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(04/27/12 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s basketball season came to a close Thursday night at Assembly Hall with its first awards ceremony open to the public.Fans piled into the west seats at Assembly Hall following an autograph session.IU freshman forward Cody Zeller picked up five of the 15 awards of the evening. Zeller, who was named Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year, took home the Outstanding Player Award, Scoring Award, Rebounding Award, T-N-T (toughness and tenacity) Award and Hoosier Award.“That was pretty neat, especially because it was voted on by my teammates,” Zeller said. “When I came in, I just wanted to make an impact on the team. I didn’t have any goals of how many points or rebounds I wanted to put up.”Sophomore guard Victor Oladipo also brought home his fair share of hardware, winning the Deflections Award, Best Defensive Player Award and Most Improved Player Award.Senior guard Verdell Jones III, who tore his ACL in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament and missed the rest of postseason play, took home the Landon Turner Inspirational Award, given to a player who overcame adversity.“It meant a lot,” Jones III said. “I’ve been through a lot this year. For my teammates to vote that for me felt real good.”Besides individual awards, the players also received awards for their team accomplishments. After leading IU to its first Sweet 16 since 2002, the players received their NCAA Tournament watches and rings.Despite all the accolades, Zeller said there’s still some coveted hardware IU seeks.“I don’t think we’re going to settle for the Sweet 16 next year,” he said.
(04/11/12 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Let the hype begin.IU men’s basketball forwards Christian Watford and Cody Zeller announced that they will return to school next season and put their NBA dreams on hold. The two were IU’s leading scorers and rebounders in the 2011-12 season.Zeller, who was IU’s leading scorer as a freshman this season, was projected as a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. But Zeller said he wasn’t quite ready to leave Bloomington.“I grew up hoping that one day I would get the opportunity to play in the NBA, but at this point, I’m not ready for my college experience to be over,” he said in a release. “Coach (Tom) Crean and my family were very supportive and helpful as I made my decision. My college experience at IU this year has exceeded my expectations, on and off the court.”On the court, Zeller helped lead IU to its first Sweet 16 since the National Championship runner-up season of 2001-02. The forward was named Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year and honorable mention AP All-American.Crean said the sky is the limit for Zeller.“Cody is a player who, along with his unique skillset, makes everyone around him better,” Crean said in a release. “He is going to have great opportunities ahead of him, yet his demeanor, work ethic and his desire to be a great teammate never wavers. He will have the opportunity to be as good as any player in college basketball.”While Zeller still has three years of eligibility, Watford is returning for his final season. The junior forward was not projected to be selected in the lottery like Zeller, but Watford made a similar mark for IU in the postseason. Watford led IU, averaging 17.6 points in the five postseason games, including a season-high 27 points in the 102-90 loss to eventual National Champion Kentucky in the Sweet 16. “Christian really ended the season on a high note on the biggest stage and is building off that,” Crean said in a release. “He is going to have the opportunity to be a leader and have an even greater impact on the program and his game, but more importantly, he will earn his degree from IU.”Not only are Watford’s 1,287 career points the most of any returning player on IU, they are the most of any returning player in the Big Ten. Watford and Zeller’s return means IU will bring back all five starters from the 2011-12 to go along with Rivals.com’s No. 2-ranked 2012 recruiting class. Before Watford and Zeller even announced they were coming back, Yahoo, CNNSI.com, NBC Sports, ESPN.com and USA Today all slated IU as their preseason No. 1.“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to complete my degree and to continue restoring the winning tradition at IU,” Watford said in a release. “I believe in Coach Crean and our staff, and I am eager to lead my new teammates and build on what we started.”
(03/26/12 3:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Though the IU men’s basketball season came to a close in Friday night’s loss to No. 1 Kentucky in the Sweet 16, the Hoosiers’ success was greater than tournament teams of some recent years past.Here’s a look at how the 2011-12 postseason run compared to all of IU’s previous NCAA Tournament seasons in the post-Bob Knight era.2000-01Coach: Mike DavisOverall record: 21-13Big Ten record: 10-6NCAA Tournament seed: 4NCAA Tournament result: First-round loss to No. 13 Kent State2001-02Coach: Mike DavisOverall record: 25-12Big Ten record: 11-5NCAA Tournament seed: 5NCAA Tournament result: National Championship loss to No. 1 Maryland2002-03Coach: Mike DavisOverall record: 21-13Big Ten record: 8-8NCAA Tournament seed: 7NCAA Tournament result: Second-round loss to No. 2 Pittsburgh2005-06Coach: Mike DavisOverall record: 19-12Big Ten record: 9-7NCAA Tournament seed: 6NCAA Tournament result: Second-round loss to No. 3 Gonzaga2006-07Coach: Kelvin SampsonOverall record: 21-11Big Ten record: 10-6NCAA Tournament seed: 7NCAA Tournament result: Second-round loss to No. 2 UCLA2007-08Coaches: Kelvin Sampson and Dan Dakich (from Feb. 23 to Mar. 21)Overall record: 25-8Big Ten record: 14-4NCAA Tournament seed: 8NCAA Tournament result: First-round loss to No. 8 Arkansas2011-12Coach: Tom CreanOverall record: 27-9Big Ten record: 11-7NCAA Tournament seed: 4NCAA Tournament result: Sweet 16 loss to No. 1 Kentucky
