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(12/11/09 5:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If the IU men’s basketball team thought Ole Miss was good, wait until it sees Kentucky. The Hoosiers appear to be a different team than the group that competed in Puerto Rico, but it’s hard to forget their 18-point loss to the Rebels.No. 25 Ole Miss, IU’s toughest opponent to date, will probably be booking a trip to the NCAA Tournament in March and is likely the fourth-best team coming out of the Southeastern Conference. On the other hand, IU’s Saturday opponent, Kentucky, is the No. 4 team in the country. Although John Calipari’s Wildcats probably should have lost to both Miami (Ohio) and Stanford last month, the Big Blue are 9-0 and coming off impressive wins versus North Carolina and Connecticut. The biggest reason for UK’s success, of course, is freshman John Wall. North Carolina head coach Roy Williams called Wall “the best point-guard prospect I’ve seen since Jason Kidd.” Last night, UConn’s Jim Calhoun said the talented guard is “at least as good as Derrick Rose.” Already being projected as the No. 1 pick in June’s 2010 NBA Draft, Wall looks to have a bright future in the pros. For now, however, he is too busy hitting clutch shots, dishing the rock to his teammates, grabbing boards and recording more thefts at Kentucky basketball games than former Wildcat and recent ticket scammer Edward Davender. In plain English, the North Carolina native is averaging an astounding 19 points, 7 assists, nearly 4 rebounds and 3 steals per game. IU guard Maurice Creek and forward Christian Watford might be two of the best freshmen in the Big Ten, but Kentucky’s star freshman is probably the best player in all of college basketball. Sure, Wall averages 4.8 turnovers per game and turned it over a combined 14 times in the past two games, but the kid can flat out ball. Kentucky was at its weakest versus both North Carolina and UConn when Wall was not in the game. He is a game changer and has late-game composure unlike any other freshman at the collegiate level.“We’ve got to get him from the start and be aggressive with him,” sophomore guard Verdell Jones said. “We can’t back down and we won’t back down. I think our guards are ready for this matchup.”While I question what the Wildcats might be capable of doing in a big game without Wall, the future pro is one of several talented players on Calipari’s team. It starts with 6-foot-9 big man Patrick Patterson, easily one of the most underappreciated players in the game. In his senior year of high school, the five-star recruit was overshadowed by transfer O.J. Mayo. At UK, it was Joe Crawford and then Jodie Meeks who received most of the hype during Patterson’s first and second seasons. Patterson is again flying a bit under the radar because of Wall, despite posting 16.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Patterson has plenty of help in the post from another extremely talented freshman, DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins, Rivals.com’s second-ranked 2009 recruit behind only Wall, has averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks through nine games this year. “DeMarcus Cousins is a work horse down low, so we have to really guard him down there and just rebound,” Jones said of the former McDonald’s All-American. “He’s a great offensive rebounder.”On the wing, Darius Miller can pass, shoot and drive for the Wildcats, assuming more of a role-playing position on this year’s squad. Not to be forgotten is Eric Bledsoe, Wall’s partner in crime in the backcourt. Bledsoe, also a point guard, was a top-25 recruit last season and could be the starting point man on almost any team in the country. Four-star junior college transfer Darnell Dodson is the team’s top-scoring option off the bench, while freshman Daniel Orton and senior Ramon Harris have also been solid contributors for the deep Wildcats. In terms of quality team basketball, the Big Ten will present IU with a lot of challenges this winter. But as far as pure talent goes, Kentucky will be the Hoosiers’ most difficult test. IU made a statement in New York on Tuesday, but Saturday’s game against a loaded Wildcats squad will ultimately prove if they can hang with the big boys.Prediction:UK 81 - IU 72
(12/10/09 12:39am)
This year's IDS basketball guide was entitled "Take Two." Apparently statisticians took two last night - points that is, from IU sophomore Verdell Jones.
