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(08/11/11 10:17pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Even as the Hoosiers struggled on the court the last two seasons, IU coach Tom Crean told fans to trust him.Better times are ahead. Success will be in the near future.They now understand what he was talking about.Since August 2010, the Hoosiers have landed commitments from 12 of the nation’s top high school basketball players. Nine of those players were raised in Indiana, and two others played AAU basketball for an in-state program. “Maybe it’s taken a little longer than they had hoped, but the tide is turning,” Scout.com recruiting analyst Evan Daniels said. “IU is cool again. It’s the place to go in the state of Indiana.” On Nov. 24, 2010, guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell (Park Tudor School, Indianapolis) became the third Rivals.com five-star player to commit to the Hoosiers in a month. Forward for 2011 Cody Zeller (Washington High School, Washington, Ind.) and 2012 forward Hanner Perea (La Lumiere School, LaPorte, Ind.) join Ferrell on that list. Every other recruit committed to IU for the next four years — the Hoosiers have at least two in every high school class — is highly touted.“It’s flat out impressive what Tom Crean and his staff has been able to accomplish,” Daniels said. “They made some headway with some of the right guys, and it’s paying off.”The Hoosiers, though, are not just landing talent from anywhere. They are quickly becoming the go-to school for Indiana’s top players, one of Crean’s main goals since becoming coach in 2008. The state of Indiana has been a hotbed for some of the nation’s best basketball talent for decades. Former IU basketball coach Bob Knight was able to bring many of the best. Mike Davis, who coached the Hoosiers from 2000-06, struggled to do the same and faced strong criticism in that aspect.Crean, however, has made recruiting for Indiana a top priority since he stepped on campus. “Indiana and Tom Crean have taken back their home state,” ESPN recruiting analyst Dave Telep said. “You are not going to get in that border without Tom Crean or his staff knowing about it.” Both Telep and Daniels said much of IU’s recent success has come from the strong bonds formed between IU coaches and the top AAU programs. One of those is Indiana Elite, which has eight players — Zeller and Austin Etherington in 2011; Ferrell, Perea, Jeremy Hollowell, Ron Patterson and Peter Jurkin in 2012; Collin Hartman in 2013 — all who have committed to the Hoosiers. Mike Barnett, a director of Indiana Elite and father of IU player Kory Barnett, said Crean’s hard work is finally paying dividends. “I think the sky is the limit for this program,” Barnett said. “Crean’s really had to sell people on faith, but I think the product that is going to be on the floor is going to sell a lot of what he has had to get people to envision. “They’ll be able to watch it for real, right in front of their eyes.”Other new facesThe Hoosiers will also welcome an old face this season as Calbert Cheaney returns to IU as the new Director of Basketball Operations. He averaged 19.8 points during four seasons at IU from 1989-93, winning the Naismith Award as national player of the year as a senior. He played 13 seasons in the NBA with five teams, retiring in 2006.
(04/28/11 4:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Just two days after visiting Bloomington, 2011 guard Remy Abell knew where he wanted to go to college. Abell, a 6-foot-4-inch guard from Eastern High School in Louisville, Ky., committed Wednesday to play for IU Coach Tom Crean and the Hoosiers. “IU’s a great school with a lot of tradition and history,” Abell said. “When I went on my visit, I loved everything about it. I’m just trying to go there and be a competitor and bring toughness. I want to help bring them back to a winning tradition.”The All-State selection chose IU instead of Penn State, Xavier, Western Kentucky and Butler. He joins Washington (Ind.) High School power forward Cody Zeller and Hamilton Heights (Ind.) High School small forward Austin Etherington in the 2011 class. Abell averaged 16 points, 2.7 assists and 2.5 steals as a senior for Eastern. He helped lead his team to a 33-3 record this season and a spot in the state semifinals. His 113 career wins are the most achieved in school history.Much of the decision to choose IU, Abell said was based on wanting to play for Crean. “He’s a future Hall of Fame coach,” Abell said. “He’s someone that can push you and get you ready for the next level. I’m really happy to be associated with him and have him coach me.”Abell originally committed to Bradley University last September, but opted out after the school fired coach Jim Les in March.But while one school lost out on the tough scoring guard, another gained one. Evan Daniels, a national recruiting analyst for Scout.com, said he believes Abell will be a nice addition to the IU lineup next season.“Remy’s a hard-nosed combo guard that can really defend and is improving the offensive side of his game,” Daniels said. “He’s a kid that can really get to the basket and finish around the rim. I just like his toughness and how hard he plays.” Abell said he was looking forward to joining the team this summer and beginning his college career. “I just want to come and show everybody that I’m a winner,” he said. “I really can’t wait to get started.”
(04/05/11 2:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Jeremiah Rivers’ chances of playing professionally next year just got even better. The IU senior guard was invited Monday to the Portsmouth Invitational Pre-Draft camp in Virginia, a tournament for the nation’s top seniors from Wednesday through Saturday. Rivers is one of 64 players in the event. He will compete on one of eight teams in front of approximately 200 scouts from the NBA, NBA D-League and teams from overseas.In addition to Rivers, the Portsmouth Invitational — one of the United States’ oldest amateur basketball tournaments — will also feature a multitude of other Big Ten upperclassmen. That list includes Ohio State’s Jon Diebler, Michigan State’s Durrell Summers, Penn State’s Talor Battle, Minnesota’s Blake Hoffarber and Illinois’ Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale. Rivers, arguably IU’s top defender, averaged 3.8 points and 3.0 rebounds for the Hoosiers last season. He played his final two seasons in Bloomington after transferring from Georgetown in 2008.Since IU’s season ended in a loss to Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament, Rivers has been training for the professional ranks in Boston each weekend. His father, Doc Rivers, is the head coach of the Boston Celtics. After Rivers’ Senior Night speech March 3, IU coach Tom Crean said the lone senior’s work ethic is what will separate him at the next level.“I don’t know if there has been a day that he hasn’t come in during the season,” Crean said. “I can’t remember a day where I did not see him in this building. That’s put him in the class of great workers that I have been with.” Rivers, who said he has other aspirations in fashion and music, made it clear before Senior Night what his plans were after graduation.“I’m just going to continue playing basketball,” Rivers told the Indiana Daily Student. “That’s what I do. If you love what you do, you’re not going to give up on it.”
