The Balcony Seats podcast 6 the Busted Bracket edition
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Sunday, March 22, 2015
Saturday, February 21, 2015
At a Glance: The Rutgers Scarlet Knights (IU -6.0) 5:15 BTN, Louis Brown Athletic Center
Quick Facts
-Established in 1766
-65,000 students
-Located in New Jersey
-Main color- Scarlet
-2013/2014 results: 12-21 (5-13 in AAC)
-David Stern attended
-Final Four appearances- 1
-5 regular season conference championships
-3rd matchup between the Hoosiers & the Scarlet Knights (2-0 Hoosiers)
Results Thus Far (10-17/2-12 B1G)
Notable Victories
1/11/15 vs. Wisconsin W 67-62
Notable Losses
There are several...
Ratings
Scoring/Breakdown
Category Leaders
 |
| Guard Myles Mack leads the Knights in points & assists |
G #4 Myles Mack-13.9
F/C #11 Kadeem Jack-12.8
Rebounds
F #10 Junior Etou-6.7
F/C #11 Kadeem Jack-6.2
Assists
G #4 Myles Mack-4.3
G #2 Bishop Daniels-1.7
On paper and from a statistical viewpoint Rutgers is miserable with their best category coming in with 'fouls per game' at 48th in the country. In all other categories they rank well below above the century mark…but again I worry about the intangibles for the game tomorrow. Playing down to our competition, motivated Rutgers team looking for a big end-of-season win. Hopefully TC and the staff have our guys motivated and the players realize the importance of the upcoming games at the end of our season, as we also have NW on the road and end with Iowa and Michigan State at home, neither of which will be easy victories simply because we are playing at Assembly Hall. All that said, I'm still predicting a victory tomorrow for our guys and still see us making the big dance come March. Leave us a comment below and give us a prediction for the game. Enjoy the game and go Hoosiers!
Score Prediction: IU 73 Rutgers 66
IU Most Valuable Player Prediction: Yogi Ferrell
Quote Before the Game:
"When we play our game, our rhythm, our spacing and just take care of the basketball we’re a pretty good basketball team." ~Mike Davis
The Venue
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| Louis Brown Athletic Center- Capacity 8,000 |
Good Video Here
Drink of Choice
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
At a Glance: The Purdue Boilermakers (IU -3.5) 7:00 ESPN, Assembly Hall
Quick Facts
-Established in 1869
-First basketball season in 1896
-38,770 students
-Located in West Lafayette, Indiana
-Main colors- Old Gold & Black
-2013/2014 results: 15-17 (5-13 in B1G)
-Neil Armstrong attended
-Final Four appearances- 2
-22 regular season conference championships (13 before 1950…)
-70th matchup between the Hoosiers & the Boilermakers (36-33 good guys)
Ratings
Category Leaders
Points
C #20 A.J. Hammons-10.9
G #35 Rapheal Davis-10.7
First of all, to start off, don't look for this to be the same game we watched weeks ago in West Lafayette, because I can personally guarantee it will be much different. I wasn't surprised that a fairly young team in IU was shell-shocked in a big away rivalry game and that we came out flat, not to mention Isaac 'Ogre' Haas had the game of his life against us (although I will give him some credit being a four star recruit). Purdue's bigs were simply too much for us to handle and the atmosphere certainly didn't do us any favors. IU currently sits in a tie for third in the conference with Purdue in a tie for second with Maryland and Michigan State. Purdue started the season off just terribly but Painter has somehow righted the ship that lost to lowly Gardner Webb and North Florida home at Mackey.  |
| Armstrong in 1969 |
-38,770 students
-Located in West Lafayette, Indiana
-Main colors- Old Gold & Black
-2013/2014 results: 15-17 (5-13 in B1G)
-Neil Armstrong attended
-Final Four appearances- 2
-22 regular season conference championships (13 before 1950…)
-70th matchup between the Hoosiers & the Boilermakers (36-33 good guys)
Results Thus Far (17-9/9-4)
Notable Victories
1/24/15 vs. #25 Iowa W 67-63
1/28/15 vs. #22 Indiana W 83-67
2/4/15 vs. #20 Ohio State W 60-58
Notable Losses
12/6/14 vs. NORTH Florida L 70-73
12/22/14 vs. Gardner Webb L 84-89
Ratings
Scoring/Breakdown
Category Leaders
 |
| Hammons leads in points & rebounds this season |
Points
C #20 A.J. Hammons-10.9
G #35 Rapheal Davis-10.7
Rebounds
C #20 A.J. Hammons-6.5
G #0 Jon Octeus-5.0
Assists
F #12 Vince Edwards- 2.7
G #0 Jon Octeus-2.6
For IU, we need to do what we do best. 1-Shoot the ball well and let it fly. We are past the point in the season where I would question that strategy. We are third in the nation at a 41% click so let's use it to our advantage with the crowd on Thursday evening. 2-Move and cut. We are always successful when Troy beelines down the baseline, guys aren't standing on the perimeter waiting for the 3, and we make that extra pass that's open because space was opened on the floor because of one guy's effort. 3- Hit the boards. As poor as we can sometimes look on defense, 74th in rebounding nationally is better than I expected at this juncture in B1G play. Purdue's bigs won't play as much of a factor in my opinion in a different atmosphere and with our team at full strength. Nonetheless we have to rebound and take care of the ball early.
