Championship sunday

[Aces1982]

He exploited it? He made a move to the basket and stepped back to create space. He then threw a brick that got a very fortunate bounce. It hit the flat part of the rim that connects to the backboard. But it went in so I guess it was a great play since so many people on here are "result orientated".

Do people that question the coaches every time you lose also praise them when your teams win? I think that would be no for most. People that question Simmons in the first half, did they praise him in the second half for the comeback? It was a 2 point loss that could have gone either way. If the ball bounces out and UE wins in OT nobody says a word about Simmons instead would probably question Jacobson for not doing something right.

You haven't watched enough UNI games to know that Washpun shoots that, nearly identical shot, 4 or 5 times per game and does so at a very, very, high percentage.

He knew DJ wasn't quick enough to play him close so he'd have room to get the shot off with one quick fake to the left, didn't even have to be a good one. He knew exactly how UE was going to play him because he knew UE never changes. If they hadn't changed the first 39 minutes, they weren't there, especially after hitting an identical shot 50 seconds earlier


People that are "results oriented"? The hell does that mean? I'll take ugly results that looking really good and having gaudy stats and never getting a team with the two best players in program history to the NCAA tournament...and likely never the NIT.


Basically what he said was "I knew they weren't going to double team me. I knew they weren't going to send a late flier at me. I knew I wouldn't face any defensive pressure. I knew I was going to get exactly the shot I wanted".

I am at a loss what was said to think you should attack me or UE. UE didn't have the 2 best players in their history on this team. They had two of their top 10 players in history but by no means are they #1 and #2.

Results orientated means that the you just worry about the outcome. Had UE won that game in OT, UNI fans would have been up in arms on how Jacobson lost a 17 point lead instead there is no mention of this. Instead its how can Marty not defend the last shot better or this is what he should have done or how he put himself in a 17 point hole.

Fans love to put the blame on people like the coaches, refs, conspiracy theories that conferences don't like them or even commissioner's. Sometimes the other team is just better. When it is a 2 point game and a buzzer beater then the 2 teams are pretty much dead even. It could have gone either way. But to act like anyone on this board or 99% of the fans think they could coach better then any coach out there is crazy. Fans watch a 2 hour game, twice a week. The coach is with this team everyday for many hours a day. They probably have forgotten more basketball then most fans even know.

It was a shame one team had to lose that game with so much at stake.

[uniftw]

FWIW, would people have gotten on Jake had they blown a 17 point lead in the second half? You bet.

Difference between Jake and Marty?

Turns our one of them has won many, many, big games. One has proven time and time and time again that he knows how to win close games. One has proven he has the ability to chance his system, his scheme, or whatever else needs to change to get results. One coach has taken teams that want to win games 49-48 to the NCAA tournament. One coach was willing to make adjustments to get his program from low 50s scoring to upper 60s and 70s in scoring because of personnel to put the team in position to win (hell, one year he tried to get to the 80s and it didn't work and he took a TON of heat). One of the coaches has never coached in the PIG. One coach has NEVER finished worse than 9-9 in conference. One coach is 4-0 in MVC title games. One coach is in the top 5-10 in MVC history for wins as a coach overall and conference only games. One coach has nearly as many wins in less than 10 full seasons as the other has is 15 years as a HC.

OTOH, one has proven that he will run the exact same offensive set every single time down the court every single game of the season for years on end, almost completely ignoring what else is on the court for him to use. One coach has finished better than 9-9 just twice in their time in the MVC. One coach has been in the PIG. One coach, including this year, has managed to stick around for the weekend just twice. Yup, one coach was coaching more weekend games this year than the previous 7 years combined.


Would Jake have deserved blame had UE completed the comeback? Yes. Hell, he still deserves some for not making some adjustments while the run was happening if we are being completely honest.

The difference is that Jake has built up more than enough coaching credibility not have be consistently questioned over lack of adjustments.


Listen, I think DJ is one of the best scorers I've seen in my time watching the conference. I think he's probably a great person based on everything I've heard. Same goes for Mock, or really any UE player. I think DJ and Mock deserve an NIT bid. I think deserved to get at least 1 NCAA bid during their time at UE. I would love to see those two, and Wing, get into the NIT and just destroy some bitches. THEY deserve it. Marty doesn't. Marty is probably a great guy. Kisses babies, shakes hands, goes to church, knows everyone by name. That could all be true. None of that changes years and years of showing a complete inability to get his team over the hump in any way/shape/form. Those players I mentioned? They deserve a better Xs and Os coach than Marty.


Who's next in the Colt Ryan/DJ Ballentine run off of 900 screen and shoot offense? There isn't anyone on the roster that can do it, though I won't be shocked to see Mini Simmons get that nod.

[PurpleAcesFootball]

OTOH, one has proven that he will run the exact same offensive set every single time down the court every single game of the season for years on end, almost completely ignoring what else is on the court for him to use.

As I said earlier - I'm not being critical because of one play. Yes, Washpun misses and Aces win in OT, I am a whole lot happier today. But I still think UE has the same problems with the lack of flexibility in style of play.

I was right in my recollection. UNI's athletic department has a pretty good view of the final play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URSbH9OsAIA

Notice about the :07 second mark, Jaylon Brown is guarding Washpun. Morgan sets a ball screen and Brown switches men. Exactly how he's been coached to do and exactly what Jake and Wes knew he would, because the system doesn't change.

One play it's easy to say woulda, coulda, shoulda. All I'm pointing out is that UNI knew exactly how Evansville would defend. UNI had a Plan A and dictated the final play on their terms.

[indymoon]

OTOH, one has proven that he will run the exact same offensive set every single time down the court every single game of the season for years on end, almost completely ignoring what else is on the court for him to use.