(03/25/11 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU’s already highly touted class of 2012 just got even better. Lawrence Central (Indianapolis) junior Jeremy Hollowell, the No. 39 overall player according to Rivals.com (and No. 23-recruit on Scout.com), decided Thursday afternoon at his high school that he wanted to become a Hoosier. “This past week I was thinking about it pretty hard, and I went with my gut feeling,” said Hollowell, who chose IU over Purdue, Ohio State and Cincinnati. “In Indiana, I see something pretty amazing, and I wanted to make sure I was a part of that.”The small forward became the fifth high school junior to commit to IU in recent months. He joined five-star recruits Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell and forward Hanner Perea, as well as four-star guard Ron Patterson and three-star center Peter Jurkin. Evan Daniels, a National Recruiting Analyst for Scout.com, said IU currently has the No. 1 recruiting class for 2012.“No question, at this stage in the game, there really isn’t another school close,” Daniels said. “Hats off to (IU coach Tom Crean). This is a terrific class. They may not have had the results on the court yet, but if he keeps doing what he is doing off the court, they are certainly going to come.” By gaining Hollowell’s commitment, Crean added one of the most versatile wing players in the nation. Listed at 6-foot-6, Hollowell has the ability to play the shooting guard, small forward or power forward spots on the floor. He demonstrated this while averaging 18.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for the Bears, who went 15-10 this season.J.R. Shelt, Hollowell’s coach at Lawrence Central, said versatility is what will enable him to be successful in the Big Ten.“Jeremy can go to Princeton and play. He’s a basketball player,” Shelt said. “Whatever coach Crean needs him to do, he can do. He’s a kid that at 6-foot-7, 6-foot-8 that can handle the ball, shoot the three, can post up and defend.” Hollowell said a large part of his decision was based on the relationships he has with other IU recruits. He and Ferrell have known each other since elementary school and played on an AAU team together during that time. Hollowell became close with Patterson while on the same AAU team a couple of years ago and has competed multiple times against both Perea and Jurkin.“I think we can do something special,” Hollowell said. “We all don’t really play the same position, so we’ll come together and work as a team.” Ferrell said he was excited when he heard the news of Hollowell’s commitment and could not wait to join his future teammates in Bloomington. “We’re going in there with a lot of high expectations that we’ll work toward,” Ferrell said. “We’re going there to win.”
(03/11/11 5:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS — Different venue, same story. Similar to IU’s loss to Penn State in December at Assembly Hall, the Hoosiers could not contain the Nittany Lion frontcourt in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.Those problems on the interior ended in a 61-55 defeat for the Hoosiers at Conseco Fieldhouse.Penn State forward Jeff Brooks, who had a career-high 23 points against the Hoosiers in the earlier matchup, paced Penn State with 15 points Thursday. Brooks was complemented down low with strong play from forward Andrew Jones, who added 12 points of his own.The Nittany Lions did the most harm on the glass, as they out-rebounded IU 34-to-23 (including 16-to-7 in the second half). “The game plan on Brooks we did not follow as well, and we had a couple of tough match-ups tonight — the (D.J.) Jackson match-up and the Brooks match-up,” IU coach Tom Crean said. “And that’s why we had to mix defenses more. It got us in rotation. “There were a couple of times we just didn’t block out very well. When everything is all said and done, the rebounding I think was the difference in the game. And a lot of that, like I said, is because of the rotations.”Most of the focus for IU entering the matchup was on guard Talor Battle and for good reason. The senior was recently named All-Big Ten First Team after leading Penn State in scoring with 20.4 points per game. That plan worked for IU, as tough defense — in particular senior guard Jeremiah Rivers — forced Battle into contested shots from the get-go. He was 1-of-6 shooting from the field at halftime and ended with only 13 total points.“I just wanted him to not have confidence around me,” Rivers said. “Every time he was around me, I didn’t want him to feel like he could just score, and I don’t think he did. I just kept hacking at the ball, getting in him, and was able to do a pretty good job on him.”IU did what it could to minimize the damage in the first 20 minutes. It went into halftime with the same amount of rebounds as the Nittany Lions and had a two-point advantage in the paint. The second half, though, brought a different result. Brooks was fed the ball on a majority of offensive possessions for Penn State, and he didn’t disappoint. The senior scored at will in the second half, finishing 5-of-7 from the field in that period. Some of that can be traced back to poor defending from freshman forward Will Sheehey, who was often found on Brooks down the stretch.“Our bigs got into foul trouble early, and that hurt us on the block,” Sheehey said. “There were times, myself personally, I just played horrible defense.”IU sophomore forward Christian Watford, who finished with 15 points on the night, said the loss was based on a lack of toughness on the glass.“We had a lot of mental lapses on the rebounding end,” Watford said. “A couple times we didn’t hit guys and a couple times tipped a couple balls out and got long rebounds. It was a battle all game, and they unfortunately won the rebounds.”
(03/10/11 5:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU sophomore forward Christian Watford wanted to make one thing clear: Not one player on the roster believes the season will end after Thursday night’s matchup against Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.The “intensity in practice” this week has caused him to believe the Hoosiers are primed for a deep run.“Nobody wants to be one and done, and nobody wants to go home right now,” Watford said. “It’s basically all or nothing for us. We’re going to go out there and give it our all.”That mind-set is what IU coach Tom Crean has been looking for all season.After his team’s most recent loss to Illinois — a 72-48 drubbing in Champaign, Ill. — Crean said it came down to the players’ will.But he, like Watford, said Wednesday that everyone is focused heading into the opening round game against the Nittany Lions. “They know they didn’t play with the intensity and toughness that they needed to, and our week has been very good because of that,” Crean said. “Leading up to tomorrow night, I couldn’t ask for more from them. They’ve been attentive, they’ve concentrated.“The practices have been shorter because they have played with and inside of those. Their mind-set is very good going into this tournament.” Against Penn State — who defeated IU 69-60 in Bloomington last December — everything will have to click for the Hoosiers to advance. The Nittany Lions (16-13, 9-9) have taken three of their past five conference games, including a 66-63 win on the road Sunday against Minnesota. Penn State is led by senior guard Talor Battle — recently named a member of the All-Big Ten First Team — who averages 20.4 points per game. “It’s as good of a challenge as there is in the league,” Crean said about guarding Battle. “He is in range once he crosses half court, there’s no doubt about that. It’s not about picking him up. You got to find him very, very early.” But Battle is not the only member of the Nittany Lions the Hoosiers will have to worry about. Jeff Brooks, a 6-foot-8 forward, averages 13.5 points with a team-leading 6.8 rebounds per game. He has a full complement of post moves but can also hit the midrange shot if left open.In Penn State’s win against IU earlier this season, Brooks paced the team with 23 points and eight rebounds. Guard Tim Frazier has also been a key component down the stretch, teaming with Battle to form one of the top back courts in the Big Ten. IU sophomore guard Jordan Hulls said there is not one player in particular his team is focusing on from Penn State. “Talor Battle, he’s a good player, so we always have to know where he is at,” Hulls said. “But again, they are a team full of guys who can make shots and make plays. We just have to focus on getting back in transition, stopping the ball and then turning that into our offense.” IU junior guard Verdell Jones echoed Hulls’ feelings and said the team is confident it will be successful Thursday night. “We just need to play our hardest, our best,” Jones said. “We’ve watched plenty of film and have had a lot of prep time for them. We’ll give it our best effort.”