Lastly and most importantly...this is Purdue. Do we need any other reason to get up for this game and get the hall rocking? My gosh, the balcony seats haven't been full the last few games I checked photos on my twitter feed. Put this team back in their place and send them packing. Don't let them hang around. At 18-8 we need just a couple more victories to absolutely guarantee our spot in the big dance. In addition, every extra win during the regular season and during B1G tournament play will yield a better seed come March. All in all I am very confident about tomorrow and I hope we come out and wipe Purdue off the floor, because the result of last game was not indicative of who is the better basketball team. Tomorrow evening, let's prove it.
The Venue
There is no better video than this
Score Prediction: IU 72 Purdue 62
IU Most Valuable Player Prediction: Troy Williams
Quote Before the Game:
"Knight gave IU the rings, IU gave him the finger." ~Don Pence
IU Most Valuable Player Prediction: Troy Williams
Quote Before the Game:
"Knight gave IU the rings, IU gave him the finger." ~Don Pence
The Venue
There is no better video than this
Drink of Choice
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Chronic Hoosier sits down in The Balcony Seats
The Balcony Seats would like to welcome Chronic Hoosier. Thanks for taking a few minutes to sit down in The Balcony Seats. Most of #HoosierNation is aware that you're born and raised a Hoosier, we truly appreciate you talking some Hoosier hoops with us. (All of Chronic Hoosiers answers will be in Bold.)
Thanks so much for asking me to come join in the conversation. Always love the chance to talk some Hoosiers with fellow fans.
In your own words what is a Hoosier and what does being a Hoosier mean to you?
Ah, the eternal question. Rather than getting into the etymology of the word, I've always found it more useful to define Hoosiers by their shared characteristics. To me, Hoosiers are: honest, hard-working, tenacious, generous, loyal, principled & willing to fight for what they believe in. Having been born in Bloomington to a Lawrence Co. father who was a 2-sport athlete at IU, living up to these Hoosier ideals goes to the core of my existence. And while I never thought these things could matter any more in my live, raising my own little Hoosiers now has really driven home how special it is to live here and how important it is to model ourselves after those principals.
Other than Assembly Hall where is the best place to watch a basketball game in Bloomington? And why?
Man, Bloomington really is one of the greatest basketball cities in the world. From Assembly Hall to the HPER, SRSC, North and South high schools, Edgewood, the middle schools, city parks, the YMCAs, Twin Lakes, and driveways all across town, it's hard to throw a rock around here and not hit a basketball court. And I absolutely love it. We're a community defined, in large part, by our hoops. There's such a deep commitment to the game here, from the players, coaches and fans alike. Every day I drive home and see a 50-something year old neighbor balling his brains out in the driveway. Doesn't matter if it's 100º or 10º, he's out there getting shots up. The dude even dives to save errant balls from going in the grass. A couple houses further down, there's a group of 60 & 70 year olds that go full-court, 5v5, shirts v skins every week spring through fall. Personally, that block is the just the best. It really speaks to the passion this place holds for the game.
Will the Crean/Painter rivalry ever reach the level of Knight/Keady? Why or why not?
Highly doubtful. Knight & Keady's rivalry was borne over 20 seasons and defined by 17 combined Big 10 titles & 3 National Championships. Crean & Painter just have too many miles (& hardware) to catch up on before they come even remotely close to establishing what the General and the Comb Over had together.
Agree or disagree? Yogi's height will be the only reason he returns for his senior season. I believe he has an NBA skill set.
To the degree that Yogi's draft stock seems to be heavily impacted by his height, perhaps, but I really believe his decision (& Troy's) will come down squarely on what the NBA advisers tell them about their likely draft spots. Unless he finds his name being discussed in the first round territory at the end of the season - and the guaranteed money that comes with it - my guess is he'll be back to improve his stock next season.
Many people have said it, but do you think Troy Williams is the most athletic person to ever put on the candy stripes?