(12/09/09 6:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It might have been something in the water up in New York. Perhaps it was Jim Harbaugh’s halftime speech. Whatever it was, things were simply clicking for IU on Tuesday.Pitt has earned a reputation in recent years of bullying its opponents at Madison Square Garden, but it was the Hoosiers who socked the Panthers in the mouth and took their lunch money. A late spurt by the Panthers quickly brought things to within six, but it was too little too late. IU put together such a large lead, that even a late game Panther run could not have stolen the Hoosiers’ biggest win of the Tom Crean era.For the first time under Crean, IU truly looked like and played like a veteran team – perhaps a glimpse into the future of Hoosier basketball.IU went in to the Madison Square Garden locker room at the half with a four-point lead, but for once their best basketball was ahead of them.Despite a pinched nerve and being banged up on virtually every part of his body, junior Jeremiah Rivers’ first half play was a big reason the Hoosiers were positioned to win. The Hoosiers outscored Pitt 32-23 in the first half with the 6-foot-5 guard out on the floor. When he was on the bench, however, IU struggled to penetrate – his bread and butter on offense – and was outscored 6-0 by the Panthers.Freshman Christian Watford did an excellent job of getting to the free throw line, especially early in the game, even when his shot wasn’t falling. Even when fellow freshman Maurice Creek had struggles of his own, it never set the team back. Verdell Jones’ 22 points almost speaks for itself, as the sophomore quietly, yet consistently hurt the Pitt defense.While this wasn’t the Pitt Panthers we have grown accustomed to seeing under Jamie Dixon, nothing should be taken away from the Hoosiers. Forget that Kentucky comes to Assembly Hall on Saturday, they deserve every moment before their next practice to soak in this win.ESPN analyst Jay Bilas called this a “program building win,” and it certainly is one that will help the Hoosiers go forward.Madison Square Garden can be a scary place to play for such young players, but they handled every minute of it. So perhaps it was Alicia Keys’ words, “Big lights will inspire you,” from Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” that motivated the Hoosiers on this night.Let’s hear it for New York. Let’s hear it for IU.
(12/08/09 6:30pm)
While beat reporters Zina Kumok and DeAntae Prince are covering the game live from MSG, I'll be holding it down from the first row of my living room. Here's some some pregame material:
(12/08/09 2:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Having lost four of its last five games, the IU men’s basketball team wants nothing more than to win today at Madison Square Garden. “We need a win bad right now,” freshman forward Christian Watford said. In talking to Watford, fellow freshman Jordan Hulls and IU coach Tom Crean on Sunday, it was clear that the Hoosiers are hungry for a victory. But when IU makes its way out onto the floor of the Garden, it should be more than just about winning or losing. It should be more than just a game. This is the Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic. The images of Jim Valvano running frantically across the court after winning the 1983 NCAA Championship on a last-second dunk against “Phi Slama Jama,” still reigns as one of the greatest moments in college basketball history. Valvano just wanted a hug. But nine years later, the beloved former North Carolina State coach was diagnosed with bone cancer and, before long, it was spreading. The following year, on March 3, 1993, Valvano gave both sports fans and non-fans alike a lasting image by which to remember him. At the inaugural ESPY Awards, Valvano, the recipient of the inaugural Arthur Ashe Courage Award, gave an inspirational 10-minute speech. During his speech, Valvano announced the creation of the V Foundation for Cancer Research and then spoke of its motto: “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” Valvano never gave up, living by the words he famously proclaimed, but on April 28, Jimmy V succumbed to cancer and passed away at the age of 47. Since the Maryland game, IU has been set on accomplishing two things: getting better and beating Pitt. Though the players are in the Big Apple and playing at “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” hopefully they take something else away from today’s 9 p.m. showdown. Aside from junior guard Jeremiah Rivers, none of IU’s other starters were more than three years old when Valvano died. In fact, Watford was celebrating his second birthday that very day. While none of the players were old enough, or in some cases alive, to watch Valvano coach, it is vital to carry on his legacy. That means more than just flying to New York and playing 40 minutes of ball on national TV and then coming back to prepare for Kentucky. Crean has been donating to The V Foundation the last few years and is “very supportive of it,” he said. The second-year IU coach added that he became a fan of Valvano in his days as a young coach himself and is looking forward to playing in the annual doubleheader. Yet most of his excitement on Sunday seemed centered around the opportunity for the Hoosiers to play on the national stage and to still be valued as one of the elite programs. Certainly, this is important in terms of IU basketball moving forward. But for a team that, a year ago, went by the motto “Passion for the past ... excitement for the future,” it should not just be about the great moments in IU basketball history and the prospect of returning to the glory days. This “Next Generation” should be developing an appreciation for all of the college basketball greats that played and coached before them, whether at IU or anywhere else in the nation. Crean is not just a coach, but rather an educator and an ambassador to the game of basketball. That’s why before tonight’s game, since he has yet to do so, he truly should speak with his young team about what it means to play in a game honoring the memory of “Jimmy V.” For one or two minutes at practice or in the locker room, he should forget about winning and correcting the team’s past mistakes. Instead, he should teach his players about the strength and the courage Valvano possessed. Hulls, who said he has watched Jimmy V Classic games “forever,” is one player who understands the meaning of tonight’s game. “What they’ve been doing with (the foundation) and how big it’s become, it’s awesome,” the point guard said. “Jimmy V was a great coach and a great guy, and a lot of people looked up to him. It’s just an honor to be able to play in this tournament.” But Hulls is just one player, and like Watford, he said Crean never really mentioned anything to the team about the late Valvano.All day and in the two hours of the actual game tonight, the Hoosiers should be focused purely on winning. But for just a moment or two, they should realize why they are in New York City in the first place. And perhaps, if the Hoosiers find themselves down late in the game, they just might recall Valvano’s motto: “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” IU may be looking for a “W” tonight, but it should also not overlook “V” – Jimmy V.
