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(12/12/11 6:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This one was for Hoosier Nation.This one was for the fans who didn’t put Butler blue over cream and crimson while the IU basketball program was dragged through the mud of a 28-66 (8-46) record during the past three years.This one was for senior Eric Anderson of Munster, Ind., who arrived at Assembly Hall at 6:30 a.m. on game day with a generator, television, Wii and “Mario Kart” to reserve his spot in the general admission line.“I’ve been watching IU basketball since I was born,” Anderson said about three hours before IU’s eventual 73-72 victory against Kentucky tipped off. “I’m named after an IU basketball player. It’s in my blood. I love IU basketball. I was here for the Duke game in 2005 when Marco (Killingsworth) threw down that dunk, and just being here tonight and knowing that something like that could happen, I’m real amped up.”Something like that did happen, as junior forward Christian Watford vindicated an entire basketball program with one shot — a shot that began the healing after errant phone calls caused seemingly irreparable damage four years ago.This one was for the hysterical male student who rushed the court after the Hoosiers’ first home win against a No. 1 ranked opponent since 2001. He tried to fight back tears from his red, bulging eyes as he struggled to put his feelings into words.“I can’t even describe it to you,” he said. “I’ve sat here for three years and watched us lose, watched us struggle, watched us keep fighting but not have enough talent. Watched us punch early against teams and not be able to fight back after they punch back. This feels amazing. I can’t even describe it to you right now.”The voices of jubilation from those on Branch McCracken Court after the win continued to say it better than I ever could:“We might as well be NCAA Champions right now.”“It’s been a rough four years, but it’s great to be back.”“All these fans, all the electricity, the atmosphere. This is IU basketball. This is what we live for.”“It’s an exorcism of three years of hell.”But as IU Coach Tom Crean pointed out in his postgame press conference, the Hoosiers’ biggest victory in his tenure touches more than just the students.“This is one of the most shared moments that I’ve ever been a part of, maybe the most shared moment where you want to share it with everybody who has been a part of this program long before we got here,” Crean said. “The ones that have joined in, in the sense of becoming fans over a period of time, but I think this is the epitome of what Hoosier Nation is all about, and the fans and everybody that supports this program from close and far, young and old. They deserve it because it’s one of those moments that everyone is going to remember.”From 5:20 to 7:28 p.m. Dec. 10, it was a united fan base “from close and far, young and old” that created an environment that brought out the true potential of a home-court advantage in Assembly Hall. “It was so loud, my head still hurts,” sophomore guard Victor Oladipo said. “I need ibuprofen or something.”It was for 53-year-old, lifelong Bloomington resident and Hoosiers fan Jim Fox who watched the game with his son, Logan, an IU senior. The two stood side-by-side in Assembly Hall’s westside seating level, simply staring in disbelief at the court, even after the postgame celebration had begun to subside.“We’ve been through a tough four years and a lot of pain through that, but the patience has paid off,” Jim said. “It’s back. It’s back. No doubt about it.”It was for Booneville, Ind., native Jonathan Weyerbacher, who tried to explain to this out-of-state columnist what Indiana basketball meant to the Hoosier state.“This means so much to these guys,” Weyerbacher said following the game. “(It) means so much to these fans, who have always stuck with this team and will always stick with this team because this is Indiana and this is Indiana basketball. This is the heart of our state.”Through coaching changes, player transfers and ridicule, the one thing that stayed constant through this roller coaster ride was the fans. IU averaged the 12th-best attendance in the country last season, ranked 11th in 2010 and 16th in Crean’s inaugural season.Now, those who kept with the program are being rewarded for their loyalty.“It’s time for some excitement in Indiana basketball again,“ senior Stacey Vosters said before the game. The Odon, Ind., native began standing in line for general admission seats at 7 a.m.It was even for Brian Sanderson.The soft-spoken freshman from Downers Grove, Ill., slept for two or three hours before waking up at 6 a.m. in his Foster Quad dorm room and making the walk up Fee Lane with nothing more than a coat, notebooks and a box of Frosted Flakes.When Sanderson, who did not grow up an IU fan, arrived at Assembly Hall for his first general admission game, there was no line. He asked an official if he was in the right place. They assured him it was, and he was the first one.The humble freshman theorized what the aftermath of an improbable IU upset would be.“It’s going to be insane,” Sanderson said while waiting in line. “They might have to cancel finals. It’s going to be a rough morning for everyone tomorrow if we win.”At the time, Sanderson chuckled at the unlikely possibility of the Hoosiers beating a collection of potential NBA players and the equally doubtful prospect of doing away with finals.If only he, the more than 17,000 in Assembly Hall and more watching from across the globe knew they were about to witness the culmination of their frustration released in a single moment that will forever be frozen in time.— azaleon@indiana.edu
