Connect with us

Indiana

2023 Bloomington North forward JQ Roberts talks junior season, Indiana Junior All-Star selection

Published

on

2023 Bloomington North forward JQ Roberts talks junior season, Indiana Junior All-Star selection


His secondary school train explained him as a “lockdown” protector — a gamer that can secure all 5 settings on the flooring. As well as offensively, JQ Roberts is ending up being increasingly more reliable.

Versatile could be the most effective means to define the 6-foot-7, Bloomington North onward, that is coming off a remarkable junior project.

Adhering to a loss to St. Mary’s in the NCAA competition, Mike Woodson was inquired about locations of renovation Indiana requires to make progressing. He pointed out capturing and also border protection. In Roberts, Woodson would certainly obtain both.

Roberts, that was called an Indiana Junior All-Star on April 6, completed his junior period balancing 14.4 factors, 9.1 rebounds, 1.1 aids and also 1.1 swipes per ready the Cougars, that completed 24-4 and also won a Course 4A local title on March 12. He fired over half from the area and also was 30-for-80 (37.5 percent) from behind the arc.

Advertisement

Roberts will certainly take on the Red Team of Indiana Junior All-Stars, which will certainly play the Kentucky Junior All-Stars on June 5.

“It is an incredible achievement,” Roberts stated. “Few individuals obtain this possibility. I am mosting likely to utilize it to the max.”

Roberts gained a scholarship deal from IU on Oct. 8, 2021 and also presently has 10 deals, according to 247Sports. The three-star onward’s most current deal originated from Marquette on Jan. 28. Roberts is No. 7 total in the Indiana course of 2023 positions and also is No. 24 amongst all power forwards across the country, according to 247Sports.

Bloomington North head train Jason Speer stated he has actually been privileged to train Roberts, that works as a Pocket knife for the Cougars. At 205 extra pounds, he is solid and also physical adequate to play in the message. Roberts is likewise competent adequate to use the border and also flashes his athleticism in shift and also on the boards.

“JQ is a champion,” Speer stated. “In his initial 3 years below at North, he has actually played a whole lot on the border and also in some cases he has actually had the ability to play under the basket. Protection and also playing in shift have actually been a large component, as well. He has a really high basketball intelligence and also has the ability to take a look at a looking record and also carry out. He has fantastic timing to be able to secure the edge however likewise liquidate on shooters.

Advertisement

“Simply having the ability to end up being an extra total gamer is what we have actually concentrated on — what the group requires any kind of provided video game. That is what makes JQ an unique gamer.”

According to Speer, Roberts is the initial Indiana Junior All-Star from Bloomington North considering that Musa Jallow in 2017.

“(JQ) is extremely deserving and also it is an excellent achievement for him and also our program,” Speer stated.

Roberts, that racked up a season-high 31 factors versus Martinsville in January, racked up 8 or even more factors in 26 of Bloomington North’s 28 video games. His selfless play was definitely a vital consider the Cougars winning their initial local title considering that 2014.

“We verified some individuals incorrect along the road,” Roberts stated. “Placing Bloomington North on the map was what everybody’s objective went to the start of the period.”

Advertisement

When it pertains to IU, a program right in the future, Roberts stated “it would certainly be an excellent possibility to play there.” Roberts was just recently able to praise Brian Walsh on his brand-new placement as an Indiana aide train and also stated the training personnel has actually been “extremely” energetic with him.

“It is an excellent institution,” Roberts stated. “With Train Woodson boiling down (from the NBA), his vision for where IU must be is fantastic. They succeeded in the NCAA competition. I suched as the enthusiasm they place on the flooring at the end of the period and also not intending to shed. I truly delighted in seeing it.

“Simply having discussions with the trains… (I am) obtaining that family members kind of sensation from them.”

Roberts stated Woodson has actually been incredibly straightforward when they talk.

“In some cases you require to hear what you don’t wish to listen to,” Roberts stated. “He will certainly inform you the advantages, however he will certainly likewise inform you several of the important things you require to deal with. He simply wants what he does. Yet I such as the sincerity component. He has actually remained in those (greater) settings and also has actually created gamers and also seen to it they generated. You have individuals that will just inform you the excellent in your video game.