(12/08/09 1:23am)
Jiovanny "Jio" Fontan has been receiving phone calls from USC, Miami, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and IU, according to East Coast hoops expert Adam Zagoria.
(12/02/09 5:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When Maryland coach Gary Williams and IU coach Tom Crean sat down for their postgame press conferences, the coaches told two different stories. Sure, Maryland won, but the current states of their two programs are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Williams praised his senior leadership but talked about the difficulties of playing two freshmen in the post. “They’re doing a good job for us,” Williams said, referring to 6-foot-10 starter Jordan Williams and 6-foot-8 reserve James Padgett, “but they’re learning in tough situations like tonight and over in Maui.” Crean, meanwhile, does not have the problem of playing a couple freshmen to complement three senior starters and other more experienced talent. Instead, he has to worry playing all freshmen and sophomores to accompany just a few veterans. “I keep saying it, and I promise you I don’t want it to sound like I’m making excuses,” Crean said. “But when you don’t have veterans that hand it down from year to year in the program, then it becomes a problem. That’s what we have to deal with.” The Hoosiers played tough for most of the game, but not tough enough. The Terrapins, meanwhile, “never got rattled,” Crean said, no matter how difficult the fans might have made it.IU held a seven-point lead late in the first half, but Maryland closed the gap and eventually hit the intermission with a 35-33 lead. During that 14-5 run, senior guard Greivis Vasquez hit two 3-pointers, fellow senior guard Eric Hayes hit one and forward Landon Milbourne, another four-year player, converted on an old-fashioned three-point play – an “and one.” The Hoosiers battled for much of the second half, but they just could not withstand the tougher and more experienced Maryland squad. They simply were not strong enough defensively, as Crean said. IU also did not have likes of Vasquez, Hayes and Milbourne on their side. Maryland’s senior trio combined for 56 points, including 23 from Vasquez. Vasquez struggled from the floor again, but he hit 13 of 14 free throws, while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out eight assists. Milbourne, meanwhile, scored 19 on 8-of-11 shooting, and added seven rebounds to his stat line. Lastly, Hayes finished with 14, including a pair of big 3-pointers. Vasquez, in particular, brings something to the table IU can’t match. “Greivis is a very experienced player, not just at Maryland but internationally,” Williams said. “Down the stretch, that’s where he’s at his best, I think, when we do have the lead and we have to protect the lead because he's a very good free-throw shooter and he’s very confident with the ball. He’s not going to make too many mistakes in those situations.” But more than what he does on the court, specifically, he is a leader off the court. Williams spoke about his leadership abilities, in huddles and at halftime. Crean, on the other hand, is still looking for that leadership from the players. He mentioned accountability needs to come not only on the floor, but also in those similar huddles and in their own locker room. “A player-led team is far better than a coach led team,” Crean said. “We’re not anywhere near that.” Though the team wasn’t expected to win on Tuesday, and Maryland simply outclassed them late in the game especially, Crean knows the Hoosiers could have hit the showers with the “W.” “Maybe I shouldn’t come in here and say that, two years in with all the freshmen and sophomores that we have and with all the lack of experience that we have,” he said. Yet he probably should. The Hoosiers proved they can compete at a high level, but they have a long way to go. They will win some of these games later in the season, but visiting crowds will not be as generous as the Creaniacs, The Hall Monitors, Crean’s Army or whatever they are called in Assembly Hall. IU didn’t exactly pass their first test in Puerto Rico, but they are looking better. Defense wins games, though, and they simply must get better in that department, among others. Another loss, but another lesson learned. Practice won’t be fun for the team this week, but they’ll need a kick in the butt to get better.
