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(01/27/12 6:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Verdell Jones III swiftly cocked his head to the right as the sound of a large, metal sheet event door opened, drowning out the sound of his sedated voice.The garage-like door arose to reveal a slick white bus with a chrome Badger on the front and the word “Indiana” illuminated in the upper left corner of the windshield.After providing justifiably somber answers to the press, Jones walked onto that bus where he and the rest of the Hoosiers would, for the fourth time in five games, have time to think about what went wrong.After all, IU shot 45.7 percent from the field compared to Wisconsin’s 39.6 and were even with the Badgers in rebounding at 24 in a 57-50 loss Thursday at the Kohl Center. The Hoosiers even limited Badgers leading scorer Jordan Taylor to 5-of-14 shooting for 10 points.But Jones, who scored all of his 12 points in the first half, and the rest of his team couldn’t finish what they started.“They got a couple key rebounds at the end of the game in crucial times,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “We put ourselves in the position to win, we just couldn’t finish it off.”The makeup of this team came down to nine minutes and 22 seconds of basketball.It was at that point in the second half when Wisconsin’s Ben Brust nailed a three-pointer in transition to put the Badgers up 41-39.For the first time all game, the Kohl Center erupted, and the Hoosiers were faced with more adversity than they had faced all season.Momentum from a first-half lead, which carried into the second half, had begun to swing the Badgers’ way. Leading scorer Cody Zeller, who was scoreless in the first half, picked up his third foul nearly five minutes earlier, and the shackles from fouls that limited his performance and playing time tightened even more.First IU was back — I know this because I’ve been seeing it on t-shirts all around Bloomington — but then, after three straight losses, we weren’t sure it was.Now, after dropping to 1-4 in conference road games, those shirts might be put into the closet and better suited for Hoosier Hysteria next season.For IU to be better, they have to learn to close out games.Rankings tell us that a 25-seed beating a 17-seed should be an upset, but this didn’t feel like an upset. That 17 next to “Indiana” on the television is outdated and represents a team that could close out and win games. I no longer see that team on the floor.IU fought and battled till the end, but at the final buzzer it was clear that the Hoosiers’ best, in the face of a road environment and the officiating that comes with it, wasn’t enough.The bus doors closed behind Verdell Jones. Friday night’s trip would represent a chance to go back to Bloomington and prove that he plays on a team deserving of everyone’s expectations.
(01/26/12 3:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Scouting WisconsinHead coach Bo Ryan, 11th seasonLeading scorer Senior guard Jordan Taylor, 14.1 ppgLeading rebounder Junior guard/forward Ryan Evans, 6.6 rpgBest win Home against No. 15 UNLV, 62-51Worst loss Home against Iowa, 72-65What they do well Defense. The Badgers are giving up the least amount of points in all of Division I. Opponents are averaging just 49.6 points against Wisconsin.What needs work Scoring. Bo Ryan’s squad is averaging 65.6 points per game, 10th in the Big Ten.Projected startersIndianaG Jordan Hulls 12.4 points per gameG Verdell Jones III 7.7G Victor Oladipo 10.5F Christian Watford 12.6F Cody Zeller 15.1NebraskaG Jordan Taylor 14.1 points per gameG Josh Gasser 7.7G/F Ryan Evans 9.7F Mike Bruesewitz 6.5F Jared Berggren 11.0My takeJust because Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan sticks to the same philosophy every year doesn’t mean it has become any easier to stop or any less effective. Ryan’s brand of slow, defense-heavy basketball has beaten the Hoosiers eight straight times and rendered IU winless in Madison. IU hasn’t won in Kohl Center since Jan. 25, 1998.Tonight, the Big Ten’s highest-scoring offense takes on the country’s best defense. There are two keys to a Hoosier victory: First, IU cannot get bogged down in the down-tempo style in which the Badgers thrive. The Hoosiers’ offense needs to be drawn from easy transition buckets, as opposed to drawn-out half court possessions. On defense, IU Coach Tom Crean’s team cannot allow Wisconsin senior guard Jordan Taylor to have a game like he did last season in Bloomington, when he scored 39 points in a Badger victory. Taylor is the catalyst to the Badgers’ offense, as he has scored at least 12 points in every game since December.If the Hoosiers carry the same high level of play they displayed in the second half of the Penn State win into the Kohl Center, this could be a very close game. However, I think IU will drop its third straight road game, losing to the Badgers in Madison.
