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(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
(12/02/11 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 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.
(11/22/11 5:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior forward Derek Elston lifted his spread arms over his head to conclude his impersonation of teammate Victor Oladipo, who was seated next to him at Monday’s postgame press conference.Oladipo’s eyes grew wide and the sparkplug guard quickly lowered his head, clapping with a contagious smile that quickly spread around the room.“That’s what makes it fun,” Elston said of Oladipo’s celebrations. “The ‘know us’ [puts his hand over his face] and ‘ahhh,’ [raises his arms] that’s what’s fun right there. This team didn’t have that last year.”This demeanor was a welcome change for the Hoosiers from past years. A light-hearted press conference powered by animated players, who were genuinely having fun playing together and winning together.The jovial atmosphere and team chemistry surrounding the IU basketball program right now is evident on the court, as well as off it.IU has recorded more assists than turnovers in four out of their five games this season, as the Hoosiers committed 18 turnovers to 12 assists in the Chattanooga victory Nov. 13. Overall, IU Coach Tom Crean’s squad has 92 assists on 149 made field goals this year, good for 61.7 percent.“These guys have so much faith in me,” Elston said. “Whether they drive and kick it to me, Cody opening it up in the lane, it gives me wide-open jumpers. Me and Jordy [Hulls] talk about it when we go home, ‘why am I so open?’ It’s because Vic [Oladipo] drives, Willl [Sheehey] drives or Cody’s got a double team. And it’s reassuring to know they trust me to knock down any jump shot and that’s what I base my game off of.”I’ve never taken a psychology class in college, but it doesn’t take Sigmund Freud to see these players trust each other, are being more efficient and playing with confidence as a result.In their 79-43 win against Gardner-Webb, the Hoosiers fed off and contributed to each other’s play in a manner that was seldom seen last season.Shortly after Oladipo stole an inbounds pass with 13:17 left in the second half, sophomore forward Will Sheehey scored 10-straight points, seven of which were off assists from three different teammates.Furthermore, there were several occasions against the Runnin’ Bulldogs when an IU player driving in the post made the extra pass to an open teammate for an easier bucket.“The 19 assists isn't indicative of how well we the ball moved tonight,” Crean said. “It was at a really good rate. Our interior passing took some real steps forward, and we knew we were playing a good team.”It’s interesting how quickly we forget that these student-athletes are still of college age. Past the unforgiving press conference lights, front-page headlines and television broadcasts, college basketball is, at its core, a group of amateur athletes playing the sport they love.It should be fun.“For [Oladipo] to hype up the crowd and get us all off our feet and throwing the towels, and throwing our hands around –we need that,” Elston said. “Victor’s that guy who can bring us all together and if things are going bad, it all starts on defense for us, and Vic’s our go-to guy. And that, right there, is fun.”
(11/21/11 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Savannah State forward Rashad Hassan and his teammates knew their place.“Left! Right! Left! Right!” the IU student section chanted as he walked to his seat on the bench after fouling out with 1:50 minute to go.“Sit down!”The Tigers were just making another stop on their tour of major conference schools, where they would be paid big bucks to put another feather in their opponents’ caps.When the undersized and outmatched squad walked off Branch McCracken Court into the cool Indiana night, I — like all of you — couldn’t care less about where Savannah State Head Coach Horace Broadnax and his team were coming from or where they were going.IU got the blowout win that was expected — a merciful 29-point shellacking.That’s what mattered after the final buzzer sounded, at which point the Tigers became an afterthought.It didn’t matter that Broadnax led the Tigers to their first winning season in more than 20 years just four seasons ago.Nor did it matter that Savannah State was in its first season with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, giving the Tigers their first chance to play in a conference championship since 1998, a title that could lead to an automatic NCAA Tournament berth.After all, the hired entertainment clad in orange and blue was another faceless non-conference opponent for the Hoosiers to beat up early in the season. Savannah State was no different from Northwestern State, North Carolina Central, Mississippi Valley State or Chattanooga, all of which IU has played in the past two years.The only thing the Hoosiers and Tigers shared Saturday night was the court.While IU Coach Tom Crean’s team proudly wore the usual adidas gear, Savannah State donned apparel outfitted by Russell Athletics. Kudos to anyone who can name me another college program outfitted by Russell.The Tigers tried to shoot free throws with the noise of an announced attendance of 16,613 in Assembly Hall, compared to the 1,445 that attended Savannah State’s home opener.Say “IU basketball,” and the first thoughts to come to most people are five national championship banners, Bob Knight and tradition.Savannah State has authored itself into a far different chapter of the record