Extra work pays off for Gordon, Hoosiers

This is all you need to know about IU’s final exhibition game against UNC-Pembroke on Saturday night: Five minutes into the game, the scoreboard read Eric Gordon 11-UNC-Pembroke 7.\nNeedless to say, IU wrapped up the exhibition season unscathed (unlike some other Big Ten behemoths).\nIf there was a critical play in the 49-point victory, it was made by Gordon. With five and a half minutes remaining in the first half, Gordon re-entered the game with his team up 31-24. He immediately forced a turnover and, on the ensuing possession, nailed his fourth 3-pointer of the game to bring the lead back to double digits. And the rout was on.\nIU picked up its defense in the second half and began to penetrate the Braves’ zone on offense. Jamarcus Ellis and Brandon McGee poured in all 33 of their points in the second half on 13-of-17 shooting.\nEllis said it was his defense that jump-started him in the second half.\n“A shot is not what gets me going, it’s my defense,” Ellis said. “In the second half, I came out and got a few blocks and kind of got going.”\n McGee didn’t even get in the game until after halftime because coach Kelvin Sampson said he didn’t practice hard enough during the week.\n“Until he learns how to practice the right way, he’s not going to play in the first half,” Sampson said. “His challenge is: Learn how to practice. It’s not a popularity contest. The fact that he scored 18 points tonight will start at zero tomorrow.”\nThat’s the kind of tough love under which Sampson grooms his freshmen. It’s not just about the level of effort on game day, it’s about the level of effort in preparation for game day.\n“You’ve got to invest in this game,” Sampson said. “You don’t get it because you just walk on the court. You get it because you put in time and effort, and you have to earn it.”\nOne player who has already earned it in Sampson’s eyes is Gordon. Before Saturday’s game, Gordon arrived at Assembly Hall several hours early to work on his shot. The extra time paid off in the form of 24 points in 29 minutes, including 6-of-8 shooting from behind the arc. \nGordon’s range was on full display against the Braves. He appears more comfortable shooting an NBA-range 3-pointer than setting up at the college line.\n“It’s nice to see the kids who work the hardest get rewarded the most,” Sampson said of Gordon. “He works harder than any of our guards. That’s why he has the success he has.”\nWith IU’s regular season opener today against Tennessee-Chattanooga, look for the Hoosiers to make a more conscious effort to get the ball down low, either through the dribble or the pass. The Hoosiers were content to shoot from the outside in their two exhibition games and let D.J. White clean the glass.\nWhen you’re hitting 60 percent of your 3-point attempts like the Hoosiers, you can’t feel too bad about ignoring the big man. \nWhite will get his points in the coming games, and IU’s freshmen will continue to improve. As soon as they learn to practice like Gordon.