(12/11/11 5:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>1) Shutting down the Kentucky frontcourt. Entering Saturday night’s game, Kentucky sophomore forward Terrence Jones led the Wildcats in scoring with an average of 15 points a game, while freshman forward Anthony Davis was not far behind with 12.3.Against the Hoosiers, Jones and Davis combined for just seven shots… seven. This amounted to four points for Jones and Davis scoring six. Heading into this game I knew there would be a battle in the post, but I didn’t expect it to be so one-sided.IU freshman forward Cody Zeller was still able to score 11 points and pull down five offensive rebounds, numbers that could have been padded even more if the Hoosiers fed it to him more effectively in the second half. The window for opportunity in the post was open, as Davis picked up his third personal foul with 17:35 still to be played in the game.Without a scoring threat in the post, the Wildcats couldn’t turn to their poor perimeter shooting, where UK shot just 2-of-7 from beyond the arc.2) Getting to the foul line. The Hoosiers win when they get to the foul line more than their opponents, and IU has yet to lose. Against Coach John Calipari’s Cats, IU hoisted the same amount of shots form the charity stripe as UK with 17 but still was able to do damage.Prior to their shocking upset victory against UK, the Hoosiers were consistent, making 74 percent of their foul shots. On Saturday, IU took advantage of the home-court advantage and sunk 14-of-17, while the Cats missed seven of their 17.3) Not losing the battle on the boards. With size and athleticism, Kentucky has dominated opponents on the glass all season, being ranked as the fourth-best rebounding team in the country before losing to the Hoosiers. IU, on the other hand, had not experienced the same amount of success, failing to outrebound Stetson. Coach Tom Crean’s squad was ranked 163rd, averaging eight less boards per game than the Cats.But on Saturday, the Hoosiers matched UK in rebounds with 30 apiece, including beating the Cats on the offensive glass, 14-to-10. It’s hard to say whether this came as a result of IU being that good, or Kentucky being that bad with forward Terrence Jones collecting just one rebound – a career low.Kentucky has been very good at creating second-chance opportunities off misses, but in Assembly Hall, IU had the advantage with 16 second-chance points to 10.
(12/11/11 4:13am)
(12/09/11 5:27am)
This is the first time a Tom Crean-led team takes the court against the
Wildcats and has a legitimate chance of winning from the outset. Once
the final buzzer sounded in Kentucky’s victory against North Carolina,
IU fans knew they would get their shot at beating the No. 1 team in the
country at home Saturday.
(12/07/11 3:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This is the last straw.Students, meet IU Athletics.IU Athletics, meet the students.Now, let’s get together and finally make a damn good student section.My impatience with these parties boiled over Tuesday as a group of students camping outside Assembly Hall for the best general admission seats to Saturday’s game against Kentucky were told they had to take down their tents by the IU Police Department. This came after IU Athletics officers and IU Coach Tom Crean endorsed the campers via Twitter.So, just to get this straight: IU Athletics advocated something that was against its own university’s law.To be fair, students camped out overnight last year for the Purdue game in Bloomington without problem, so that precedent was already set. The difference this year? A group of protesters in Peoples Park that I do not want to name.If IU allows the Assembly Hall campers to set up tents on campus property, what’s stopping those in Peoples Park — a public property — from setting up shop in the Arboretum? A double standard would be set that the University would have a hard time defending. In addition, the campus policy prohibiting tents to be set up overnight already stands.Why last year’s Assembly Hall campers were legal and this year’s are not is a question that remains unanswered.So, I understand why “Camp Crean,” as they call themselves, cannot set up tents. What I don’t understand is why IU Athletics and IUPD have conflicting agendas. As parts of the same body, they should communicate.