(01/25/12 5:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>All I have are my eyes and my brain. Those are the things I use to watch and assess how IU plays. The last plus and minus signs I saw were next to check marks on my elementary school report card. I adjust shoelace knots and collars, not efficiency ratings.Below are a couple Hoosiers who have exceeded my expectations and a pair I know is capable of playing better.Ballin’Matt Roth — I’m not sure folks realize just how consistent Roth has been this season because Hoosier fans have grown accustomed to his 3-pointer marksmanship.• This season, the 6-foot-3-inch guard from Washington, Ill., has the best 3-pointer shooting percentage in the country at 61.4 percent. Think about that for a second. IU has the most dependable long-range shooter in the country.• In the past six games, dating back to Jan. 5, Roth has shot 15-of-20 from 3-pointer range; overall, he is 27-of-44 this year. • He has attempted just two field goals that weren’t from beyond the arc. To put this into perspective, the amount of 3-pointers Roth has made this season equals his rebounds, assists, steals and turnovers combined.Cody Zeller — Like Roth, I think Zeller’s accomplishments so far this season have been downplayed because they were expected. But even in physical Big Ten play, the 6-foot-11-inch freshman’s scoring numbers have not dipped.• Zeller’s 65.9 field goal percentage is sixth-best in the country and best in the conference.• His 15.1 points per game average is seventh-highest in the Big Ten and top for a freshman.• Although his rebounding numbers have been underwhelming, a team-wide trend, Zeller has scored in double figures in every Big Ten game since the Hoosiers opened conference play with a loss at Michigan State.Fallin’:Victor Oladipo — It really pains me to put Oladipo in this spot. I love this sophomore guard’s enthusiasm and the swagger he plays with. He is vocal, wears his heart on his sleeve and always seems to give this team a boost when they need it. But lately, the light-hearted energy I saw from Oladipo in press conferences earlier this season has turned to a muted, frustrated demeanor. His play on the court has matched this.• No formal stat exists to keep track of momentum-boosting plays, to my knowledge, but when’s the last time Oladipo had a signature electrifying moment? Those plays in which he steals the ball and drives toward the hoop with fans’ heart rates increasing as they anticipate another thunderous dunk. It’s been a while.• In conference play, Oladipo has shot 26-of-62 from the field for 41.9 percent after shooting 52-of-99 (52 percent) during the non-conference schedule.• Oladipo is not a prolific shooter — that’s just not his game — as he is shooting 24.2 percent from 3-pointer range (8-for-33) this season. But I always expect the aggressive guard to get his points from the foul line after drawing contact in the lane. However, he has averaged just two foul shots in eight Big Ten games, shooting 9-of-17 from the charity stripe.Christian Watford — This one might come as a surprise to some because, although Watford has been huge for the Hoosiers at times this season, his stock has been falling sharply as of late. Again, Watford isn’t listed here because he’s playing poorly, but because I know he can be better.• In the past five games, dating back to IU’s win at Penn State on Jan. 8, Watford has shot an embarrassing 13–of-46 from the field, 28.2 percent.• Not to be too much of a softie, but I have to give credit where it’s due. Watford has been very efficient from the 3-pointer line, shooting 47.8 percent, fourth-best in the Big Ten.Whatever happened to ... Derek Elston — Maybe it’s the injury to the face Elston sustained earlier this season, but this junior forward has been MIA pretty much all season. I thought Elston could be one of IU’s key contributors off the bench along with Will Sheehey: A sixth or seventh starter, if you will. But the numbers don’t lie, and all of Elston’s have been down this season.• This past year, Elston averaged 15.5 minutes a game. That number, likely due to added depth at forward from Zeller’s presence, is down to 11.7 minutes. In IU’s three-game losing streak, he played four, five and six minutes, respectively.• At this point in the season last year, Elston had scored in double figures in four games. Thus far, he has done this twice, scoring 11 points against Stony Brook and 10 versus Gardner-Webb.
