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(03/14/14 4:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>His team had just lost in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, and a reporter asked IU Coach Tom Crean what he wanted to tell his players. Crean paused before answering.“Bottom line is we can play better,” Crean said. “You have to match the toughness and the competitive spirit every time that you play.”Illinois (19-13) beat IU (17-15) 64-54 Thursday, its third consecutive loss. “Really what I want to do is try to find a different way to say that message because I’ve given it a few times,” he said.Despite going 0-for-10 from beyond the arc in the second half and turning the ball over 16 times, the Hoosiers found themselves down only one point late in the game. Sophomore forward Austin Etherington had just hit a layup off an assist from freshman forward Noah Vonleh to cut the Illini’s lead to 53-52 with 3:13 left.In the span of 58 seconds, the Hoosiers had gone on a 4-0 run, prompting Illinois Coach John Groce to call a timeout.Illinois hadn’t made a field goal in more than three minutes. The only thing helping it to maintain its lead were three made free throws from junior guard Rayvonte Rice.With one less timeout, Rice found himself driving to the rim for an open, yet off-balance layup.Illinois’ leading scorer’s attempt rolled off the rim and into Vonleh’s hands, his fifth rebound of the game.On the ensuing IU possession, Vonleh got the ball and without hesitation drove toward the rim with Illinois junior forward Nnanna Egwu on his hip.With two minutes 32 seconds to play, Vonleh and Egwu rose up at the same time, Egwu getting a piece of Vonleh’s shot.Jon Ekey grabbed the rebound, and the score remained 53-52 in the Fighting Illini’s favor.On Illinois’ next possession, the Hoosiers matched up man-to-man, but as the shot clock wore down switched to a 2-3 zone.In the midst of this, junior guard Tracy Abrams dribbled to the left side of the court behind the 3-point line.Rice stood in the corner. Abrams picked up his dribble.Rice slashed to the hoop on the baseline. Abrams faked a pass Rice’s way.With only sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell there to defend, Ferrell followed Rice as Abrams faked the pass.With Ferrell now out of his sight, Abrams pulled up for an open 3-point attempt.Ferrell tried to recover, but his attempted contest of Abrams’ shot was too late. Abrams hit the shot, his 19th point, with two minutes six seconds left.“It was a defensive mistake,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “It’s something that we practice. It was just a mistake.”Abrams made six free throws over the last one minute 19 seconds of the game to put away Illinois’ 64-54 victory against IU in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.Those two plays, Egwu’s block of Vonleh and Abrams’ 3-pointer, proved to be the deciding factor.After the game, Etherington said he would want Vonleh taking that shot in that situation every time.“I thought it was a great drive, and give him another drive I bet he finishes it,” he said. “Egwu made a great defensive play, and he’s a great defensive player.”Ferrell made the right decision in taking Rice, Etherington said, because it is better to give up a 3-pointer than a layup.“In that case the top guy needed to move down and help,” Etherington said. Abrams finished the game with seven rebounds and 25 points on 8-for-16 shooting.The early exit drops IU to 17-15 on the season, looking at a National Invitational Tournament berth.Etherington said despite the loss, the Hoosiers will play with passion and exuberance, wherever their next game might be.“Hopefully we get the opportunity to keep playing,” he said.After the game, Crean was asked how he would define IU’s season up to this point. He said he wouldn’t define his teams’ season just yet.“I wouldn’t, because I hope it’s gonna continue to keep going,” he said.
(03/13/14 2:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On the road against the Michigan Wolverines March 8, the IU men’s basketball team did everything it could to win.The Hoosiers hit shots, shooting more than 50 percent for the game. Trailing in the second half, IU went on a late scoring run to tie the game at 75 with one minute and 25 seconds remaining.After IU tied the game, sophomore guard Nik Stauskas drove to the lane and swung a pass to fellow sophomore guard Glenn Robinson III.Wide open in the corner, Robinson III pulled up and hit the shot that gave the Wolverines a 78-75 lead with one minute and eight seconds to play.That basket gave Robinson III 13 points for the half, and he finished with 20 for the game.Likewise, Stauskas also tore up the Hoosiers, finishing with 21 points, 14 of which came in the second half.The pair combined to score 27 of Michigan’s 48 second-half points.IU Coach Tom Crean said his team has struggled to limit bigger wing players in conference play.“That’s been the one type of player this year that we’ve struggled with maybe more than any other type of player, is that bigger wing that is really strong and powerful and can get to the rim,” Crean said. At noon today, IU will face a wing player that has given it fits this season.Junior guard Rayvonte Rice has scored 49 points during two games against the Hoosiers this season. Rice scored 20 points during his team’s 56-46 loss to IU on Jan. 26.Rice is listed at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, a player who uses his quickness to get by forwards and his strength to finish against guards.Senior wing Will Sheehey said the Hoosiers must limit Rice’s touches. “Obviously he’s a great scorer,” Sheehey said. “He can shoot the ball, he drives it well, he’s a strong kid. So we’ve got to make sure we limit his touches.”Nebraska’s Terran Petteway and Michigan State’s Gary Harris are other Big Ten foes that fit Crean’s description of a bigger wing player that have found success against the Hoosiers.In two games against IU, Harris scored a combined 50 points. He also scored his career-high 26 points Jan. 4 in Assembly Hall.Petteway averaged 15.5 points per game in two contests against the Hoosiers. Michigan State and Nebraska went a combined 4-0 against IU this season.For the season, Rice has averaged 15.7 points per game. He is shooting 41.9 percent from the floor and 31.2 percent from 3-point range.Rice gets to the free throw line consistently, attempting more than five free throws per game.He also averages 6.1 rebounds and more than one steal per game.For IU to defeat Illinois and make its long trek toward what will hopefully be a Big Ten Tournament title, Crean said the Hoosiers must make sure Rice doesn’t beat them.“We don’t have one guy that you would look at and say, ‘That’s a really good matchup’ for Rice,” Crean said. “You have to be very good at what you’re trying to take away from that player.”
(03/09/14 12:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Hoosiers left the court at Crisler Arena Saturday showered by blue and yellow confetti.They lost, 84-80, and the Michigan Wolverines were Big Ten champs.It was a stark contrast to last season, when IU won a Big Ten title on the same court. These teams had less to play for Saturday. Michigan had already won the Big Ten after beating Illinois earlier in the week. IU, after knocking off two consecutive ranked opponents and pushing for a late run toward the NCAA Tournament, had just lost to Nebraska on senior night. On Saturday, the game’s outcome wasn’t decided until a Glenn Robinson III corner 3-pointer gave the Wolverines a 3-point lead with about one minute to play. On Michigan’s senior night, IU was sharp to start. Freshman forward Devin Davis started in place of freshman forward Noah Vonleh, who saw limited action Saturday after missing two consecutive games. Davis won the tip and, after IU set up its offense, freshman guard Stanford Robinson found senior forward Will Sheehey for an open 3-pointer. Sheehey connected on the shot, the first of nine straight made field goals for IU. It would take seven minutes and 51 seconds of game time before the Hoosiers missed their first shot, and by then they found themselves leading 22-14. Heading into halftime, IU led 42-36. The Hoosiers went 16-for-27, 59.3 percent, from the field, assisting on 10 of their made field goals. IU’s first half lead was quickly washed away by the Wolverines, who began the second on a 14-6 scoring run. Michigan reclaimed the lead just four minutes and seven seconds into the half. The Hoosiers hardly helped themselves either. After committing just three turnovers in the first half, IU turned the ball over 12 times in the second.After the game, Sheehey beat himself up because of the turnovers committed.“Me personally, was just trash from that point,” Sheehey said. “I think I had four turnovers, Yogi had four. I mean that’s just unacceptable from two guys that have played this game awhile.”It was déjà vu for IU. On the road and leading at halftime, the Hoosiers have wilted in the second half in conference play this season. On the road against Michigan State, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and now Michigan, IU entered halftime with a lead, but lost each game. With four minutes and 55 seconds to play, IU trailed 73-62. It had happened again to the Hoosiers. IU hadn’t scored in more than four minutes, and Michigan, led by Robinson III and sophomore guard Nik Stauskas, was on the verge of cruising to an easy victory. The Wolverines wouldn’t cruise however, and it started with a rim-shaking dunk by freshman forward Troy Williams. Williams’ slam began a 9-0 run during two minutes and seven seconds that trimmed Michigan’s lead down to 73-71. After Robinson III made two free throws on Michigan’s next possession, Williams threw down another dunk. Michigan led 75-73 with one minute and 49 seconds remaining. With the ball in Stauskas’ hands on the ensuing Michigan possession, the ball was batted in the air. Vonleh leaped and grabbed the ball with two hands and fired an outlet pass to freshman guard Stanford Robinson. Robinson caught the ball and dribbled ahead of the Wolverines, laying the ball in just before the Michigan players could reach him.The game was tied at 75 with one minute and 25 seconds to play. IU, down 11 and playing the Big Ten regular season champions on its senior night, had fought its way back. On the next Michigan possession, Stauskas held the ball at the top of the key. Robinson, who was guarding Robinson III in the corner, crashed down on the driving Stauskas, hoping to force a turnover.Stauskas saw Robinson and fired to Robinson III, who raised high and sank the shot. The crowd went wild, and Michigan led 78-75.IU Coach Tom Crean said that shot, and not IU’s comeback attempt, will stand out.“That’s the one that will stick out, because we did do such a great job of coming back,” Crean said.IU called a timeout, and Crean drew up a play that gave Robinson a 3-point attempt, which he missed.IU was forced to foul the rest of the game. Michigan made all six of its attempted free throws in the game’s final 41 seconds.Crean said his team fought throughout the game.“We fully expected to win the game, and our guys played like it, and they never stopped believing that they would,” Crean said. “Our guys battled the whole way and answered every situation right until the very end.”