(03/26/12 1:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What HappenedKentucky played like Kentucky. Despite No. 4 IU’s 90 points — Kentucky’s worst defensive output of the season — the Wildcats still pulled out the 12-point win.Following its victory against IU, Kentucky took control of No. 3 Baylor and kept its foot on the gas. The No. 1 Wildcats cruised to back-to-back double-digit victories in Atlanta to advance to their second-straight Final Four.Kentucky’s in-state rival, Louisville, upset No. 1 Michigan State and rallied to pull off a comeback win against No. 7 Florida to advance to the Final Four. Rick Pitino’s squad has now won eight in a row, dating back to the first round of the Big East Tournament. Sound familiar, UConn?What’s NextOne of college basketball’s biggest rivalries will square off for a chance to play in the National Championship. Kentucky got the upper hand in the first meeting and defeated Louisville 69-62 in Rupp Arena.But now the Cardinals come in with the momentum of a Big East title and a West Regional title under their belts. Kentucky also has momentum on its side, having cruised to four double-digit victories in the tournament. Kentucky has not shown any signs of slowing down during its sprint for a national title. Yes, Louisville booted top-seeded Michigan State, but Kentucky is on another level. With freshmen sensations Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marquis Teague, the Wildcats present matchup problems that Louisville hasn’t seen in the tournament.Look for Kentucky to earn another trip to the National Championship with the focus on bringing banner No. 8 to Lexington.Player to watch: Michael Kidd-GilchristSomebody woke up at the right time in March. After averaging five points in his previous three games before the Sweet 16 game against IU, Kidd-Gilchrist played like anything but a kid. The highly-touted forward fueled UK’s 102-point effort with 24 points and 10 rebounds against IU. He followed up that performance with 17 first-half points to jumpstart UK after a slow offensive start against Baylor.It’s easy to forget about Kidd-Gilchrist when preparing for Kentucky. He isn’t a National Player of the Year candidate like Davis, he isn’t the offensive facilitator like Teague, and he isn’t as physically imposing as sophomore forward Terrence Jones. Kidd-Gilchrist brings an element to UK that Coach John Calipari has never had in his three years at Kentucky. He is a matchup nightmare who can get to the rim and get high-percentage shots at will. To make matters worse, the 230-pound Kidd-Gilchrist creates space on the block that makes him tough for any defender to handle.He might be a couple names down on Louisville’s scouting report, but if it sleeps on Kidd-Gilchrist, UK will be celebrating a national championship berth at night’s end.
(03/23/12 3:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When IU junior forward Christian Watford saw that the No. 4-seeded Hoosiers were in the same South Regional as No. 1-seeded Kentucky, he unknowingly predicted the future.“Here we go again,” Watford said following Selection Sunday.Watford’s famous buzzer-beater sank No. 1 Kentucky on Dec. 10, 2011, which permanently stamped his place in IU lore. On Friday, the highly anticipated rematch will take place in the Sweet 16 when IU takes on Kentucky at about 9:45 p.m. at the Georgia Dome. “When I said that, you don’t really figure that it’ll happen, but it’s here,” Watford said.But things have changed since the night Bloomington went into a frenzy.The Wildcats — who were playing in their first true road game — have since gone 8-0 in SEC road games. A lone loss to Vanderbilt in the SEC Championship is Kentucky’s only blemish since that first game.IU Coach Tom Crean said Kentucky has learned to play an unselfish brand of basketball.“That team really, really shares the basketball,” Crean said. “When you look at the talent on that team and the upside of that team and where some of those players are really just scratching the surface of where they’re going to be in basketball in their careers, and (Kentucky Coach John Calipari) has them moving the ball like that? That’s really, really strong.”Kentucky’s floor general, freshman point guard Marquis Teague, has since come on after struggling to start the season. Teague had 24 points and seven assists in UK’s 87-71 win against No. 9-seeded Iowa State in the round of 32.The Pike (Indianapolis) High School product — who had 15 second-half points in the first meeting — also had a 2.33 assist/turnover ratio in March. “If you let him get in the paint and make plays, he can do that with anybody in the country,” Crean said. “There’s no doubt about that.”Teague has the luxury of dishing it to three teammates who ranked in the top 17 of ESPN.com Chad Ford’s Top 100 2012 NBA Draft prospects. Crean said there’s no wiggle room going up against a team like Kentucky.“This team is so talented,” Crean said. “Kentucky is so talented that if there was ever a time where the theme or theory was very little room for margin of error, it’s this one.”But while the Wildcats made strides in the past three months, so have the Hoosiers. IU got over the hump with its first conference road win in nearly two years. The Hoosiers won six of their past seven Big Ten regular season games to go into the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. Most recently, IU won two NCAA Tournament games to get to its first Sweet 16 in 10 years.IU junior forward Derek Elston said the Hoosiers aren’t the same squad Kentucky saw more than three months ago.“We know they’re going to be just as tough as they were, if not tougher,” Elston said. “But we’re a tougher team. As much as we’re going to have to play defense to stop them, they’re going to have to do the same thing.”It’s two powerhouse programs. IU and Kentucky combine for 12 National Championships, 22 Final Fours and 97 All-Americans. It’s a border war that dates back to the days of former IU Coach Branch McCracken and former Kentucky Coach Adolph Rupp. But Friday night, only one school will move on to the Elite 8 and get the chance to add to its trophy case.IU junior guard Jordan Hulls said this is as good as it gets.“It’s two great teams going at it in the Sweet 16,” Hulls said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