books.The Tigers set an NCAA record for fewest points and worst field goal percentage in a half during the shot-clock era on Jan. 7, 2008, against Kansas State during another punching bag charade. In the second half, Broadnax’s woeful bunch was outscored 48-4 and shot 4.3 percent from the field.But nine minutes into the game against the Hoosiers, it seemed Savannah State forgot it was supposed to roll over, lose convincingly and collect the hefty check that might help bridge the $719 million gap that separates its 2010 endowment from IU’s.At that point, the score was tied at 14 until the Hoosiers went on a run that would put their lead at double-digits for the rest of the game.For some reason, even after a loss was a forgone conclusion, the Tigers still didn’t learn their place.In a game in which fouls seemed to be called for merely looking at the opposition the wrong way, Savannah State’s players protested the questionable calls, which amounted to the most free throws attempted by a Hoosier team since 2000.Broadnax even had the audacity to argue with the referee enough to incite a technical foul with his team down by 28 with 9:05 left in the game.Although the Tigers already lost to Georgetown by 29 this year, with road trips to Butler, Wisconsin and Arkansas still to go, they were not acting as an obedient, small-conference opponent.Big-time programs paying small schools to play them in revenue sports is nothing new. It’s been done for as long I have been watching sports and spans every BCS school. By no means do I mean to single out IU.After all, it’s duck-hunting season, and the Hoosiers didn’t want to be left without their fair share of easy wins.Savannah State’s leading scorer, Hassan, sat in his small, red chair on the bench with 10 forgettable points to his name.He, Broadnax and the rest of the Tigers would board a bus en route to their next game at Butler, where there will be another opponent, another check and probably another defeat.— azaleon@indiana.edu
(11/18/11 5:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Perfect. Undefeated. Dominant.All three words describe the Hoosiers up to this point in the season, but how much weight do those labels actually carry?Last year, IU Coach Tom Crean and his staff designed a schedule that would help a growing squad learn to win. This included nine lightweight opponents that had the privilege of getting spanked by the Hoosiers in Assembly Hall. Entering Big Ten play, the Hoosiers were 9-0 at home and 0-4 on the road.At the time, I understood the psychological strategy behind the schedule. Take a team that had compiled a record of 16-46 in the past two seasons and boost their confidence by way of cupcake opponents like Northwestern State and South Carolina State.Well, turns out the “learning to win” part of the plan didn’t stick, with IU finishing 3-15 against a loaded Big Ten conference en route to a 12-20 season.Once again, IU fans find themselves trying to keep expectations in check for a team that has plowed through early opposition. Statistically, this season and the previous one are not that different. The Hoosiers have won their first three non-exhibition games by an average of 25.3 points, whereas that mark was at 22.6 after three games last year.So, why is this trio of victories different? Has the performance of this group of Hoosiers warranted renewed hope of watching Selection Sunday with purpose for the first time in four years?The pessimist says no. Regardless of a particular standout player or decent conference finish last season, non-BCS opponents such as Stony Brook and Chattanooga are useless measuring sticks for a team’s performance. The Evansville game was equally meaningless. The Purple Aces had defeated a down Butler team at the mercy of poor officiating and without two bench players who would have added depth in the overtime loss. Yes, the Hoosiers picked up a win on Evansville’s floor — a floor that was surrounded by a half-crimson crowd that hardly made a sound.The optimist sees things differently. You have to learn to tread water before swimming, and the Hoosiers’ true road victory Wednesday was their first since January 2010 and is a step to winning consistently away from Bloomington. The 51-27 halftime lead in that game was the largest since 2000. And it’s not just IU fans who have taken notice of the added talent and depth on this year’s team, as experts across the country project the Hoosiers finishing in the middle of the Big Ten.Against Evansville, I saw Indiana play the best basketball it ever has under Crean.I could blather on and on about several aspects of IU’s game that I found impressive throughout the past week, like shutting down its opponent’s leading scorer, never letting up after a big lead or playing an effective up-tempo game.But I think my biggest takeaway point from the Hoosiers’ first three games, and the factor that will help decide whether they play into March, is team play. Against Evansville, five players scored in double figures, nobody attempted more than eight shots and 24 of 33 baskets came off an assist.That cohesion, on both sides of the ball, is not something dictated by the opposing team. Creating opportunities for teammates, finding the open man and making that extra pass are things IU can execute, regardless if it is playing Savannah State or Michigan State.These lopsided victories are no reason to reserve tickets for the Final Four in New Orleans. But what fans can take away from the Hoosiers’ 3-0 start is the potential to surprise some people when conference play begins.That is when superlatives like “dominant” begin to have more meaning.
