Men's basketball squares off against Ferris State in exhibition finale

When IU coach Tom Crean put together his exhibition schedule, he wanted opponents who would challenge his team in specific ways.

In their final tune-up before the regular season, the Hoosiers’ challenge exists in the post when they take on Ferris State in a Monday night contest at Assembly Hall.

Ferris State senior forward Justin Keenan was named the 2010-11 Division II Bulletin Preseason National Player of the Year, coming off a season in which he averaged 20.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He also poses a new challenge by merely being on the floor. At 6-foot-7, Keenan is taller than any player on Franklin College’s roster. IU beat Franklin 89-37 on Nov. 3.

Crean said the combination of Keenan and guard Darien Gay, who averaged 10.6 points per game last season, gives the Bulldogs an inside/outside tandem that will test the Hoosiers defense.

That defense held Franklin to a 33 percent shooting clip last week while forcing 28 turnovers. The Hoosiers, on the other hand, had only 16 turnovers, and Crean expects similar production on both ends of the court.

“As I said last week, our goal is to be relentless moving forward on defense,” he said. “On offense, we need to continue to emphasize taking care of the basketball. I was very pleased with our decision-making against Franklin. We shared the basketball and moved it around, and our defensive energy made our offensive effort better.”

Matching up with Keenan will likely be sophomore forward Christian Watford, who scored 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting against Franklin. Junior college transfer center Guy-Marc Michel, meanwhile, will not play in Monday’s matchup, as his amateur status is still under NCAA review.

Ferris State has not won a game against a Division-I team since it defeated Oakland in 2000. The Bulldogs last played a Big Ten team in 2007, when they squared off in an exhibition match with Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. FSU lost 70-48.

Under coach Bill Sall, the Bulldogs have won 10 or more games in eight consecutive seasons after having finished with single-digit win totals for four years prior to his taking the job.

With its victory against Franklin last Friday, IU is now 12-0 against Division II or III teams in exhibition games. But Crean said he won’t accept a mental letdown against a team with such winning experience.

“I think our guys have a clear understanding that competition is going to make us a better program,” he said. “Whether it’s in a game, in practice or in the weight room, our expectation is that maximum effort and focus on the task at hand is not optional.”