(03/22/12 3:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Nobody beats up Jordan Hulls like Jordan Hulls. The IU junior guard has a history of screaming at himself after he’s done something wrong. His teammates sometimes have to calm him down when his temper gets the best of him. However, it’s not because of a glass-half-empty mindset. He compared himself to the main character of the TV show “Monk,” who suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Hulls is a perfectionist.While the IU guard strives for perfection, learning how to keep his frustrations to a minimum has been a process throughout his career.“Sometimes my head gets the best of me, and I get so mad at myself because I’m not doing the right things,” Hulls said. “I’ve just got to let the last play go and go on to the next one because I’m the point guard. I’m one of the leaders on this team, and I can’t let everyone else see that come out of me.”This came to fruition in IU’s 63-61 win against Virginia Commonwealth this past Saturday. Hulls tied a career-high five turnovers against VCU’s famous “HAVOC” defense. By night’s end, IU turned the ball over a season-high 22 times. To make matters worse, Hulls missed multiple open shots from 3-point range and finished with two made field goals.A frustrated Hulls took the bench with IU’s season fading away. But with freshman guard Remy Abell playing in his place, IU pulled off the comeback win despite its floor general divvying out a season-low one assist to go along with his five turnovers.“I promise you that if that happened in November or December, that wouldn’t have been the case,” IU senior guard Kory Barnett said.But Hulls’ teammates have learned how to rally around him the same way he rallies around them. “Me and Daniel Moore and some of the coaches at the end of the bench take him aside and say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to be the leader. It’s more than if you’re hitting shots or not. It’s about your charisma and your facial expressions,’” Barnett said. “I think he’s taken that to heart.”The difference for Hulls this year was not letting his frustrations carry over to the next game. When IU returned to Bloomington on Sunday following the VCU win, Hulls had a few words for the Hoosier faithful who welcomed the team outside Cook Hall.“I thought I’d make it interesting for you guys,” Hulls joked at the pep rally. “I tried my best to do that.”Hulls’ ability to put a game such as VCU behind him is something junior forward Derek Elston said makes him who he is.“He takes everything to heart,” Elston said. “If he doesn’t have a good game, he’s the first to say it. Nobody has to talk to him. He knows what he did wrong.”Hulls dealt with the frustrations of a five-turnover night and shooting slumps. He said just because making mistakes is part of the game, that doesn’t mean he’s going to accept them.“I’m not going to hit every shot, and I know that, but I feel like I spend so much time in the gym that I shouldn’t miss open shots,” Hulls said.What goes on in Hulls’ mind and what his teammates see are two different things. He might want to rip his hair out after he misses an open three. But Hulls is the floor general. He has underclassmen who turn to him for leadership when times are tough. Even the seniors rely on the junior guard to be the glue that holds IU together.“He’s made huge strides this season with leading this team,” Barnett said. “Just on the floor, after he misses a shot and not showing disgust or getting angry with himself. It’s just, ‘Hey, I’ve got to get my team ready to play defense and get stops.’”Hulls might not be able to control what goes on in his perfectionist mind. He couldn’t help but feel frustrated after a careless turnover. Hulls couldn’t stop himself from angrily high-fiving his teammates too hard when he came to the bench, which was a habit throughout his AAU days.But Hulls has grown with his approach. He thinks twice before he shows his displeasure for the world to see. He might not be perfect as he aspires to be, but Hulls did help turn 2010-11’s 12-20 team into the campaign that has now found IU’s first Sweet 16 in 10 years.“He’s a huge part of this team whether he’s playing well or not,” Barnett said. “His expressions and his charisma on the court take it to a whole other level. We’ve got to have him in Atlanta.”
(03/20/12 2:02am)
Basketball beat writer Connor O'Gara looks at the who impressed and who faltered during the first rounds in the South and West regions of the NCAA Tournament.
(03/19/12 3:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Believe it or not, the IU men’s basketball team is in the Sweet 16 for the first time in 10 years. The last time IU danced this far into March was the National Runner-up season of 2001-02. In that season, the No. 5-seeded Hoosiers also had to get past a No. 1 seed in the Sweet 16. IU fans remember A.J. Moye’s famous block on former Duke forward Carlos Boozer like it was yesterday.So with IU pitted against a No. 1 seed in the Sweet 16 — this time against No. 1 Kentucky, a program IU has a little bit of history with — how does this season compare to the 2001-02 season?2002IU Coach: Mike DavisRecord entering NCAA Tournament: 20-11 (11-5)Highest regular season AP ranking: 20The Stars: Jared Jeffries, sophomore forward, 15 points per game, 7.6 rebounds per gameTom Coverdale, junior guard, 11.9 ppg, 4.8 assists per gameIU’s Big Regular Season Wins: 77-66 vs. No. 13 Iowa 88-57 vs. No. 9 IllinoisRoad to Sweet 16: IU wins 75-56 vs. No. 12 UtahIU wins 76-67 vs. No. 13 UNC WilmingtonSweet 16: IU wins 74-73 vs. No. 1 DukeElite Eight: IU wins 81-69 vs. No. 10 Kent StateFinal Four: IU wins 73-64 vs. No. 2 OklahomaIU loses 64-52 to No. 1 Maryland2012IU coach: Tom Creanrecord entering ncaa tournament: 25-8 (11-7)highest regular Season AP Ranking: 7The Stars: Cody Zeller, freshman forward, 15.5 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per gameChristian Watford, junior forward, 12.1 ppg, 5.8 rpgIU’s Big Regular Season Wins:73-72 vs. No. 1 Kentucky74-70 vs. No. 2 Ohio State70-55 vs. No. 5 Michigan StateRoad to Sweet 16:IU wins 79-66 vs. No. 13 New Mexico StateIU wins 63-61 vs. No. 12 Virginia CommonwealthSweet 16:IU squares off against No. 1 Kentucky on Friday night at the Georgia Dome.