(03/07/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After losing to Nebraska on senior night Wednesday, the IU men’s basketball team will head to Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday to face the Michigan Wolverines.Michigan captured the Big Ten regular season title Tuesday after defeating Illinois 84-53.Michigan enters Saturday’s contest with a record of 22-7 and a 14-3 mark in conference play. The Hoosiers are 17-13 overall and 7-10 in conference play this season.In the first meeting between these two teams, Feb. 2 in Assembly Hall, the Hoosiers dealt the Wolverines their first conference loss of the season. IU won 63-52 in large part because of sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell. He scored 27 points on 8-for-10 shooting, and he went 7-for-8 from 3-point range. Ferrell also spent the majority of his 37 minutes guarding sophomore guard Nik Stauskas. Stauskas, who is Michigan’s leading scorer, was held to six points on 1-for-6 shooting in that game.After that game, Michigan Coach John Beilein praised Ferrell, describing his play as terrific.Ferrell, IU’s leading scorer at 17.9 points per game, struggled Wednesday against Nebraska.Ferrell managed 10 points but went 4-for-14 from the field and an abysmal 1-for-10 from beyond the arc.After the game, Ferrell said his team couldn’t find its rhythm, particularly in the latter parts of the second half.“We just couldn’t get our mojo,” Ferrell said. “We just got quiet and shots weren’t falling. That’s just a part of the game.”Through 29 games this season, Michigan leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage, shooting at a 48 percent clip from the field.The Wolverines also lead the conference in field goal percentage from 3-point range. They shoot 40 percent from beyond the arc, and average 8.6 made 3-point field goals per game.Leading the Michigan offensive assault has been Stauskas, who is averaging 17.3 points per game this season. Stauskas is shooting 49 percent from the field and also leads the Wolverines in assists, averaging 3.3 per game.In conference play, Michigan averages 72.4 points per game compared to IU’s 65.3. IU struggled to score Wednesday, finishing the game 22-for-60 from the field (36.7 percent).IU Coach Tom Crean said his team needs to regroup after falling to Nebraska, and prepare for Michigan.“This team has got to continue to grow up in the sense of doing what it takes each and every possession,” Crean said. “It never means that each and every possession is going to go great by any stretch, but you can’t make defensive mistakes.”Senior wing Will Sheehey was part of a defensive effort in the two teams’ first matchup that prompted Beilein to say in his entire seven season tenure at Michigan, he had never seen anything like it.After the Nebraska game, Sheehey said his team can’t get caught up on one loss, and that the season is far from over.“Just because we lost one game doesn’t mean we’re not going to play the next game as hard as we possibly can,” Sheehey said. “We’ve got to come out and play like we know we can, defensively and offensively. We still have a shot at this thing.”
(03/06/14 5:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With IU trailing 52-49 midway through the second half, sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell found senior forward Will Sheehey open on the wing.Ferrell passed to Sheehey who, after missing his first four 3-pointers of the game, raised up and connected on the shot.Sheehey’s 3-pointer tied the game at 52 just nine minutes and 52 seconds into the second half. Trailing 34-26 at the break, IU had already matched its point total from the first half.Up to that point in the game, IU had never led. But it was Senior Night, the Hoosiers were on an 8-0 scoring run and they were fighting for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Assembly Hall was raucous as Nebraska called timeout, hoping to quell the Hoosiers’ momentum.Out of the timeout, IU would falter, getting outscored by the Cornhuskers 18-8 on its way to a 70-60 defeat.After the game, IU Coach Tom Crean said Nebraska responded to the Hoosiers’ comeback efforts.“We made our comeback and they made some big plays,” Crean said.From the second half’s 10-minute mark down until the five minute and 53 seconds mark, the Hoosiers had five possessions on which they could have taken the lead.On these possessions, the Hoosiers trailed the Cornhuskers by one or two points.The first of IU’s chances to take a lead came with nine minutes and eight seconds remaining in the second half, after Nebraska guard Ray Gallegos missed a 3-pointer.Ferrell grabbed the rebound and, after a series of passes on offense, the ball wound up in Sheehey’s hands for a jumper near the free throw line.As Sheehey pulled up, the crowd joined him. Sheehey, who was given a standing ovation before and after his senior night speech, saw his shot rim out.On its next possession, now down one after sophomore forward Shavon Shields hit one of two free throws, IU had two opportunities to take the lead.After freshman guard Stanford Robinson was blocked by sophomore guard Terran Petteway, freshman forward Devin Davis grabbed the offensive rebound but missed a contested layup.Sheehey stopped Nebraska on defense and turned the ball over on IU’s next possession, leading into the under-eight minute media timeout.Robinson stole the ball from Shields and began pushing the ball up the court, but pulled up instead of trying to force the issue. The Hoosiers would settle for a Ferrell 3-pointer late in the shot clock.IU’s final opportunity to take its first lead came with just under six minutes to play, when graduate student guard Evan Gordon, who was in the same position as Sheehey when he tied the game a few moments before, missed a 3-pointer that would have given the Hoosiers a two-point lead.IU had its chances late. A Davis layup with two minutes and 30 seconds cut Nebraska’s lead down to 59-58.The Cornhuskers called timeout with two minutes and 16 seconds left. Out of their timeout, Petteway would find an open Walter Pitchford in the corner. The sophomore forward made what looked to be a 3-pointer, but the referees immediately stopped play to make sure his feet were behind the arc.They were, and the Cornhuskers had a four-point lead with less than two minutes remaining.IU scored only two more points from there on out, eventually falling by 10.“We couldn’t get our mojo,” Ferrell said afterwards. “We got quiet and shots weren’t falling. It’s part of the game.”IU, which trailed by as many as 11 points early in the second half, rallied back in part by going 10-for-18 shooting from the field to start the half. From that point on, it would finish just 3-for-18.For the game, IU shot 36.7 percent (22-for-60) from the field and 23.8 percent (5-for-21) from beyond the arc.Crean said IU’s shooting woes led to its defeat.“Bottom line — we didn’t shoot the ball well enough,” Crean said. “We didn’t get to where we needed to getting the ball in the paint.” IU’s loss put a dent in its NCAA Tournament hopes, yet Sheehey remained adamant that this team would not give up on itself.“We just gotta make sure we go down swinging,” Sheehey said. “This might be my last home game, but it’s not my last game.”
