If history repeats itself, the Hoosiers might find themselves Big Ten champions this spring.
IU has only won two Big Ten titles since 1993, with the most recent occurrence in 2002. But after a brief examination, it became obvious there were parallels between the '93 squad and this year's Hoosiers.
Although the 2000 Indiana Hoosiers were the most successful team in recent memory, the most talented team since the 1987 championship team might have been the '93 team. And thanks to strong recruiting by Mike Davis and Kelvin Sampson, the 2007-2008 team is as talented as any Hoosier team in over a decade.
Here are my player comparisons, 2007-2008 versus 1992-1993:
D.J. White is ... Alan Henderson White and Henderson are the anchors of both teams. The two post players have similar games, with Henderson being a slightly better rebounder and White being more skilled with the ball around the basket.
Lance Stemler is ... Brian Evans Ever since Stemler stepped on campus, he has been compared to Evans. To borrow Bill Simmons' phrase, Lance Stemler is the homeless man's Brian Evans. Both players are known for their loves for shooting set shots beyond the arc and rightfully so.
Jamarcus Ellis is ... Greg Graham Ellis primarily played point guard at Chipola last year, which was Graham's natural position as a Hoosier. Both guards are "glue" type players whom excel on the defensive side.
Eric Gordon is ... Calbert Cheaney Don't compare him to Bracey Wright, Gordon is most akin to Cheaney. Think of Gordon as the modern day Cheaney: instead of the traditional deadly mid-range game Cheaney possessed, Gordon plays above the rim and behind the 3-point line.
Armon Bassett is ... Damon Bailey Both Bassett and Bailey are playmakers at the point guard position. The Hoosiers were a different team last season when Bassett would assert himself and play aggressive on offense. Like most basketball teams, both of these squads depend on their point guards to jumpstart the offense when its stalling.
A.J. Ratliff is ... Matt Nover Although Nover was much taller, the two players served as 3-point snipers off the bench. Ratliff was the Hoosiers best 3-point shooter last season, even with a bulky cast on his hand a majority of the season. And as we remember from Blue Chips, Ricky Roe can flat out shoot.
Ben Allen is ... Todd Lindeman Okay, so I copped out on the 7-foot tall comparison. Lindeman was more of a true post center in '93 than Allen has been for the Hoosiers. But despite their lack of athletic ability, the two players have both found formidable roles on their respective teams thanks to their size.