(03/07/11 3:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – When asked about his team’s performance against Illinois on Saturday, IU junior guard Verdell Jones answered with three words: “disappointing and embarrassing.”And while some of that feeling stemmed from allowing the Illini to shoot nearly 50 percent from the field, much was based on the Hoosiers’ inability to score in their 72-48 road loss.Jones said IU’s offense — which shot 31.6 percent from the field, including 17.6 from 3-point range — came as a result of little energy early on.“I felt that as a collective group, our energy wasn’t there,” Jones said. “I felt like there were certain guys who still had some fight in them, but it’s draining when not everyone is on the same page.” That lack of effort was noticeable from the opening tip. The Hoosiers (12-19, 3-15) did not get into double figures until the 10:36 mark in the first half. IU sophomore forward Christian Watford’s tip-in cut the Illini’s deficit to 12 points, at 23-11. Not only were the Hoosiers not hitting shots, but they were also turning the ball over. Errant passing and dribbling into crowds ended with IU giving the ball up five times in the first half. Illinois (19-12, 9-9) capitalized with 10 points off those mistakes and went into halftime with a 46-27 advantage. IU coach Tom Crean said that early turnovers plagued the Hoosiers’ first half.“They were costly because of where they happened,” Crean said. “We dribbled into traffic and tried to make plays that weren’t there. You got to open up the defense by reversing the ball, by getting it swung two, three or even four times. They collapsed, and we weren’t very strong with the ball. That’s where the turnovers came.” IU’s offense, though, was even worse in the final 20 minutes. The Hoosiers scored seven points through the first 10 minutes of the half. IU faced its largest deficit with 10:41 remaining in the contest, down 29 points.Similar problems from earlier in the game continued down the stretch, as the Hoosiers shot 24.1 percent in the second half.Sophomore guard Jordan Hulls and Watford finished a combined 1-of-15 from the field. Jones, who ended with 12 points, was the only Hoosier in double figures. “You don’t even have a chance. It doesn’t matter what your defense looks like if you are shooting 17 percent from three and in the low 30s for the game,” Crean said. “We took too many jump shots early when we needed to try to attack them at the basket. Then when we needed jump shots, they didn’t go either.” Saturday’s loss marked the first time since the 1900-01 season that IU did not win a true road game in a season. It also locked the Hoosiers in the No. 11 seed for the Big Ten Tournament, in which they face No. 6 Penn State at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Conseco Fieldhouse. Hulls said for his team to be successful in Indianapolis, improvements on both sides of the ball need to occur.“We came in, and they blew us out,” he said. “We didn’t rebound the ball well, we didn’t play tough, we didn’t fight them — just a lot of things that we can control that we didn’t do.”
(03/05/11 4:52pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – After the Hoosiers defeated Illinois on Jan. 27, IU coach Tom Crean celebrated by hugging his wife and cheering with the fans in attendance at Assembly Hall. On Saturday in Champaign, Ill., though, he walked off with a look of dismay.Crean’s team was outplayed on both ends of the floor in Illinois’ lopsided 72-48 win at home.“I don’t think it’s the energy, it’s the will,” Crean said. “The energy is what you make it. It’s the will of getting things done. We didn’t have that will today.” The problems for IU began early on and never ceased, as the Illini jumped to an early lead it would never give back. Forward Mike Davis opened the game with a layup and continued his prowess inside – along with fellow senior Mike Tisdale - for the remainder of the half.And with the defense of IU focusing on Illinois’ big men, guard Demetri McCamey was left open for mid-range and 3-point jump shots. McCamey led all scorers at half with 16 points, as the Illini went into the locker room with a 46-27 lead after 20 minutes. IU sophomore guard Jordan Hulls said much of the problems in the first half stemmed from a lack of transition defense.“We came in and they blew us out,” Hulls said. “Our transition defense wasn’t the best in the beginning. We just got to get back on D and play a lot better defense.” And while Illinois appeared unable to miss offensively, IU couldn’t seem to find the bottom of the net. Rushed and contested shots lead to the team shooting only 39.3 percent in the first half. The final 20 minutes was worse, in which the Hoosiers connected on only 24.1 percent of their attempts.Crean said poor shot selection played a part in the low offensive statistics. “You don’t even have a chance – it doesn’t matter what your defense looks like – if you are shooting 17 percent from three and in the low thirties for the game,” Crean said. “We took too many jump shots early when we needed to try to attack them at the basket. Then when we needed jump shots, they didn’t go either.” Davis said a major reason for his team’s strong play, especially early in the game, was based around wanting payback. He felt IU’s celebratory actions after the win in January “disrespected us.” “Last night on film, we used them storming the court and the coach going and kissing his wife after the game as motivation,” said Davis. The Alexandria, Va., native ended his season on a high note, while the Hoosiers finished with their eighth straight loss. Junior guard Verdell Jones described Saturday’s effort as “disappointing and embarrassing.” “Our performance tonight explained itself,” Jones said. “We couldn’t hit anything on the offensive end but all started by not guarding anybody. They had too many points in transition and in the half court. “They took it to us tonight.”
