After watching the tape from IU's 78-53 win over the Chattanooga Mocs on Sunday evening, a couple particular things jumped out to me: the importance of IU to continue to feed the post even if it doesn't lead to points directly and the versatility of sophomore guard Victor Oladipo.
Post Touches: Along with the emphasis on defense, much of the talk this off-season has been about creating more post touches. Obviously, Cody Zeller would be the main beneficiary of this with his ability to attract double teams and his court vision. However, after watching the Chattanooga game it was clear that post touches to just about anybody was successful. Mocs coach John Shulman was determined to double team the post every time the ball was thrown in there and paid for it numerous times.
Taking a look at the first basket of the game, Christian Watford gets a post touch on the block, then is doubled, kicks it out and the ball is swung around the key for the first of six three-pointers by Jordan Hulls. About halfway through the first half, Zeller gets his second post touch of the night where he is doubled and makes a great read to turn to the baseline for a pass to Watford, who is fouled. Later in the first half with the game tied at 21, Victor Oladipo gets a touch in the post and once swarmed, he kicks it out, the ball is swung and Will Sheehey knocks down a baseline jumper.
This was just a small of sampling of what can happen when the post is fed and the man receiving the ball makes the right decision with it. Watford did have one turnover trying to pass out of the post but that is expected when a team doubles the post every time. Teams will definitely vary how they guard the post (and Zeller in particular) but like Tom Crean has been saying--good things happen when the offense runs through the post (Zeller).
Oladipo's Growth: Like Avi Zaleon wrote in today's IDS, anyone who had Oladipo as the leading scorer in the first two games (both career highs) is lying. Oladipo kind of flew under the radar with the off-season talk of Hulls' leadership, Sheehey's improvement and Zeller's arrival. In a game where Sheehey still looked to be recovering from the flu and Zeller only attempting three shots, it was the starting backcourt of Oladipo (21), Hulls (16) and Verdell Jones III (16) providing the scoring punch.
Oladipo made a loud and clear statement this weekend that he can bring it on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he attacks the rim every time he sees any opening and once he gets the ball in the open floor on a fast break he goes right to the basket. He is 13-18 from the field in the first two games and besides two three-point attempts (one he made) against Chattanooga, I can't think of any shots Oladipo has taken from outside of five feet. People forget that Oladipo was on a loaded DeMatha high school team where he wasn't needed to score a ton for them to win. The same could be said for IU, but Oladipo's athleticism is second to none on the Hoosiers roster and maybe in the Big Ten conference.
On the defensive end of the floor is where Oladipo got things started as he held Stony Brook point guard Bryan Dougher (the Seawolves all-time leading three-point shooter) to 1-8 shooting Friday night. Looking for a similar effort Sunday night, Crean put Oladipo on Chattanooga point guard Keegan Bell to start the game. Oladipo shut down the Mocs returning leading scorer to forced shots early in the game as Bell was held scoreless in 30 minutes. After Mocs forward Omar Wattad went off early with some contested jump shots, Oladipo slid over to guard the 6-foot-5-inch 216-pound Georgetown transfer. It might have been a different assignment in terms of size but Oladipo was still effective blocking a Wattad shot and even causing problems for the All-SoCon player on the other end of the floor.
It will be very interesting to see if/when Oladipo matches up with Evansville guard Colt Ryan on Wednesday evening. Looking way down the road to the Big Ten season, one would have to expect Oladipo to be the likely pick to defend Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor, Michigan's Tim Hardaway and Ohio State's William Buford.
Random Thoughts: Growing up listening to Chris Denari broadcast Butler games on the radio and now doing Indiana Pacers games, it was nice to see him finding some employment announcing Big Ten games while the NBA lockout is in place.
Crean mentioned this in the post game, but Daniel Moore's energy is unmatched when he comes on the floor. IU has a 42-13 scoring advantage when he is one the floor and he guarded both Bell and Wattad at times Sunday evening. He grabbed four rebounds against the Mocs, and Crean went to him early off the bench in both halves. Both Oladipo and Hulls credited the energy of Moore after the game, and it's safe to say he has earned the scholarship he was granted at the start of the season.
When first looking at the stat sheet, people will look at Jones 16 points and five turnovers and look at it as just another game for the senior guard. However, Jones finished the game with a career high four steals. Jones switched onto Bell after Oladipo was put on Wattad and used his length to bother the Mocs point guard. At Big Ten Media Day, Jones talked about how this off-season he really focused on the defensive end of the floor. He has been IU's most consistent scorer the last three years, but his ability on the defensive end will be the key to keeping his spot in the lineup this season. He had a very quiet 16 points on Sunday on 5-7 shooting and 6-7 from the free throw line.