(03/05/14 5:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senior walk-on Taylor Wayer described playing for the Hoosiers as a dream come true. In his four years on the IU men’s basketball team, he has played a total of 36 minutes. “You grow up as a kid, especially being from Indiana, it’s just the epitome of what you want to do with your basketball career is come play for IU,” Wayer said.At 7 p.m., the Hoosiers (17-12, 7-9) will face the Nebraska Cornhuskers (17-11, 9-7) in their final home game of the season.For seniors Wayer, Will Sheehey, Jeff Howard and Evan Gordon, it will be their final games played at Assembly Hall.On Tuesday, the seniors each talked about their time at IU, and went into the lasting affects it has had on them.Wayer said as a walk-on he knows his efforts get less recognition than others.“It hits you pretty quick how hard you’re gonna have to work for very little recognition,” Wayer said. “I would go back and reassure myself that it’s all gonna be worth it in the end.”Sheehey said, if nothing else, he wants to be remembered as a player who gave it his all on the court.“I just want to be remembered as a guy who played hard, gave it his all every second he was on the court,” Sheehey said.Wayer joined the team in October his freshman year. Though the season hadn’t started, practices had.At first a stranger to his new teammates, Wayer, who at the time was in class with Sheehey, said the Stuart, Fla., native recognized and reached out to him.IU Coach Tom Crean said Sheehey will be remembered long after he leaves Indiana.“And with Will, when it’s all said and done, long after this is done and years and decades pass, everyone will remember Will Sheehey for being a huge part of the comeback of this program,” Crean said.Sheehey said he had many great memories playing for IU, citing the Christian Watford time-expiring 3-pointer to beat Kentucky in 2011 and his game-winning jumper against VCU in the second round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament to beat VCU.Sheehey said his entire career was filled with great memories and teammates.“Just the whole experience, though,” he said. “I played with such great guys that really rubbed off on me.”This week, Sheehey was named Big Ten Player of the Week, in part for his efforts in IU wins against Iowa and Ohio State.Sunday, with freshman forward Noah Vonleh out, Sheehey and his leadership stepped up, totaling 19 points, six rebounds and four steals.Crean said Sheehey compares to past players who changed the culture of IU basketball, and Sheehey continues to improve the culture of the team.Howard, also a walk-on, has appeared in 21 games this season. He has played in more minutes his senior year than his first three seasons on the team combined.Howard said it was hard for him and the other seniors to come to grips that they are already at this point in their lives.“Every year has been kind of like a blur,” Howard said. “It’s kind of hard to imagine that we’re already at this point. It’s definitely been a real good ride.”Crean described Howard as a “play on demand guy,” likening him to a pitcher in baseball who can appear in any circumstance and succeed.“To see where Jeff has come from his freshman year until now has been tremendous,” Crean said. “That’s what he has done a little bit with closing games because we really trust him.”Gordon played at Liberty and Arizona State before playing for IU this season as a graduate student.Growing up in Indiana, Gordon has been an IU fan his entire life. He actively rooted for last year’s team to win the NCAA Tournament.Gordon said he had always wanted to play for IU, and he got to live out his dream this season.“To end here is exciting just because I always wanted to come play here at some point in my life,” Gordon said.Gordon said his first and only year at IU has been special.“It’s been an honor,” Gordon said. “It will definitely go up on my wall as one of my pictures that stands in the middle even though I spent one year here.”Crean said he wished he had more time to coach Gordon, but believed he has a bright future ahead of him.“He has a great future in front of him,” Crean said. “He is spending time improving and when his intensity level is high, we are a better basketball team.”Senior night is always emotional, and last year, against Ohio State, several players cried in their speeches after the game.Crean said he hopes the energy and emotions that arise during senior night will lead his team to a win.“It is senior night and we have to take all of the emotion out of that and play with great energy, fierceness and toughness,” he said.
(03/04/14 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Raphael Smith thinks the rumors are funny. He has heard he’s playing basketball overseas, has transferred, has dropped out and even that he has been arrested.“It’s more funny than anything,” Smith said. “It’s just kinda like, ‘No, I’m still here.’”Smith spent more than two seasons on the IU men’s basketball team as a walk-on. A native of South Bend, Ind., Smith played basketball and ran track in high school. He received a few offers to play basketball collegiately, but none from any Division I schools.Feeling slighted, Smith opted to go to IU to focus on his education.As a freshman living in IU’s Forest Quad, a few of Smith’s friends said they were going to try out for the IU team and invited Smith to join them.“Why not?” he said.Smith said everything about the tryout, which took place in October 2010, was last-minute. He took a physical that actually discovered a slight heart murmur — “Nothing big,” Smith said — and then tried out for the team. Smith didn’t hear back from the team until January 2011, after watching the Hoosiers play Iowa in his dorm room. He got a call from former Director of Operations and Video Coordinator Drew Adams, who asked him what Smith’s class schedule was like the following day.“‘After that, come to Cook Hall,’” Smith said, recalling what Adams had said that day. “‘Got some shoes? Bring those too.’”Smith joined the team that spring, suiting up as a walk-on through the 2012-13 season. He experienced two Hoosier Hysteria dunk contests, IU’s upset of then-No. 1 Kentucky in 2011 and winning at Michigan to claim the Big Ten Title last season.Despite all this, Smith said ultimately he had to be realistic with himself and his future.“My main thing was — I mean, don’t get me wrong, great experience,” Smith said. “I wouldn’t trade it, exchange it for the world. “However, it’s obvious and evident that not everybody makes it to the (NBA) and given the position that I was in on the team, obviously I wasn’t going there either. I’ve accepted that, which is fine. So, me personally, I had to get ready for life after college.”He did not return to the team for the 2013-14 season, choosing instead to prepare for his future.Smith is a senior who will graduate in May with a sports communication-broadcast degree, but plans to work as a mentor to children after graduation.“I love working with children,” he said. “Even just the small things — like them smiling. The simplicity of them enjoying life while they can. I love that.”Smith said ideally he’d like to work at a high school and get into coaching as well.Smith has been accepted into the City Year program in Orlando, Fla., where he will work with children in a high school-type setting.City Year does not provide an actual degree, and Smith wants to work toward a Master’s degree. He has applied to several Florida schools, including Central Florida, Florida A&M and Florida Gulf Coast, and said if he gets accepted into one of their graduate programs, he will enroll in school and forgo City Year.“I did all my prep work as far as education-wise here ... I’m gonna be moving out of state, so I needed some extra money,” Smith said.“Obviously, you know, with those hours in the gym and stuff, you can’t have a job,” Smith said. “It’s just not enough time between that and schoolwork.”Knowing this, Smith got a job at Foot Locker, and after starting in late July, has worked his way up to Assistant Manager. Smith works around 30 hours a week, which led to his decision to not return to the team.***Smith explored the idea of not returning to the team with some of his teammates after last season ended, testing the waters to see what they thought of the situation.None of his teammates persuaded him to leave the team. He remembers a conversation he had with Christian Watford at an Applebee’s where Watford told him he should do what was ultimately best for him.The looming decision met with some pushback, however. Smith’s roommate for the past three years, Shawn Jacks, said he wished Smith would have stayed with it, citing how much work Smith had put in during the years he was on the team.Remy Abell, Smith’s teammate for two years who transferred to Xavier this past summer, offered a different take.“I felt like he felt like he wasn’t going to be a part of the team anymore,” Abell said of why he thought Smith left the team.Smith, though, denies this.He said he stood his ground when his older brother and father told him he should stay put.“That’s how it was with pretty much everybody,” he said. “My brother said that. My dad said that too. “But at the same time the only rebuttal I had for that was they didn’t do it, so they don’t know what was really going on in my head. So it’s kind of hard for them to completely fathom it. I just felt that I had to do what was best for me.”After consulting with teammates and family members, Smith decided to leave the team. He would stay in school, get a job and save up to go to Florida after graduation.Still, Smith had to inform IU Coach Tom Crean of his decision. If he really wanted to forgo his place on the team, Smith knew he would have to speak to Crean one-on-one.He texted Crean and asked if the two could talk.