(01/23/12 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana got its general back.No, not The General, but the Hoosiers’ floor general made his return Sunday.Junior guard Jordan Hulls had been marred by mistakes in IU’s three consecutive losses prior to the 73-54 victory against Penn State. In the loss at Ohio State, Hulls shot 1-of-6 from 3-pointer range with five turnovers. Against Nebraska, he missed the front end of a one-and-one foul shot with 24 seconds left and IU up by one. With the ball in his hands for the Hoosiers’ last shot and down 70-69, Hulls missed a contested layup and wild 3-pointer to seal the loss.In the losing streak, the point totals had stayed steady — 13, 11, 12 — but the leadership and poise just weren’t there.This lackluster play even dragged on into the first half Sunday, as the only blips on Hulls’ stat line were a pair of rebounds and an assist.After the first 20 minutes, IU was down 29-27 at home to Penn State because freshman forward Cody Zeller was the only Hoosier with a pulse.Somebody under 6-feet-11-inches had to spark the Hoosiers if they had any hope of keeping this losing streak from spiraling out of control.After a Zeller tip-in to tie, another Indiana Mr. Basketball returned to his former self.Hulls stole the ball a little past half-court, hustled to grab the loose ball and began his charge toward the basket.Immediately, I had flashbacks of the Nebraska loss — Hulls at full speed, cutting into the lane and rising as the defense towered over him.This wasn’t the same Hulls who broke under pressure in Lincoln, Neb. This time, he made an adjustment midair to feed the ball to senior guard Verdell Jones III, who made the easy layup.“Yeah, definitely, those were two big plays for us,” Hulls said. “We knew coming out of the locker room that we needed to have a good start coming into the second half.”Zeller scored only six in the second with foul trouble, as Hulls helped key the comeback.The 6-foot junior guard took over the role this team needs him to play. Vocal in the huddle, controlling the offense at the top of the key, intensity on defense and ball-handling without a turnover for the first time in a game since Savannah State on Nov. 19 — that is the Jordan Hulls who wins games.Did Hulls sense more confidence on the floor? He mulled over the question for three seconds before acknowledging that past mistakes have not dictated his future.“I wouldn’t call it more confident,” he said. “I mean, I guess we kind of were, but it just starts with our defense. When our offense isn’t going as well, we just have to rely on our defense to create our offense off of that. You just got to have that mentality that we can’t let a mistake or two get us down. We just have to stop ’em on the next play.”Many aspects decide a Hoosier game, but it all starts with your floor general.The quarterback on the hardwood will touch, if not start, every offensive possession. Strong guard play might not register the most points, but it will serve as an extension of the head coach and control the team when it looks for leadership and direction.This season, Jordan Hulls has to be that guy. He wasn’t during IU’s three-straight losses, but Sunday, the floor general got back on his horse and led his team to victory.— azaleon@indiana.edu
(01/19/12 4:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Oh, how the mighty have fallen.Only mere weeks after being one of the big kids on the playground, IU is again reduced to getting its lunch money stolen.This time, it was the Hoosiers who were on the receiving end of a court storming. A bittersweet sign of progress, perhaps.We all thought it had turned around. A new era was finally taking shape. But fans are left with the same feeling of helplessness now that their team has lost three straight games after beginning the season 15-1.I don’t even know how to distribute the blame.IU coaches, if your team is down one with 11 seconds left, the ball and a timeout, the following things should probably happen: a timeout after the ball crosses half court to set up a play. After said timeout, make sure your leading scorer, freshman forward Cody Zeller, at least touches the ball. And finally, get a desirable shot.Instead, the smallest Hoosier, junior guard Jordan Hulls, drove down court and missed