POSTGAME:
Enjoy the (presumably) relaxed second half.
Remember when I said that? HA. Ha...ahem..ha.
How presumptuous of me. Instead of increasing their lead and cruising to an easy home win, the Hoosiers did everything possible to let Indiana State back in the game. The Sycamores turned that small opening into a 23-6 run which brought the game to 59-56 with around 5 minutes left.
Thanks to two Lance Stemler threes, a quick Calloway steal and some grit (finally) from D.J. White, the Hoosiers were able to hold off Indiana State, winning 73-66 and moving to 2-1 on the year.
Unnecessarily close? Perhaps. Or is a win a win? What do you think? Are the Hoosiers behind schedule developmentally? Are you losing the faith? Or is this just part of the growing process? Let us know what you think in the comments, and check back later for a full game wrap.
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HALFTIME: A.J. Ratliff, Earl Calloway and Lance Stemler are hitting shots, Rod Wilmont is flying around on defense, and the significantly more athletic, stronger Hoosiers cruised the first half, 36-23.
D.J. White is a bit off on the offensive end; he's getting good looks but missing awkwardly more often than not. He's making up for it on defense, though, swatting shots left and right and closing out on the tough rebounds this team needs him to get.
Crowd watch: At tip-off, we were ready to make a scathing post about IU students and their lack of regular attendance, but by the 10:00 minute mark, you guys proved us wrong, filling out the main student section. The student areas are much more densely populated than the opposite sections (alumni). If students ever expect a bonafide student section, this is the kind of comparative showing that has to happen regularly.
IU is back on the attack and D.J. White is starting to find some rhythm, which means it's time to get back to reporting. Enjoy the (presumably) relaxed second half.
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PREGAME: Well, here we are. Day 1 of the post-Butler loss era. The loss, though disappointing, caused no widescale societal collapse. So we can all step back, take a deep breath, and relax. After all, it's...Indiana State.
The Hoosiers get a chance to avenge last year's surprising loss - and three of the last five in this in-state series - tonight at Assembly Hall. The game is televised on ESPN Plus Local and for those of you out-of-towners with that sweet Full Court package. Which is probably very few of you.
Anyway, those following along from home, feel free to leave your comments, questions, and aggravations below. We'll be back at halftime, after the caffeine sets in.