“He said he didn’t want me to feel as though I was being pushed out the door, or anything like that,” Smith said. “He said obviously he didn’t prefer for me to go, but at the same time he said he does understand.”Smith reiterated that it was his decision alone. He said it was never a situation where he felt he was being kicked out. “Kind of enjoy your last year of college,” Smith said. “It’s not that you can’t enjoy it, but it’s definitely different. “Again, I appreciate everything the program did for me. If they need anything from me that I could help with, you know, always. But I just had to do what I felt was best for me.”***Smith has connected with some of the team’s new players. He and freshman forward Noah Vonleh got haircuts together.Freshman guards Troy Williams and Stanford Robinson came in to Foot Locker during one of Smith’s shifts and the three talked.Smith still keeps in touch with his former teammates. He mentioned dropping by Will Sheehey’s place earlier this year.He also talks with former teammates who are overseas. One morning, he awoke to find a Snapchat from Jordan Hulls.Smith said Verdell Jones III is doing well in Japan, although he remains skeptical of Jones’ dunking abilities.“He put on Instagram that he dunked and he said that he dunked on somebody. I don’t know how true that one was,” Smith said, smiling. “A picture’s worth a thousand words I guess.”He said both Watford and Derek Elston are doing great overseas.“Derek’s pretty much a celebrity over where he’s at right now,” he said. “He’s lovin’ that.”Smith also stays in contact with Victor Oladipo, who he saw at the first Orlando Magic-Indiana Pacers game Oct. 29. Because Smith plans on living in Orlando after graduation, Smith said he is going to stay with Oladipo during spring break to look for apartments.To Smith, they are more than just teammates.“My whole years that I was there, it was a family in there,” he said. “I love those guys to death.”***Last season, Smith had front row seats to every IU game from his position on the bench. This year, he watches from afar. For the Feb. 22 IU-Northwestern game, Smith sits in an Applebee’s booth drinking lemonade — with no ice — and munches on boneless buffalo wings to watch his family play.The game goes back and forth throughout the first half, with neither team leading by more than four points.As the second half starts, IU begins to pull away. Five and a half minutes in, Sheehey hits a layup and gets fouled, prompting some clapping from Smith.“There you go.”IU builds a 12-point lead with more than 12 minutes to play, but slowly Northwestern starts to creep its way back in.When Vonleh is called for a goaltend, Smith says, “No, no, no.”A replay shows that the ball was off the rim when Vonleh touched it. “That is terrible,” Smith says.IU maintains its lead as the game’s end nears. With over a minute to play, Northwestern calls timeout, trailing 56-50.“This is where it gets interesting,” Smith says.Out of the timeout, a Northwestern player gets fouled and makes one of two free throws. On IU’s next possession, Sheehey hits a 3-pointer that gives the Hoosiers an eight-point lead with less than a minute to play.“There we go,” Smith says. “Finally. Big shot.”***Smith has enjoyed his senior year thus far. Needing only six credits to graduate, he is taking 12 credits this semester to remain a full-time student.Among the classes he is taking are SPH-I 211: Advanced Basketball and HPER-P 445: History of Indiana High School Basketball.He would have played intramural basketball but was barred from participating.Smith said as a former player on the men’s team, he now has to wait five years before he can play intramural basketball at IU. He is unsure if this is an IU or NCAA rule.Instead, Smith had to settle for intramural football, playing wide receiver.Smith turned 21 last April, and his 22nd birthday falls during the week of this year’s Little 500. He’s also looking forward to life after graduation. Smith said if he is accepted into a graduate program, he will try out for the basketball team.“Smaller school, I would definitely play more,” he said. “It’s not like I hate the game. I still love basketball.”Smith has no regrets about leaving the IU men’s basketball team. He said that looking back on his time at IU, including his senior year, he was able to have an experience that few get.“Honestly, I actually thought about this the other day,” Smith said. “I really feel like I lived the entire college life. “Coming in as just a regular student, I learned like what it was to be just a regular freshman. I learned what it was to be a freshman that played on the team. I learned what it was to be an IU player when we weren’t so good and then when we were great. I’ve seen the different fraternity and sorority life, all races and the athlete versus the non-athlete life. “I felt like I did it all.”@JohnBauernfeind
(03/02/14 10:11pm)
Without freshman forward Noah Vonleh on Sunday, the IU men’s basketball team defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 72-64.
(02/28/14 3:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a wild first half that saw both teams combine for 101 points, the IU men’s basketball team rode a career-high 30 points from senior wing Will Sheehey to a 93-86 against the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes.After Iowa opened up the second half on a 7-2 run, the Hoosiers, led in part by 3-pointers from Will Sheehey and Evan Gordon, reclaimed the lead.After Iowa retook the lead 66-64 off a Melsahn Basabe layup, the Hoosiers came right back. After Ferrell missed a layup, freshman forward Devin Davis grabbed the rebound and went up for a layup, making the shot and getting fouled in the process.On its next possession, sophomore guard Jonny Marlin swung an outlet pass to graduate student Evan Gordon, who, with his left hand, tossed a fading layup over Iowa’s 7’0 center Adam Woodbury to extend IU’s lead to 69-66. After two Aaron White free throws, senior wing Will Sheehey broke his career high in points with a baseline jumper to give the Hoosiers a 71-68 edge. IU continued its run, with a Robinson drive to the baseline, layup, plus the foul and he made the free throw. Hoosiers led 77-69. Iowa began to cut into IU’s lead, as Roy Devyn Marble and Woodbury made three of four free throw’s, cutting the lead to 77-72. The Hawkeyes’ hot shooting eventually cooled off, and they struggled to score late. As IU pulled away, it was Sheehey who delivered the final blow. Ferrell threw an outlet pass to Sheehey, who had somehow gotten past the defense. Sheehey caught the ball in stride and went up for a two-handed slam dunk, giving IU an 82-73 lead with less than two minutes to play. Free throws would take over the game the final minute, and the Hoosiers would hit enough to hold off the now-faltering Hawkeyes.Andy Wittry
(02/27/14 5:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s basketball team (15-12, 5-9) will face the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes (19-8, 8-6) at 9 p.m. in Assembly Hall, the second of three games this week for the Hoosiers.This game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 18, but was postponed due to a piece of fascia falling from the rafters of Assembly Hall.The arena has been cleared structurally, and the IU women’s basketball team has played two games since the beam fell nine days ago.Because of the postponed game and the Big Ten Tournament in two weeks, both IU and Iowa will play three games this week.For the Hoosiers, it is their first home game in over two weeks. IU began this week in Wisconsin, falling to the Badgers 69-58 after leading by 10 at halftime.The Hawkeyes also played Tuesday, falling to the Minnesota Golden Gophers 95-89. Tuesday’s result was preluded by a loss at home to Wisconsin on Saturday, and it was the first time all season the Hawkeyes have lost consecutive games.Iowa leads the Big Ten in points per game this season with 83.5. For the most part, Iowa spreads its scoring around, as only two players average double-figures.Senior Roy Devyn Marble and junior Aaron White average 16.9 and 13.2 points per game, respectively.Marble is shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range. He leads the Hawkeyes in steals, averaging 1.8 per game.Iowa plays an up-tempo style, getting up and down the court while playing multiple players. Eleven Hawkeyes average 10 or more minutes per game, yet no player averages more than 30.IU Coach Tom Crean said Iowa’s adaptability makes them difficult to challenge this season.The Hawkeyes rank first in the Big Ten in rebounding offense, averaging 42 rebounds per game. The Hawkeyes rank second in the Big Ten in rebounding margin, falling 0.4 behind the Hoosiers for first.Iowa averages 1.6 fewer turnovers per game this season than its opponents. Iowa forces its opponents into 13.2 turnovers per game, and the Hoosiers have averaged 15 turnovers per game on the season, last in the Big Ten.Crean said IU has to adjust and adapt to the pace of the game Iowa will undoubtedly bring.“We have to take the speed of the game and make it work for us,” Crean said. “They can do numerous things, whether it is pressure or man or zone or switching because of the versatility.”Crean mentioned Iowa’s ability to get out in transition and said IU needs to be aware of that, among other things.“They are as good as anyone in this league at getting out (on the fast break) after makes or misses,” Crean said.