a contested, frantic layup. After a scramble for the ball, Hulls jacked up an unanswered prayer to seal the defeat.Or maybe it’s the fault of the team’s players, who failed to stop the worst offense in the Big Ten. Entering Wednesday, Nebraska averaged 61.1 points per game, ranking 305th in the nation. Against IU, the Cornhuskers tied their highest point total in six conference games with 70. Wisconsin and Ohio State held the same Nebraska team to 40 points.In a roster chock-full of upperclassmen, the Hoosiers lacked intensity on defense and composure on offense.Perhaps the blame should even be on Hoosier fans and the college basketball world for shifting expectations from third to sixth gear without buckling their seatbelts.After losses to Minnesota and Ohio State, Nebraska was the shot at redemption, the chance to show everyone this team was still for real. But as Hoosier Nation’s personal threat level moves from yellow to orange and flirts with red, IU Coach Tom Crean has to get this season turned around now.The same team that beat then-No.1 Kentucky and then-No.2 Ohio State doesn’t lose to Minnesota at home or Nebraska away, in Bloomington or on Mars. Between those victories and these defeats, the same guys have been on the floor the whole time.This team needs to rediscover the passion, maturity and mentality that got it articles in Sports Illustrated and on ESPN.com — and fast.If the Hoosiers don’t, the bottom of the pit they’re falling into might get deeper and deeper.
(01/18/12 3:20am)
After scraping by the Big Ten’s worst team, Penn State, on the road, IU
now has the chance to capture a more convincing victory against the
conference’s second-weakest team in Lincoln.
(01/17/12 3:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The honeymoon was nice while it lasted.The big wins, high expectations and national relevance — it felt like the good ol’ days of Hoosier basketball.After beating No. 13 Michigan at home Jan. 5 to advance to 14-1, the date was all but set to wed IU to a top-10 ranking — an estranged relationship reunited after four years of separation.But after reaching the height of its regular season, IU needs to make sure the slide down the other side of the hill doesn’t have too many rocks.After a 80-63 drubbing to Ohio State on Sunday, it is now evident the Hoosiers are in the midst of that fall.IU Coach Tom Crean’s squad is still a top-25 worthy team. I think they’re still a NCAA Tournament team.But, let’s be honest. Jimmy Chitwood was not going to walk into Value City Arena and lead IU to another shocking upset like the Hoosiers have done twice at home this season. I guess it’s a lot easier to travel from Hickory to Bloomington than to Columbus, Ohio.The Buckeyes have the talent to be a Final Four-caliber team, and no one has beaten them at home this season.That doesn’t mean I’m giving IU a free pass after playing its worst half all season, in which the Hoosiers were outscored 35-14 with a 27.3 field goal percentage, committed 16 turnovers to 12 assists and shot 7-of-21 from three-pointer range after making just 4-of-18 in the loss to Minnesota.But expectations need to be brought back down to earth by the fact that this team can’t stand toe-to-toe with the Ohio States of the country in terms of individual talent. This is still the same scrappy group of three- and four-stars plus a McDonald’s All-American in the post.In games when the Hoosiers have to match up in their own islands, they lose. But when the help is there and the defense isn’t giving up easy points at the hoop en route to a 54.4 percent Buckeye field goal percentage, the game tends to be more in control.After a nonsensical loss to Minnesota and subsequent defeat in Columbus to drop to 3-3 in the Big Ten, it’s clear this marriage is starting to have some issues, which is perfectly normal because no relationship is perfect.The Hoosiers have to cope with the defeats they weren’t supposed to drop and win the games they know they can. This union between IU and winning can still work.As long as the Hoosiers learn from these losses and keep their focus, I still have faith that this surprising couple will last.The defeats and poor play in those losses will drum up the murmurs of divorce, but what bonds the Hoosiers to success is how much they love it.
