OK, Ivo has to be the most controversial player on the roster.  Let's have an open discussion on this guy.  I know he has valuable contributions in many statistical ways.  That's great and valuable and I completely admit he will be hard to replace next year.  But what sticks out to me when I watch this kid play the last few years are the things you can't get from a box score that can't be quantified.  I'm talking about the bonehead plays.  Passes to nobody in particular (I guess those can be quantified as turnovers).  Passes thrown to the feet of teammates.  Lazy plays.  Getting burned on the defensive end for opponent dunks and layups.  His refusal/fear of playing too close to the basket.  Getting outworked for rebounds.  Losing rebounds off his hands.  Most of that stuff doesn't show in a box score, but it shows when you watch in person, or at least it sticks out like a hooker in church to me.

The guy is tall, athletic, and has the potential to be a matchup nightmare...yet can go stretches (games) with hardly showing up or being any kind of factor whatsoever.  We need him to step up and play the way he did down the stretch last year.  We need the MAC tournament Ivo.  He, more than any other players seems so wildly inconsistent, and I think that's why I like the option of starting TJ over Ivo right now.  I want to see Ivo play more aggressively on the offensive end and smarter, in general.  We need him going forward.  Maybe coming off the bench for a few games will get him turned around, at least I hope so.

Thoughts?

Ivo has been frustrating because of what he could be but I think you have overemphasized his negative plays.  He's developed into a good passer and is probably our best rebounder.  As much as everyone loves TJ he doesn't do any more interior damage than Ivo.  Still, I would love to see the Ivo that played against Northern Iowa show up again. 

Ivo has really good potential offensively, but has been one dimensional during his career.  He could only attack the hoop and had great interior up-and-under moves early in his career.  During the end of his career he has abndoned that and gone almost exclusively to an outside jumpshot game.  He is stronger and a better ball handler now, which is why so many of us are frustrated with his lack of an inside presence.  I can only assume his move to a perimieter game is driven by a general drop in confidence about his inside game. 

My main concern, however, is how frequently he gets beat on defense.  He is often a step slow rotating back to his man after the high trap has occured.  I have noticed it a lot this year, and it was painfully apparent at Akron last weekend that he was not getting back to his man before the ball did.  In fairness, I am not included in the defensive game planning, so it is possible that a switch is supposed to occur and someone else is responsible for that.  Based on the body language of Christian towards Ivo, however, I think I'm right.  There is supposed to be a trap with the guard and one of our big men above the 3 point line, then there is defensive help in the middle for a second until the big man can rotate back.  Ivo's guy is scoring too often after that trap.  

His rebounding has been solid, his jump shot has improved and I have always thought he gives 100% effort.  I think his inconsistency in scoring is due to the abandonment of his post game.  His inconsistency in minutes of playing time is because of flaws on the defensive end.  He is really talented and fun to watch play when he has confidence.  When he is on, he can be the most exciting player on the floor to watch.   

That's the nature of our defense though.  It asks a big man to pinch on the point and then he's got to rotate back as soon as the guard's momentum is stopped.  Most of the time it works well but it does leave us susceptible to the passes down low.  Frankly I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often.

I disagree that Ivo has "lost confidence" in his inside game. I think he has all but abandoned his inside game due to losing confidence at the foul line.  This seemed to start late in the MAC conference portion of the schedule last year and has carried thru-out this year.

A look at Ivo's stats from his sophomore year shows that he went to the foul line 120 times and converted 92 times for 77%, second only on the team to Tommy Freeman's 85%. In comparison Ivo has been to the line 10, yes TEN times this year total to date. I think his stats would also reflect he took only 2 - 3pt attempts his soph. year.

To me the main strength of Ivo was his quickness in backing opponents to the basket and using his quick spin move in an attempt to score. Worse case scenario was he would get fouled in the act of shooting and would have the opportunity to convert foul shots. He all but runs away from those opportunities now IMO. 

This alteration of his game really has transcended 2 coaching staffs so I don't think this one is fuel for Christian bashing. I do wonder if anyone has taken the time to review the tapes of his sophomore year to try to figure out how a guy could have such success and confidence at the foul stripe realitively early in his career and now be so lacking in confidence at the line as his career is coming to an end.  Is it a truly mental thing or has he altered the way he grips  the ball or altered his arm position when shooting stationary, etc.?

I fully acknowledge in Ivo's transition that he has developed a pretty good mid-range jump shot. My disappointment is IF he were still using his considerable skills inside coupled with his honing the mid-range jumpers he would be a real _itch to contend with.

I completely disagree with the loafing, losing his man etc.. I just don't see that he has been dogging it at either end of the floor.
 

Because Reggie doesn't do the pinching at the top of the key nearly as much. Ivo's a lot quicker which is why he does it.  Smith does it as well but he isn't getting nearly as many minutes.  Also Ivo covers quicker guys than Reggie typically. 

He's not the only guy that has suffered the occasional defensive lapse. I'm far less worried about Ivo on the defensive end of the court.

Speaking of heads right. I believe Ivo would benefit from a sports psychiatrist. I think he has a mental block against shooting anything except jump shots. Its all mental with him. A la Mackey Sasser throwing to second. He can dunk on a fast break but that's based on instinct and he doenst have time to think about missing.

Ivo's not having the year we all wanted him to have but he is still playing well.

MAC rankings
13th in rebounding
6th in FG%
13th in assists
10th in steals
14th in blocks
6th in defesive rebounds

Here's an Ivo story some of you newer posters may not know and some of you older ones may have forgotten.  I can't remember if it was his freshmen or sophomore year or who we were playing but it was a Saturday and probably Dad's weekend because Ivo's father was in the house sitting on the upper edge of the student section.  Ivo was having one of those praise worthy days and his dad was all smiles and even slapping an occasional high five with those around him.  The smile on his face told the whole story - here was a young man, his son, who was living his dream.  Whose dream?  Probably his father's in that the son was getting an education at a great school and probably the son's because in addition to getting that great education he was continuing to play a game that he loves.  What's the point?  It's a game and these guys are kids so let it go at that unless you are man/woman enough to publicly criticize them.

Less minutes for Ivo today, especially in the second half.

His confidence is way down, missing dunks, missing shots, etc. He had some nice spin on a couple of his buckets today and drove to the rim and had a nice pullback hook shot.

I wish he'd build some kind of inside finesse game.

Agreed.

He's still one of my favorites on the team, and he showed some signs of coming around.  The dunk he missed was the first he's tried since the Fiami game, I think, maybe earlier.  And even though he passed up an early chance at going to the hoop, I think his last bucket was a layup from underneath.  He gives up 30 pounds to Black and wasn't very willing to mix it up with him today.