(02/26/14 6:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s basketball team found itself in a familiar position at Wisconsin Tuesday: leading on the road going into halftime.The Hoosiers (15-12, 5-9), behind solid defense and sound 3-point shooting, led the Badgers (23-5, 10-5) 29-19 at halftime.IU was moving the ball on offense and forcing Wisconsin into tough shots. The Badgers made only one of their 10 3-point attempts in the first half and went 7-of-27 from the field.IU limited its turnovers and freshman forward Noah Vonleh hit both of his 3-point attempts. Everything was going well for the Hoosiers.In the second half, the Hoosiers’ 10-point lead fell apart. Wisconsin, which shot 25.9 percent in the first half, shot more than 60 percent in the second, on its way to winning 69-58.It was an all-too-familiar scenario for the Hoosiers. On the road against Nebraska, Minnesota and, now, Wisconsin games, in which IU had double-digit leads at some point in the first half, the Hoosiers saw another second-half lead get squandered.Against Nebraska, IU’s 13-point halftime lead was overtaken 13 minutes into the second half. Against Minnesota, IU’s six-point halftime lead had withered away nine minutes into the second half.It took the No. 14 Badgers just five minutes to reclaim the lead.Sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell said IU’s defense over-helped in the second half, leading to open Wisconsin shots.“We just didn’t figure it out and play defense,” Ferrell said. “We over-helped, and they knocked down some crucial threes.”Ferrell said Wisconsin’s offense didn’t change much after the break, but rather IU’s communication on defense broke down.“They were running off of the same sets that they were running,” Ferrell said. “We just broke down defensively. (There was a) lack of communication.”IU was outscored 50-29 in the second half. The Hoosiers allowed Wisconsin to shoot 61.9 percent from the field (13-of-21) and 54.5 percent from beyond the arc (6-of-11).Wisconsin sophomore Sam Dekker led the Badger barrage in the second half, scoring 14 points on 4-of-4 shooting.Wisconsin spread its scoring among its starting five, as each player scored in double figures.IU, meanwhile, saw 42 of its 58 points come from Ferrell and Vonleh.After the game, IU Coach Tom Crean said over-helping was the cause of the Hoosiers’ defensive woes in the second half.“We didn’t guard the dribble nearly as well as we did in the first half,” he said.Wisconsin began the second half on a 9-2 run in the first , and continued its offensive prowess throughout the half.Crean said IU didn’t guard well against the dribble, and it allowed Wisconsin to drive the lane and make outlet passes for open shots.“They got hot,” Crean said. “The basket started looking pretty big for them. Bottom line is they got some looks and they made them. First half they weren’t getting as many of those looks.”@JohnBauernfeind
(02/25/14 3:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When the IU men’s basketball team defeated then-No. 3 Wisconsin Badgers 75-72 on Jan. 14, it was the Badgers’ first loss of the season.That loss was the first of three straight by Wisconsin, and it began a stretch that saw the Badgers go 1-5 over the course of its next six games.Since losing to Ohio State at home Feb. 1, Wisconsin has won its last five games, including back-to-back road wins against ranked teams in Michigan and Iowa.Now, after earning its first victory in nearly three weeks time, IU (15-11, 5-8) will face Wisconsin (22-5, 9-5) at 9 p.m. tonight.Junior forward Frank Kaminsky has played a pivotal role in Wisconsin’s recent success. He averaged 13.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game this season, but those figures have jumped lately.During Wisconsin’s five-game winning streak, Kaminsky averaged 15 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.In his two most recent games, he averaged 23 points and nine rebounds per contest.Kaminsky has proven this season that he has a balanced offensive game, from an ability to post up, shoot 3-pointers and drive to the lane. It’s his driving that has impressed IU Coach Tom Crean.“He’s literally taking the ball from the 3-point line and getting all the way to the basket,” Crean said on Monday’s Big Ten Coaches Teleconference. “The shooting is there, the post-up is there, without question, but the driving game is something that obviously they are spending a lot of time on.”In his last five games, Kaminsky has shot a blistering 60 percent from the field, including 82 percent from the foul line, each better than his season averages.In his first game against the Hoosiers, Kaminsky recorded 11 points and nine rebounds, going 5-of-7 from the field.In his 29 minutes of action, Kaminsky mostly matched up with freshman forward Noah Vonleh. Vonleh finished that game with 10 points and five rebounds on 4-of-5 shooting from the field.Sophomore guard Kevin ‘Yogi’ Ferrell said it has been more than just Kaminsky scoring for Wisconsin during its winning streak.“No matter who is on the court for Wisconsin, they are a threat to score,” Ferrell said. “They play hard and rebound. They have shot the ball extremely well, especially from the outside so we have to take away their open jump shots.”Ferrell is right. During its winning streak, Wisconsin has averaged 73.4 points per game.When compared to other Big Ten teams in conference play, the Badgers’ scoring output in their last five games would rank second in Big Ten play.Much of this has stemmed from the maturation and play of Kaminsky, who averaged just more than 10 minutes per game last year.Crean said Kaminsky has spearheaded Wisconsin’s current hot stretch.“(Wisconsin) is playing with extreme confidence,” Crean said. “They are shooting the ball at an amazing rate right now, with the way they are shooting it from three.” “The way they are getting to the foul line and the way Frank Kaminsky is playing, in the sense of getting so much off the dribble and at the rim, not just with his 3-point shooting, which is obviously a big weapon, but also with the way their perimeter is shooting the ball.”
(02/18/14 5:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s basketball team (14-11, 4-8), looking to snap its three-game losing streak, will face the No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes (19-6, 8-4) at 9 tonight in Assembly Hall.Iowa enters the contest on a two-game winning streak, defeating Penn State 82-70 on the road Saturday.In that game, the Hawkeyes pulled down 40 rebounds, 13 of which were offensive.Iowa ranks first in the Big Ten in offensive rebounding this season, averaging 43 rebounds per game. The Hawkeyes also rank second in the Big Ten in rebounding margin, coming just 0.4 behind the Hoosiers.In addition to their rebounding prowess, the Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten with 83.6 points per game. For the most part, Iowa spreads its scoring around. Only two Iowa players average double figures in points. During the Big Ten teleconference call Monday, IU Coach Tom Crean said the Hoosiers have to prepare for Iowa’s up-tempo offense.“They are as good as anyone in this league at getting out (on the fast break) after makes or misses,” Crean said. “There are some very good transition teams in this league, but they are as good as any.”Maybe more telling of Iowa’s style of play is that 11 players average more than 10 minutes per game, yet no player averages more than 30 minutes.Senior Roy Devyn Marble leads Iowa in points per game, averaging 16.4 points per contest. He also leads the team in steals per game.The most consistent IU player throughout the season has been sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell, who leads the Big Ten in scoring at 17.9 points per game.In two games against the Hawkeyes last season, Ferrell averaged 14 points and 4.5 assists per game.On March 3, 2013, Ferrell scored his season high against Iowa, going 5-for-8 from the field for 19 points.During the Big Ten Conference Call, Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said Ferrell has stepped into his own this season.“Now this year, he is ‘the guy,’” McCaffery said. “That is a much more difficult transition than people think.”McCaffery continued his praise of Ferrell, saying he has helped IU’s younger players grow and improve.“Little by little, you are seeing these young guys that Indiana has developed,” McCaffery said. “They are able to do that because they know they have one of the best players in the country with the ball.”In their last three games, the Hoosiers have averaged 63 points per game, well below their season average of 73.4. IU has also averaged nearly 17 turnovers over that same period.The Hawkeyes, on the season, average 1.6 fewer turnovers per game than their opponents. Iowa forces its opponents into 13.3 turnovers per game, and the Hoosiers have averaged 15.6 turnovers per game on the season — last in the Big Ten.Crean said IU’s starting lineup, which features three freshmen, has affected its ability to play with any consistency.“What happens is, when you are young and you don’t have the experience, you don’t have the consistency,” Crean said. “But we don’t have that consistency of what it takes, physically and mentally, to win the games.”Crean said his team faces a great task in trying to defeat the Hawkeyes.“They are extremely unselfish with one another and cause so many issues with their versatility,” Crean said. “We have a great task in front of us, and that’s what we are looking forward to tomorrow night.”Follow reporter John Bauernfeind on Twitter @JohnBauernfeind.