As I said earlier - I'm not being critical because of one play. Yes, Washpun misses and Aces win in OT, I am a whole lot happier today. But I still think UE has the same problems with the lack of flexibility in style of play.

I was right in my recollection. UNI's athletic department has a pretty good view of the final play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URSbH9OsAIA

Notice about the :07 second mark, Jaylon Brown is guarding Washpun. Morgan sets a ball screen and Brown switches men. Exactly how he's been coached to do and exactly what Jake and Wes knew he would, because the system doesn't change.

One play it's easy to say woulda, coulda, shoulda. All I'm pointing out is that UNI knew exactly how Evansville would defend. UNI had a Plan A and dictated the final play on their terms.

You're correct as there was a switch on the final possession and I was screaming for a switch back between DJ and JBrown. I rewatched and it looked like DJ had no interest in switching back because there was plenty time and space to do so. I don't think the coach can be blamed for that.

[purple&orange]

A great weekend of competitive games that finished on a buzzer beater. From a pure basketball standpoint, you couldn't ask for much more over those 9 games, well except for 5 more minutes.......

I felt like Evansville got some good looks in the first half, just didn't hit them. UNI swarmed DJ and Egidijus and forced the role players to step up and beat them and in the first half, it didn't happen. Evansville crawled their way back and made it a game with their season on the line. Proud of my guys for giving themselves a chance when they were down 17. The 2nd half was much more at a pace UE enjoys and Jaylon Brown came up huge all 2nd half long.

The last 5-6 minutes were special. UE taking a lead at the final timeout with 3:30 left, Morgan hitting a huge 3 to give UNI a lead and trading baskets until the team with the ball last, the best athlete on the floor and the one guy you'd choose to go get his own shot, hit a well contested shot the possession before and then got the bounce on the game winner. A shot that will be seen a lot this month and or many years to come at Arch Madness.

My initial reaction was "Not like that" meaning it can't end like that, on a shot that bounced up off the back iron and found it's way back in. I probably repeated that 10-12 times. By no means does that diminish what Northern Iowa accomplished. They have a great coach, a group of really talented players that is very deserving of a birth and representing the MVC as its tournament champion. They deserve a lot of respect and best of luck in the NCAA Tournament and I believe Wichita is deserving and best of luck to them as well.

It has been a lot of fun watching DJ, Egidijus, and Adam over the last 4 seasons in purple and orange. I hope they can get into the NIT, births are earned, but I feel this team is worthy. I hope they get that opportunity.

For the 2nd year in a row, I've interacted with many fanbases and it's a great weekend for anyone who's never gone. We are all one Valley once again, go get them Panthers and Shockers, you're a team nobody wants to see next Sunday in their bracket, I hope you get that chance and prove how good this league truly is.

[tribecalledquest]

I don't care how many times Washpun shoots that shot. He does not make it a "high percentage" of the time. It was a guarded, falling back, 18 footer. He is a 31% three point shooter. The shot was about two to three feet in front of the line. That is not a high percentage shot. Not for Michael Jordan and certainly not for Wes Washpun.

It was a big play with a fortunate bounce. That's part of sports. Luck matters. Evansville didn't mess up on that last play. UNI had the ball last and a play was made. That's it.

[shockem]

UNI beat UE the same way they beat WSU. Only difference is that Marty should've seen it coming. UNI swarmed all over Baker and VanVleet the same way they swarmed Ballentine and Mock. They took the chance that the other guys couldn't beat them and they came out on top both times. Both coaches should have had more plays designed for the "other guys". Hindsight is 20/20 and hats off to UNI.

[BirdsEyeView]

UNI beat UE the same way they beat WSU. Only difference is that Marty should've seen it coming. UNI swarmed all over Baker and VanVleet the same way they swarmed Ballentine and Mock. They took the chance that the other guys couldn't beat them and they came out on top both times. Both coaches should have had more plays designed for the "other guys". Hindsight is 20/20 and hats off to UNI.

Jaylon Brown had 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists in the Championship game.

I would say another player contributed, especially during the comeback. I agree with some UE fans, if that jumper doesn't fall and UE wins in OT, this is a totally different discussion. I thought Marty made some good 2nd half adjustments and Jaylon Brown really stepped up for them. I didn't think Mock was very good, so the two UE guards stepped it up in the 2nd half (Balentine and Brown).

Felt bad for UE, that was their shot at the NCAAs

[uniftw]

UNI beat UE the same way they beat WSU. Only difference is that Marty should've seen it coming. UNI swarmed all over Baker and VanVleet the same way they swarmed Ballentine and Mock. They took the chance that the other guys couldn't beat them and they came out on top both times. Both coaches should have had more plays designed for the "other guys". Hindsight is 20/20 and hats off to UNI.

Jaylon Brown had 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists in the Championship game.

I would say another player contributed, especially during the comeback. I agree with some UE fans, if that jumper doesn't fall and UE wins in OT, this is a totally different discussion. I thought Marty made some good 2nd half adjustments and Jaylon Brown really stepped up for them. I didn't think Mock was very good, so the two UE guards stepped it up in the 2nd half (Balentine and Brown).

Felt bad for UE, that was their shot at the NCAAs

Brown did step up, but we could easily play the what if game for UNI as well. What if Wes doesn't miss two free throws with about 2 minutes left in the game. What if Matty and Paul weren't ice cold and combined for 4 points? What if Jaylon Brown doesn't play the best 20 minutes of basketball in his life?

[ShoxINDST]

I think UE with the talent they have could of been a at large if they had a descent non- con. Someone there should of built a tougher schedule. I know seeing them come to Terre haute has always been a killer. I respect there players. Marty shouldve play Brozja more then his son