(12/01/09 7:07pm)
Here is some pregame material for tonight's game between IU and Maryland on ESPN2.
(12/01/09 3:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Watching the fans file down the ramps and head out the south end of Assembly Hall, cheering, chanting and celebrating the victory, it was clear that the IU fans had just been a part of something special. No, the team did not clinch a Big Ten title. No, the Hoosiers did not upend a ranked opponent. In fact, it was just IU’s first win in 12 games – and what turned out to be their last of the season – and it took the team to a meager 6-15 record. When IU defeated Iowa 68-60 in February, it sent the crowd into a frenzy and placed many of those in attendance on what appeared to be cloud nine. The atmosphere was intense that night, especially in the second half, and it mirrored a crowd that in years past had helped IU win much bigger games. Today should be no different. With Maryland as the opponent and the game being broadcast on ESPN2, the IU players are expecting a lot out of the crowd.“I’m looking forward to it,” junior guard Jeremiah Rivers said. “The students are going to be jacked up, it’s going to be loud and it’s going to be fun and real energetic.” Whether or not we ask for it, not a press conference goes by in which IU coach Tom Crean fails to mention the home crowd. At times it might look like a pitch to get more butts in the Assembly Hall seats, but looking at many of IU’s home contests from a year ago, it’s easy to see why he loves what the fans bring to each game – the students especially. Last November, it was clear the crowd factored into IU squeaking past IUPUI for the team’s second win. Seven games later, it was the fans that helped set the tone for the Hoosiers as they built the lead up to 21 at one point versus TCU. And of course the crowd was a factor in pushing IU past Iowa for its lone Big Ten victory. Even in the losses, the student presence – or lack thereof – was quite evident. During winter break, in games not part of the student ticket packages, IU captured a 21-point first half lead versus Lipscomb and held a 20-point advantage against Michigan. Both games went into the loss column, as the typical noisy crowd was anything but. The games are no doubt decided on the court, but there’s no denying what a deafening crowd has the possibility of doing for a home team. “Tremendous” and “paramount” were two words Crean used to describe the potential student impact during today’s Big Ten/Atlantic Coast Conference Challenge battle with the Terrapins. “They create the atmosphere,” Crean said. “It’s not the team that creates all the energy. The crowd creates the energy and the team feeds off that and hopefully they can keep it going. You can’t have success without great student support.” Crean continues to preach that students must get to the games early – after all, the non-students in attendance for the Northwestern State game on Saturday filled the south end zone seats well ahead of game time, he said. Either way, once the referee’s whistles blow, and the ESPN cameras start rolling, the fans can show Maryland that great college basketball environments do not just reside in the ACC. The crowd made its presence known for the Georgia Tech game two years ago, and the atmosphere was electric when No. 1 Duke came into Assembly Hall for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge four years ago. “I’ve seen the Duke film when Duke played Indiana a few years back,” Crean said on Saturday following the Northwestern State game. “I’ve heard people tell me about that among many of the other memories that they have. We’ve got to start building memories like that with crowds like that and a game like that. “If the Big Ten and ESPN are going to put us in situations like they did last year, with us playing Wake Forest with a team that is picked to finish 11th, and playing Maryland with a team that is picked to finish 10th, we’ve got to have the crowd help us in every possible way.” And with a “White Out” in the forecast, the fans also can show that IU does not in fact “Fear the Turtle.” “We have got to get this crowd as great as it can possibly be, as nuts as it can possibly be,” Crean said Saturday. “Tell the fire marshal to stay home that night. We’ll give him tickets right behind the bench. We will let him come, the police chief too. We just need them all in here; we need everybody in here to make this place nuts.”
(12/01/09 3:10am)
The Big Ten has yet to pull out six or more wins in any Big Ten/ACC Challenges thus far - that's 10 years of the ACC dominating the "challenge."