Advertisement

“Capturing for me is the main point. I have actually been dealing with that a long period of time currently.”

Taking a main browse through to IU over the offseason will certainly “absolutely” get on the mind of Roberts, he stated.

Iowa is the just various other Huge 10 program to prolong a deal to Roberts, which began Oct. 29 of in 2014.

Although track and also area could be an alternative as an elderly, Roberts intends to concentrate on traveling basketball this springtime and also summer season. He is betting Indiana Elite 2023. As a student, Roberts got the IHSAA state finals in the 400-meter dashboard (18th total, 50.25) and also the 4×400 relay. His relay group completed second total behind Carmel.

“This is my last AAU period,” Roberts stated. “I wish to make certain I create the most effective I can and also concentrate on that.”

Advertisement

(Picture thanks to Bloomington North.)

Submitted to: JQ Roberts



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Indiana

Purdue vs Indiana Prediction: Odds, Expert Picks, QB Matchup, Betting Trends and Stats

Published

on

Purdue vs Indiana Prediction: Odds, Expert Picks, QB Matchup, Betting Trends and Stats


Indiana is coming off its first loss of the season and welcomes Purdue to town for Senior Day.

The Indiana Hoosiers are 10-1 with its first loss of the season coming at Ohio State (38-15). Indiana dropped to No. 10 in the AP Poll and will likely be on the backend of the teams in for the latest College Football Playoff rankings, but a convincing win here would help. Indiana has been one of the best against-the-spread (ATS) teams in the country and as a -29 point home favorite, all signs point to Curt Cignetti and company rolling.

Not much has gone right for the 1-10 Purdue Boilermakers. After the 49-0 win over FCS Indiana State, Purdue has lost 10 straight games with seven out of 10 losses coming by 17 or more points. Purdue lost to Michigan State 24-17 last week and has two OT losses this year, but this road game seems out of reach for the Boilermakers.

NBC Sports has all the latest info and analysis you need, including how to tune in for kickoff, odds from BetMGM, player news and updates, and of course our predictions and best bets for the game from our staff of experts.

Advertisement

Listen to the B1G Talk podcast with Todd Blackledge and Noah Eagle for the most compelling storylines across all ofcollege football, with the biggest teams on the rise and the latest rankings!

Game Details and How to watch Purdue @ Indiana

  • Date: Saturday, November 30, 2024
  • Time: 7:00 PM EST
  • Site: Indiana University Memorial Stadium
  • City: Bloomington, IN
  • TV/Streaming: Fox Sports 1

Want to check out the other games on the College Football schedule this week? We’ve got you covered right here on NBC Sports with all the matchup, venue, game-time and TV/streaming info so you won’t miss any of the action!

Game odds for Purdue @ Indiana

The latest odds as of Tuesday afternoon:

o Moneyline: Indiana (-6500), Purdue (+2000)

o Spread: Indiana -29 (-110)

o Total: 56.5 points

Advertisement

*odds courtesy of BetMGM

The spread opened at Indiana -25.5, so heavy money is pouring in on the Hoosiers. That is no surprise since Indiana is on the cusp of a College Football Playoff. The total has no movement.

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) has the following best bets between Purdue and Indiana:

“The Indiana Hoosiers suffered the first loss of the season last week at Ohio State (38-15) and need to bounce back dominantly to secure a College Football Playoff berth.

Indiana’s First Half Team Total is 23.5, which might seem mighty lofty, but it’s certainly within range and so is a 50-point game for the Hoosiers. At home, Indiana has scored 17, 17, 14, 31, and 21 first-half points versus DI opponents this season for 20.0 first-half points per game.

Advertisement

Purdue’s defense hasn’t taken any steps forward this season. In the last seven games, the Boilermakers have allowed 24, 21, 21, 17, 21, 24, and 21 first-half points, so this number is nothing Indiana cannot do.”

