IU coach Tom Crean met with media this afternoon in anticipation of the Hoosiers' clash with Northeastern on Monday night. I highlighted some of the main points, and you can listen to the full audio by clicking here if you are so inclined/have a free half hour.
I'll be at the game as well I'll try to have our usual coverage online and right here on the Basketblog posthaste once the game is over. Anyway, without further ado:
----The Hoosiers are getting through finals week OK. Crean said he expects everyone to make grades, and he's been getting reports from Kimya Massey with athletics academic support all semester. He said the Hoosiers aren't all shooting for the same goals because they're not taking the same classes, but every one of his players must fulfill certain "non-negotiables" like going to class, maintaining a passing average, etc. He also said he hasn't had much trouble getting the whole team together for practices through finals week.
----On the subject of Northeastern, Crean called them a solid team with a good coach in Bill Cohen, formerly of Boston College. He said they run the flex offense and can enter their offense many different ways, and they have a good "inside-outside" game. Crean added that Northeastern has played many different kinds of teams this year, and highlighted a win over Providence as their biggest of the season.
----With the end of first semester will come the end of Steven Gambles' relegation to the bench, per transfer regulations. Still, Gambles will only be eligible if all his grades from last semester are in and approved, which Crean doesn't know for sure will happen between now and Monday night. He's hopeful though.
----Verdell Jones is doing well, and Crean said he was "pleased" at the freshman's level of conditioning after sitting out so long after his frightening injury against Cornell. Jones played 19 minutes in the 72-54 loss to Kentucky last Saturday.
----Crean said he'll try to use the winter break to focus more on his team and take a reprieve from always turning attentions to another opponent. He said the break always helps in that way, growing the team. He used Jeremiah Rivers as an example, saying the junior guard -- who is sitting out the year because he transferred -- will get more opportunities outside the scout team in practice in some different positions.
----When asked about some of the more creative conditioning the Hoosiers engaged in (kickboxing) and whether or not they still do, Crean said not as much in-season, because he and his coaches want to use their 20 hours a week as effectively as possible, and kickboxing shan't cut into film study. That doesn't mean Jeff Watkinson, the Hoosiers' strength coach, doesn't still try to get creative, Crean said.
----Asked about the Indy Star article quoting Eric Gordon yesterday, Crean deflected direct comment, though he did say that he and his coaches have a spot in the locker room where they put up stories and examples like that about what happens when things get out of hand like they appeared to last year, and how that can destroy good work and success.
----When asked about adding transfers or recruits, Crean answered: "We're recruiting every day. We'd better be aware of what's going on in the recruiting world every day." The break between semesters is a prime time for kids to transfer from one school to another, and there have been rumors about Jeff Withey from Arizona transferring to IU, among other schools. Demarcus Cousins has also listed IU as a possible destination now that his recruitment is reopened.