(11/17/11 2:12pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I pity this Indiana team. I really do.Unfortunately, it might come to be known as the team that preceded “the team,” an appetizer of success compared to the main course many speculate will come next season.It’s not the team’s fault that every loss this season will be followed by whispers of how the 2012-13 Hoosiers will fare against the same opponent. But that’s just the harsh reality of the team’s predicament.The 2011-12 Hoosiers are the opening act to your favorite band, the name called before yours on graduation day, that passionate kiss leading to — well, you get the point.But this sentiment doesn’t have to overshadow the next five months of basketball. And it shouldn’t.Everyone and their mothers have predictions of how IU will finish this year.No matter if the Hoosiers finish their season in the NCAA Tournament or the National Invitational Tournament (I think the latter), five seniors will end their careers playing in candy stripes. Four of those seniors are scholarship players — guard Daniel Moore received a sholarship this season — who took a chance with an animated coach from Marquette and his rebuilding effort for a program whose championship banners had begun to gather dust.One of those seniors, guard Verdell Jones III, said he knows exactly how he wants his graduating class to be remembered.“Guys who persevered,” said Jones at Big Ten Basketball Media Day. “Guys who didn’t quit. Guys who didn’t transfer when it got tough. Guys who set the foundation and helped build IU to what it’s going to become. Guys who improved significantly and matured. I think this year, people will realize that.”Jones, Moore, forward Tom Pritchard and guard Matt Roth deserve to be treated with the same amount of enthusiasm and energy in Assembly Hall as the 2012 class next year. The four and their teammates won’t be as talented as next year’s squad, nor will they win as many games.Assistant Coach Steve McClain said from the time he arrived in Bloomington last season, he knew there would be a divide starting next season.“There was never any debate about these are the guys. These are the ones that are going to change it,” McClain said of the 2012 recruiting class.A change from what, though?Obviously, a change of fortunes in the win-loss column, as I foresee this year’s team making it to the postseason for the first time with IU Coach Tom Crean, albeit a trip to the NIT.But what I hope doesn’t get lost in the transition to more winning ways is exactly what Jones alluded to: grit, passion, perseverance, commitment to academics, coaching staff, Indiana and — win or lose — to doing things the right way.Barring another colossal implosion, there will never again be a four-year stretch with as many losses as this, 46 in Big Ten play and 66 overall. This season will certainly be a jump in the right direction for IU, as the Hoosiers will finish with a winning record, but it still won’t meet the expectations of those who experienced the days of Knight, Jefferies or even Gordon.That’s why I draw this season as the closing of a chapter in both Indiana basketball and the Crean Era.A chapter that saw students rush the court for a victory against unranked Minnesota, an eruption of cheers for a seven-foot center from The Gambia for simply pulling down a rebound and a student manager suiting up as a reserve guard.Essentially, IU basketball went from living in a Manhattan penthouse to its mom’s basement for the past three seasons.When history looks back at this time in IU’s history, it will likely label it as a rebuilding period, with the 2011 season as the bridge to either greatness or more mediocrity. History will look at the individuals who worked their tails off to lay the foundation for the rebuilding effort. I implore you not to.Jones, Moore, Pritchard and Roth will not be inducted into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame among a collection of proven winners. Their names will likely be an afterthought when trips to the NCAA Tournament again become the norm. After college, they won’t be put into a pool of potential NBA lottery draft picks.What this group can be credited with, though, is helping author a period in IU history that won’t soon be duplicated.— azaleon@indiana.edu
(11/17/11 5:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This was supposed to be IU’s first real test.After Evansville defeated national runner-up Butler at home Saturday, the Purple Aces no longer seemed like such a cupcake matchup. The odds makers in Las Vegas agreed and did not favor IU by more than 6.5 points.Furthermore, the mere fact that this contest was a true road game did not put the Hoosiers at favorable odds, as IU Coach Tom Crean had won only one game in an opponent’s arena in three years at the helm.Well, Hoosiers, the results of your first exam are in, and I gotta say, I think you exceeded everybody’s expectations.A 21-point pounding of Evansville in its second game at the new Ford Center, which could have been much worse had the starters stayed in, is quite a way to snap a 15-game regular season road-losing skid.The first portion of your exam was pretty straightforward but challenging, nonetheless: Stop Evansville junior guard Colt Ryan.With a name that sounds straight out of a John Wayne Western, you knew this gunslinger would be able to shoot the ball. Ryan was Evansville’s leading scorer last year, contributing 15.7 points per game, a trend that continued against Butler when he scored a game-high 23.I thought for sure the Aces’ go-to man, who graced the cover of the game’s brochure, would again lead Evansville as he did when the two teams played each other last season.Sophomore guard Victor Oladipo earned the gold star here, shutting down Ryan in the first half. The reliable defender