(03/04/11 6:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As Jeremiah Rivers walked off the court with 11 seconds remaining, he did so to a standing ovation from the fans and his name being echoed throughout Assembly Hall.His season wasn’t yet finished — the Big Ten Tournament is held in Indianapolis next week — but his time on Branch McCracken Court was.Following his team’s 77-67 loss to No. 10 Wisconsin on Thursday night, Rivers stood with his family, grabbed the microphone from fellow departing teammate Guy-Marc Michel, and thanked the crowd. Afterward, the lone senior spoke of the special night.“When I walked in the locker room, I can see everyone’s disappointment,” Rivers said. “I can see it in their eyes — guys were teary eyed. That’s all I can ask for. It’s been a great journey here.” Rivers finished the night with six points on 2-of-5 shooting and four rebounds. But as IU coach Tom Crean has said a multitude of times this season, Rivers’ impact on the squad is not seen in the box score. The senior is the team’s top defender — guarding the opposing team’s best scorer almost every game — and is one of the more vocal leaders on the roster. Crean made that loud and clear as Rivers was subbed out for the final time against Wisconsin.“I said, ‘listen to them, you earned that’,” Crean said. “That was totally what he has done. No coach, no other player, that’s nobody asking. That’s the fans of Indiana responding to a guy change his game — change his mindset of the game — to do some really good things.” The IU coach was asked after the loss what differentiates Rivers from other players he has coached in his career. He answered by talking about Rivers’ work ethic. “I don’t know if there has been a day that he hasn’t come in during the season,” Crean said. “I can’t remember a day where I did not see him in this building. That’s put him in the class of great workers that I have been with.” Rivers’ teammates made it clear this week that they wanted to send him out on top.IU junior guard Verdell Jones said that that was one of his main priorities after his team’s loss to Ohio State on Sunday. Junior forward Kory Barnett said the same Wednesday afternoon. But thanks to exceptional play from Wisconsin guard Jordan Taylor — who scored 39 points on 11-of-19 shooting — it did not end in the Hoosiers’ favor.The Badger guard’s point total was the second most scored in the history of Assembly Hall for an opponent. IU sophomore guard Jordan Hulls said he and his teammates were very disappointed they could not pull out the victory for Rivers. “We always give effort, but it is tough to lose to a top 10 team like that in our home on Senior Night for Jeremiah’s last game in Assembly Hall,” Hulls said. “He’s a great player for us defensively and offensively he’s a lot getting better. He’s meant a lot for this team, and we are going to miss him next year.”
(03/01/11 5:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bob Knight, who coached the IU men’s basketball team for 29 seasons, was selected Monday as one of eight new members for National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.He is joined by former Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton as well as players Ralph Sampson, James Worthy, Cazzie Russell, Chris Mullin and contributors Joe Vancisin and Eddie Einhorn.Knight’s 902 career wins are the most in men’s college basketball history. He began his coaching career in 1963 at Army before taking the head job at IU in 1971.During his time in Bloomington, he led the Hoosiers to three national championships in 1976, 1981 and 1987. Knight also took IU to five NCAA Final Fours and helped it achieve 11 Big Ten regular season titles.“The General,” as he became known, coached the 1984 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in Los Angeles. Knight was dismissed from IU in 2000 after violating a “zero-tolerance” policy regarding his behavior. After taking a season off, he became head coach of Texas Tech. He coached in Lubbock, Texas, from 2001-08 before announcing his retirement.
(02/28/11 5:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a road matchup against the No. 2 squad in the country, the IU men’s basketball team needed every player clicking for a chance at an upset.This was especially true for sophomore guard Jordan Hulls, one of the most prolific shooters on the Hoosiers’ roster.But against Ohio State on Sunday — an 82-61 loss at Value City Arena — he was nowhere to be found.Hulls, who came in averaging 11.5 points per game, finished the day with three points on 1-of-9 shooting. He also did not get to the free throw line, where he makes 90 percent of his attempts.IU coach Tom Crean said he was not sure why Hulls couldn’t get into a rhythm.“I said to him after the game, I don’t think we will ever see something like that from him, he’s too good of a shooter,” Crean said. “He didn’t have as good of looks, but he had some good looks. It just didn’t go in.”The sophomore began the game 0-for-8 before hitting a 3-pointer from the left side with 11:48 remaining. At that point, though, the contest was already out of hand for IU (12-17) with the Buckeyes ahead, 58-39.While some of the blame rests on Hulls, much of the problems stemmed from the tough defense of Ohio State (27-2). The Buckeyes played solid on-ball defense on the perimeter and forced Hulls into contested shots. Ohio State senior guard/forward David Lighty said controlling Hulls’ offensive production was a main goal heading into the matchup. “We just tried to disrupt him as much as possible, especially on ball screens,” Lighty said. “I think our bigs — Jared (Sullinger) and Dallas (Lauderdale) — did a good job containing him when he came off the screens and everyone else just rotated. It worked in our favor.” Buckeyes coach Thad Matta emphasized how important it was for his team to limit IU’s shooting percentage. Guarding Hulls — who shot better than 50 percent from the field entering Sunday’s game — was an obvious way of accomplishing this.“We had seen from game one to game two that he went from five shots to 10 shots a game, and so obviously he is more aggressive looking to score,” Matta said. “It wasn’t as much from the 3’s as it was the 2’s, and we were really just trying to use our size as much as we could and challenge shots.”The Hoosiers welcome No. 12 Wisconsin to Assembly Hall on Thursday before traveling to Champaign, Ill., for a road matchup against the Illini.Crean said if IU hopes to finish the season strong against two of the better teams in the conference, its top scorers need to fulfill their role.“The better teams in the league are getting consistency in the scoring from their best players,” he said of Hulls, sophomore forward Christian Watford and junior guard Verdell Jones. “We’re not there yet. We’re not getting that now.” Jones echoed his coach’s thoughts and said when a teammate like Hulls has a poor game, others need to provide additional contribution.“Guys are going to have bad shooting nights,” Jones said. “For our teammates, we got to step up and cover for them. We just didn’t do that for him tonight.”
(02/25/11 4:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU coach Tom Crean said his team’s loss to No. 8 Purdue on Wednesday night was largely based on the inability to stop potential All-Americans E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson.Unfortunately for Crean, it doesn’t get any easier from here.The Hoosiers face No. 2 Ohio State — led by freshman forward Jared Sullinger and four upperclassmen — at 4 p.m. Sunday in Columbus, Ohio. And if IU has a chance to upset the Buckeyes at Value City Arena, it needs to defend better as a whole. “I don’t think it’s a matter of us not competing,” IU sophomore guard Jordan Hulls said. “It’s a matter of us not executing.” Crean has been critical of his team’s defensive play during the past three games, and the Hoosiers have not responded the way he has hoped. Following the Hoosiers’ 73-69 loss to Michigan — in which IU trailed late in the game by 22 points — he said the team needed to be “more combative.”After IU’s 70-64 loss to Northwestern on Feb. 19, Crean emphasized “not enough team accountability on the defensive end.” On Wednesday night, it came down to not playing smart enough defensively. “We played hard and we competed, but like I said, we weren’t as smart as they were,” Crean said. “We had too many mistakes, especially in the first half, defensively. We couldn’t get over the hump.”An area of concern for IU during the three games has been slow starts. In those matchups, the Hoosiers went into halftime down eight points to Michigan and 10 points to both Northwestern and Purdue.Despite battling back in all three games, IU could not overcome the early deficit.“On offense, we didn’t flow into it as well as we needed to,” Hulls said specifically of the Purdue game. “We were a little stagnant.”And if there is one team in the conference the Hoosiers can’t afford to dig a hole against, it’s Ohio State. The Buckeyes boast the top-scoring offense in the Big Ten (77.1 percent per game) and the second-best field goal percentage in the nation (49.3 percent). The veteran squad is led in the post by Sullinger, who averages a team-best 17.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. But while Sullinger and senior teammate Dallas Lauderdale make up one of the conference’s top frontcourts, Ohio State may be even stronger on the perimeter. Senior Jon Diebler and junior William Buford are two of the Big Ten’s top-six 3-point shooters. Redshirt senior David Lighty presents a tough matchup because he is tall, long and can play either the guard or the forward position. Though freshman guard Aaron Craft comes off the bench, he plays starters minutes and is comfortable with the ball in his hands at all times. IU junior guard Verdell Jones said Wednesday that smarter overall play will translate into wins in the final games of the season. “It’s very frustrating to know we made little mistakes here and there,” Jones said. “If we corrected those, we are right in the game.”