“Took 2 calls yesterday from students asking about rules for camping outside of Assembly Hall 4 the UK game,” tweeted Assistant Director of Media Relations for IU Athletics Kyle Kuhlman prior to Camp Crean setting up. “Camping rules about the same as football tailgate. Pretty simply: use common sense, don’t doing anything stupid & you’ll be good to go.”I guess setting up a tent for camping goes against common sense. I bet that group of fans freezing their butts off outside Assembly Hall would have appreciated a call to IUPD from the Athletic Department to make sure everybody was on the same page.The fiasco is the latest installment in a lack of collaboration between the students and IU Athletics, a complicated relationship that extends inside Assembly Hall.Assembly Hall has the largest student section in the Big Ten. It’s loud, it provides the team a boost and it likes to complain about the seating policy.It has a point.The arrival of Athletics Director Fred Glass in 2009 brought much-needed reform to the student section seating system, the most notable of which was the implementation of general admission seating in the first 25 rows of the East Side student sections under the balcony (K,L and M).However, this season, the howls of dissatisfaction with the student section again arose with each home game, and for good reason.Among non-students and alumni: the students weren’t getting to games early, let alone on time.And from the students: they were again divided among three tiers of Assembly Hall and with terrible seats in the balcony.My solution:1) This season, allow students with assigned seats outside of GA to move into those seats after 15 minutes of real time from when the game starts. If those lucky fans that got general admissions seats in the main level are not in them after 15 minutes, give them to students that deserve them.2) Have students seated in either assigned seats behind the South basket or in the current main level seating on the East Side. However, instead of having just the first 25 rows as general admission, make the whole section GA. Dedicated and loud students will get there first, get there early and be ready to go. With this ticketing system, everybody still gets the same amount of opportunities to sit behind the basket.3) Make the Crimson Guard mean something. I had so much hope for this registered student organization not affiliated with IU Athletics. It could have been a liaison between students and administrators. It could have been a driving force that organizes student section efforts, including a campout for GA seats leading up to the Kentucky game. But so far, I’ve seen nothing.The Crimson Guard’s website’s front page advertises a takeover of the Big Ten Tournament ... from last season. It still posts information sheets about cheers and conduct at home games, but until I hear some results, like innovative cheers, this organization’s effort is all for naught. Somebody look up the Izzone at Michigan State, Orange Krush at Illinois or even Krzyzewskiville at Duke and take notes.IU is one of the most basketball-crazed colleges in the country. It deserves a student section that holds up its end of the deal with an athletic department that does the same.Until that happens, the same squabbles will ensue every season prior to conference play.
(12/06/11 3:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Keep underestimating Remy Abell.Go ahead, leave him out of postgame discussions. Divert attention to the starters. That’s the way he wants it.“Remy Abell gets his first bucket,” ESPN broadcaster Mike Patrick said surprisingly Wednesday during the NC State game.With the game tied at 32 in the first half, senior guard Verdell Jones III drove into the lane and was engulfed by opposing white uniforms. Jones kicked it out to Abell on the perimeter, where the freshman guard made the first three of his college career, a bucket that put IU up with 5:32 left in the first half.“That was his first three-point shot of the season,” Patrick said. “He had been 0-for-3, so the scouting report says let him take it.”That’s right, keep underestimating Abell.The runt of a freshman class that included three-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week Cody Zeller and Indiana high school sharpshooter Austin Etherington, Abell committed to the Hoosiers in April — five months after Zeller and nearly 21 months after Etherington.On ESPN.com’s basketball recruiting page for that 2011 class, Abell is listed below his two teammates as a two-star recruit, lacking even a picture of his face, which Etherington and Zeller have.“I kind of like it. Nobody really talks about me, but I just keep working,” Abell said. “I like being underestimated because nobody really knows how good you are until you show it. So I’m just behind the scenes watching everybody, and I’m very happy for all my teammates that get all the praise, but I’m just going to keep working and be ready once my name gets called.”In a basketball world full of self-indulgence, Abell sunk his first three and ran the court with a determined stare, looking for his man to defend. There was no fist-pumping, floor-slapping, stare-downs or trash talk.It was just Abell seeing some of his hard work pay off and helping his team to an eventual 86-75 road win. He would finish the game with a modest career-high of five points to accompany a rebound and steal in eight minutes of playing time.“It’s big for our team, and it’s big for Remy’s confidence,” Assistant Coach Bennie Seltzer said. “We know he’s capable of doing just those things and even more. ”A Louisville, Ky., native, Abell is the first player from Kentucky to score a point for IU in more than 65 years. This season, he’s averaging 7.7 minutes a game off the bench and scoring an average of 2.9 points per game.He hasn’t thrown down thunderous alley-oop dunks or dished no-look passes. His 3-pointer against NC State might have been the first time you looked up and thought, “Oh yeah, I forgot that we signed that guy.”So far this season, Abell is providing IU with a tough defender and added depth at the guard position.