(03/18/12 3:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>PORTLAND, Ore. – A tied game, no shot clock and timeouts to spare. The conventional thought is to hold the ball for the last shot. Maybe IU could call a timeout, draw up a play and get an open look. Will Sheehey didn’t want any part of that. After sophomore guard Victor Oladipo drove the lane and couldn’t convert a layup in traffic, the loose ball fell into Sheehey’s hands with 14 seconds to play. Without hesitation, a wide opened Sheehey rose, fired and knocked down his trademark midrange jumper to put IU ahead for good. “Once I caught it, I realized I was open and I don’t think we’re going to get a better shot than that with 12 seconds left,” Sheehey said. “If I would’ve pulled it out, then we would’ve set up some play and maybe go into overtime.” Sheehey’s game-winning jumper gave No. 4 IU (27-8) the 63-61 victory against No. 12 Virginia Commonwealth (29-7) to advance to the program’s first Sweet 16 in 10 years. “For him to hit that shot, it just proves we’re here to stay,” IU junior forward Derek Elston said. “No matter what happens during a game, we can find a way to overcome it and that’s exactly what happened.”In the 39 minutes and 46 seconds before Sheehey’s dagger, IU played right into VCU’s hands. VCU, who came into Saturday night’s showdown ranked No. 1 in the country in steals, forced IU to turn the ball over a season-high 22 times.“It’s hard to believe we came out with a win,” Elston said. “Nothing but smiles right now.”But IU didn’t have anything to smile about until the end of the first half. The Hoosiers trailed the Rams 42-33 after a 9-0 VCU run. As he had done in big moments before, junior forward Christian Watford rose to the occasion. Watford knocked down three-pointers on back-to-back possessions to get the Hoosiers back in the game.“Christian Watford with the four threes he hit, I think it was three in the first half and then one early in the second half, those were daggers,” Smart said. “We were playing really good defense and we were there, just not there enough. And he stepped up.”Despite Watford’s efforts, the Hoosiers still trailed as the clock and their postseason aspirations faded fast. Elston said all they needed was that one push to get them over the hump.“We knew the entire time that once we started getting the fans into it, once we started getting a little momentum, anything could happen,” Elston said. “When you get these guys all hyped up, it’s hard to stop.”VCU couldn’t stop the Hoosiers from overcoming the two-possession deficit with one minute and 31 seconds to play. VCU couldn’t stop Oladipo from driving the lane and converting a three-point play to tie the game. VCU couldn’t stop Sheehey from getting a wide open look that gave IU the lead.But Sheehey’s quick trigger on the go-ahead jumper meant that VCU would have one more chance to tie or even win. When VCU sophomore guard Rob Brandenberg’s three-point attempt bounced off the rim, a frenzied IU squad stormed the Rose Garden floor. The realization that IU was heading to the Sweet 16 culminated into one moment that Elston said was anything but expected.“No one – no one – would’ve thought in the beginning of the season that we would make it to the Sweet 16,” Elston said. But that’s exactly what lies ahead for IU. The Hoosiers will get the highly-anticipated rematch against No. 1 overall seed Kentucky next Friday night at the Georgia Dome. Sheehey’s shot might not be remembered like Watford’s game-winner that dethroned No. 1 Kentucky. IU fans didn’t storm the court and players didn’t stand on the scorer’s table in celebration. But was that still a pretty big shot for Sheehey and the Hoosiers? “I don’t think there’s a question about that,” Sheehey said.
(03/18/12 12:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Despite shooting 55.2 percent (16-of-29) from the floor, the IU men’s basketball team is trailing the Virginia Commonwealth Rams 42-41 at the half.The No. 4 Hoosiers have been led by junior forward Christian Watford, scored eight straight points to end the half and cut the deficit to one.The No.-12-seeded Rams have made a living off forcing turnovers and have done so tonight. IU turned the ball over 10 times in the first half, but the Hoosiers still moved the ball and finished the half with 10 assists.VCU has relied on the 3-pointer to fuel its offensive attack. Despite averaging just 7.4 made 3-pointers per game, the Rams have already buried five from deep. Senior guard Bradford Burgess has led that attack with three triples.
(03/17/12 3:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>PORTLAND, Ore. – For a team that hasn’t been favored to win an NCAA Tournament game in the past two seasons, Virginia Commonwealth sure has utilized its fair share of pressure.The Rams have employed Coach Shaka Smart’s full-court press that created havoc in VCU’s improbable run to the Final Four this past year. That philosophy played out Thursday night when No. 12 VCU took down No. 5 Wichita State. VCU (29-6) will look to continue that when it takes on IU (26-8) on Saturday night at 7:10 p.m. ET at Rose Garden Arena.“We really depend on our pressure defense,” Smart said. “We depend on our ability to stop teams in the half court, and I think that's what's allowed us to win 29 games.” It’s no secret the Rams have made a living off of forcing turnovers. This past year’s Cinderella story is No. 1 in the country averaging 10.6 steals per game. “Defense wins games,” VCU junior guard Darius Theus said. “I know Coach really put an emphasis on it this year. We really have to give 100 percent of our energy on defense. He gives us a lot of freedom on offense, so he just wants to be very committed on defense, and I think that’s what it is this year.” VCU’s high pressure defense triggered the Rams 18-1 streak they’ll take into Saturday night’s showdown.While VCU is back to pulling off upsets in March, this isn’t this past year’s squad. “The only similarity is the name on the jersey,” VCU senior guard Bradford Burgess said. “Our defense is one of the best, and we’ve done a great job of getting teams out of what they do. Hopefully we can continue to do that.”Burgess is the only player left of VCU’s top five leading scorers this past season. The Rams are no longer No. 2 in the country in 3-point shooting.Now, the Rams make their living on the defensive end, which Burgess said isn’t a bad thing.“We tried to almost outscore teams sometimes, and that hurt us last year,” Burgess said. “But this year, we’ve done a great job for the majority of the season of getting teams out of what they do and forcing our havoc on them on the defensive end.”But VCU will not be dealing with a turnover-happy IU squad. IU only turns the ball over 12.7 times per game, good for 236th in the country.VCU has forced 20-plus turnovers 12 times this year. IU, on the other hand, has yet to reach the 20-turnover mark in a game.“We don’t change anything at all,” Theus said. “We’re going to bring our style to the game. We’re going to pressure. We’re going to be very aggressive like we’ve always been. We’re just going to try to force turnovers like we’ve been doing all season.”Whether or not IU can break VCU’s press and get out into the open floor remains to be seen. Smart said having a post player that can run the floor like IU freshman forward Cody Zeller will present a challenge.“If you can get the ball in extremely quickly before the press is set up, then that's one way to beat pressure defensive teams,” Smart said. “So for us, that's going to be a big point of emphasis. We have to get in the press quickly and make sure we get back and take away layups from (Zeller).”VCU’s press has kept opposing offenses from getting started as of late. The Rams allowed an average of 25.5 first-half points in their past four postseason games.If VCU wants to pull off another upset in March, Smart said his squad will have to execute the defensive gameplan that has stymied opponents all season.“In theory, our style is something that will be new for them to see tomorrow,” Smart said. “In theory, that should be an advantage for us. Hopefully our guys can turn theory into practice.”