limited Ryan to just four points in the first half on 1-of-6 shooting. As Crean put in his substitutions in the second half, Ryan had an easier time scoring, ending the game with 17 points.The second part of the test this season was to play smart.Evansville shot an astonishing 43 foul shots against Butler, 32 of which they made. Fourteen of Ryan’s 23 points that game came from the charity stripe.Lo and behold, you passed this, too, playing smart defense that forced the Purple Aces into undesirable shots and sending them to the line for a total of 27 foul shots. Ryan was still efficient from the free-throw line, but instead of making 14-of-23, he shot 6-of-9.For extra credit, I could not be prouder of the team play.Twenty-four of the 33 baskets IU made were from assists. This led to a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, as five Hoosiers scored in double figures. Everyone was getting into the act, as senior Verdell Jones and junior Christian Watford, whose performance thus far had been a question mark, exploded for 17 and 15 points, respectively. Jones added seven assists, and Watford had eight rebounds.All right, guys, you passed with flying colors this time.But make no mistake, this is far from your last test.In 14 days, you travel to N.C. State for a much more raucous crowd that will not be in an arena nearly half-full of Hoosier fans. Dec. 10 is second-ranked Kentucky, and then comes Big Ten play, beginning Dec. 28.For now, though, congratulations, Hoosiers. You ‘aced’ your first test.— azaleon@indiana.edu
(11/16/11 5:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I pity this Indiana team. I really do.Unfortunately, it might come to be known as the team that preceded “the team,” an appetizer of success compared to the main course many speculate will come next season.It’s not the team’s fault that every loss this season will be followed by whispers of how the 2012-13 Hoosiers will fare against the same opponent. But that’s just the harsh reality of the team’s predicament.The 2011-12 Hoosiers are the opening act to your favorite band, the name called before yours on graduation day, that passionate kiss leading to — well, you get the point.But this sentiment doesn’t have to overshadow the next five months of basketball. And it shouldn’t.Everyone and their mothers have predictions of how IU will finish this year.No matter if the Hoosiers finish their season in the NCAA Tournament or the National Invitational Tournament (I think the latter), five seniors will end their careers playing in candy stripes. Four of those seniors are scholarship players — guard Daniel Moore received a sholarship this season — who took a chance with an animated coach from Marquette and his rebuilding effort for a program whose championship banners had begun to gather dust.One of those seniors, guard Verdell Jones III, said he knows exactly how he wants his graduating class to be remembered.“Guys who persevered,” said Jones at Big Ten Basketball Media Day. “Guys who didn’t quit. Guys who didn’t transfer when it got tough. Guys who set the foundation and helped build IU to what it’s going to become. Guys who improved significantly and matured. I think this year, people will realize that.”Jones, Moore, forward Tom Pritchard and guard Matt Roth deserve to be treated with the same amount of enthusiasm and energy in Assembly Hall as the 2012 class next year. The four and their teammates won’t be as talented as next year’s squad, nor will they win as many games.Assistant Coach Steve McClain said from the time he arrived in Bloomington last season, he knew there would be a divide starting next season.“There was never any debate about these are the guys. These are the ones that are going to change it,” McClain said of the 2012 recruiting class.A change from what, though?Obviously, a change of fortunes in the win-loss column, as I foresee this year’s team making it to the postseason for the first time with IU Coach Tom Crean, albeit a trip to the NIT.But what I hope doesn’t get lost in the transition to more winning ways is exactly what Jones alluded to: grit, passion, perseverance, commitment to academics, coaching staff, Indiana and — win or lose — to doing things the right way.Barring another colossal implosion, there will never again be a four-year stretch with as many losses as this, 46 in Big Ten play and 66 overall. This season will certainly be a jump in the right direction for IU, as the Hoosiers will finish with a winning record, but it still won’t meet the expectations of those who experienced the days of Knight, Jefferies or even Gordon.That’s why I draw this season as the closing of a chapter in both Indiana basketball and the Crean Era.A chapter that saw students rush the court for a victory against unranked Minnesota, an eruption of cheers for a seven-foot center from The Gambia for simply pulling down a rebound and a student manager suiting up as a reserve guard.Essentially, IU basketball went from living in a Manhattan penthouse to its mom’s basement for the past three seasons.When history looks back at this time in IU’s history, it will likely label it as a rebuilding period, with the 2011 season as the bridge to either greatness or more mediocrity. History will look at the individuals who worked their tails off to lay the foundation for the rebuilding effort. I implore you not to.Jones, Moore, Pritchard and Roth will not be inducted into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame among a collection of proven winners. Their names will likely be an afterthought when trips to the NCAA Tournament again become the norm. After college, they won’t be put into a pool of potential NBA lottery draft picks.What this group can be credited with, though, is helping author a period in IU history that won’t soon be duplicated.