I guess it depends on what metrics we use to define athletic. In broader terms of speed, strength and endurance, perhaps not. You could certainly make the case that guys like Oladipo, Gordon, Guyton, Bailey, Cheaney, Thomas, Buckner, et al. deserve to be in the conversation of greatest IUBB athletes. Now, just in terms of raw explosiveness, Troy is probably a run-away winner in my book. The kid is just a natural born skywalker. He's got an elevator that goes all the way up and needs hardly any runway to get liftoff. He's a freak of nature, plain & simple.
Tight end, Jordan Fuchs recently joined the basketball team. How much of an impact will he have on our team moving forward? How long will he be able to play both football & basketball for the Hoosiers?
Considering how late in the season he joined, and how much the rotation has shrunk in the last month, I'm pretty doubtful we see much of Fuchs on the floor this year. I think his greatest addition to the team may simply be an extra "big" to practice against and an additional body to throw inside in the event Crean finds himself in a pickle (fouls, injury, etc.). I'm not sure how long he'll go the dual sports route. Thinking back to guys like Hardy & Randel El, it seems a year or two is about as long as they can muster the grind of practicing/playing two D1 sports that many months a year. It's gotta be incredibly tough on the body, and they usually end up favoring the off-season rest & recovery to focus on their primary sport.
Alright, the game is on the line down 2 points with only one shot to win the game. You can have any current or past Hoosier take the shot, who gets the ball?
Jay Edwards, all day. Just a dead-eye sniper with a buttery stroke & ice in his veins.
I got Damon Bailey, Oladipo, Calbert Cheaney, George McGinnis and Cody Zeller. What former Hoosiers would be on your team and who would win?
Thomas, Oladipo, Cheaney, May, Bellamy. I have no idea who wins, but if there's a Heaven, I can't wait to see it played out.
Thursday night IU vs Purdue at Assembly Hall. who gets the W? I got the Hoosiers 76-69, what is you prediction?
With this kind of rivalry, this late in the conference season, both teams are essentially open books. Purdue is going try to pound the paint, IU is going try to get out in transition & spread the floor in the half-court. Both teams know exactly what's coming, now it's time to see who wants it more. My gut says it goes down to the wire, but Assembly Hall's energy (read: hatred) lifts IU to a 78-74 victory.
What is the biggest #BoilerFail of all-time?
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
At a Glance: The Purdue Boilermakers (PU -2.5) 9:00 BTN, Mackey Arena
-Established in 1869
|
| Armstrong in 1969 |
-38,770 students
-Located in West Lafayette, Indiana
-Main colors- Old Gold & Black
-2013/2014 results: 15-17 (5-13 in B1G)
-Neil Armstrong attended
-Final Four appearances- 2
-22 regular season conference championships (13 before 1950…)
-69th matchup between the Hoosiers & the Boilermakers (36-32 good guys)
Results Thus Far (12-8/4-3)
Notable Victories (not many)
12/2/14 vs. NC State W 66-61
1/24/215 vs. #25 Iowa W67-63
Notable Losses (easy one)
12/6/14 vs. NORTH Florida L 70-73
12/22/14 vs. Gardner Webb L 84-89
 |
| Matt Painter has a .656 win pct at Purdue during his tenure |
Ratings
Scoring/Breakdown
Category Leaders
|
| Hammons leads in points & rebounds this season |
Points
C #20 A.J. Hammons-10.7
G #21 Kendall Stephens-10.4
Rebounds
C #20 A.J. Hammons-6.1
F #12 Vince Edwards- 9.8
Assists
G #0 Jon Octeus-2.7
F #12 Vince Edwards- 2.6
Ah, the day we have all been waiting for…and it has come together nicely up to this point for the Hoosiers. Indiana stringing together some nice wins and playing some good basketball, currently sitting at #22 in the polls, with a recent loss at Ohio State that was very predictable after a significant win (and beatdown, if I may add) against Maryland at Assembly Hall. I'll speak for most hoosiers in saying that this team is much father along in terms of chemistry and overall confidence than we thought they would be heading into a very tough environment where Purdue just beat a ranked team in the Iowa Hawkeyes. The team from West Lafayette has had a less than stellar season thus far, with a couple very big blemishes on their resume with losses to North Florida and Gardner Webb, both of which came in Mackey. However, the team recovered slightly and now sits at 4-3 overall in B1G play. Make no mistake, this is going to be the most hostile environment outside of Breslin that the Hoosiers have played in this year, and it comes against a team hungry for a decent stamp on the resume in an effort to make a push for the NCAAs.