“I just see myself fitting in wherever they need me and being ready,” Abell said. “I’m just trying to work hard every day — work on my game — and my coaches and my teammates are doing a good job of pushing me. I’ve always grown up having a work ethic, so that helped me, the way I grew up, wanting to play basketball.”I know Abell is going to work his tail off just given the opportunity he has in Bloomington.Originally committed to Bradley, Abell asked for and was granted a release from his letter of intent after head coach Jim Les was fired. Within the month, Abell visited IU and switched his commitment to the Hoosiers.“It really has (hit me),” he said. “I don’t think it was at the NC State game — that was a big win — but from the beginning, when we started Hoosier Hysteria, that’s when it really kind of hit me, like I’m really at Indiana.”As much as I wanted him to, the humble guard never did give himself credit for that key 3-pointer that changed the momentum of Wednesday’s game, nor did he recognize the fact that it was his first bucket from beyond the arc as a Hoosier.“It was a good drive by Verdell, and he kicked to me, and I was ready to shoot,” Abell said. “It was a big shot coming in and giving my team some uplift, and we took the lead, actually, so it really helped.”So continue to underestimate Remy Abell. He wants to surprise you.— azaleon@indiana.edu
(12/05/11 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>You couldn’t erase the smile from Daryl Thomas’ glowing face as he spoke about the 1987 Championship Team and the way things were.“Did you see those shorts we wore?” Thomas said with a smile. “Jesus, those little short, tight things. I think it should be illegal to walk around outside in something on that small.” Thomas stood alongside his teammates during halftime of IU’s 84-50 victory against Stetson on Sunday in a line at half court without their curmudgeon of a head coach. The cheers during that 25th anniversary ceremony were the loudest of the game up to that point.And for those few minutes before the second half, I began to understand.I understood the pride and love this state has for Hoosier basketball and why Assembly Hall still draws sizeable crowds despite not having won a title during my lifetime. I at least got an inkling of exactly how dominant IU was during the Bob Knight era.“I said this to the ’87 team today when had a chance to see them,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “No one signed up obviously for what happened four seasons ago, but the fact that the former players continued to come back here and be a part of this, I think it showed the fans that, ‘Hey, the program is big. This program is really big. We may be going through a tough situation, but the players love the program. It’s always been about how they feel about the program based on the tradition that’s been here.’”That portion of IU’s last championship-winning team was together on Branch McCracken Court for the first time in a quarter century. That hardwood might have been the only commonality between the program when they played to it now. The looming shadow cast upon IU basketball by the ’87 team and its predecessors has made it difficult for anyone in the last 11 years since Knight was fired to live up to expectations. During Knight’s 28-year tenure in Bloomington, IU was 662-239 for a .737 winning percentage, won three NCAA Championships and chronicled the last perfect season in NCAA history.Indiana basketball is not back if applied by those standards. I’m not sure if Indiana basketball will ever be able to get back to that point due to the current climate of college basketball.IU has certainly started the long, steep climb back to that point after being knocked off the mountain by Kelvin Sampson. But the man who sunk the infamous shot to hang the Hoosiers’ fifth banner is itching for the program that he and his teammates love so much to return to greatness.“They know we’re supporting them 100 percent because we said we want to be like those other guys, and we want to be able to go to a Final Four or Championship Game and be in the stands and have our IU clothing that fit us now,” ’87 guard Keith Smart said before Sunday’s game. “We see other teams and other players that played at those schools are at the games and at Final Fours, and we want to be there. We want to be part of that as well.”The presence of the ’87 Championship Team was a potent reminder of the way things were and a glimpse into what it must have been like to for many, like me, who didn’t live through it.Thomas’s shorts haven’t gotten any less embarrassing, but they represent a time when IU basketball was king — a time that many are wondering will ever come again.— azaleon@indiana.edu
(12/05/11 2:09am)
(12/04/11 9:28pm)
The media had an opportunity to speak with members of the 1987 Championship team before the game today. I only had enough time to transcribe guard Keith Smart's interview and will hopefully have the rest of the team done before today is done.
(12/04/11 8:07pm)
Indiana vs. Stetson
(12/02/11 8:10pm)
IU basketball columnist Avi Zaleon predicted that IU would lose its game against North Carolina State. Now, he holds his end of the bargin.