(11/16/11 4:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU’s first road game this season at Evansville8 p.m. todayFord CenterStreaming online on ESPN3, IU Radio NetworkSCOUTING EVANSVILLENickname: Purple AcesConference: Missouri ValleyLocation: EvansvilleHead coach: Marty Simmons, fifth season (played two seasons at IU from 1983-’85)Last season: 16-16, (9-9) Finished sixth in the Missouri Valley, lost to Boise State in the second round of the College Basketball Invitational.Top returning scorer: Junior guard Colt Ryan, who averaged 15.7 points per game last seasonReturning/lost starters:4/1Projected starters:IndianaG Jordan Hulls 11.0 ppgG Verdell Jones 11.5 ppgG Victor Oladipo 18.5 ppgF Christian Watford 4.5 ppgC Cody Zeller 11.5 ppgEvansvilleG Troy Taylor 2 ppgG/F Denver Holmes 15 ppgG/F Colt Ryan 23 ppgF Kenneth Harris 10 ppgC Matt Peeler 0 ppgMy take:I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Don’t sleep on the Purple Aces. Butler learned this the hard way Saturday, as Evansville knocked off the Bulldogs in overtime in their season opener. Like Stony Brook, this Evansville team is small, with no player measuring taller than 6-foot-8. However, what they lack in size they make up for behind the arc and at the charity stripe. Last season, Evansville shot more than 70 percent from the foul line, and against the Bulldogs they made 32-of-43 foul shots.Defensively, the Hoosiers will need to focus on Evansville’s Mr. Everything, Colt Ryan. The junior guard led the Purple Aces in rebounds and points against Butler, recording seven and 23, respectively. If IU can limit Ryan and take advantage of forward Cody Zeller’s height advantage in the post, the Hoosiers will win a close one against the Aces, who were 13-3 at home last year.Pick to click: Cody ZellerBet to the campus: I’m not as confident this week. If IU loses, I will dress in all purple for the Hoosiers’ next home game on Saturday.
(11/14/11 5:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Raise your hand if you had Victor Oladipo being the Hoosiers’ best all around player through the first two games of the season.Anyone?Congratulations to the few of you stretching your hand high above your head, because I sure am not.The sophomore guard tied a career high with 16 points against Stony Brook on Friday and then bested that mark, adding 21 points Sunday.On defense, Oladipo has become the Hoosiers’ best lock-down defender.Oladipo limited Stony Brook’s leading scorer from last season, Bryan Dougher, to just four points on a 1-for-8 shooting night.Chattanooga guard Keegan Bell , who averaged 9.7 points last year, did not record a single point against Oladipo.“The greatest thing about the last two (games) is his defensive presence has created his offense,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “He tied a career-high last game and set a career-high today. When you are getting 37 points a game and you are guarding the opposing team’s first or second-best player every minute you are on the floor, it is impressive.”How easily preseason hype bogs down the canals of reality.I’ll admit it, before the year started, there was a list of Hoosiers in my mind that were poised for a big year.Freshman forward Cody Zeller? Of course. He’s the new big man on campus and the Hoosiers’ main man in the middle.Junior forward Christian Watford? Absolutely, as he was heralded as a potential all-Big Ten selection and one of IU’s most talented players. Yet so far this season, Watford is shooting an underwhelming 3-of-14 from the field with nine points and seven rebounds.Oladipo’s fellow sophomore, forward Will Sheehey ? You bet. In the preseason, I though this athletic swingman had among the most potential on the team.But Oladipo? Granted, I thought the 6-foot-5 spark plug was good for electrifying dunks off breakaway steals, but I never looked at him as the player that would spearheadan Indiana victory.Oladipo was that player Sunday against Chattanooga as he made his second consecutive start, shooting an efficient 6-of-9 from the field with consistency at the free throw line, going 8-of-11.I know two games is a very small sample size, and it takes more to truly make an assessment about a player’s performance in a season. That will come later when IU is tested by stronger opponents.But Oladipo’s team-leading stats so far this year are undeniable.He leads the Hoosiers with 18.5 points per game. He leads all guards in shootingpercentage, making 72.2 percent of his shots after going 13-of-18 so far this season.He has the second-most rebounds on the team with 11, trailing only Zeller, who happens to be nearly 7 feet tall.This all coming from a player I didn’t think would be an everyday starter.Now Oladipo must take his recent performances and become consistent.No matter if IU is playing lowly Stetson in December or Purdue in a raucous MackeyArena come