(01/16/12 1:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The honeymoon was nice while it lasted.The big wins, high expectations and national relevance — it felt like the good ol’ days of Hoosier basketball.After beating No. 13 Michigan at home Jan. 5 to advance to 14-1, the date was all but set to wed IU to a top-10 ranking. An estranged relationship reunited after four years of separation.But after reaching the height of its regular season, IU needs to make sure the slide down the other side of the hill doesn’t have too many rocks.After a 80-63 drubbing to Ohio State on Sunday, it is now evident the Hoosiers are in the midst of that fall.IU Coach Tom Crean’s squad is still a top-25 worthy team. I think they’re still a NCAA Tournament team.But let’s be honest, Jimmy Chitwood was not going to walk into Value City Arena and lead IU to another shocking upset like the Hoosiers have done twice at home this season. I guess it’s a lot easier to travel from Hickory to Bloomington than to Columbus, Ohio.The Buckeyes have the talent to be a Final Four-caliber team, and no one has beaten them at home this season.That doesn’t mean I’m giving IU a free pass after playing its worst half all season in which the Hoosiers were outscored 35-14 with a 27.3 field goal percentage. Or committing 16 turnovers to 12 assists. Or shooting 7-of-21 from 3-point range after making just 4-of-18 in the loss to Minnesota.But expectations need to be brought back down to earth by the fact that this team can’t stand toe-to-toe with the Ohio States of the country in terms of individual talent. This is still the same scrappy group of three-and four-stars plus a McDonald’s All-American in the post.In games when the Hoosiers have to match up in their own islands, they lose. But when the help is there and the defense isn’t giving up easy points at the hoop en route to a 54.4 percent Buckeye field goal percentage, the game tends to be more in control.After a nonsensical loss to Minnesota and subsequent defeat in Columbus to drop to 3-3 in the Big Ten, it’s clear this marriage is starting to have some issues. And that’s perfectly normal because no relationship is perfect.The Hoosiers have to cope with the defeats they weren’t supposed to drop and win the games they know they can. This union between IU and winning can still work.As long as the Hoosiers learn from these losses and keep their focus, I still have faith this surprising couple will last.The defeats and poor play in those losses will drum up the murmurs of divorce, but what bonds the Hoosiers to success is how much they love it.
(01/13/12 5:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Nothing about this loss makes sense.IU doesn’t lose at home. It didn’t when then-No.1 Kentucky or then-No.2 Ohio State came to Bloomington en route to a perfect 11-0 record in Assembly Hall.The Hoosiers shoot the three. Entering Thursday, IU Coach Tom Crean’s squad was the No.1 team in the country when it came to three-point percentage.And finally, a banged-up Minnesota team does not win conference games. The Golden Gophers, without leading scorer Trevor Mbakwe, had gone 0-4 in Big Ten play prior to facing IU.Well, common logic, along with the Hoosiers, lost Thursday, as No.8 IU was upset at home, 77-74 at the hands of Tubby Smith’s Gophers.In their first game this season playing as a top-10 program, fresh off a three-game winning streak since their first loss of the season, the Hoosiers’ mental game was simply not there.“We played hard, but we didn’t play as smart as we needed to,” IU coach Tom Crean said. “We were prepared, our guys had really good practices, but as I look at the game now, we weren’t playing on edge the way that we have.”I don’t think Crean’s players heads got too big. That wasn’t the problem.The national attention garnered from being in the spotlight as America’s darling comeback story from a year ago didn’t mean the Hoosiers were suddenly puffing out their chests and bragging.But I think at times Thursday, this team expected that epic comeback victory to happen and when it wasn’t happening, the Hoosiers began forcing things.After shooting just 1-of-8 from beyond the arc in the first half, IU continued to be stone cold from three in the second, converting just 3-of-10, two of which were from marksman Matt Roth.One of the only bright spots for IU was the play of freshman forward Cody Zeller, who led all scorers with 23 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Zeller was a winner at Washington High School. He understands what it means to expect victories.“It’s different for all of them,” Crean said. “We don’t have a lot of guys that have come from winning backgrounds, so when you start to win –as some of the younger guys have- when you start to win, as things change around you, your mindset can’t change and they’ve got tot grow through that.”Now some air is let out of IU’s hotair balloon and the ground is once again visible. Suddenly, all those little people in the Big Ten are much closer than they originally appeared.“We know we have to bring it every night,” IU junior guard Jordan Hulls said. “It’s the Big Ten, every team is good in this league.”Moving forward, winning the mental game is what may prove the difference between a strong push into March or a midseason breakdown.“It really comes down to the mindset,” Crean said. “We’re not the most talented team, even in our league, not even close, but when what you have plays on edge and plays with a togetherness on defense and communication and that ball is moving, you’re going to play better.”
