Welcome to the bubble

Welcome to the bubble\nWe've got to win some games\nCuz if we lose it's the NIT\nAnd that's just really lame\nIf Guns N' Roses were to write a song about IU's NCAA tournament chances, it would probably go something like that. But until that happens, I will have to settle with talking about their chances in a more boring, newspaper-oriented manner. \nOf course, half of this column could be dedicated to berating the Hoosiers after a dismal performance at Penn State. But I don't need to tell them that they completely stunk on Saturday. They already know. A trip as long as the one from State College to Bloomington provides enough time to figure that out.\nAfter all, there are more embarrassing things than losing a game to Penn State. Like getting de-pantsed at center court. Or airballing a layup.\nGranted, the loss would have been easier to swallow had it been at the hands of an opponent that was playing in front of a wild, enthusiastic crowd. Well, I suppose the 300 or so fans that did show up were enthusiastic. But that didn't change the fact that you could actually hear conversations that were happening on the floor.\nFor instance, I could swear that I heard this discussion between Penn State coach Jerry Dunn and center Jan Jagla.\nJagla: Coach, if we win, do we get pizza?\nDunn: Yeah. And if we lose, we definitely get pizza.\nOr maybe that was a commercial. Like most IU fans, I chose to let memories of the game become somewhat blurred. Unfortunately, the team does not have the same choice, as Thursday brings a rematch with the Nittany Lions for the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.\nWhat will the Hoosiers have to do differently to win the rubber game of the series? As tempting as it is to say "everything," which is a little too vague, so I'll try to narrow it down a bit.\nOne place to start is better shot selection. The only way that IU was able to keep the game even relatively close on Saturday was by getting to the free throw line. From the field, they shot a lowly 39.6 percent. Even more damaging was their three-point shooting. IU made only four out of the 20 shots they attempted from beyond the arc.\nPenn State has a definitive edge in height -- more than half of the players on the Lions roster are over 6 feet 7 inches. Therefore IU's big men are the keys to game. Granted, Jeff Newton was in foul trouble early and was only in the game for 23 minutes. \nBut what the Hoosiers needed was a bigger dose of George Leach, who played only 15 minutes despite only picking up one foul. In the rematch, it will be critical for each to get 30 minutes of playing time a piece.\nAnd now the good news:\nSomething good actually did happen to the Hoosiers this weekend, and it promises to make their future a bright one. Patrick Ewing Jr. has announced that he is committing to play at IU next year. (Perhaps you remember his dad). Ewing Jr., who is 6-8 and 220 pounds, averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks per game this year. Furthermore, he picked IU over Texas, Virginia, Louisville, and his dad's alma mater, Georgetown.\nSo if the Penn State game doesn't work out, at least we can wait 'til next year.