Just got done listening to the Falcons lose (a favored pastime), and I got the chance during the game to turn yesterday's game over in my head a little bit more. A few thoughts:
--The Hoosiers' lack of size wasn't really what hurt them yesterday, nor would I argue it doomed them against Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons were all just long and athletic and had they all be 6-foot-6, they probably would still have run IU back to Bloomington. And yes, Josh Heytvelt scored 22 against IU's frontcourt yesterday, but the fact is that he's the kind of player who's expected to do that every night. The 46-10 points-in-the-paint advantage had as much to do with Matt Bouldin beating the Hoosiers on baseline cuts and Tom Pritchard fighting foul trouble all game.
--I think what you saw from Tom Crean's bunch yesterday is what you're going to see through most of the Big Ten season: a team that will always keep itself close with hard-nosed play and teamwork. Winning those games, however, will be the hard part because of the Hoosiers' lack of a serious playmaker.
--If there is a more energetic coach in America than Tom Crean, I'm afraid for his health. Crean is animated, confident, and all over the place. He's also rather reasonable with officials, and he teaches as much as his assistants.
--It was also interesting listening to the conversation between Jeremiah Rivers and the bench. Rivers and Steven Gambles sat behind the press row, which was situated right behind the IU bench. Several times during the game, players asked Rivers questions about the game, their play, etc., and his suggestions always seemed lucid and helpful. Even Tom Crean looked back to the son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers once or twice for input. Nothing too heady, just interesting stuff.
--Devan Dumes has confidence, Tom Pritchard can move in the post and Nick Williams can score, but Malik Story seriously has a chance to be the best of all these new Hoosiers. I was impressed with his confidence and obviously his 3-point shooting, but it was something else that impressed me about Story. Once or twice in the first half, when he was pulled for a mistake, Story came out to a rather excited Tom Crean, who would rather strenuously advise his young guard. Every time Crean came back with more, Story listened to what Crean had to say, not how he said it, and the effects on his play were noticeable.
--IU is still committing far, far, far too many turnovers, and most of them are just unforced dumb plays -- lazy passes, poor decisions, trying to do too much; all the marks of a team still finding its way around itself. Particularly problematic Saturday was feeding the post. Too often, a Hoosier would try to send a pass down low, only to have it slapped away or flat-out taken by a defender. Most or all were passes that weren't worth making or advisable in the first place.
--The Hoosiers look more comfortable in their offensive sets, but there were times they seemed to just be going through the motions; making passes simply because they were supposed to be made, etc. I don't think they weren't hustling, it just looked to me like they were still having to think hard about where the ball went, where they went, etc. Stuff like that should and eventually will become instinctive.
--Tijan Jobe is in desperate need of tutelage in how to catch a ball, but he's at least starting to assert some confidence playing in the post. And that Vlade Divic pose after he had his block in the second half was priceless.
That's all I got. As always, your observations are likewise welcome. You can make them after clicking here to watch the Big Ten Network highlights of yesterday's game.