(02/24/11 5:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was a theme seen many times throughout the season: trail early on, fight back and come up short in the end.And similar to games in the past, it happened again for IU on Wednesday.No. 8 Purdue, who pulled away late in the second half, defeated the Hoosiers, 72-61, at Assembly Hall.Boilermaker forward JaJuan Johnson finished with a game-high 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Fellow senior, guard E’Twaun Moore, added 17 points on the night. After the game, IU coach Tom Crean said Purdue’s duo was a main factor in the loss. “When it’s all said and done, those two make the game so much easier for everybody else,” Crean said of Johnson and Moore. “They allow people to play over their talent level and that’s what great players do. We knew we had to be really good to stop those two, and we weren’t.” IU, despite playing in front of a sold-out crowd, could not find its rhythm early on. Arguably its top-scoring threat, sophomore guard Jordan Hulls began the game 1-of-6 from the field. Outside of junior guard Verdell Jones, no other Hoosier player had more than two field goals in the first 20 minutes. But while IU struggled offensively, the Boilermakers did not. Whether it was a big 3-pointer from Moore and D.J. Byrd or strong inside play from Johnson, the Boilermakers built a lead that would never be relinquished. Moore’s jumper from the right side with one second remaining gave Purdue a 41-31 advantage at halftime. Hulls said much of the problems early on stemmed from a lack of transition defense.“We were right there with them, and then they would come down and hit a three on the break,” Hulls said. “It was pretty rough for us from that aspect. We had some defensive lapses other than that as well.” The Hoosiers, though, would not go away easy.At one point down 13 points early in the second half, IU quickly climbed back in the game behind inspired play from Hulls.He hit a 3-pointer and followed it moments later with a layup while being fouled (followed by a made free throw) to cut the deficit to four points with 12:19 remaining. Freshman guard Victor Oladipo’s layup made it a three-point game with 8:40 left.Purdue did not let up, and as a result, took its fifth consecutive win in a row. Johnson, in particular, was the team’s catalyst in the final minutes. “He played great in the second half,” IU sophomore forward Christian Watford said. “He can step out and shoot the ball, plus he’s a long and athletic guy. He did a great job and his teammates did a great job.” Jones said the game’s outcome could be traced back to “mental errors” from his squad.“We practiced certain coverages all week,” he said. “We came out today and some guys were not locked in. It cost us a lot of buckets.”
(02/21/11 3:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU junior guard Verdell Jones said Saturday’s outcome was a result of two things: energy and focus.And with neither occurring on the defensive end, the Hoosiers dropped their fourth consecutive game, 70-64, to Northwestern at Assembly Hall.“It looked like guys out there didn’t want to play,” Jones said. “We just played too lackadaisical to win. We got to play smarter.” The biggest issue on defense came from the perimeter. Northwestern (16-10, 6-9) hit 11 3-pointers — including seven in the first half — to take an early lead that was never relinquished. It also shot 45 percent from beyond the arc, something that Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said was an improvement for his team.“We don’t have much of an inside game, so you have to do what you are pretty good at,” he said. “We haven’t shot threes well on the road, but most teams don’t shoot well on the road. We were 11-for-24 throughout the game and we average 10 (3-pointers) per game.”Pacing the Wildcats was senior guard Michael Thompson, who finished with 22 points on 4-of-13 shooting. His long-range proficiency in particular pushed Northwestern ahead in the first half.With the Hoosiers (12-15, 3-11) ahead 19-16 with 8:43 remaining in the first half, Thompson hit a 3-pointer to tie the game. He then put Northwestern in front on the next possession with a second 3-pointer.The game’s turning point, though, came with the score tied at 22 with 6:36 remaining in the first half. Thompson dribbled down the left side of the court and proceeded to sink a 3-pointer while being fouled by IU junior guard Daniel Moore. The free-throw made moments later were the start to an 18-10 run to finish the first half.“I think a lot of it was a lack of communication,” IU sophomore forward Derek Elston said of his team’s early play. “Everybody was trying hard to get through screens, but it was just whether or not we were calling them out. Everything was just a communication problem.” The Hoosiers’ inability to guard from the outside was also seen in the second half. IU had a few chances to cut the lead and swing momentum, but each time Northwestern put an end to that.With 16:45 remaining in the game, IU junior forward Tom Pritchard’s reverse layup started a 6-0 run by the Hoosiers to make the score 44-43 in favor of the Wildcats. But Northwestern forward John Shurna quieted the crowd by calmly burying a 3-pointer to extend his team’s lead. Similar Hoosier runs were answered down the stretch, including baskets beyond the arc from Alex Marcotullio and Drew Crawford.The Wildcats were able to make the big shots when needed, while IU could not do the same.Much of that, IU coach Tom Crean said, stemmed from a poor defensive mindset from his players. “Our biggest problem tonight was exposed in the first half when there’s not enough team accountability on the defensive end,” he said. “Defensive-minded players do not accept when teammates on the court are not defending the way they need to defend. It has got to be a mindset that players bring to one another.“Those are the things that I’m tired of seeing, and we’ve got to keep working to correct it.”