(03/16/12 6:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>PORTLAND, Ore. – Cody Zeller has been heralded for a variety of things throughout his young IU career. The freshman forward was IU’s leading scorer, leading rebounder and shot blocker in the regular season.But steals? The 6-foot-11 Zeller showed off another weapon in his arsenal with six steals.Zeller’s defensive prowess stifled New Mexico State (26-10) in IU’s (26-8) 79-66 in the Hoosiers first game of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night at the Rose Garden.“I felt like I was quicker than their big guys,” Zeller said. “They were probably a little bit stronger but I just tried to use my quickness when they were passing it inside to try and get some deflections and just be active.”Zeller’s six steals were the most of any IU player in NCAA Tournament history. The Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year was pitted against a New Mexico State squad that made its living getting opposing post players in foul trouble. The Aggies came into the game averaging 20 made free throws per game, which was third in the country.Zeller said the physicality of Big Ten foes allowed him to be the enforcer on the defensive end.“They were definitely big guys but I’ve seen quite a few big guys in the Big Ten this year,” Zeller said. “That definitely prepared me.”In addition to preventing the Aggie bigs from getting to the free-throw line, Zeller also kept them off the offensive glass. Zeller’s team-leading six boards fueled a rebounding attack that only allowed six offensive boards.“That was huge for us,” Zeller said. “They get a lot of offensive rebounds, they get to the free-throw line quite a bit. Those were two of the biggest keys. What prepared us going in was playing good rebounding teams in the Big Ten like Michigan State.”Like he did in the Big Ten regular season opener against Michigan State when he scored a career-low four points, Zeller struggled to get going offensively. Zeller went through a stretch of 24 minutes and 19 seconds without a basket.Zeller said the Aggies’ emphasis was directed to making sure he didn’t get touches in the post.“I was passing it earlier in the game because they were focusing on me so I was finding the cutter,” Zeller said. “I did try to be aggressive there at the end of the game and get to the free-throw line or get my shot.”With IU looking to hold its lead with just over five minutes remaining, Zeller did exactly that. Zeller worked in from the perimeter and found a way to score on back-to-back IU possessions to cement the double-digit lead it wouldn’t surrender.“He's a good player,” New Mexico State forward Wendell McKines said of Zeller. “He's a great player, actually. He kind of struggled in the beginning of the game and looked like his teammates just believed in him, kept feeding him and he responded.”On a night where Zeller did not have to lead IU in scoring, he found a way to contribute on the defensive end. IU Coach Tom Crean said Zeller’s defensive effort provided IU with an offensive spark plug. “Well, he had 14 deflections, which is even bigger than the steals,” Crean said. “Those deflections are like dunks for us.”It might not have been an offensive night to remember for the freshman, but Zeller’s defense helped IU to its first NCAA Tournament win in the Crean era.In order for IU to continue its run in the NCAA Tournament, Zeller’s defensive performance was one Crean said IU will need to have the rest of the way.“When we’re getting that defensive energy, this team really thrives on that,” Crean said. “That’s what we’ve got to continue to do on Saturday.”
(03/15/12 1:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>PORTLAND, ORE. — Two years ago, New Mexico State was one possession away from stunning Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.The Aggies went home while Sparty rolled along to the Final Four. Little did the IU men’s basketball team know that comparing the two squads’ physicality would help prepare it for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.No. 4-seeded IU (25-8) will look to utilize similar preparation to the Big Ten foe when it takes on No. 13 New Mexico State in its first game of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at approximately 9:30 p.m. at Rose Garden Arena.“We’ve used that comparison all week,” IU junior forward Derek Elston said. “Ever since we got out here — they have a player like Draymond (Green), like (Derrick) Nix and like (Adreian) Payne — we’ve been using them all week.”The player IU compared to Green was New Mexico State leading scorer and rebounder Wendell McKines. The senior forward drew comparisons for the way he filled the stat sheet like Green.“McKines is a little like (Green),” IU junior guard Hulls said. “He can do a little bit of everything. He’s their go-to guy. We’ve just got to try to stay attached to him and not let him get going.”While Hulls compared McKines to the Big Ten Player of the Year, IU Coach Tom Crean said to liken McKines to somebody is almost unfair.“I don't think Wendell McKines takes a backseat to anyone,” Crean said. “He's one of the better, undersized, but also undervalued forwards probably in the country.”McKines fuels an Aggie attack on the boards that ranks fourth in the country in defensive rebounds.IU freshman forward Cody Zeller said McKines’ 10.8 rebounds per game will not be the Hoosiers’ sole focus on the glass.“It starts with McKines, but all the way down, they’re one of the tallest teams in the country,” Zeller said. “They get a ton of offensive rebounds. Like I said, we’re going to have to do a nice job getting on the defensive rebounds not only with McKines but the other four guys on the court because they’ll crash the boards hard. That’ll be a big key.”Crean seconded the notion that New Mexico State is more than one deep on the glass.“Michigan State is a team where when Draymond Green has it, when the shot goes up, you have to account for everybody on the court,” Crean said. “Not all teams are like that. But New Mexico State is like that.”When the Hoosiers upset No. 5 Michigan State on Feb. 28, IU outrebounded the Spartans 30-28. Green still finished with 29 points, but that didn’t prevent IU from holding the rest of the Spartan lineup to 26 points on 30 percent shooting.IU sophomore guard Victor Oladipo said if it wants to win its first NCAA Tournament game in the Crean era, it starts and ends on the defensive side.“That’s going to be a big thing for us to win, we’ve got to play defense,” Oladipo said. “I know these guys want to win, so I’m pretty sure we’re going to play defense.”