(11/30/09 4:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As freshman Derek Elston went to the bench with 8:06 left in the second half, the 11,128 fans in attendance Saturday gave the 6-foot-9 forward more than just a polite golf clap for his efforts. Rather, IU fans applauded and cheered as the hardworking Elston made his way down to the bench and high-fived his teammates. Elston had just 10 points at that moment, and his dunk just a minute earlier did far from bring down the house – in fact, it was almost the exact opposite of the Marco Killingsworth dunk versus Duke in 2005.Instead, the Hoosier fans were simply recognizing what they had just witnessed from Elston: good, smart basketball. Several minutes earlier, when Elston checked into the game for the first time in the second half, it took him just three seconds to record a field goal. A few minutes later, a Northwestern State opponent tried backing him down, but the freshman responded by holding his ground and forcing a jump ball that ultimately sparked an 8-2 run following a media timeout. That run was capped off by a play in which Elston read the defense and deflected a pass near the top of the key. Upon grabbing the ball and collecting one of his four steals of the day, Elston slowed things down and dished the ball to junior guard Jeremiah Rivers, who in turn found sophomore Verdell Jones for a momentum-sparking 3-point basket. Two offensive plays later, Elston flushed home the aforementioned dunk, which takes us back to the 8:06 mark. Despite struggling in Puerto Rico, Elston has put together three stellar performances this year at Assembly Hall, all as a reserve coming off the bench. Elston, who is now averaging 7.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals on the year in just 16.0 minutes per game, compiled a stat line that included 12 points, six rebounds and four steals in 18 minutes. “I just played me,” Elston said after the team defeated Northwestern State. “I rebounded well today, something Coach has been harping on me about. (I) finished well – I mean, I missed a couple layups, but otherwise I shot the ball well.” While he admits he hasn’t been perfect, Elston continues to be the spark plug off the bench for the Hoosiers on their home court. In the three home games, the Tipton, Ind., native has recorded 12 points per game on 15-of-20 shooting, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals.Elston is also tied with freshman forward Christian Watford for a team-high 12 offensive rebounds – despite playing 64 fewer minutes – with seven of those coming in the team’s three wins. Aside from Watford and freshman guard Maurice Creek, Elston has been the top freshman on the team thus far in the season. Despite that, and the fact that the team has not been its strongest at the center, Elston has yet to find his way into the starting lineup. “Right now, I’m not really caring that I’m (not) starting,” Elston said. “I’m the sixth, seventh man, exactly what I wanted to be coming in here.” Elston probably should not care, either. If IU can get better production from sophomore forward Tom Pritchard or whoever might be playing the five, it won’t do the Hoosiers any harm having Elston bringing the team energy off the bench. Elston is a smart player, and as he gets better on the glass and continues to improve the other aspects of his game, he will unquestionably be a very solid player. This is evident even now, as he seems to make the right decisions and do all the little things when he is out on the court. On Saturday, with the Hoosiers leading 32-20 in the first half, Elston hit a 3-pointer immediately followed by a 3-point shot from the Demons’ Logan McConathy, a shot from 3 by IU senior Devan Dumes and then another by McConathy. On the ensuing possession, Elston caught a pass from behind the arc, but forwent the opportunity for the game’s fifth consecutive 3-pointer. Instead, Elston shot-faked and drove from the side of the basket, banking a 2-pointer. Elston also displayed good chemistry with Rivers. Twice in the second half, Elston saw opportunities to score from the low block, and he inched his way toward the basket with his hands ready to catch the ball. When he got the rock, he finished with the dunk and a layup, respectively. If Elston can continue this stellar play, especially with bigger and more physical opponents coming up in Maryland, Pittsburgh and Kentucky, he will be a tremendous asset to this team. After Saturday’s game, Creek spoke about the production of the entire team, saying every player must bring both offensive and defensive intensity, grab rebounds and force steals every game. Elston did all of those versus Northwestern State. For this team to succeed, it needs solid minutes from everyone else coming off the bench, too. Senior center Tijan Jobe had one of his best outings Saturday, while sophomore guard Daniel Moore was also efficient in his six minutes. Dumes, meanwhile, put together his best game of the season and will need to get back to where he was a year ago in order to supplement what Creek is already providing at the two-guard position. This team continues to get better, though its three wins have come against its weakest opponents. Nevertheless, it is players like Elston who can make the difference this year.