(01/13/12 5:16am)
After upsetting the Buckeyes 74-70 on Dec. 31 in Bloomington, IU will face a much tougher task facing Ohio State on the road.
(01/12/12 3:46am)
The Golden Gophers almost had me fooled. Sporting a 12-1 record entering
Big Ten season, Minnesota seemed like it could actually be a contender.
(01/10/12 4:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers are lucky their magic carpet ride has been caught in this nationwide updraft.In the past week, eight ranked teams, including four in the then-top 10, suffered upset defeats. The Big Ten, four games into conference play, is in flux with the middle of the conference playing an unpredictable game of Chutes and Ladders.Under these circumstances, IU controls its own destiny. The time is right for the Hoosiers to play consistent, quality basketball as other quality teams lose games they shouldn’t be losing.IU Coach Tom Crean’s squad has already reaped the benefits of this national recession (OK, maybe not the best wording) with its highest ranking in the polls since 2008. In the latest Coaches and AP poll, which were released Monday, the Hoosiers were ranked No. 8 and No. 7, respectively.Just like after the Kentucky game, this doesn’t have to be the high point of the season. A top 10 ranking doesn’t have to be a short-lived phase that fades as conference play drags on.There are the factors IU can control, and then there are the circumstances that made the Hoosiers a much more appealing team by comparison in March. Circumstances like No. 8 Duke losing at unranked Temple, previously undefeated Missouri being upset at Kansas State or Connecticut — which was ranked No. 8 last week — dropping two consecutive road games to then-unranked Big East opponents.In the national conversation, the Hoosiers have gone from that awkward girl who participates too much in your physics class to the popular girl that gets all the candy grams on Valentine’s Day.Of course, to keep its high social standing, IU needs to keep winning. And in a Big Ten where nobody is raising their hand as a clear front-runner, the Hoosiers can’t get caught in the trap of confounding losses.Purdue, picked ahead of IU in some preseason forecasts, was pounded by 20 at Penn State on Thursday — the same Nittany Lion team who lost consecutive games in December to Lafayette at home and Duquesne on the road. But the loss stands as the Boilers’ only conference defeat, as the team compiled notable victories at Iowa and Minnesota, in addition to defeating Illinois in Mackey Arena.In perhaps the most confounding case in the Big Ten, Wisconsin, which was ranked as high as No. 9 this season, dropped out of the rankings this week and has begun conference play with an underwhelming 1-3 start.Minnesota, the Hoosiers’ opponent Thursday, ate up mediocre nonconference opponents en route to a 12-1 start but has dropped all four of its Big Ten games against Illinois, No. 16 Michigan, Iowa and Purdue.From my view, there’s a logjam at the top of the country’s best conference between Ohio State, Michigan State and IU. Below that is anyone’s guess until a squad shows it can prove dependable.By beating upcoming middle-of-the-pack opponents such as Minnesota, Wisconsin in the Kohl Center and Iowa, the Hoosiers will solidify their status as not only the Big Ten’s best, but one of the nation’s top teams.