February, Oldaipo has to take this high level of play and bring it to everygame this season. I understand everybody has an off -shooting game.Just ask junior guard Jordan Hulls, who registered 18 points Sunday from six threes, but managed just four in the season opener.Oladipo doesn’t have to be the Hoosiers’ leading scorer in every game, like he wasagainst Chattanooga.But he has to bring the fundamental defensive skill, relentless hustle and desire that makes him multi-dimensional.Make no mistake, despite the increased production from last season, this is stillthe same Oladipo.After an alley-oop two-handed slam from Hulls at the 17:42 mark in the secondhalf, IU went on a 17-6 run.Following his slams tonight, Oladipo put his hand over his face in a new celebration.“It’s just something to get me motivated,” he said. “I had to have something because during the year, Coach Crean always told me I got to find something to get me going,and it’s just something one of my best friends told me to try to do. And that’s something I’m going to try and keep with me.”With any luck, Oladipo will have an imprint of his hand on his face by the end of the season.
(11/11/11 5:41am)
If last season is any indicator of this year’s Stony Brook team, the
Hoosiers will need to shut down the Seawolves’ best scoring threat,
guard Bryan Dougher.
(11/10/11 4:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>At long last, it’s official.Go ahead. You can exhale, look at IU’s Class of 2012 recruiting class and smile.The recruiting haul, which became final Wednesday as five IU commitments signed their national letters of intent, is still intact as one of the best in the country. ESPN ranks the Hoosiers’ class as seventh-best in the nation, while Scout.com has it second, as of Wednesday night.Sure, IU Coach Tom Crean’s 2012 class will not be as good as it could have been with coveted Hamilton Southeastern guard Gary Harris, who chose Michigan State instead of Indiana.But five out of six sure ain’t bad.Make no mistake, the 2012-2013 Indiana Hoosiers will be a new benchmark for this program. Whereas modest four-star recruits were satisfactory in the 2009 class (Jordan Hulls, Christian Watford, Maurice Creek) and five-star forward Cody Zeller was considered a surprise in Crean’s current freshman class, the class of 2012 is why the term “Indiana basketball” will again carry a once-respected connotation.This class signifies IU’s return to the national spotlight, a light that once shone brightly in the 2002 NCAA Championship game and again in 2007 with a top-10 team before, well ... you know. Fans, analysts and players will not be looking for another 20-loss season or middle-of-the-pack finish, as has been the case thus far. With returning Hoosiers, such as Hulls, Zeller, Will Sheehey and maybe Watford, if he stays for his senior year, alongside this talented recruiting class, conversations will not be about whether IU makes it to the Big Dance, but rather, how deep into March the Hoosiers will go.With Harris, I think the 2012-2013 team had the potential to go to the Elite Eight, but now I foresee the Hoosiers making it as far as the Sweet 16 if they stay healthy — and that’s always a big if. Right now, I’m sure several IU fans are already licking their chops at the possibility of a sixth banner in the next five years.After all, the Class of 2012’s Fab Five have already hyped up that possibility extensively through tweets and interviews.And that’s fine. Be proud of the best recruiting class IU has seen since Eric Gordon’s in 2007. Get excited for what will be the most talented team in Crean’s tenure. Expect greatness out of a program built on it.But remember the unknowns that can’t be measured on a stat sheet or ranked on a website, factors such as player health and team chemistry between the veterans and the newcomers. Oh, and I also believe college players have the option of leaving for the NBA after their freshman year (see Kentucky Coach John Calipari).Don’t believe that a seemingly perfect circumstance can end badly in the long run? Ask former four-star recruit Maurice Creek about that.For now though, pop open the bubbly and enjoy the anticipation of seeing some of the best Indiana high school basketball talent step onto Branch McCracken Court in the cream and crimson next year.After all, Hoosier Nation, you’ve had to endure a lot in the past few years. You deserve a “movement” in the right direction.— azaleon@indiana.edu