(02/14/11 1:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>ANN ARBOR, Mich. — As sophomore guard Jordan Hulls’ three-point attempt rattled off the rim with eight seconds remaining, IU’s chance of pulling off a comeback all but ended.The Hoosiers, despite being down by double-digits with just more than five minutes remaining, fell in a nail-biter to Michigan, 73-69, Saturday at the Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich. IU coach Tom Crean, whose team trailed late in the game by 22 points, said his players must learn to be “combative” for the entire 40 minutes. “When we play with a complete edge — with a combative edge — it’s amazing what happens,” Crean said. “Everyone is getting better, but it’s that combativeness. It’s got to be out all the time, and it’s what we are missing.” Forced passes and poor shots from the Hoosiers caused the Wolverines to jump out to an early 19-11 lead with 11:41 remaining in the first half. Michigan never allowed the Hoosiers to cut the deficit to less than eight points before halftime. The Wolverines opened the second half on fire from beyond the arc with two 3-pointers, one from Stu Douglass and another from Tim Hardaway Jr., to extend their lead to 41-28 with 17:54 remaining. Crean said Hardaway Jr. — the game’s leading scorer with 26 points — was a key factor in the game’s outcome. “He punked our guys, and it should have never been that way,” Crean said. “Earlier in the season he was a shot-taker, but now he’s a shot-maker. He’s a shot-maker at mid-range, at the rim and from three.” The Wolverines’ advantage reached 22 points with just more than five minutes remaining thanks to the sharpshooting of Hardaway Jr., guard Darius Morris and guard Zack Novak.Despite the large deficit, the Hoosiers did not quit. Effectively executing a full-court trap, IU caused turnovers and sent Michigan to the free throw line to speed up the game.With the Wolverines missing from the line — they were 8-of-19 during the second half — the Hoosiers took control down the stretch. IU sophomore forward Christian Watford, who returned for his first game since breaking a bone in his left hand against Michigan State on Jan. 30, led the way with nine of his team-high 14 points in the final minutes. The Hoosiers went on a 23-4 run to make it a three-point game with 27 seconds remaining, but the hole into which the Hoosiers dug themselves during the first 35 minutes was too great to overcome.“We have to be wiser. We have to be smarter,” IU freshman guard Victor Oladipo said. “We need to play all 40 minutes. We are very capable of playing all 40 minutes but just got to do it.” Watford echoed Oladipo’s statement and said his team needs to play with that extra intensity for the entire game. “We’re going to fight until the end, but we should have not gotten down like that in the first place,” Watford said. “It’s kind of easy to play when you are down 20-plus because you don’t want to get embarrassed. You just go out there and leave it all on the line.“We should have had that mind-set from the get-go.”
(02/11/11 4:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Forced to play the past three games without sophomore forward Christian Watford due to a left hand injury, IU has needed players to step into his role.Enter freshman forward Will Sheehey.Though he is not the complete player that Watford is — Watford was leading the team in scoring with 17 points per game — Sheehey has recently shown why he was so highly regarded entering the season.IU coach Tom Crean, whose team faces Michigan at 4 p.m. Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich., said Sheehey’s recent contributions have been crucial. “He’s playing like a starter in the Big Ten, and he’s gaining confidence by the bushel,” Crean said. “He’s being aggressive, and he’s got an excellent feel for the game. I don’t even think he is scratching the surface yet in the way that he can pass the ball. “His shooting has improved tremendously. One of the key reasons we signed him is because of his pull-up jumper. You guys are starting to see more of that.”Sheehey has started the last six games for the Hoosiers and has made the most of his increased time on the court. He has averaged eight points per game during that span, including 12 against Iowa and a season-high 14 against Purdue. The energy Sheehey provides is a major reason why Crean has played him more recently.Against the Boilermakers on Tuesday night in West Lafayette, Sheehey played tight defense on potential All-America forward JaJuan Johnson. In IU’s 64-63 loss to Iowa last week, he threw down a one-handed dunk on Melsahn Basabe that caused the Assembly Hall crowd to go wild. “We’ve had a lot of injuries this season, and with that, it gives us more time to get in and show what we can do,” Sheehey said. “You want to have guys healthy, but when they are not, you have to come and play.”One aspect of Sheehey’s game that has steadily improved since the beginning of the season is his aggressiveness. He’s attacking the rim at will and has found a knack for getting tough rebounds in traffic. Sheehey said that part of his game has really come around as of late. “Taking the ball to the basket I did a lot in high school,” Sheehey said. “But I’m definitely feeling more comfortable now, so I’m going to keep doing it.” Sheehey’s contributions to the Hoosiers, though, have not gone unnoticed by his teammates.IU junior guard Verdell Jones said Sheehey and fellow freshman Victor Oladipo have both stepped up this past week in the absence of Watford.“They’ve both grown so fast,” Jones said. “They aren’t playing like freshmen right now. Will’s athletic and long ... he gets a lot of buckets. He’s brought a great thing to our team.”
(02/09/11 5:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>WEST LAFAYETTE — When asked about the in-state rivalry following Tuesday’s game, Purdue guard Lewis Jackson described it as “war.”But in IU’s 67-53 loss at Mackey Arena, it was the No. 14 Boilermakers who benefited from the extra firepower. Purdue guard E’Twaun Moore paced his squad with 25 points and eight rebounds, while forward JaJuan Johnson added 15 points and eight rebounds of his own to push the Boilermakers to victory. IU coach Tom Crean said Moore and Johnson were too much to handle Tuesday. “We don’t have a matchup for JaJuan Johnson, not many do,” Crean said. “He made some plays that really good players like that make. We mixed guys on E’Twaun Moore. “We didn’t play mistake-free basketball. And when you are playing guys like that, who are so dominant on their team, you got to be as relatively mistake-free as you possibly can.” Moore and Johnson, though, were not alone in contributions on the offensive end. Jackson complemented both seniors with 13 points and four rebounds. And while Purdue’s offense was in sync for most of the matchup — the Boilermakers shot 50 percent in the second half — the Hoosiers’ was not. The biggest impact was felt from behind the arc, as IU shot a combined 2-for-13 from the 3-point line. It finished the game shooting 35 percent from the field as a team. IU sophomore guard Jordan Hulls said the outcome may have been different had his team been able to score more effectively from the perimeter. “Any time you can hit 3-pointers, you can be in a lot of games that way,” Hulls said. “That definitely would have helped, but there were also some defensive things we need to work on that ended up costing us.” Without sophomore forward and leading scorer Christian Watford, who was out for the third consecutive game with a broken left hand, IU needed players to step up into his role.Freshman forward Will Sheehey did that, hitting 5-of-12 shots en route to 14 points against the Boilermakers. He was also effective driving the lane, getting to the free throw line three times (once after a made lay-up) and making each one. Sheehey said the added time on the court has benefited both himself and freshman Victor Oladipo lately. “We’ve had a lot of injuries this season, and with that, it gives us more time to get in and show what we can do,” Sheehey said. “You want to have guys healthy, but when they are not, you have to come and play.” But even with Sheehey’s added contribution, IU could not seem to cut the gap against Purdue.With 14:08 remaining in the game, Oladipo’s lay-up brought the deficit to only four points. The Boilermakers, however, would not relinquish the lead they gained midway through the first half. Moore, Johnson and Lewis continued the balanced scoring in a variety of ways, as the Boilermakers never allowed IU to get within seven points in the final six and a half minutes. The biggest discrepancy came at the free throw line, as Purdue had 28 attempts to only seven for the Hoosiers. The Boilermakers’ defense also tightened up down the stretch and did not allow the Hoosiers to get any closer.“Our guys are learning. We rebounded well and did a lot of good things,” Crean said. “We’ve made progress. But they had some big answers when they needed them, and we didn’t have enough of that.”