(01/06/12 5:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>1. Avoid the gray warm-upsI understand injuries are not something IU can control. They are random occurrences that have already affected four Hoosiers this season in Maurice Creek, Will Sheehey, Derek Elston and Verdell Jones III. IU has proven it can overcome the challenge of playing without those first two contributors by defeating Ohio State on Dec. 31, but IU Coach Tom Crean’s squad can ill afford to play with any thinner of a bench. At this point, no further information has been released that could let us know when Sheehey could return, but until he does, fans are hoping the basketball gods smile favorably upon the Hoosiers for the rest of the season. 2. Prove the doubters wrongAnalysts, both national and local, are paid to have an opinion. Sometimes they’re right, while other times the egg ends up on their faces. I can’t say whether Crean or his team pay any attention to these pundits because I haven’t asked them. However, I do know that after garnering the best pair of wins in the country, IU basketball has drawn the most national attention since Crean was hired. And no matter what you think of them, the fact that you have an opinion about what these columnists say, means you — and many others across the country — are reading them.One opinion that has emerged from the national conversation of IU’s identity is that the Hoosiers are overrated and unproven because they have yet to record a quality road win. Whether this argument holds water, instead of thinking of this opinion as a conspiracy against Crean’s rebuilding efforts, I think this can be an opportunity to once again prove the doubters wrong. The Hoosiers can go on the road and pick up big-time road wins at Wisconsin on Jan. 26 or in Ann Arbor on Feb. 1 and end this useless speculation if they capitalize on these opportunities.3. Find a way to integrate the freshmenNobody likes the columnist who is critical during winning times, but then again, people generally dislike me anyway, so I guess this won’t hurt an already soiled reputation. But I was really hoping freshmen guards Remy Abell and Austin Etherington would have played more of an active role on the roster up to this point — especially with Sheehey on the bench.Outside of the starting guards, the Hoosiers’ backcourt reserves include seniors Matt Roth and Daniel Moore, and then Abell and Etherington. I understand the argument to put experience first, but after a non-conference schedule that largely included opponents on the lower side of the RPI, I was hoping that Etherington and Abell would be averaging more than 6.6 and 7.8 minutes per game, respectively — numbers that will only diminish with conference play. I would imagine this potential-filled pair of freshman was recruited to be more than just good cheerleaders on the bench because I know they’re capable of more.But then again, who am I to say who should play when? If an approach that has gotten you to 13-1 ain’t broke, don’t fix it.4. Finish the year undefeated at homeThey ... could ... go ... all ... the ... way!Many point to the road as the place where IU can make a statement that defines its season. However, this year, the Hoosiers have the potential to do something that hasn’t been done since the 2006-07 season — win every game they play at Assembly Hall. IU’s remaining home games are against Minnesota, Penn State, Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, North Carolina Central, Michigan State and Purdue to finish the season.I think the most difficult of that set will be the final two, but the Hoosiers have shown that when they play in Bloomington, they have the potential to beat anyone in the country. If Crean’s team does indeed run the table at home, it will give them at least 22 wins overall and nine in the Big Ten.Winning games you’re supposed to win is important, and at this point, I would count every match-up without an “@” next to it as a “should win.”— azaleon@indiana.edu
(01/01/12 6:21pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This Indiana team is on the Wankavator. There’s no other way to explain it.IU Coach Tom Crean and his team pressed a button to start the season, unsure of where it may lead, and thus far, it has propelled them to untold heights.After a loss at Michigan State, some surmised the Hoosiers’ glass ceiling was set at a sterling nonconference schedule and mediocrity at Big Ten play. IU could now confidently gobble up weak teams, but still struggle with those towards the top.Entering Saturday, Ohio State was undoubtedly the top.But just as they did with Kentucky, the Hoosiers proved that no one really knows what this team’s limit is after a 74-70 victory against No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday in Assembly Hall.Speculation has become useless.I thought the first loss of IU’s season was a barometer for expectations for the rest of Big Ten play. The Hoosiers would experience difficulty on the road and occasional