BetMGM College Football Insights: National Championship

Line movement (Last Week to Now)

  • Ohio State +320 to +275
  • Georgia +500 to +400
  • Texas +500 to +450

Highest Ticket%

  • Ohio State 13.4%
  • Texas 11.1%
  • Georgia 10.5%

Highest Handle%

  • Ohio State 15.9%
  • Georgia 14.9%
  • Alabama 12.1%

Biggest Liabilities

  • Colorado
  • Ohio State
  • Alabama

College Football talk is taking over Bet the Edge every Thursday throughout the season. Bet the EDGE is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Vaughn Dalzell, Eric Froton, and Brad Thomas’ insights Thursdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Quarterback matchup for Boilermakers @ Hoosiers

  • Purdue: Hudson Card threw for a season-high 342 passing yards against Michigan State last week on 26-of-47. Card has nine touchdowns to six interceptions on the year and 1,606 passing yards.
  • Indiana: Kurtis Rourke has had a phenomenal season that has begun to be derailed slightly by injury. Rourke has 274 combined passing yards in the past two games and had zero touchdowns to zero interceptions last week. On the season, Rourke has 21 touchdowns to four interceptions for 2,478 passing yards and a 69.6 completion percentage.

Boilermakers @ Hoosiers player news & recent stats

  • Purdue is 3-8 ATS this season, ranking tied for fifth-worst.
  • Indiana is 8-3 ATS this season, ranking tied for seventh-best.
  • Indiana is 8-3 to the Over this season, ranking third-best.
  • Indiana is 5-2 ATS this year at home and 4-3 to the Over.
  • Purdue is 2-3 ATS this season as the road team and 3-2 to the Over.
  • Kurtis Rouke threw for zero touchdowns and zero interceptions last week.
  • Hudson Card threw a season-high 342 passing yards last week.

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Eric Froton (@CFFroton)





Source link

Continue Reading

Indiana

IU trip to Bahamas will reveal a lot about Hoosiers, who can’t come home empty-handed

Published

on

IU trip to Bahamas will reveal a lot about Hoosiers, who can’t come home empty-handed


BLOOMINGTON – Indiana heads to The Bahamas this week with plenty to gain — and plenty to prove.

The Hoosiers placed virtually all their nonconference emphasis on their first-ever trip to Battle 4 Atlantis, and they cannot afford to come home without some quality wins pocketed from a Thanksgiving spent on Paradise Island.

What makes this a successful holiday tournament trip? Five thoughts …

Advertisement

Greater consistency

Through four wins in four games, we’ve seen the idea of Indiana burst through the clouds. Stretches when the Hoosiers’ array of talent and experience makes them virtually unplayable at both ends of the floor, when even a high-major opponent like South Carolina looked simply overwhelmed.

We haven’t seen it often enough, though.

In a way, that’s fine. No basketball team should be fully formed in November. Anyone playing their best right now is in big trouble come March.

But IU needs it this week. A reasonable path through this tournament will see games against top-50 competition at least once, probably multiple times. That means opportunity, but it also means the hot-and-cold performances thus far need to be smoothed over a little more. Those windows into what Indiana can be need to open a little wider this week.

Advertisement

Point guard play

Myles Rice has been outstanding through these first four games. Trey Galloway has had moments, as he continues his steady progress back to full fitness following offseason knee surgery. Indiana will need their best this week.

In settings like these, players with their creativity and experience, are crucial. Sightlines are weird. The whole environment can make shooting difficult. The teams that can force the ball to the rim and either finish or draw fouls (or both) have an added advantage.

The axiom in basketball that guards win games generally always applies. But in neutral venues, when certain elements of a team’s offense might be stunted, the ability to force action and either score or create moving downhill — something both Galloway and Rice have shown proficiency in doing — becomes invaluable. Both players must deliver in The Bahamas.

Advertisement

Rebound the ball

It was too often a problem last season, and it’s been too often a problem this season.

Yes, Indiana is playing smaller. And yes, games like UNC Greensboro can go a little sideways in this department when an overmatched opponent chucks and chases because it knows there’s little point in trying to attack the rim.