(02/08/11 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As he left the visiting team’s locker room at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa two weeks ago, IU senior guard Jeremiah Rivers found his father standing a few feet away. For a few minutes they talked briefly about how they were doing and the Hoosiers’ road loss.Similar dialogues occur daily between parent and child after games. But with Rivers’ dad being Glenn “Doc” Rivers — a former NBA All-Star and current head coach of the Boston Celtics — this was different. The same could be said about Jeremiah’s path to becoming a starting basketball player in the Big Ten. GROWING UP A COACH’S SONDuring his childhood, Jeremiah was forced to adapt to new surroundings every few years, as his father constantly changed teams as a player and a coach in the NBA. First it was Milwaukee. Then it was Atlanta. Then it was Los Angeles. After a few years in New York, Jeremiah spent his middle school years in San Antonio while Doc finished up his career with the Spurs. At the time, Jeremiah was considered one of the top young running backs in the state.“No question about it, I was a monster at football,” he said jokingly. “But when we moved to Orlando, I just started to focus on basketball for some reason. I think maybe it was because my dad became head coach of the Magic and I was around it a lot more.”As a result, Jeremiah played basketball constantly. He talked about it constantly. But he wasn’t alone in having high aspirations. His older sister Callie — currently a professional volleyball player in Puerto Rico — and younger brother Austin — the No. 1 ranked high school basketball player in America — all developed a hunger to be the best at what they do. Jeremiah’s mother, Kristen, said her household was obsessed with sports. “When my husband’s home, it’s 24/7 basketball,” she said. “We would have basketball trivia each night at the dinner table. People laugh, but it’s no joke. I have highly competitive children.” Though Jeremiah and Austin are more than four years apart, they would often have battles both on and off the court growing up.“Everything from video games to Monopoly would be competitive,” Austin said. “It was just an older brother, little brother thing.”And when Jeremiah wasn’t facing off against his siblings in activities like “Basketball Trivial Pursuit,” as Doc put it, he was on the court practicing. Sometimes he worked on fundamentals by himself. Other times he squared off against his teammates. The real intensity, though, came when Doc and his NBA friends would stop by the house.“I remember having free throw shooting contests with Chuck Person and Will Perdue and trying to beat them,” Jeremiah said. “Even when I lost to them, I remember getting so mad and angry. My dad used to be like, ‘Why are you so mad? These guys are pros, and you are 10 years old.’” Jeremiah said he loved taking on the professional players but had one goal early in life: beating his father in a game of one-on-one.For years they would compete, and it would always end in Doc’s favor. After all, he was a 13-year NBA veteran. But that changed during Jeremiah’s sophomore year of high school.“When he finally beat me, and then beat me again, I decided I would no longer play with him,” Doc said jokingly. “When he won for the first time, I remember him running into the house because he was so excited. It was one of my best moments with him.”Jeremiah said those constant games helped him not only progress on the basketball court but also bond with his father.“I think those battles between us have really helped develop our relationship,” Jeremiah said. “I think he sees a lot of himself in me, so it’s been fun for both of us.” ‘I JUST WASN’T HAVING FUN’While at Winter Park High School, a program that historically had not garnered much success, Jeremiah helped move it in a new direction. As a junior, he was a main contributor on a Wildcats squad that went to the state quarterfinals. The following season he took Winter Park to the 6A State Finals, averaging 15.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.Despite the accomplishment, Jeremiah said he and his teammates still have bad memories about not winning the state title. “We talk about it every time we see each other and hang out,” he said. “It’s a shame we didn’t get at least one ring. But it happens. Fortunately, we were able to put Winter Park back on the map.” Jeremiah left high school as one of the most sought-after players in the state. He had offers from a multitude of colleges but ultimately chose Georgetown University without even visiting the campus. The talented guard was drawn to the mystique of the program and had a good relationship with Hoyas head coach John Thompson III and Thompson’s father, “Big John,” who led Georgetown to a national championship in 1984. But after two seasons in Washington D.C., during which Rivers was a strong option off the bench for a 2007 Final Four team, he decided he needed to take his college career in a new direction.A major part of that mentality stemmed from the slow-tempo offensive system the Hoyas ran.“It was tough for me to adjust to that certain style,” Jeremiah said of the Princeton offense. “A lot of it was that I wasn’t mature enough to really understand it and buy into it at the time. I just wanted to do it my way — be a point guard and create like I had been doing my whole high school career.” However, Jeremiah is quick to point out that he liked going to school at Georgetown. He met a lot of great teammates, had fantastic coaches and loved the cultural diversity of Washington.At the same time, he “just wasn’t having fun playing basketball.”“It wasn’t anything on the coaches. A lot of it was me,” Jeremiah said. “I was taking the fun out of it for myself. I just wasn’t there mentally at the time. I decided to make a change for the better.” NEW OUTLOOK That change was a move to Bloomington to play for IU coach Tom Crean and the Hoosiers. Because of NCAA Division I transfer rules, Jeremiah was forced to sit out his first full season. That year, IU — just months after firing former coach Kelvin Sampson amid recruiting violations — finished a Big Ten-worst 6-25 overall.But now that he is actually playing for the Hoosiers, Jeremiah has developed into the player Crean said he hoped he would become. He won’t necessarily fill up the stat sheet — he’s averaging four points per game this season — but Jeremiah will do the little things: tough defense, fighting hard for rebounds and leading his team vocally on the court.A prime example came when he limited Illinois star guard Demetri McCamey to six points and five turnovers in IU’s 52-49 win Jan. 27 at Assembly Hall. Crean said Jeremiah has “grown leaps and bounds in all aspects” since first coming to Bloomington in 2008.“His leadership has emerged in the sense of how hard he plays, how consistent he is with how hard he plays, and how competitive he is,” Crean said. “He’s really taken the role that gives the team the best chance to succeed but at the same time gives him the best chance to succeed. He’s done an outstanding job.”WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDSJeremiah said he’s currently the strongest mentally he’s been in years. Basketball is fun for him again, and he finally understands his role on this season’s team.“It’s been a ‘coming out party’ for me mentally, as far as being able to do the things I do well and really buying into the team concept,” Jeremiah said. “I understand I don’t need to go out and score 20 or 30 points a game. But what I do is very valuable to the team in helping us get wins.”He also said the relationship he has with his family is as good as ever. His dad, despite facing the rigors of an NBA schedule, attends as many IU games as possible and speaks with his son often during the week. Jeremiah also talks a lot with Austin, a senior at Winter Park who will be playing for Duke next fall. But most importantly, Jeremiah’s finally at peace with himself.He knows his path to this point wasn’t typical — growing up with an NBA coach as a father, transferring from a Final Four team, playing for a program in the early stages of a rebuilding process — but he has no regrets with how things turned out. “I have some of the best teammates in the world here, guys that I will have friendships with for the rest of my life,” he said. “I know we’re not winning, and haven’t been winning as much these past few years, but at the same time you learn a lot about yourself and your team when things are down. You can only build more character and more experiences for life." “That’s what’s going to take me further than anything ever could.”