(11/30/09 1:45am)
So apparently the Big Ten is the best basketball league in the country. It sure didn't play that way this weekend. Among the notable results:
(11/23/09 2:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If there was ever any doubt, IU’s eighth-place finish in Puerto Rico pretty much confirmed it – restoring IU basketball will be a long-term project for IU coach Tom Crean. It was inevitable from the start, but IU’s most recent losses, against Boston University and George Mason in particular, proved that the rebuilding process will not be without its share of significant bumps and bruises. The Hoosiers are headed in the right direction, and there is no question about that. The process of returning to national prominence – and, frankly, relevance – is going to take some time, however. This year was never expected to be a 20-win season, and perhaps next year might not be either, but certainly three losses in Puerto Rico have brought IU back down to reality. Perhaps expectations were set too high, considering this is a team rebounding from a 6-25 season, but perhaps they were not. It’s only five games into the season. You know that, they know that and I know that. The Hoosiers have plenty of time to right this ship and have a great year. But there is a ton of work to be done. This team has several young players that should eventually complete their eligibility as excellent four-year players, but as a collective unit the team has a long way to go. There will be brighter days, probably a couple of months from now when things truly click, and only then will IU score some quality wins and avoid the bad losses. For now, however, the team has to take it day by day and game by game. It’s an extremely overused and annoying sports cliche, but it’s the truth. Every loss will be frustrating – likely some more than others – and maybe some of the wins will be, too. But this is a basketball program, not just a basketball team. The work the players are putting in now will go a long way in determining the future of IU basketball while also restoring its recently tarnished image. This year’s win-loss total will be in the record books forever, but it will also mark another step in the right direction for the Hoosiers. IU basketball will continue to improve, and though it may not look like it at the time, it is getting better now. Virtually every coach talks about reaching mid-season form. IU is not there yet, but it will be. Crean and the coaches are working hard, as are the players, and that’s just something fans must understand. Building a program back up from essentially rock bottom is always going to be a gradual progression. The wins won’t necessarily come in bunches, but they will come more frequently over time. IU probably should have beaten both Boston and George Mason, but they didn’t. It’s time for the fans to move forward as IU moves ahead. Though there are some differences, the Hoosiers are experiencing something not entirely different from the progress another program, Cincinnati, has been making. Like IU, the 2006-07 Bearcats returned just one role-playing scholarship player and lost its star freshman guard. They, too, finished at the very bottom of their conference.In year two, Cincinnati also had just one third-year player. He, too, was a walk-on. That season the Bearcats began 4-7, including bad losses against Belmont, Bowling Green and Illinois State. Although they finished just 13-17 in the regular season, they had January wins against Louisville, Syracuse, Villanova, Pittsburgh and West Virginia. A year ago, their third rebuilding season, the Bearcats finished with 18 wins and were a bubble team as late as the first of March. Now, coach Mick Cronin feels the program is finally back on its feet, and the team is poised to finally make a return to the NCAA Tournament. Long story short, it might take Crean and the Hoosiers a couple more years before they seriously push for a tournament berth and stand among the Big Ten elite again. But they are on their way. IU basketball was never going to be a short-term fix, and anyone who thought it would be never fully understood the difficulty of basically restarting an entire program. This year is still young, and fans must not get worked up about a few games. Eventually, the wins will come. Crean has most of the tools he needs to repair this program, but it is going to take some time and a lot of patience.
(11/22/09 2:13pm)
George Mason v. Indiana
(11/22/09 12:37am)
Below the jump is the press release on the signing of Will Sheehey from earlier this week, including comments from Tom Crean:
(11/21/09 12:54am)
No, that score above isn't the Celtics and the Pacers (plus the Pacers actually just beat the Celtics a week or so ago). We'll see how the team responds, and surely it is still early in the season. For now, here's ESPN's Andy Katz's take on Twitter:
(11/20/09 6:41pm)
IU will face Boston University at 6 p.m. for a spot in Sunday's consolation finals (5th place game) at the Puerto Rico Tipoff. The winner will play No. 21 Georgia Tech, who defeated George Mason, 80-72. The Patriots await the loser of the IU-BU game.
(11/20/09 3:27am)
Following their 89-71 loss to Ole Miss at the Puerto Rico Tipoff, IU will play Boston University at 6 p.m. tomorrow, after the Terriers fell to Kansas State 80-70. The game will not be televised.
(11/19/09 6:07pm)
Game one of the Puerto Rico is in the books. No. 18 Dayton knocked off No. 21 Georgia Tech 63-59. Georgia Tech has a lot of young talent, including five-star freshman Derrick Favors, but it was the Flyers who prevailed on the backs of three sophomores, Chris Johnson, Paul Williams and Luke Fabrizius.