But a team with IU’s size and athleticism cannot be a sub-200 team in opponent offensive rebound rate. The Hoosiers cannot afford to be so poor in closing out possessions. This team will undermine its offensive improvement and its athletic advantages if it continues to be so poor on the glass.

Indiana doesn’t need to be (and probably won’t ever be) dominant here. That’s not how the Hoosiers are constructed. But they are and must be better than they’ve been so far in this area, and three games in three days against demanding competition will require immediate improvement.

Advertisement

Mackenzie Mgbako’s continued growth

Indiana’s leading scorer had his quietest game of the season Thursday, scoring just nine points on 2-of-11 shooting and seeing his second-half playing time eaten into by Bryson Tucker’s bench performance. Everyone’s allowed a bad day at the office.

But Mgbako would do well to ensure he leaves those at home this week. IU’s most dynamic offensive player early in the season, Mgbako has flashed three-level scoring potential the likes of which few players with his size and athleticism can claim.

Few teams, even good ones, have adequate cover for a 6-8 wing who can shoot from multiple levels and finish around the rim the way Mgbako does. Couple that to improved rebounding and defense, and when he’s on, Mgbako is perhaps this team’s biggest individual game changer.

A microcosm of his team’s task this time of year, Mgbako needs to strive for consistency in those areas. Make the off nights few and far between. Find ways to impact games in multiple ways, and shift the way he scores to suit what his opponent struggles against.

Advertisement

This week is a good test for Indiana, and it’s certainly a good test for Mackenzie Mgbako. Both will get a better look at their ceiling in Atlantis.

Quality wins

It’s the simplest and most important storyline following Indiana to the islands.

The Hoosiers put all their faith in this tournament, in terms of being able to add quality to their NCAA tournament in nonconference play. Barring a surprise breakout from South Carolina, IU isn’t likely to beat anyone of meaning from a NET perspective anywhere but in Atlantis.

That represents a calculated gamble for Mike Woodson, whose program learned the hard way how far behind the eight ball an empty-calorie nonconference resume can set a team from an NCAA tournament perspective. The Hoosiers cannot repeat that this year.

Which means they need to make hay in the sunshine in Atlantis. Louisville might stand up as a decent win, somewhere between Quads 1 and 2. Gonzaga and/or Arizona would be worthwhile scalps. Oklahoma, Providence and West Virginia all might be in time.

Advertisement

Whatever its performances, Indiana needs to leave The Bahamas with some wins, or it will leave itself with a lot to do in conference play to ensure Selection Sunday isn’t a stressful experience.

Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.



Source link

Continue Reading

Indiana

Where is Indiana basketball ranked going into the Battle 4 Atlantis?

Published

on

Where is Indiana basketball ranked going into the Battle 4 Atlantis?


BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball heads to the Bahamas as a top 15 team.

The undefeated Hoosiers (4-0; 0-0) jumped three spots in the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll to No. 15 and two spots in the latest AP Poll to No. 14. They spent nine weeks ranked in the top 15 of the AP Poll during the 2022-23 season.

Indiana will compete in the Battle 4 Atlantis this week starting with a game at noon on Wednesday against Louisville. No. 4 Gonzaga and West Virginia are on the same side of the bracket and No. 23 Arizona is also among the teams in the field.

Advertisement

The tournament is IU’s only chance to pick up any wins away from Assembly Hall during its non-conference schedule.

Indiana beat Louisville, 74-66, in last year’s Empire Classic. The Cardinals parted ways with Kenny Payne and hired Pat Kelsey as his replacement. They head into the event 3-1 this season — they suffered a 22-point loss to a Tennessee team that IU defeated in a pre-season exhibition — without a single returning player in their starting lineup.

The Hoosiers have won all four of their games by double-digits and averaging more than 80 points per game with four of their five starters — Mackenzie Mgbako (18.8 points per game), Myles Rice (14.8), Malik Reneau (13.5 points) and Oumar Ballo — averaging in the double-digits.

Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

Trending