(02/18/14 3:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s basketball team (14-11, 4-8), looking to snap its three-game losing streak, will face the No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes (19-6, 8-4) 9 p.m. Tuesday in Assembly Hall.Iowa enters the contest on a two-game winning streak, defeating Penn State 82-70 on the road Saturday.In that game, the Hawkeyes pulled down 40 rebounds, 13 of which were offensive.Iowa ranks first in the Big Ten in offensive rebounding this season, averaging 43 rebounds per game. The Hawkeyes also rank second in the Big Ten in rebounding margin, coming just 0.4 behind the Hoosiers.In addition to their rebounding prowess, the Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten with 83.6 points per game. For the most part, Iowa spreads its scoring around. Only two Iowa players average double figures in points. During the Big Ten teleconference call Monday, IU Coach Tom Crean said the Hoosiers have to prepare for Iowa’s up-tempo offense.“They are as good as anyone in this league at getting out (on the fast break) after makes or misses,” Crean said. “There are some very good transition teams in this league, but they are as good as any.”Maybe more telling of Iowa’s style of play is that 11 players average more than 10 minutes per game, yet no player averages more than 30 minutes.Senior Roy Devyn Marble leads Iowa in points per game, averaging 16.4 points per contest. He also leads the team in steals per game.The most consistent IU player throughout the season has been sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell, who leads the Big Ten in scoring at 17.9 points per game.In two games against the Hawkeyes last season, Ferrell averaged 14 points and 4.5 assists per game.On March 3, 2013, Ferrell scored his season high against Iowa, going 5-for-8 from the field for 19 points.During the Big Ten Conference Call, Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said Ferrell has stepped into his own this season.“Now this year, he is ‘the guy,’” McCaffery said. “That is a much more difficult transition than people think.”McCaffery continued his praise of Ferrell, saying he has helped IU’s younger players grow and improve.“Little by little, you are seeing these young guys that Indiana has developed,” McCaffery said. “They are able to do that because they know they have one of the best players in the country with the ball.”In their last three games, the Hoosiers have averaged 63 points per game, well below their season average of 73.4. IU has also averaged nearly 17 turnovers over that same period.The Hawkeyes, on the season, average 1.6 fewer turnovers per game than their opponents. Iowa forces its opponents into 13.3 turnovers per game, and the Hoosiers have averaged 15.6 turnovers per game on the season — last in the Big Ten.Crean said IU’s starting lineup, which features three freshmen, has affected its ability to play with any consistency.“What happens is, when you are young and you don’t have the experience, you don’t have the consistency,” Crean said. “But we don’t have that consistency of what it takes, physically and mentally, to win the games.”Crean said his team faces a great task in trying to defeat the Hawkeyes.“They are extremely unselfish with one another and cause so many issues with their versatility,” Crean said. “We have a great task in front of us, and that’s what we are looking forward to tomorrow night.”Follow reporter John Bauernfeind on Twitter @JohnBauernfeind.
(02/17/14 4:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>WEST LAFAYETTE — One of the most tumultuous weeks in recent IU men’s basketball memory was put to rest Saturday, as the Purdue Boilermakers (15-10, 5-7) pummeled the Hoosiers (14-11, 4-8) 82-64 in front of an impassioned Mackey Arena crowd.The disastrous week began Wednesday, when the Hoosiers saw a 13-point second half lead squandered in the final moments against Penn State. Then, on Friday morning, sophomore forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea was arrested for drunken driving.Friday night, less than 24 hours until IU was to play its biggest rival, IU Coach Tom Crean announced via Twitter that Mosquera-Perea wouldn’t travel with the team and would be suspended indefinitely.This was all a precursor to what was about to play out in West Lafayette. Purdue, which had lost four straight games to IU, went on a 22-4 run that spanned the final minutes of the first half and continued into the second.After the game, sophomore forward Austin Etherington said he felt his team didn’t return Purdue’s punch coming out of halftime.“The first half we fought pretty hard and we thought we were right there,” Etherington said. “Then they went on the run to start the second half and we didn’t take the hit, we didn’t fight back like we should have and it got to where it was.”The Hoosiers were careless with the ball early on, committing seven turnovers in the game’s first seven minutes. For the game, Purdue committed more turnovers (15) than IU (14), yet the Hoosiers made only 19 field goals.And, to pile on to its stack of self-inflicted miscues, IU Coach Tom Crean said he and his staff counted Hoosier players missed 12 layups. Sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell said afterwards his team’s missed layups were maddening.“It was very frustrating,” Ferrell said. “We just weren’t focusing on those layups, layups that we would normally make. At the end of the day we should have made those easy layups at the rim.”Purdue shot well above its season averages, going 25-of-52 from the field and 10-of-18 from beyond the arc. In the second half, which saw the Boilermakers score 44 points, Purdue shot 57.1 percent from the floor.Crean acknowledged Purdue’s hot shooting in his press conference, but time and time again the Boilermakers found one another for open shots. Senior guard Sterling Carter scored a team-high 19 points, going 5-of-6 from 3-point range. Freshman forward Noah Vonleh scored the game’s first points, a 3-pointer in the face of Purdue’s A.J. Hammons. Vonleh outscored Hammons 14 points to five, yet both big men were forced to sit out periods of time due to foul trouble.On IU’s next possession, senior wing Will Sheehey connected on a corner 3-pointer, which vaulted him into IU’s 1,000 point club. Sheehey finished with 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting, and now has 1,009 career points.Besides Sheehey’s accomplishment of beating former IU player Jared Jeffries record, who had 1,008 points to his name, not much else went right for the Hoosiers.From the 2:33 mark in the first half until the 13:04 mark in the second half, IU was held without a field goal. When IU finally scored a basket, the team found itself down by 15 points.In Mosquera-Perea’s absence, freshman forward Devin Davis played 12 minutes, scoring two points and pulling in four rebounds.Ferrell, who had a game-high 27 points on 6-of-17 shooting, said after the game he felt most of IU’s problems were mental mistakes.“I feel like it’s mostly mental,” he said. “Especially when teams make that run, guys kinda get quiet on the court.“You know those are times when you’ve got to come together at our greatest moment ... when team’s make runs like that, we’ve just got to have that more of an edge to come back.”While Purdue coasted to an easy victory — it led by double-digits the game’s final 17 minutes and 10 seconds — its fans continued on with their vitriol towards IU. The crowd stayed for the game’s entirety, soaking in Purdue’s first win against the Hoosiers since the 2010-11 season.In his postgame press conference, Crean said his team needs to gain confidence from one another in the midst of its three-game conference losing streak, its longest since 2011-12.“The bottom line is, you get your strength from your teammates,” Crean said. “You gotta shut out the negativities and the doubts as much as you can, and then you can’t let them creep in when the game’s going on.“We’ve gotta get more strength and confidence from our teammates on the floor.”
