Hoosiers to play James Madison

Not knowing its first opponent in a tournament is not new to IU. The Hoosiers dealt with the same scenario last week at the Big Ten tournament, waiting for either Minnesota or Illinois to emerge. However, IU Coach Tom Crean noted similarities between the two teams, which added in preparation.

That was not the case Wednesday as IU waited and watched as James Madison defeated LIU-Brooklyn 68-55 in a battle of contrasting styles. IU now waits to play JMU Friday at 4:10 p.m. ET.

“Our seniors played great, and our freshmen were really good at both ends of the court,” JMU Coach Matt Brady said in a television interview. “They really challenged shots at the rim.”

It was the first NCAA win for the Dukes in 30 years.

LIU runs an up-tempo system that resulted in only a half-point less per game than IU.
JMU, on the other hand, boasts a veteran team that is slower and more physical.

However, the Dukes’ leading scorer, forward Rayshawn Goins, was arrested Sunday and suspended by the team for Wednesday’s first half.

Initially, it appeared his teammates were just fine without him, jumping to leads of 10-2, then 20-8 as the Blackbirds opened with cold shooting.

In the first half’s closing minutes, though, LIU’s zone defense picked off several lazy JMU passes, finally allowing the Blackbirds to sprint down the floor and quickly claw back into the game. A jumper off a steal was just a split-second too late at the half’s end. Had it been on time, LIU would have had its first lead.

Even with Goins back in the second half, LIU finally pulled ahead 40-39, but the lead would be short-lived.

Though Goins never found a rhythm in his curtailed appearance, guard Andre Nation was all over the court in the second half, helping prompt a 9-0 run that put the Dukes up for good.

Nation finished with 14 points and seven rebounds and could potentially be guarded by junior guard Victor Oladipo, another guard with rebounding skills, on Friday.

“(Nation) was tremendous at both ends,” Brady said. “He’s got a chance to be a special defensive player.”

Crean mentioned Sunday that he hoped to send an assistant coach to scout the game in person. However, NCAA rules do not allow for that, and the Hoosiers were forced to watch from home along with the rest of the nation.