From a statistical viewpoint, everyone knows that A.J. Hammons is going to do 98% of the work in the paint for the boilermakers. If the hoosiers can find some decent holes in the defense and get some penetration, let's go straight at Hammons to attempt to draw some much-needed early fouls. Rapheal Davis and Kendall Stephens provide some decent guard play but in no way do I see that having a huge impact, as IU can counter with guards aplenty. The fear? The hoosiers get out to a slow start, stagnant offense and the home crowd gets behind the black and gold. Good news? Even after our slow starts we have been able to recover and make a game out of every one of those situations, no matter the circumstance with our back always against the wall.
In the end I think it comes down to making shots on the road to keep us in the game and getting Hammons in early foul trouble, along with limiting turnovers. Knock down the charity stripe shots and maintain focus. Let's rain on this parade tomorrow. They need this win but we are the better basketball team this season. Hammer and Rails, I hope you are reading this, because we're coming for you. By the way, that national championship does NOT count!
Score Prediction: IU 66 Purdue 65
IU Most Valuable Player Prediction: Troy Williams
Quote Before the Game:
The Venue
Score Prediction: IU 66 Purdue 65
IU Most Valuable Player Prediction: Troy Williams
Quote Before the Game:
The Venue
 |
| Mackey Arena, capacity 14,846 |
Small Clip
Drink of Choice
 |
| Nothing special for this one |
Kyle's Keys (Purdouche Edition)
"KYLE'S KEYS"
Purdue Edition
1. TURNOVERS - In the loss against Ohio State last weekend IU had 15 turnover. But in the 3 previous games, which were all wins, IU had 10 or less. When the Hoosiers offense is operating at it's best they aren't forcing themselves into bad turnovers. IU has to push the ball, but do so under control. Can't have bad turnovers, when they are driving on the break and have numbers. IU must (in my opinion) have 10 or fewer turnovers to help get this WIN.
2. REBOUNDING - Indiana has (believe it or not) has out rebounded their opponents in 9 of the last 11 games since Louisville beat them up. Purdue even with their 2 BIG men have been getting killed on the glass the last few games. Iowa had 24 offensive rebounds and Purdue all together only had 31 total rebounds, but to Purdue's credit they did end up pulling out the win. Earlier in that week in a loss against Illinois, the Illini had 16 offensive boards and 43 rebounds overall. With the way IU shoots the 3's it will lead to long rebounds. The Hoosiers use their quickness and beat Purdue to the ball .
3. TEMPO- Indiana must get out and push the ball every chance they get. First and maybe most important, is it's what the Hoosiers do. Also it will get the Boilermakers BIG men in 7 footer AJ Hammons and 7 foot 2 inch freshman Isaac Haas to have to run with us which will lead to fatigue. Which will lead to them making lazy and tired fouls.
My prediction is IU 86 and PURDUE 74
Monday, January 26, 2015
POTFB
After a loss on the road at Ohio State and still climbing in the rankings, it time to officially POTFB. If you do not know what POTFB means you can ask me on Twitter or FaceBook.
Growing up a Hoosier, I never could understand why anyone could be a Purdue fan. It absolutely makes no sense at all. When I was a kid and you stepped foot in my parents house a picture was up on the wall that read "We now interrupt this marriage for IU basketball season." From your first step into my house and on your way out you were reminded that we were Hoosiers. I remember watching channel 4, in Indy, and before every game Martha "The mop lady" would come on and then I knew it was Game Time. I remember my father recorded every game of the 1987 NCAA tournament on our VCR just because he felt good about this team. I remember in December 2010 when I set my DVR against Kentucky, my wife asked why I was recording a game that I was watching. My response was "I just feel like something is going to happen." And happened it did, as it had before many, many times in my life. The Hoosiers of the past all the way to the Hoosiers that will beat Purdue Wednesday night had made memories in all of us Hoosier fans the the people of West Lafayette will never understand.
Take a look at this Video courtesy of Purdue basketball and YouTube.
Did you really watch the video? It's Ok if you did, it is not gonna help or hurt the tradition the comes to mind when people speak of Purdue basketball.
Look at those Banners up in Mackey, still don't care? POTFB.
The entire time I watched that video all ! minute and something of it, I thought it should finish with this quote that is on the back of one of my Tshirts. Enough about the Boilers, please tell me about the #BoilerFail stories that you have witnessed or heard of. Feel free to post you #BoilerFail stories here or to us on Twitter @thebalconyseats or @coachmayhew. Post your #BoilerFail stories on The Balcony seats FaceBook page. No matter where you post then, expect to see another #BoilerFail Wednesday night. POTFB!
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