success with the conference’s best teams in Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State.But that team doesn’t beat the second-best-ranked team in the country minus a key sixth-man in Will Sheehey, by allowing the Buckeyes to shoot 26 free throws in the game and 52.2 percent from the field in the second half, or with freshman forward Cody Zeller playing just four minutes in the second half.Under those circumstances, a win just doesn’t seem possible.However, this monumental win against Ohio State further proves the fact that everybody has a bad game, and in their lone loss of the season, some key contributors had just that.Now I’m completely stumped as to what this team is capable of. If it stays consistent, IU is far removed from any NCAA Tournament doubt.And when all five starters are clicking, scoring in double figures and clamping down on defense when it counts down the stretch, I don’t know who can stop them.The sample size is still too small to determine how this team can fare on the road in the Big Ten, but it’s not hard to see a tough, determined team when they play like the Hoosiers did on New Year’s Eve night.Those are the core concepts Crean’s squad needs to take away from Assembly Hall. It’s not by luck or coincidence that this is the first IU team to defeat the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked teams in the same season.This team is for real. They can play — and beat — the best under less than desirable circumstances stemming from injury and foul trouble.Now they need to beat the teams they’re capable of beating and do so in a friendly or hostile environment.Mighty Ohio State was supposed to be the Hoosiers’ stop.Just step off the elevator and walk onto the floor most expect you to end on.But, whoosh! Right through the ceiling they went, shattering the glass into a million pieces on the floor below.I don’t know where their unpredictable, overachieving elevator will end up. If this season has taught us anything, it’s really anyone’s guess.
(12/29/11 3:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was inevitable.A loss.Those will happen when IU is playing without a sophomore who averaged 10.7 points a game like Will Sheehey. It will happen when the opposition is 38-5 at home in the past three seasons, dating back to the 2009-2010 campaign.But that ugly “L,” which blemishes the face of an undefeated record like a pimple on prom night, also brings with it telling signs of weakness.In addition to injury and road environment, IU also lost at Michigan State on Wednesday night, 80-65, for reasons not beyond their control.Defeats will happen when starting point guard Jordan Hulls shoots 2-of-10 from the field with three turnovers. It will also happen when the Hoosiers’ leading scorer, freshman forward Cody Zeller, is held to 11 points below his season average coming into the game, both because of difficulty in the post and a failure to feed it to him. It happens when IU coach Tom Crean’s squad allows a 20-0 run in the second half after going on a 23-2 streak of its own, en route to allowing the Spartans to shoot 54.7 percent from the field.The one-dimensional IU offense was reminiscent of last season, as junior forward Christian Watford was the only threat, scoring 26 points, including 4-of-6 from the 3-point arc and pulling down 10 rebounds. The next-highest Hoosier scorer was senior guard Verdell Jones III, who chipped in 15 fewer points than Watford.IU’s offense is at its best when everyone gets involved and several players stand as scoring threats. Obviously that’s tough without Sheehey, but somebody — Oladipo, Elston, Roth — needed to step up.It was clear early that Hulls was not going to have one of his nights of better shooting. He dished out five assists, but his horrendous shooting made him more of a hazard than a help. Senior guard Daniel Moore did not record even a full minute of playing time. What harm could it have done to mix it up a bit when Hulls’ shot was asking to be taken to the backyard and put to pasture?But never fear, the sky is not falling in Bloomington.There are still 18 more games to play in this regular season.If I were an IU fan, I’d rather see the Hoosiers drop games like this, in which they weren’t even favored and learn from their mistakes early in the season. Sure, a win is a win and a loss is a loss, but which of the latter would be favorable in March?A loss to the likes of Michigan State away and No. 2 Ohio State are going to sting a lot less come tournament time than upset defeats to the Big Ten’s bottom-feeders.You feel that, Hoosier Nation? Yes, that familiar sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. It’s the realization there are still very, very good teams in the Big Ten.IU is likely among that group, but for now, take an aspirin and try to feel better in the morning. The hangover from this loss shouldn’t take too long.
(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.
(12/09/11 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