple days ago. I'm very interested in him as an NBA prospect. He's really been awesome at Iowa St. relative to what he was at Minnesota.

[StateProperty]

I tweeted DraftExpress about him a couple days ago. I'm very interested in him as an NBA prospect. He's really been awesome at Iowa St. relative to what he was at Minnesota.

Lol any playing time period would be awesome relative to Minnesota

[IlliniFan]

I tweeted DraftExpress about him a couple days ago. I'm very interested in him as an NBA prospect. He's really been awesome at Iowa St. relative to what he was at Minnesota.

Well he never logged any minutes at Minnesota soo...

[Dolphin]

MSU/Illinois is an embarrassment.

Looks likes a bunch of gradeschoolers out there.

Nix and Payne have been great on D, but look so timid on offense this game. So unlike how they've been this season. Missing easy close shots and such. Dawson has been the one bright spot.

[Dolphin]

Payne should not be allowed to play the rest of the game. He missed enough easy baskets already and now in one possession he missed a layup and a dunk.

If only State didn't need him on defense.

[IlliniFan]

payneful to watch

[Dolphin]

What an embarrassment of a game. A top 10 team has no business losing a game where they hold they other team to 42 points. Keep telling myself it's just one game and shit happens sometimes.....but are you ****ing kidding me? State hadn't missed that many layups or bricked that many perimeter shots in all their previous games combined. Yes, Illinois played good defense, but good defense doesn't explain Payne and Nix imitating grade school kids from Alaska trying to make layups. Wood and Appling absolutely bricked shots today.

This State team is gonna be good come tourny time, but I've never seen them play that badly on offense in years and years and years.

Maybe they needed this. Something to piss them off as the season goes on. I dunno. Just cannot believe they lost a game where they played that good on defense. Would have never expected it.

[Dolphin]

Do you ever feel like you jinxed your team? I was so pissed I turned the game off with around 8 min to go down 5. Turn it on with just over 3 min to go. See us go up 3. Then get to watch someone who doesn't make three's make one for Illinois. Then I get to see Paul miss two front ends and us take horrible shots that don't come close to going in.

I feel if I would have just not turned the game back on we would have won. lol

This game has official fried my brain.

[KG215]

UNC, despite shooting 31% from the floor for the game, still scored 68 and won by 15. They were up by 20 late in the game. Wake Forest sucks, but it's still nice to know every single player on the team can have an off shooting night and they can still score 70 and win by 15-20 on the road.

Oh, and don't mess with Arkansas at home. They've now beat Michigan, Mississippi State (both top 20 teams at the time) and Vanderbilt in Bud Walton Arena. They're sitting at 16-6 now and are playing themselves into the NCAA tournament discussion. I didn't think that was even possible after their best player, Marshawn Powell, suffered a season ending injury after the second game of the season.

Mike Anderson has done a great job in his first year and, for the first time in forever, Arkansas basketball is a lot of fun to watch again. He's relying heavily on four freshmen and two sophomores. If they can just find a way to win just one game on the road, and win all their home games then they'll finish 21 wins and a 10-6 SEC record.

[InspiredLebowski]

Nerlens Noel just re-re-classifed to class of 2012. He's Anthony Davis but better. And he's probably going to UK.