IU will face Boston University at 6 p.m. for a spot in Sunday's consolation finals (5th place game) at the Puerto Rico Tipoff. The winner will play No. 21 Georgia Tech, who defeated George Mason, 80-72. The Patriots await the loser of the IU-BU game.
I don't have a good scouting report on the the Terriers, but I do know they are 0-3 but were picked unanimously as the favorite to win the America East Conference. The America East is typically a No. 16 seed-caliber conference, but BU hung tough with Kansas State last night in their 10 point loss.
That being said, BU starts four seniors and has their top three scorers back from a year ago. The Terriers are led in scoring by junior John Holland, who averaged 18.1 points as a sophomore, while he has averaged 20.3 through three games this season.
Most interestingly, Holland -- who scored 20 in the loss versus Kansas State last night -- has played 37 minutes in each of their three games, yet he has not the started the last two. Senior Valdas Sirutis has two inches on the 6-foot-5 Holland and has started those two games, but the 6-foot-7 Lithuanian has recorded just two points and 10 rebounds thus far.
Below the jump is the projected starting lineups (without Holland... I guess), as well as a game prediction:
Indiana
G - Jeremiah Rivers Jr. 6'5, 214 lbs. 7.3, 5.0, 4.7
G - Maurice Creek Fr. 6'5, 200 lbs. 16.3, 2.3, 2.0
G - Verdell Jones So. 6'5, 213 lbs. 13.0, 2.0 1.7
F - Christian Watford Fr. 6'9, 220 lbs. 12.0, 8.7, 0.7
F - Tom Pritchard So. 6'9, 248 lbs. 7.3, 4.3, 1.0
Boston U.
G - Corey Lowe Sr. 6'2, 200 lbs. 13.7, 3.3, 4.3
G - Tyler Morris Sr. 6'2, 190 lbs. 15.3, 2.3 1.3
G - Carlos Strong Sr. 6'3, 215 lbs. 9.3, 9.3, 1.7
F - Valdas Sirutis Sr. 6'7, 215 lbs. 0.7, 3.3, 1.0
F - Jake O'Brien So. 6'8, 205 lbs. 7.3, 4.3, 0.0
Prediction: Indiana 79, Boston 70