(02/07/11 2:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the second consecutive time against Iowa, the IU men’s basketball team failed to defend on the interior.And for the second consecutive game, the Hoosiers came out on the losing end. Thanks largely to a lack of post-defense, IU fell to the Hawkeyes, 64-63, on Saturday at Assembly Hall. “We played hard today, but we didn’t play tough enough, especially down low,” IU coach Tom Crean said. “We have not matched the toughness at the rim and in the lane that we need to with (Iowa). That’s disappointing.” The Hawkeyes outrebounded the Hoosiers, had more blocks and had more second chance points. More than half of Iowa’s points came from inside the paint. Some of that, though, stemmed from the personnel on the court. Without IU sophomore forward Christian Watford, who is out with a broken left hand, the Hoosiers were forced to play smaller lineups on the floor. This included playing freshmen Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey more on the interior rather than on their accustomed wing spots.“My two best defenders down low today were two freshmen who aren’t used to guarding down there,” Crean said. “When you are in the situation we are in now with the injuries, sometimes we fight and sometimes we don’t. That we have to grow through.” But while injuries were a potential reason for the ineffectiveness down low, they weren’t the only one. The Hoosiers appeared outhustled on defense, in particular in the post down the stretch. With about eight minutes remaining in the game, IU led 58-48. Iowa, behind strong play from guard Bryce Cartwright and forward Melsahn Basabe, preceded to go on a 10-0 run to tie the game.The Hawkeyes eventually won on Cartwright’s made jumper from the baseline with 1:28 remaining. IU junior forward Tom Pritchard said the defensive intensity was not where it needed to be in the final minutes. “Coach is always harping about keeping guys out of the middle, and I know Cartwright got an easy layup in the middle,” Pritchard said. “There were other defensive stops that we needed to get. We gave them a lot of offensive rebounds and second chances, and that really killed us.” A major part of Iowa’s late surge could be credited to the inside play of Basabe, who finished with a team-high 20 points and 13 rebounds. Despite being 6-foot-7, Basabe found a way to grab a multitude of loose balls and used effective post moves to keep the Hawkeyes in the game for the entire 40 minutes.When asked about the matchup with Basabe, Crean was clear in how he felt.“We didn’t win it. He dominated us,” Crean said. “Whatever we did defensively today, we didn’t win.” Oladipo said he agreed with his coach’s statement and said the game came down to one factor.“We got to realize that we didn’t execute on defense down the stretch,” Oladipo said. “Not playing defense is the reason why we lost.”
(02/04/11 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Following its lopsided loss to Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 23, IU appeared to be destined for the basement of the Big Ten. Things have changed.Since the defeat two weeks ago, the Hoosiers have beaten two ranked conference opponents in their past three games. The lone loss came in overtime on the road at Michigan State. And with a rematch against the Hawkeyes at 4 p.m. Saturday at Assembly Hall, IU hopes that recent success continues. “Different guys have stepped up,” IU junior guard Verdell Jones said. “That’s something that we have been doing lately, and we need to keep it going.”The strong play by IU began at an unlikely time. The Hoosiers lost sophomore guard Maurice Creek (likely for the season) with a right knee injury just a week prior. They were also lacking Jones because of knee inflammation. Yet without Jones and Creek, IU upset No. 20 Illinois and took No. 25 Michigan State to overtime.The biggest impact came from sophomore guard Jordan Hulls and sophomore forward Christian Watford, who had 35 and 37 points in the two games, respectively.Despite the loss, IU coach Tom Crean praised his team’s physicality against a ranked Spartan team. “When you’re in that locker room and the energy is where it is, and during the game you can feel it, it’s the ultimate,” Crean said. “The only thing that makes it better is when you get a win. And we did everything but today.”The most surprising outcome, though, came in IU’s most recent victory against No. 18 Minnesota at home Wednesday. Watford, the team’s leading scorer, broke a bone in his left hand and had surgery one day prior to the matchup. With Jones not 100 percent and Watford out, it looked as if the recent success was over.The Hoosiers, in particular junior forward Tom Pritchard, proved that notion wrong. Pritchard had a season-high 12 points and seven rebounds in the 60-57 win against the Gophers. Jones played for the first time in three games and hit the decisive three-point basket. IU junior guard Daniel Moore, who has played sparingly this season, was excellent on defense and did not allow Minnesota guard Blake Hoffarber to get a clean shot off on the final play of the game.Most of all, the Hoosiers are playing with confidence despite a depleted roster. “We came into the game knowing that everyone had to step it up,” IU sophomore forward Derek Elston said. “(Minnesota) beat us in there last time with Christian (Watford), so we knew we just had to battle. That’s what it just came down to.” That same physicality will need to be seen Saturday against an improved Iowa squad. The Hawkeyes are coming off of a 20-point win Wednesday against Michigan State.Crean said his team will be fine against Iowa if it keeps doing what it has been doing the past week. “As I said to them, ‘If you can develop real belief, you have a chance to really do a lot of great things,’” Crean said. “When this team plays on edge and they continue to develop belief, they are going to keep getting better.”