(02/15/14 10:11pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>WEST LAFAYETTE – One of the most tumultuous weeks in recent IU men’s basketball memory was put to rest Saturday, as the Purdue Boilermakers (15-10, 5-7) pummeled the Hoosiers (14-11, 4-8) 82-64 in front of an impassioned Mackey Arena crowd.The troubled week began Wednesday, when the Hoosiers saw a 13-point second half lead squandered in the final moments against Penn State. Then, Friday morning, sophomore forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea was arrested on an OWI charge.Friday night, less than 24 hours before the team played its biggest rival, IU Coach Tom Crean announced via Twitter Mosquera-Perea would not travel with the team and would be suspended indefinitely.This was all just a precursor to what was about to play out in West Lafayette. Purdue – which had lost four straight games to the Hoosiers, including a 97-60 romp at home on Jan. 30, 2013 – went on a 22-4 run that spanned the final minutes of the first half and continued well into the second.After the game, sophomore forward Austin Etherington said he felt his team didn’t return the punch Purdue dealt the Hoosiers coming out of halftime.“The first half we fought pretty hard, and we thought we were right there,” Etherington said. “Then they went on the run to start the second half, and we didn’t take the hit — we didn’t fight back like we should have, and it got to where it was.”The Hoosiers were careless with the ball early on, committing seven turnovers during the game’s first seven minutes. To pile on to its stack of self-inflicted miscues, Crean said he and his staff counted Hoosier players missed 12 layups. Sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell said afterward his team’s missed layups were maddening.“It was very frustrating,” Ferrell said. “We just weren’t focusing on those layups, layups that we would normally make. At the end of the day, we should have made those easy layups at the rim.”Purdue shot well above its season averages Saturday, going 25-of-52 from the field and 10-of-18 from beyond the arc. During the second half, when the Boilermakers scored 44 points, Purdue shot 57.1 percent from the floor (12-of-21).Crean acknowledged Purdue’s hot shooting in his press conference, but time and time again the Boilermakers found one another for open shots. Senior guard Sterling Carter scored a team-high 19 points, going 5-of-6 from 3-point range. Freshman forward Noah Vonleh scored the game’s first points, a 3-pointer in the face of Purdue’s A.J. Hammons. Vonleh outscored Hammons 14 points to five, yet both big men were forced to sit out periods of time due to foul trouble.On its next possession, senior wing Will Sheehey connected on a corner 3-pointer, which vaulted him into IU’s 1,000 point club. Sheehey finished with 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting, and he now has 1,009 career points in an IU uniform.Besides Sheehey’s accomplishment, not much else went right for the Hoosiers.From the two minutes and 33 second mark in the first half until the 13 minutes and four second mark in the second half, the Hoosiers were held without a field goal. Once the Hoosiers finally scored a basket, they found themselves down by 15 points.In Mosquera-Perea’s absence, freshman forward Devin Davis played 12 minutes, scoring two points and pulling in four rebounds.Davis had to match up with players several inches taller than him on defense. With Mosquera-Perea suspended indefinitely, this will most likely be a nightly occurrence for the freshman.Ferrell, who had a game-high 27 points on 6-of-17 shooting, said after the game he felt most of IU’s problems were mental mistakes.“I feel like it’s mostly mental,” Ferrell said. “Especially when teams make that run, guys kinda get quiet on the court.“You know those are times when you’ve got to come together at our greatest moment ... when team’s make runs like that, we’ve just got to have that more of an edge to come back.”While Purdue coasted to an easy victory – it led by double digits for all of the game’s final 17 minutes and 10 seconds – its fans continued with their vitriol towards IU. The crowd stayed for the game’s entirety, soaking in Purdue’s first win against the Hoosiers since Feb. 23, 2011.During his postgame press conference, Crean said his team needs to gain confidence from one another in the midst of its three-game conference losing streak, its longest since the 2011-12 season.“The bottom line is, you get your strength from your teammates,” Crean said. “You gotta shut out the negativities and the doubts as much as you can, and then you can’t let them creep in when the game’s going on.“We’ve gotta get more strength and confidence from our teammates on the floor.”
(02/14/14 5:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Saturday, freshman forward Noah Vonleh, the Big Ten’s leading rebounder, will challenge Purdue’s A.J. Hammons, Big Ten leader in blocks per game.Vonleh and the IU men’s basketball team (14-10, 4-7) lead the Big Ten in rebounding margin per game, out-rebounding their opponents by 10.5 boards per game.Purdue leads the conference in blocked shots per game with 5.5 and in offensive rebounds per game with 14.6.Needless to say, Vonleh and Hammons are the core reasons why their teams have found success on the glass this season.Vonleh averages 9.6 rebounds per game, while pulling down an average of 2.6 offensive rebounds per game. Hammons, meanwhile, grabs an average of 7.4 rebounds per game, 2.5 of which come on the offensive glass.Undoubtedly, this will be one of the matchups to watch when the two are pitted against one another.Vonleh has a nose for the basketball, Purdue Coach Matt Painter said during the Big Ten teleconference call Monday.“Well he’s a really good player, obviously,” Painter said. “He can really rebound the basketball. He does a good job of having a good nose for the basketball.”This season, Vonleh averages 11.5 points per game to Hammons’ 10.9. Vonleh shoots the ball slightly better than Hammons does from the field, shooting 54.2 percent compared to Hammons’ 50.6 percent.Both players struggled in their most recent games. Against Penn State, Vonleh was double-teamed regularly, causing him to commit three turnovers in the game.And though he was two points shy of his 11th double-double of the season, Vonleh attempted only three shots Wednesday.After his team lost to Penn State, IU Coach Tom Crean said turnovers, especially late in the game, were inexcusable.“The turnovers, there is no excuse,” Crean said. “The only way we’ll be able to get better is to come back and get better. So that’s all we can do.”Hammons committed five turnovers against Ohio State Feb. 8. For Purdue to be a successful team, Painter said Hammons needs to cut down on his turnovers.“When he shoots on balance shots and takes his time and let’s things come to him he’s pretty effective,” Painter said of Hammons’s 11 point, seven rebound performance at Ohio State. “But I mean, he’s had too many turnovers.“He’s gotta do a better job of giving us a chance as a team if he’s gonna get the ball that much.”Vonleh and Hammons are listed at 6-foot-10, 240 pounds and 7 foot, 251 pounds, respectively.And as other Big Ten foe double-team and collapse on them, look for two of the Big Ten’s biggest players to be matched up one-on-one with each other.Painter said Vonleh is a difficult player to prepare for, both offensive and defensively, because of his athleticism and mobility on both ends of the court.“But when he gets the ball in scoring position and he’s active, he really gives them that dimension that they need on both ends of the court,” Painter said. “He’s a tough matchup because of his quickness and athleticism. You see his real ability, especially on the defensive end, when they have the confidence to put him on someone like (Michigan’s) Glenn Robinson and move his feet and chase him around the court, that really speaks volumes about his mobility.”Follow reporter John Bauernfeind on Twitter @JohnBauernfeind
(02/13/14 5:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With two minutes and nine seconds remaining in the second half, graduate student guard Evan Gordon hit one of two free throws to give the IU men’s basketball team (14-10, 4-7) a 65-56 lead over the Penn State Nittany Lions (13-12, 4-8).By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Hoosiers committed four turnovers and two fouls — all while failing to record a single point as the Nittany Lions stormed back to win in front of a comatose Assembly Hall.In his postgame press conference, IU Coach Tom Crean said his team’s mistakes allowed Penn State to remain competitive and ultimately win the game.“Because we made too many mistakes along the way that allowed them to stay in it,” Crean said. “We lost this game defensively by allowing them to stay in it with mistakes, and then the pressure of the game got to us a little bit.”After he made his free throw, Gordon checked out for freshman guard Stanford Robinson, who fouled Penn State’s Tim Frazier three seconds later and 40 feet from the basket. With Penn State in the bonus, Frazier hit both free throws, trimming IU’s lead to seven.The Hoosiers then turned the ball over on the inbounds play, which was just one of its 20 turnovers in the game. Seven seconds after the turnover, Brandon Taylor connected on a 3-pointer with one minute and 59 seconds to play to cut IU’s lead to 65-61.On IU’s next possession, Gordon had an open look from beyond the arc, but his shot missed. Geno Thorpe snatched the rebound, igniting a transition run for Penn State that led to a made jumper by Taylor. IU’s lead narrowed to 65-63 with one minute and seven seconds remaining.Ferrell ran the shot clock down at the top of the key, but after trying to get IU’s offense going, he had to call timeout after getting trapped. Out of the timeout, Gordon drove to the lane but traveled. Down two, Penn State had possession of the ball with 33 seconds to play.Sophomore guard Austin Etherington, who hit a 3-pointer to give IU a two-point lead with just over a minute remaining against Penn State Jan. 11, saw himself once again playing meaningful minutes against the Nittany Lions.With 16 seconds left, Etherington took a charge on a driving John Johnson, sending Assembly Hall into psychosis.IU called a timeout. Penn State Coach Pat Chambers was livid on his team’s bench. It had appeared that, yet again, Etherington had sealed an IU victory against Penn State.Yet on IU’s next possession, senior forward Will Sheehey’s inbounds pass was stolen by Frazier. Sheehey fouled Ross Travis, who would shoot two free throws to potentially tie the game.Travis, a 68.6 percent free throw shooter entering the game, missed the first and made the second. IU led by one with 14 seconds to play. Another inbounds pass came along its baseline.This time was no different from the other. Freshman forward Noah Vonleh’s inbounds pass was intercepted by D.J. Newbill. Penn State, down one, now had the ball with 12 seconds remaining.Out of a Penn State timeout, Frazier, who was being defended by Ferrell, drove to his left and finished at the rim — a soft finger-roll that gave the Nittany Lions their first lead of the game with six seconds remaining.IU called a timeout and drew up a play intended for either Ferrell or Sheehey, according to Crean. Ferrell received the inbounds pass and darted up the court, but with several Penn State defenders draped on him, he had to heave up a prayer that clunked off the rim.As Penn State players ran towards each other in jubilation, having ended the game on 10-0 run to complete an improbable comeback, a chorus of boos rained down upon Branch McCracken court.Sheehey, whose 12 points were one shy of getting him to 1,000 career points in an IU uniform, said afterwards the Hoosiers succumbed to the intricacies of the game.“We panicked,” Sheehey said. “We didn’t stay true to our scouting report.”Ferrell, asked how devastating Wednesday’s result was, said it’s not very fun to lose a game like that.“It all comes down to execution at the end of the game,” Ferrell said. “It just has to get a lot better. We just can’t panic on the court.”Crean said his team and the coaching staff need to continue to preach awareness.“I keep going to the word awareness, and that’s the nicest word I can use and that’s what we’ve gotta continue to coach.”Follow reporter John Bauernfeind on Twitter @JohnBauernfeind.