(03/12/12 4:28pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was anything but a senior swan song. When IU senior Verdell Jones III drove and looked for an open man in transition, he didn’t think it would be his last time. When Jones scored his 1,347th point in the second half of IU’s 85-74 win against Purdue in the regular-season finale, he didn’t think it would be his last collegiate basket.But instead of dwelling on the final events, Jones embraced a first yesterday afternoon. Despite tearing his right ACL in IU’s first round win against Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament, Jones celebrated with his teammates yesterday when the Hoosiers were announced as a No. 4 seed on the NCAA Tournament selection show.“It was very bittersweet,” Jones said. “It’s a moment I’ve been waiting for since I came to IU. Even though I got to enjoy it with my team, it’s kind of a bitter time not to be able to participate when the game starts. But I’m happy for this team because they’ve been through just as much as I have.”Jones has been there for all the high’s and low’s the past four seasons. He was there in 2009-10 when he narrowly missed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer that would’ve sent IU into overtime against then-No. 7 Purdue.Jones was on the scorer’s table above the IU students that flooded Branch McCracken Court after Christian Watford’s three-pointer at the buzzer drowned No. 1 Kentucky.He was on that same floor well after the Minnesota game a month later. This time, he was getting shots up after IU’s only home loss of the season — a game in which Jones finished with zero points on 0-for-6 shooting.No matter how hot and cold Jones’ career has been, IU Coach Tom Crean said the senior is irreplaceable.“There’s no way — even with the way some of our guys have played — there’s no way we’re sitting in here today without the contributions that he’s made, certainly over his career but when you look at the season he had,” Crean said.The season Jones had was not his best offensive season. The 7.5 points per game was half of what he averaged as a sophomore. Instead of being IU’s second leading scorer, Jones was sixth on that totem pole.The senior came off the bench every game following a shoulder injury that sidelined him earlier in the season. But Jones found other ways to contribute. Despite averaging four fewer minutes per game than last season, Jones divvied out just as many assists with less turnovers.That came to a screeching halt when Jones’ IU career ended with one awkward landing. “Right when it happened, I knew it wasn’t good,” Jones said. “It didn’t set in until Dr. Ahlfeld came in and said it was the ACL and that I was done. Hearing those words, it was tough. My parents were there and it was one of the toughest times.”Jones has now let the sting of his career-ending injury sink in for three days. His role has shifted once again, this time to another coach on Crean’s staff.“My biggest focus now is guys like Victor (Oladipo) and Remy (Abell) and guys like that,” Jones said. “I’m just going to give them bits and pieces of what I see on the bench and it’s hopefully helping them in the games.”Abell has already stepped up in Jones’ absence before. When Jones was sidelined with a shoulder injury on Feb. 4, Abell delivered a career-high 13 points and knocked down a three-pointer in the final two minutes to cement the IU win.The freshman point guard, who figures to again see an increase in minutes, said having Jones in his corner will be critical in his first NCAA Tournament.“I’m just happy to be a part of it and to have somebody like Verdell teach me and help me along the way,” Abell said. “Even when he was playing, he was helping me. I’m just going to take what he says, what the coaches say and what the rest of my teammates say and apply it on the court.”For now, all Jones can do is live through his teammates during IU’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in the Crean era. Four and a half months ago at Big Ten Media Day, Jones told the IDS he was sick and tired of watching other Indiana schools celebrate on Selection Sunday while IU was stuck at home. Now, IU is the highest seed of any Indiana school in the field.“It feels just as great as beating those Indiana teams,” Jones said. “We’re finally getting our dominance back and hopefully we can keep building it in the tournament.”IU will be without the kid who has played more minutes than anybody on the roster. They’ll be without the kid who stuck with IU after a 6-25 season. They’ll be without the kid who took the lesser role as a senior for the greater good.When Jones acts as an assistant coach from the IU sidelines this Thursday, he’ll once again be doing it for the greater good.“I’m a tough guy,” Jones said. “I’m very mentally strong and this is just another chapter to my book."
(03/11/12 10:12pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s official.For the first time in the Tom Crean era, the IU men’s basketball team will play in the NCAA Tournament. The No. 4-seeded Hoosiers will take on No. 13 New Mexico State on Thursday at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.“It’s is a major accomplishment for this team to be in this situation,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “Certainly a year ago this time, throughout the spring, the summer, the fall, the preseason, the predictions, I don’t think anyone envisioned us at this point, having a day like this.”Senior guard Verdell Jones III — who tore his right ACL in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament and is out for the season — said seeing IU’s name official in the tournament was an even better feeling than upsetting a top-five team.“I’m ecstatic,” Jones said. “We finally got over that hump. To beat Kentucky, all those games were fun but to see your name up there, not have to worry about if you’re in or not, it’s a great feeling.”IU was announced during the first regional unveiled during the selection show earlier tonight. Though IU had been projected into the tournament, junior forward Derek Elston said the realization of the moment was still what he always hoped it would be.“A lot of blood sweat and tears has gone into bringing Indiana back,” Elston said. “To see our name come up there and to be a four seed, it’s one of the best feelings in the world.”The four seed came despite IU losing to Wisconsin on Friday afternoon in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. Crean said he was glad to see the committee not slight the Hoosiers because of one afternoon.“The seed is nice because it reflects the body of work,” Crean said. “But then it truly becomes, how do you match up? How do you match up in the first game? What are the possibilities of the second game? Then you look ahead and see what your bracket looks like.”But while IU is focused on the first-round matchup against New Mexico State, the Hoosiers already have doubters looking ahead.CBS college basketball analyst Seth Davis immediately predicted that IU would fall in the second round to the fifth-seeded Wichita State squad. Crean said all that does is motivate his team.“That’s Seth Davis,” Crean said. “Seth has been giving us ammunition all year. Seth is the gift that keeps on giving right now with his predictions.”If the Hoosiers are to prove Davis wrong, it will come on unfamiliar territory. The furthest west IU has traveled this year was a conference showdown at Nebraska. Elston said if IU can play to its potential, it won’t matter where the Hoosiers are playing.“We’ll see what happens,” Elston said. “If we play the way we can, it can be a pretty long season for us still.”IU has been at the heart of college basketball this season after wins against each of its top-five opponents. The Hoosiers have been ranked in both polls for more than three months. But no matter what IU’s NCAA fate is, Sunday represented the official recognition that this program is back with the top in the country. That memory is something Crean said his players won’t soon forget. “You don’t start following college basketball without knowing what this day means and knowing what that selection show means,” Crean said. “Every one of them, no matter what age they started watching, they remember it and now they will always have this to remember.”