(12/02/11 4:59am)
Much like the Savannah State or Gardner-Webb games, I expect IU to
steamroll the Hatters.
(12/01/11 5:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This column was all but written with a little less than eight minutes left in the game.IU Coach Tom Crean and his squad still cannot win on the road, beating themselves through turnovers, not enough touches in the post, poor rebounding and a lack of trips to the foul line.With the Hoosiers down 63-56, an official television timeout was taken, and IU showed something that hasn’t been in Bloomington for the last three seasons: poise, composure and the ability and confidence to come from behind and win.And to do all this on the road at an ACC school on Tobacco Road? Somebody pinch me.During the next 4.5 minutes, IU went on a 15-5 run, capped off by a clutch Christian Watford three-pointer, to take a three-point lead. Eight of those points came from freshman phenom Cody Zeller, who proved to be the catalyst for the Hoosiers’ success in the second half after scoring just six in the first.Even when the Hoosiers had a slim lead late in the first half and early into the second, it really didn’t feel like IU was playing well enough to have the advantage on the scoreboard.The Hoosiers were their own worst enemy, committing 13 turnovers, being beat on the glass and attempting just three foul shots in the first half. My prediction of an N.C. State victory and the Hoosiers’ first loss of the season was coming to fruition. Sure, IU was down only seven, but a stagnant offense that produced just four points from 18:01 to 12:54 in the second half did not make me believe a comeback was on the horizon.Crean’s past teams did not possess the poise and confidence to execute adjustments and overcome a deficit on the road, so why should this one?Maybe I was numb from the three 20-loss seasons. Maybe the six easy wins caused me to think this IU squad would be exposed for the mediocre team I thought it was.Whatever the reason, I, and I’m guessing quite a few of you, were ready to chalk this one up as a loss.But the Hoosiers, led by a freshman, nonetheless, put together a game-changing run and left Raleigh, N.C., undefeated, proving they could win on the road, come from behind to win and the real kicker — come from behind ... while on the road.This was the first win for Crean at IU when his team trailed with five minutes left.Why? Because this is a player-driven team, something Crean and his players said a lot at Big Ten Media Day before this season began. The players and coaches are largely the same from last season, so why the drastic change in play?It’s because the Hoosiers are drawing strength and confidence from each other while on the floor. They’re not relying solely on Crean and the coaching staff, but rather, taking accountability and believing they can win.That’s why this team is different. That’s why this team surprised me, and maybe you, and is beginning to draw attention from across the country.In real time, eight minutes is easily forgettable, but for the Hoosiers on Wednesday, it was enough time to rewrite the script for their young season.— azaleon@indiana.edu
(11/30/11 10:48pm)
Indiana at North Carolina State
(11/30/11 3:25am)
The Wolfpack will give IU its biggest challenge yet, and you better
believe an unfriendly sea of red will await the Hoosiers in Raleigh.
(11/29/11 3:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Expectations rule our judgment of reality.If I expect to get back to Bloomington after Thanksgiving break at a reasonable time, but two pileups cause traffic to move slower than Martha the Mop Lady singing a drawn-out IU fight song, I’m not going to be too pleased.But if I knew traffic would be sluggish, it wouldn’t seem so bad.Before this IU basketball season began, everyone had their own expectations of the team and its players. Here is one disappointment and one pleasant surprise so far:Subpar reboundingThe Hoosiers have been bigger and stronger than their opposition thus far this season, but it doesn’t show up in the rebounding comparison. IU has a plus-2.8 rebounding margin, meaning the Hoosiers have averaged 2.8 boards more than their opponents in games this year. It’s an advantage, sure, but not nearly large enough of one given the opposition.Chattanooga outrebounded IU 45-36 Nov. 13, while IU edged-out Butler on the glass Sunday, 36-34. With forwards like the 6-foot-11-inch Cody Zeller, 6-foot-9-inch Christian Watford and 6-foot-9-inch Derek Elston on the floor together at some point, I was expecting more of a dominant showing. This height, paired with more sound boxing out, can turn the tide when opposing lineups get bigger and stronger.Otherwise, Crean’s squad could run into major issues in Big Ten season when they have to go up against much more physical teams and inside powers such as Michigan State’s Draymond Green or Minnesota’s Ralph Sampson III.Seniors comfortable in new roles We all knew this season would be different with the arrival of Zeller. With a strong post presence, added depth and focus on defense, players who have been with the program since the beginning needed to transition into different