(02/12/14 5:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After it saw a six-point halftime lead end in a six-point loss Saturday at Minnesota, the IU men’s basketball team (14-9, 4-6) will go up against the Penn State Nittany Lions (12-12, 3-8) at 7 p.m. in Assembly Hall.IU got its first Big Ten win of the season against Penn State on Jan. 11, defeating the Nittany Lions 79-76.In that contest, the Hoosiers showed a resiliency on the road it has yet to regain in Big Ten play. IU was down by as many as 15 points in that game, but a 19-point performance from freshman forward Noah Vonleh and a late 3-pointer from sophomore forward Austin Etherington sealed the victory for the Hoosiers.During the Big Ten teleconference call Monday, IU Coach Tom Crean said Penn State is a difficult opponent to face.“They play tough, smart basketball and like to control the pace,” Crean said. “(Penn State Coach) Pat Chambers has built that culture with energy and toughness, and they’re very talented.”The Nittany Lions enter tonight’s game on a two-game losing streak, losing to Michigan State and Illinois this past week. Prior to that, however, Penn State won three games in a row, with a victory on the road against Ohio State in overtime.As of Monday, Penn State’s D.J. Newbill is the Big Ten’s leading scorer at 17.7 points per game. In Big Ten play only, though, sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell leads the conference with 18.7 points per game — almost a full point ahead of Iowa’s Roy Devyn Marble and Nebraska’s Terran Petteway, who are tied for second.Crean praised Ferrell for his work ethic, saying Ferrell continually strives to make his team and himself better.“He is a tremendous worker and a tremendous player,” Crean said. “We have so many guys that spend extra time in the gym. Yogi is one of those guys. “He continues to work at it at a very high level. He wants to be a great player, and he really wants to be a great leader.”Chambers, also speaking on the Big Ten teleconference call, said Ferrell is playing at a high level similar to Michigan’s Nik Stauskus.“He is playing out of this world,” Chambers said. “He is up there with Stauskas on level of play in this league.”Vonleh was a big part of IU’s win against Penn State last month. He connected on 5-of-9 shots from the field and made both of his 3-point attempts. He also pulled down six rebounds.Chambers said Vonleh was a tough matchup for Penn State in the first game between the teams.“He got our bigs in foul trouble and did a wonderful job,” Chambers said. “He is a difficult matchup and one that Coach Crean will try to ride if he thinks there is a mismatch.“We are going to have to try to mix up some coverages and make it uncomfortable for him.”Transitioning into Penn State, Crean said IU will have to be sharp on offense.“Defensively, they will sag off players,” Crean said. “So we are going to have to be creative offensively because they will do some serious sagging off players. “We have to make sure the ball is moving and our bodies are moving consistently during the game, and that we are taking care of the ball. They, like so many others, do a great job of turning live-ball turnovers into baskets.”Follow reporter John Bauernfeind on Twitter @JohnBauernfeind.
(02/10/14 3:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the second consecutive game, the IU men’s basketball team (14-9, 4-6) squandered a second half lead on the road, falling to the Minnesota Golden Gophers 66-60. The loss leaves IU tied with Nebraska for eighth place in the Big Ten, and its NCAA Tournament chances were dealt another blow.The Hoosiers were sharp early in the first half, building a 13-point lead. They had key contributions from freshman wing Troy Williams, who scored Indiana’s first nine points of the game.Sophomore forward Jeremy Hollowell scored nine points in 13 minutes off the bench. Hollowell punctuated an 11-0 Indiana scoring run off of Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell’s missed 3-pointer, and got fouled in the process.At that point in the game, with eight minutes and 30 seconds left in the first half, IU led 26-13. Minnesota went on a 7-0 run, capped by a Malik Smith layup.At the end of the first half, the Hoosiers held a 36-30 lead. Minnesota, the Big Ten leader in steals per game, forced IU into only five turnovers that half. Early in the second half the Hoosiers’ ability to hold onto the ball hanged, as Indiana turned over the ball four times during the first three minutes.IU Coach Tom Crean said the difference in the game’s two halves were a result of turnover and awareness issues.“They’re gonna make a run, everybody knows that,” Crean said. “The difference is we had some turnovers in the second half and we had some awareness issues at the end of possessions.”Minnesota scored 10 points off 11 IU second half turnovers. And though the Hoosiers shot 45.5 percent from the field in the second, they only took 22 shots.After Minnesota tied the game three minutes and two seconds into the second half, the Hoosiers went on an 8-0 run. Minnesota, though, went on a 15-3 to capture its first lead of the game with 10 minutes 54 seconds left to play.The game went back and forth from there, and Minnesota’s Joey King hit a jumper with 56 seconds left in the game to give the Golden Gophers a four-point lead. On IU’s next possession, Ferrell missed a 3-pointer. But freshman forward Noah Vonleh stole the ball made a layup, cutting Minnesota’s lead to one point.IU decided not to foul on the ensuing Minnesota possession. If it had worked, the Hoosiers would have been down two with 10 seconds to play. The strategy didn’t pay off, though, as DeAndre Mathieu skated by Evan Gordon for a layup, putting the game out of reach.After the game Vonleh — who recorded his tenth double-double of the season and fourth in Big Ten play with 12 points and 12 rebounds — simply said, “It really sucks.”“They were trying to trap, but I think we just need to get guys in the right spots to get open and just push the ball up the floor,” Vonleh said. “I think we were just rushing too much.”IU had four players score in double-figures, led by Ferrell with 14. After his 27-point performance in IU’s previous game against Michigan, Ferrell struggled shooting, going 5-of-16 from the field and 2-of-9 from beyond the arc.Crean said afterward that IU can’t focus on this game for too long and must transition into preparation for its next opponent, Penn State.“We want to learn from this and be better tomorrow,” Crean said. “We don’t get much ahead of tomorrow. You just can’t. You’ve gotta learn from what you just did. But we want to make sure we learn it and keep applying it and keep practicing the way were practicing and get ready for a very good Penn State team.”