The IU men's basketball team is off to its first 3-0 start under Tom Crean and looks to push its good fortune against Evansville (2-0) at 1 p.m. Sunday. Here is what you need to know before tip-off at Assembly Hall:
Indiana
- Sophomore forward Christian Watford leads the Hoosiers in scoring (19.7 PPG), rebounds (8.0 RPG) and assists (11). He is shooting a staggering 54 percent from the field after moving to more of a small forward position for 2010.
- Sophomore guard Maurice Creek's comeback has been a slow one, averaging 9.7 points per game in an average of 18 minutes per game. Senior guard Jeremiah Rivers, by contrast, is averaging 22 minutes per game.
- Through three games, the Hoosiers have dominated the glass. They own a 121-88 rebounding advantage over their opponents so far.
- IU has had troubles with turnovers all season. The Hoosiers have committed 62 giveaways, led by junior guard Verdell Jones' 18.
Evansville
- The Purple Aces grabbed their 500th win as a Division-I team last Wednesday with a 77-73 victory against Texas-San Antonio.
- Evansville is led by 6-foot-6 junior forward Kenneth Harris and his 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. The Purple Aces, though, have made a name for themselves with their defense. They have forced 33 turnovers through two games and held opponents to 38 percent shooting.
- Sunday's game marks the first of a new three-game series between IU and Evansville, with game two coming in Evansville's $127 million stadium to be completed in October.
- This will be the first time Evansville has faced a Big Ten opponent since beating Purdue in 2005.
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