roles. I just didn’t expect the shift to happen so seamlessly and so quickly.For senior forward Tom Pritchard, this meant making the most of the minutes he would play. Through six games this season, Pritchard’s average minutes per game have been nearly cut in half in his role off the bench. But within the time Pritchard is seeing, the senior is playing with the intangibles that won’t appear on a scorecard.It’s no secret everyone has poked fun at the 6-foot-9-inch, 245-pound forward at some point in the past three seasons. It’s sad but true. However, when Pritchard dives for a loose ball, like he did against Butler, it won’t show up on the stat sheet.What some naive fans will see is that in nine minutes against the Bulldogs, The Pritch did not attempt a shot or pull down a rebound. In reality, Pritchard could come off the bench, lower his head and give minimal effort because he’s playing as a reserve in his senior season. But instead, he is embodying the toughness and energy that was all that pioneer recruiting class really had going for it.Similarly, senior guard Verdell Jones III has found the scoring burden taken off his shoulders and onto scintillating sophomores Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey. So many times this past year, fans buried their head in their hands at the sight of Jones jacking up ill-advised shots en route to a .298 three-point percentage last season.This year, we’re seeing a more disciplined Jones, who has taken the least amount of shots of any starter with 32, but he has a team-leading 24 assists. Jones is still finding his way on offense as a shooting guard who isn’t shooting.— azaleon@indiana.edu
(11/28/11 5:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers won their first game of the season Sunday night.It wasn’t a blowout, and it wasn’t pretty, but IU proved it can beat a team that matters.Obviously, IU has come away with victories against five other opponents already, but those wins always left lingering questions.In those games, the Hoosiers’ defense was dominant. But look who was playing offense.IU’s offense looked prolific, but what was the quality of the defense?Cody Zeller is putting up big numbers on both sides of the ball, but has he really gone against a true big man?IU Coach Tom Crean’s squad looked like a Final Four team against five schools whose conference I had to look up. That all changed Sunday, as the Hoosiers convincingly defeated a decent, though not great, Bulldogs team 75-59 to begin a new chapter in this year’s campaign. It is a stretch that includes games against North Carolina State away, soon-to-be-top-ranked Kentucky in Assembly Hall and Notre Dame in a neutral Conseco Fieldhouse.Now the Hoosiers are proving they are a top-25 team for the first time in Crean’s tenure and an increasingly likely candidate to be on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble when March rolls around.And it wasn’t the fact that IU won the game that has me nervously second-guessing my preseason NIT-berth prediction. It was how the Hoosiers defeated the Bulldogs and the darling of college basketball, Coach Brad Stevens.Grit. Toughness. Hustle.“We knew coming in it was going to be a street fight,” Zeller said.The Hoosiers were thrown into the ring with a physical, defensive-minded Butler team and were able to keep fighting until the last bell.Players were hit; contact was made; fouls, at least beginning in the second half, weren’t always called and electrifying plays that normally led to big drives were quickly quelled.In a game that included 40 personal fouls, 37 turnovers and 27 steals, Crean’s Hoosiers never let the Bulldogs punch them in the mouth without returning the favor.“When you play elite teams, which I believe they are, you better bring that level of toughness, and I believe we did,” Crean said.Zeller faced Butler center Andrew Smith, who is listed as the same height and entered the game as the Bulldogs’ leading scorer. Zeller finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Smith went 1-for-7 from the field for three points.Amidst a battlefield of sweat, noise and passion, the emotion of the game was painted on both teams’ faces.Because this wasn’t just a game to give IU’s its sixth-straight win and Butler its third loss.This was a game that carried state-wide implications, as a rising Butler squad, which has outshone all other Indiana schools in basketball in the last two years, went against the faded glory of IU. Furthermore, it was a chance for Crean to hamper the unfair comparisons drawn between his program and Stevens’.When the noise reached its loudest after a Zeller reverse one-handed slam, there was a reminder that Butler’s growing popularity had still not surpassed the Hoosier state’s mainstay program in Bloomington — something I questioned when Bulldogs apparel began sprouting up around campus last March.There is now no question that this IU team is on the rise. It’s just a matter of seeing how high the ceiling is.
(11/28/11 4:51am)
(11/27/11 10:09pm)
Indiana vs. Butler
(11/24/11 9:36pm)
Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving, whether it's with your loved ones or the in-laws.