(03/09/12 11:17pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Wisconsin and Nebraska represented the only two Big Ten teams that the IU men’s basketball team had yet to defeat this season. Wisconsin hadn’t won a Big Ten Tournament game since 2008, when it won the title.Something had to give. Unfortunately for IU, it was the latter that gave.IU’s (25-8, 11-7) inability to stop Wisconsin’s (24-8, 12-6) long-range attack resulted in a 79-71 loss in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. “It’s difficult,” IU junior forward Christian Watford said. “But we did some crazy stuff. We just weren’t playing intelligent on the defensive end, and they hit some shots.”Though it was Wisconsin senior guard Rob Wilson’s seven 3-pointers off the bench that helped sink IU, the Badgers got it cooking from deep early.The Badgers knocked down six 3-pointers in the first eight minutes and 17 seconds to put the Hoosiers in an early 10-point deficit. “I thought our guys moved the ball extremely well,” Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan said. “It wasn’t that Indiana wasn’t play good defense, we just made the extra pass several times."IU junior guard Jordan Hulls said there was no excuse to let Wisconsin shoot over the top of them.“Whether it was switching, whether it was closing out with the hand lower than it needs to be, they were just rising up and hitting shots that were pretty much open,” Hulls said. “We’ve just got to communicate a lot better and that’s just part of being intelligent.”Despite the Badgers seven 3-pointers in the first half, IU went into the break within two possessions. Freshman forward Cody Zeller and Watford kept IU within striking distance with nine and eight points, respectively. But Zeller went into the half without a rebound and finished the game with a career-low one rebound. With Wisconsin forward Jared Berggren establishing position on the interior, Zeller said he struggled on the glass.“Some of it has to do with them shooting three's, but a lot of it has to do with me,” Zeller said. “I didn’t get low enough. I’ve got to crash offensive boards harder. I’ve got to give a better effort.”The momentum didn’t change in the second half.Though IU narrowed the deficit to one on multiple occasions, the Hoosiers failed to get over the hump. Crean said the Hoosiers did not have an answer for Wisconsin’s 3-point attack.“As far as us scoring, we weren’t having a lot of trouble scoring ourselves,” Crean said. “We should’ve made it a little harder for them.”Wisconsin scored 39 of its points from beyond the arc compared to IU’s six. IU didn’t even attempt a 3-pointer in the second half until senior guard Matt Roth had one blocked with 27 seconds to go.“As far as Matt or anybody else, that’s partially my fault too for not driving and kicking enough and finding the open man on the 3-point line,” Hulls said.IU will now await its NCAA Tournament fate that will be determined at 6 p.m. Selection Sunday. Though the loss means IU will not have to play four games in four days in the Big Ten Tournament, Watford said it was a break the Hoosiers didn’t want.“We definitely didn’t want to lose today,” Watford said. “But we’ll go back home, get ready. We’ll find out where were playing and who were playing, and we’ll be ready.”
(03/09/12 8:15pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Despite a blitzkrieg of 3-pointers from Wisconsin, IU only trails 36-31 at the half.The Hoosiers withstood seven 3-pointers from the Badgers to limit it to a two-possession deficit.Leading the way for IU was freshman forward Cody Zeller, who had nine points and junior forward Christian Watford, who had eight points and six rebounds.Wisconsin forwards Jared Berggren and Rob Wilson have fueled the Badgers with ten points apiece while guard Josh Gasser knocked down three 3-pointers.With a minute to play in the first half, the injury bug bit IU again. After losing senior guard Verdell Jones III for the season with a torn right ACL on Thursday, sophomore forward Will Sheehey limped to the locker room with the training staff.
(03/09/12 4:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s basketball team was unfamiliar with winning a postseason game in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.Jordan Hulls and Cody Zeller were not.The junior guard and freshman forward both won Indiana state championships playing in the building formerly known as Conseco Fieldhouse.The duo combined for 39 points to lead No. 5-seeded IU (25-7, 11-7) to a 75-58 victory against No. 12-seeded Penn State (12-20, 4-14) on Thursday.Hulls said he took advantage of the familiar surroundings.“Yeah, it’s not my first time playing here,” Hulls said. “It’s a different shooting background, but shots were falling down for me, my teammates were finding me when I was open, and I was able to create a little bit on my own. Luckily, the shots were falling down.”The shots fell down in bunches for Hulls, who finished with 20 points and shot 7-of-10 from the field. Hulls came in firing on all cylinders with 13 points in the first 9:38 to get IU out to the early lead.A second foul forced Hulls to the bench after his fast start. The 2009 Indiana Mr. Basketball said IU picked up its defense when he went out.“I got in foul trouble there, but my teammates picked it up on the defensive end,” Hulls said.While Hulls lit up the Nittany Lions from 3-point range, Zeller took control on the interior. All of IU’s first 22 points came from Zeller and Hulls.By game’s end, Zeller finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, which was his fourth double-double of his career. Penn State Coach Patrick Chambers said Zeller gave his undersized squad more than it could handle.“He’s a very difficult matchup for anybody, especially us because we’re a little bit small,” Chambers said.When shots weren’t falling for Zeller after his first nine points, the freshman forward found a different way to jump-start the IU offense. Though he shot just 1-of-2 from the floor in the second half, Zeller ended the night with 15 free-throw attempts.“He’s a problem,” Chambers said. “They can put it inside, and he just shoots at such a great clip. He’s not just a big, he’s an athletic big. He’s strong, and he’s physical. He plays like a wily veteran.”Though the 15 free-throw attempts were a career high, they weren’t falling all night. Zeller missed three straight in the second half before he got his fourth to rattle home. After it went down, Zeller pointed to sophomore forward Will Sheehey on the bench and cracked a smile.“He just told me to not worry about it and move on to the next one, which is exactly what I did,” Zeller said. “I don’t know how I missed three in a row.”Zeller and Hulls helped lead an IU attack that notched its second victory of the season at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Though shots weren’t falling for Zeller like they were for Hulls, Zeller said he had to find other ways to get the job done.“I just wanted to be aggressive,” Zeller said. “They were being physical down low, which we’ve seen quite a bit this year. But I just tried to stay aggressive, get to the free-throw line, get rebounds and do all the little things the team needed to win.”