(11/19/09 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After IU began last season 1-0, the team survived a scare from IUPUI, who had them on the brink of defeat before the Hoosiers prevailed 60-57. Like last season, the Hoosiers coasted in their season opener, but again things weren’t as easy in their second game. While IU defeated USC Upstate by a more comfortable eight points, the team’s win on Monday should have served as another wake-up call. The 2-0 Hoosiers of last year traveled to Hawaii for the EA Sports Maui Invitational, where they were pasted by Notre Dame and then less-than-stellar St. Joseph’s, by 38 and 26 points, respectively. IU had its back against the wall in the tournament’s seventh-place game, and escaped from Division II Chaminade 81-79. Although this isn’t your 2008-09 Hoosiers, the 2009 O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tipoff field will still make wins very hard to come by this week. Ole Miss, the team’s opening-round opponent, is not ranked but could be the sleeper coming out of the SEC. On Friday, IU will face either Kansas State, a likely NCAA Tournament team, or Boston University, the America East Conference’s unanimous preseason favorite. Add in No. 5 Villanova, No. 18 Dayton and No. 21 Georgia Tech, as well as George Mason on the other side of the bracket, and there are really no guaranteed victories. Not to take anything away from the Hoosiers, but Ole Miss is very talented and seems to be flying under the radar. The Rebels are among the nation’s 50 best teams based on poll votes and will unquestionably be a solid test for IU. After Monday’s game, IU coach Tom Crean said there is “no way” IU is presently as strong or physical as Ole Miss. “If we don’t match up and play with that will and that fire, even though we’re not as physical as them, we’ll get embarrassed,” he said. The Rebels, picked to finish second in the SEC West, have what many consider the SEC’s top back court, and maybe one of the nation’s best. Sophomore Terrico White, a preseason first-team all-SEC selection and candidate for the Naismith and Wooden Awards, is joined by preseason second-team all-SEC junior guard Chris Warren and sophomore Eniel Polynice. Warren played in 11 games last year, while Polynice and sophomore Trevor Gaskins were both redshirted a year ago because of knee injuries. In 2007-08, Gaskins was an all-SEC freshman. In the front court, sophomore forward Murphy Holloway has the potential to go for a double-double on any night, while senior DeAundre Cranston could give IU trouble with his 6-foot-9, 260-pound frame.Not to be forgotten is freshman Reginald Buckner, Tennessee’s all-time high school leader in blocks. Buckner, who Rivals.com rated the No. 29 recruit in the nation a year ago, blocked nine shots in the team’s first two games while coming off the bench. Even with such a talented back court, the Rebels could wreak some havoc in the post if they can find a way to limit IU freshman Christian Watford’s production. This could be a great win for the Hoosiers, but a loss, meanwhile, would be a reality check. Three key questions: 1. Who will start?Tom Crean insists on playing the five best players. Derek Elston and Devan Dumes started the second half last game instead of Tom Pritchard and Maurice Creek. Elston seems like a legitimate option as the second forward in the front court, but with the big DeAundre Cranston starting for Ole Miss, they might need Pritchard’s size. Creek, meanwhile, is tied with Christian Watford as the team’s leading scorer and it will be hard to keep him out of the starting five. 2. Which Jeremiah Rivers will come to play?Will IU fans see the Jeremiah Rivers who posted 15 points and a 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the team’s second exhibition game, or the sloppy Rivers who is averaging four turnovers and 17 percent shooting in the two regular season games? The Hoosiers will struggle this year if Rivers can’t find his rhythm and doesn’t play quality minutes. 3. Can the Hoosiers contain the Rebels’ back court?Rivers has a 7-inch height advantage on Ole Miss’ Chris Warren. It will be an interesting battle between the lockdown defender and the speedy Warren. IU has struggled some with transition defense and they might be a bit overmatched on the perimeter. For IU to have a solid chance to win, they will need to contain the Rebels’ back court, which won’t be easy. The Ole Miss trio is averaging about 14 points per game each. Prediction:Earlier this year, ESPN’s Andy Katz said this tournament will give Crean a “good barometer on where his team stands.” The first game, in particular, will likely reveal whether IU is capable of competing with top-level talent. Ole Miss should have the edge in the back court and is definitely more experienced. This is certainly a winnable game for the Hoosiers, but it might be premature to expect them to come away with this one. Maybe they will prove me wrong. That’s why they play the game. IU 64, Ole Miss 77