(11/07/11 4:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The normally quiet Will Sheehey let his game do the talking Saturday night.Besides one-handed slams that land him on the highlight reel, Sheehey isn’t the most animated player on the floor or a big extrovert when talking with the media.But behind the sophomore forward’s subdued demeanor is a blossoming talent that led all IU scorers with 18 points in the Hoosiers’ 90-72 exhibition win against the University of Indianapolis.Appropriately, Sheehey racked up the highest point total of his short IU career in a whisper.“He gets sneaky buckets, (and) he flashes hard,” junior guard Jordan Hulls said. “It’s just like nobody sees him flashing ever, so (we’ll) keep finding him.”While the announced attendance of 16,516 watched in awe as freshman forward Cody Zeller electrified Assembly Hall with alley-oop dunks, Sheehey pieced together an efficient shooting night, making eight of 11 baskets. It wasn’t flashy, and sometimes it wasn’t pretty, but Sheehey ignited an offense that stalled to start the game, scoring 11 points in the first half mostly from mid-range jumpers and gritty drives to the hoop.And why did Sheehey succeed? Because he was given the opportunity to do so.Averaging 13.8 minutes per game as a reserve his freshman year, Sheehey got the nod Saturday night in a smaller IU starting lineup that did not include injured forwards Christian Watford or Tom Pritchard.Keep Sheehey in the starting rotation.On a roster ripe with athletic swing men,Sheehey has separated himself from the pack in preseason play. His performance against UIndy was just the exclamation point.“It’s not about the minutes that you play,” IU Coach Tom Crean aptly said. “It’s about what you do inside of the minutes that you play.”Keep starting Sheehey, and watch the minutes — and the point totals — start to add up.In his freshman year, Sheehey came as advertised: a lengthy athletic forward who could get to the basket but wasn’t big enough to post up or refined enough to consistently be a scoring threat.However, the progression of Will Sheehey as a complete basketball player is beginning to take shape.He took smart shots, making his only attempted three-pointer, was aggressive on offense and recorded a block on the other end of the floor.That’s not to say Sheehey had the perfect night. As Crean pointed out following the game, Sheehey, who pulled down three boards, was not as efficient rebounding the ball as he is capable of being.If Sheehey continues to get abundant playing time, his on-court experiences will help him reach his full potential faster, developing him into a complete player whose skills match his athleticism.And let me remind you, the 6-foot-6-inch forward is just a sophomore.Sheehey could grow to be one of the most versatile forwards in the Big Ten and do so while barely making a sound.
(11/04/11 6:13am)
Columnist Avi Zaleon lists his expectations for IU versus UIndy exhibition game Saturday.
(11/01/11 3:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Up until this time, the game was slow, and the spectators would settle into the stands with some popcorn and watch. That night, they saw an entirely new game. The action was fast, and everyone was cheering and really getting into it. “On our way home, Branch talked about how much everyone had enjoyed the game. He was determined right then and there to develop that strategy into his team at Ball State. Later, he brought it to IU, and that’s how they became known as the ‘Hurryin’ Hoosiers.’”Mary Jo McCraken’s words in Jason Hiner’s novel, “Mac’s Boys: Branch McCracken and the Legendary 1953 Hurryin’ Hoosiers,” make me wonder if lightening-fast speed can strike twice in Bloomington.This season, the Hoosiers can thrive if they execute an up-tempo offense that centers around transition play, following a year when they gave up the most points in the Big Ten. On average, IU Coach Tom Crean’s squad allowed an average of 68.2 points per game in the 2010-2011 campaign.At Big Ten Basketball Media Day last Thursday, Crean said his team has been devoted to emphasizing defense so much in fall practices that time for offense has been scarce. “I like the fall we had with them in the sense of the work that we did to try to build a defensive mentality, the work that we did to try to build a togetherness mentality, especially on that defensive end,” Crean said. “And I think we’re way behind offensively right now.”With a more athletic and experienced team on the court this season, IU has an opportunity to put a product on the floor that the rest of the traditionally sluggish Big Ten isn’t used to. An IU team that continues to create turnovers, having already created the sixth-most steals in the conference last season, out-hustles its opposition down the court and converts easy buckets or draws fouls.This can happen with the proper conditioning. This can be the identity of this season’s IU team. This can be the winning formula.