(03/08/12 5:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s been the end for three straight years.Every year that IU Coach Tom Crean has been at the helm of the men’s basketball team, the first round of the Big Ten Tournament marked the end of another postseason-less campaign.This year, it might be just the beginning.The No. 5-seeded Hoosiers (24-7, 11-7) will try to get their first Big Ten Tournament win in the Crean era when they take on No. 12 Penn State (12-19, 4-14) at 1:55 p.m. today at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.But don’t tell that to Crean.“It’s a different year,” Crean said. “We don’t even bring it up. I think the veterans are well aware of that, but that’s not anything we bring up.”In three of those early Big Ten Tournament exits, Penn State has been the victor twice, including this past season’s 61-55 loss to the Nittany Lions.But this season, the script is flipped. Penn State comes into today as the 12-win team in last place in the conference while IU is the favorite with a chance to better its postseason aspirations.“This year you could say we’re more confident,” sophomore guard Victor Oladipo said. “Last year it was like we had a big chip on our shoulder, and we really had nothing to lose.”Part of that reason could be the fact that IU enters the tournament having won seven of its past eight games, compared to 2010-11 when IU stumbled into the first round riding an eight-game losing streak. “Our mindset’s different because we actually feel like we can win it,” junior forward Christian Watford said. “We’re not just playing with nothing to lose. We actually do have something to lose.”Losing a three-game conference winning streak and a chance to better its resume for the NCAA Tournament are what’s at stake for IU. In the team’s way is a Penn State squad that IU has already defeated twice.Guard Tim Frazier, who dished out five assists in this past year’s first round win, helped carry the load for Penn State by averaging 18.6 points, 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.The first team All-Big Ten selection scored 21 points in both of the teams’ meetings this season. Crean said shutting him down will be a major point of emphasis if IU wants to snap its Big Ten Tournament losing streak.“He’s been one of the most complete guards not only in our league but in the country for a long time,” Crean said.After letting up 82 points in the first meeting, IU trailed at halftime in the second meeting at Assembly Hall. Freshman forward Cody Zeller said IU cannot afford to come out sluggish.“We have to bring that same defensive intensity,” Zeller said. “That’s a big key to our success. We’ll have to bring it straight from the start instead of waiting until the second half.”IU has led in the first half of Big Ten Tournament games. The Hoosiers hung within a couple possessions in this past year’s loss to Penn State. But moral victories are not the goal for IU this weekend. For this team, breaking the postseason losing streak and moving on is all it is focused on.“It’d be big for us because it’s been a while since we’ve done that,” Oladipo said. “For what this program has gone through, it’d be big for this program. But at the same time, if we win one game, we can’t be satisfied. That’s just the beginning.”
(03/05/12 4:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was another game and another milestone for the IU men’s basketball team.For the first time in the Tom Crean era, IU (24-7, 11-7) defeated rival Purdue (20-11, 10-8) at Assembly Hall. The 85-74 victory Sunday came on IU’s senior night and clinched a No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.“It’s a fitting day,” Crean said. “It’s a fitting day for these guys to have a win like this, to beat a rival like this, to beat a team that arguably was playing as well as anyone in the last couple weeks and not just in the Big Ten but around the country.”IU junior forward Christian Watford led the Hoosiers in scoring with 19 points with six boards and two assists. The 19-point performance came after Watford failed to make a shot from the field in the team’s first meeting.Watford said he had a different mindset than in the first game.“I was more aggressive,” Watford said. “I got to the basket a lot, and I got a couple layups that got me going early, and I did a good job of getting to the free throw line.”IU got it cooking early on the offensive side and jumped out to a 49-34 halftime lead. The Hoosiers shot 66 percent (20-of-30) from the floor and 57 percent (8-of-14) from 3-point range.The Boilermakers, on the other hand, were held to 36 percent (12-of-33) shooting in the first half.“We had a very good defensive mindset to start the game,” Crean said. “We had a lot of deflections, and we just continue to understand what wins for us.”On a night during which the seniors were honored, it was senior guard Matt Roth who stepped up for IU in the first half. Roth’s three 3-pointers fueled IU’s highest first-half output since Jan. 29, when the Hoosiers defeated Iowa 103-89.The 15-point lead came despite IU only making one free throw in the first half.“We got a tremendous record when we shoot x amount of free-throws,” Crean said. “We didn’t get that in the first half.” That script was flipped in the second half.By game’s end, IU made 18 second-half free throws and just two 3-pointers. IU's 35-percent (8-of-23) shooting in the second half didn't prevent the Hoosiers from pulling out the double-digit victory.Despite being down by as many as 18, the Boilermakers didn’t go out without a fight. Purdue narrowed the deficit to six with a minute and 20 seconds to go.But IU knocked down 10-of-12 free throws in the final minute and 47 seconds to close out the win.“Getting to the free throw is definitely a thing we want to do,” Hulls said. “We’re a good free throw shooting team, so that’s a big emphasis for us. We obviously did a lot better job of that in the second half.”The season sweep against Purdue marked the first time the Hoosiers accomplished that feat since the 2005-06 campaign. Besides taking care of Purdue, IU closed out the regular season with a 5-0 record against the state of Indiana.The win gave IU its seventh in its past eight games as the Hoosiers head into the Big Ten Tournament.“We rise to the occasion right now,” Crean said. “That’s we need to continue to do.”