Similar to last week's exhibition game against the University of Indianapolis, I decided to do a little research outside of the always helpful game notes provided by IU Athletics to better prepare you for IU vs. Stony Brook tomorrow night.
Here are IU's numbers in regular season openers during the Tom Crean era...
-Last time IU won by single digits in opener was a 56-52 win vs. Indiana State in 2004
-IU averages 84.66 ppg and allows 61.66 ppg
-Watford is IU's leading scorer with 19 ppg in openers
-Every active player on the IU roster has registered at least two minutes in every opener
-IU has shot 44.8 percent from 3-point range
-51 percent from the floor
-The only IU player not to score in last year's opener was former IU player Bobby Capobianco
-IU averages 20.67 turnovers per opener and they force 23.67
-The highest individual point total by an opposing player was Northwestern State's Damon Jones' 17 points in 2008
-IU's largest deficit was seven against Northwestern at 16:08 of first half
-6:56 is the total amount IU has trailed in 120 minutes of openers
IU Coach Tom Crean said this Stony Brook team is better than any team he's seen in an opener in his 13 years as a head coach. Stony Brook's conference is that even the die-hard college basketball fan would have trouble naming (America East?). They're projected to finish second in that conference, falling short to only Boston University, who took down the Hoosiers two seasons ago.
So what are your thoughts? Is IU on upset alert against Stony Brook Friday night?