“Defense is going to be a huge key for us. It’ll lead to offensive transition, but we’re harping on it every day in practice,” junior guard Jordan Hulls said at Media Day. “Just help-side defense, keeping your man in front of you, transition defense, all the little things — taking charges is something we definitely need to emphasize, and that’s going to help us win. “Defense creates offense, so if our offensive game isn’t going, we can always control our defense. ”During the scrimmage at Hoosier Hysteria a couple weeks ago, I could hardly believe what I was seeing.Following a defensive rebound, freshman forward Cody Zeller and the rest of his team sprinted to the other end of the floor as the basketball seamlessly got to the 6-foot-11-inch big man in just three passes after a precision assist from senior guard Verdell Jones. The smooth transition offense beat its opposition down the court and left Zeller open for an easy slam.Poetry in motion, my friends. Poetry in motion.Fans could certainly get used to this style of play after having to endure repetitive offensive sets last season when the Hoosiers would take the ball down the court, pass along the perimeter until the shot clock ran down and then settle for an undesirable shot.Especially during Big Ten season, these half-court sequences in which the offense stalled for minutes at a time simply did not cut it.This year, it’s time for a change and to take all that defensive preparation in practice and use it on the court.If done correctly, the late Branch McCracken might look down and smile upon the new Hurryin’ Hoosiers.— azaleon@indiana.eduAvi Zaleon is a senior in journalism
(10/17/11 3:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I’m willing to bet this was the first time in Assembly Hall’s 40-year history that blow-up guitars, imitation Ray Bans and Usher shared the same floor that was once graced by Bob Knight’s airborne chair.Yes, guard Victor Oladipo singing Usher’s “You Got it Bad,” with the rest of the men’s basketball team serving as backup dancers as part of the introduction for Saturday night’s Hoosier Hysteria, was a welcome change.The well-performed R&B act showed me IU Athletics is trying to gradually make IU’s version of Midnight Madness a spectacle that appeals to every member of a 16,100-person audience.And that’s not an easy thing to do.As a Blue Ribbon basketball program so deeply rooted in tradition, Indiana has struggled in past years to infuse contemporary entertainment appealing to a younger generation of Hoosier fans into a season kickoff that is sure to celebrate IU’s pristine past.The three-point shootout and dunk contest preceding the team’s scrimmage have become staples of Hoosier Hysteria and are entertaining at times. This year, sophomore Will Sheehey dazzled a packed Assembly Hall with his slam via a pass he threw off the backboard to former all-state high school soccer-player-turned-IU-guard Daniel Moore. The teammate headed the ball from the far corner of the paint back to Sheehey, who threw it down for a contest-clinching jam.It is worth noting Sheehey accomplished all this while wearing retro IU basketball shorts hiked halfway up his thighs.But aside from these memorable moments, Hoosier Hysteria dragged on for me as the usual repetitions of the annual event took hold. Toward the end of the evening, it seemed the crowd agreed with me. People slowly filed out of Assembly Hall before it was through.Hoosier Hysteria isn’t designed just for me, though. Isn’t it for the highly touted recruits taking their official visits to IU? They represent the future of the program.Or maybe it’s for the throngs of Hoosier faithfuls that made Saturday night the best-attended Hoosier Hysteria of the Tom Crean era.Then again, should Hoosier Hysteria be for the students? The mass that makes up the largest student section in the nation and is a mere 199 season tickets away (7,601 of 7,800) from selling out that monstrous Crimson Guard segment?The truth is, Hoosier Hysteria is for all these groups. The tricky part is appeasing all of them. Alumni and long-time season ticket holders are not going to appreciate, much less understand, a live musical act from the Top 20 charts as much as the student body or a high school senior submerged in present-day basketball culture.Conversely, the out-of-state IU freshman and five-star recruits might not be able to identify Keith Smart nailing a game-winning shot as he drifts toward the sideline in the 1987 Championship Game.Regardless of its Hoosier hoops IQ, the diverse group inside Assembly Hall was all there for the same reason and expected to see something that kept its interest.There needs to be some balance between the rock show ego-fest the folks in Lexington put on and a mundane snoozer that follows the same script of intro video, player walk-out songs, three-point contest, dunk contest and scrimmage.Hoosier Hysteria and IU Athletics as a whole are on its way to finding this medium. I hope to see this metaphoric see-saw continue to balance with an event that seamlessly blends the new with the old.Who knows? Maybe next year, we’ll see Cody Zeller and Jordan Hulls belting out a duet of Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now.”