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(02/03/11 5:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As the missed shot caromed off the rim, he ran in a full sprint toward the hoop. He jumped in mid-air, grabbed the ball with one hand and slammed it through with authority. IU junior forward Tom Pritchard’s dunk midway through the first half brought the Assembly Hall crowd to its feet. It also gave his team the energy it needed to defeat No. 18 Minnesota, 60-57, Wednesday at Assembly Hall.“He did a Space Jam, Michael Jordan reach back and caught it,” IU junior guard Verdell Jones said. “I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I was going crazy. It was beautiful to see.” And while Pritchard’s jam provided the spark, Jones provided the decisive basket.With 2:02 remaining in the game and the shot clock winding down, IU sophomore guard Jordan Hulls found Jones open in the right corner. Jones received the pass and proceeded to knock down the eventual game-winning shot. Jones, who played his first game since Jan. 20 against Wisconsin due to knee inflammation, said he was glad he could do what he could for the team. “I saw the guard running out late and the shot clock running down,” Jones said. “I’ve been working on my three-point ball because I can’t move in practice. It paid off.” The Hoosiers, who led most of the game and at one moment led by 16 points, allowed the Gophers to creep back late in the second half. With 3:25 remaining in the contest, Minnesota capped off a 19-5 run to cut the deficit to only two points at 55-53. But thanks to two free throws and the aforementioned three-pointer by Jones, IU had the lead down to the final possession. Minnesota had a chance to tie with five seconds remaining, but tough defense from the Hoosiers forced Gopher guard Blake Hoffarber to take an off-balance shot that he missed. “Dan Moore wanted the matchup and I gave it to him,” Crean said of his junior guard. “We knew one way or another (Hoffarber) was coming off a screen or he was going to inbound and they were going to find him. That’s exactly what they did and our guys played it excellent.” The victory marked the second win for IU against a ranked opponent in its last three games. Much of that success, particularly in this game, could be credited to the improved play of Pritchard. He finished Wednesday with a season-high 12 points along with seven rebounds. Crean said the Pritchard they typically see in practice was finally shown to the crowd at Assembly Hall. Pritchard said he was glad he could be a key contributor in the victory against Minnesota. “I really want to come out and be aggressive each game,” Pritchard said. “Anything I can do — offensive rebounds, solid defense — that helps our team I want to do. The ball seemed to bounce my way tonight so hopefully I can continue that.”
(02/02/11 4:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As if facing No. 18 Minnesota on Wednesday wasn’t enough, the Hoosiers will now have to do it without their leading scorer. IU sophomore forward Christian Watford will be out indefinitely after suffering a broken left hand in Sunday’s 84-83 overtime loss to Michigan State, IU coach Tom Crean announced.Watford had surgery Tuesday, and no timetable for his return is set. “Our road to getting better and our path on how we are going to get there with the people we have took another hit,” Crean said. “We feel for him because he’s coming off his best week. He was absolutely relentless on Sunday.”“You take away your leading scorer, your leading rebounder and a guy that can make shots and plays the way he can, it’s going to affect your team.” Watford is eighth in the Big Ten with 17.0 points per game. He also averages 5.8 rebounds and is sixth in the conference in free throw percentage at 83.5 percent. The sophomore’s injury, though, is just one of a few major hurdles the Hoosiers have dealt with this season.Junior guard Verdell Jones has missed the past three games with knee inflammation and is listed as day-to-day. IU sophomore guard Maurice Creek is likely out the remainder of the year with a stress fracture on his right patella. Watford, Jones and Creek averaged a combined 38.2 points per game. In contrast, the remaining eight IU players totaled a combined 39.2 points per game.“We’ve had a lot of injuries — guys that have started multiple games for us — so it’s tough,” IU junior guard Daniel Moore said. “Points, rebounds and assists are obviously key stats, so guys have to step up.”The timing could not have been worse for IU with the Gophers coming to town. Minnesota boasts one of the biggest frontcourts in the Big Ten. Forwards Trevor Mbakwe, Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III each check in at 6-foot-8, 6-foot-10 and 6-foot-11 respectively. The Gophers also present a challenge on the perimeter with sharpshooting guard Blake Hoffarber running the point.“You can’t get buried down low with (Mbakwe, Iverson and Sampson),” IU freshman forward Will Sheehey said. “You can’t play behind them. With Hoffarber playing the point, we’re just going to have to get the ball out of his hands and not let him get comfortable shots.” Lacking Watford’s explosiveness in an already depleted lineup, the Hoosiers hope the crowd at Assembly Hall provides the extra spark needed to defeat another ranked Big Ten squad.“Our team is doing everything it could possibly do to get better and improve,” Crean said. “But more than ever now, as we come back home tomorrow night, we have got to have the energy of this fan base at a very high level. It was incredible last Thursday, and we are going to need them more than we have all year.”
(01/31/11 5:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>EAST LANSING, Mich. — For the second consecutive game, IU sophomore guard Jordan Hulls had the ball in his hands in the final seconds. But unlike last Thursday’s matchup against Illinois, it didn’t end the way he had hoped. Hulls’ jump shot from the left corner sailed over the rim with time expiring Sunday, as the Hoosiers fell to No. 25 Michigan State in overtime, 84-83, at the Breslin Center. “You want to be the go-to guy and hit the shot, but it just didn’t fall,” Hulls said. “It’s a pretty bad feeling, but we just have to move on from this and get better in practice like we have all year.” In a contest that came down to a few big plays, Michigan State capitalized when IU could not. With 42 seconds remaining in regulation and his team ahead by three points, IU senior guard Jeremiah Rivers stepped to the free throw line for a one-and-one. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, Rivers could not convert the first free throw and Michigan State got the rebound. The Spartans subsequently made a layup on the next possession to cut the lead to one, 78-77, with 35 seconds remaining.“I was so confident, I wanted them to foul me,” Rivers said. “When it left my hand it looked great, it felt great and I thought it was going in. It was unfortunate. You can’t get them all.”On IU’s next offensive possession, Rivers was fouled again. This time, though, he made one of two free throws to give his team a two-point advantage. Michigan State forward Draymond Green was later fouled on a layup with 2.9 seconds remaining. He hit both free throws to send his team into overtime, an extra period in which the Spartans would gain and not relinquish the lead.IU coach Tom Crean said he felt bad for Rivers, who has grown and developed greatly this season as a player.“I’m very disappointed for him because he takes that very hard,” Crean said. “We got to help him get over it because we would not have been in a situation to be in a game like that without the way that he played.” If there was one positive aspect of Sunday’s loss for IU, it was physicality. The Hoosiers, despite being outmatched in pure size to the Spartans, fought hard from the opening tip. IU forwards Christian Watford and Tom Pritchard were aggressive on the interior and forced the Michigan State post players into foul trouble.Rivers, Hulls and freshman forward Will Sheehey did not appear intimidated as they drove to the hoop for the entire 40 minutes.Crean said he was pleased with the effort physically — and mentally — his young squad displayed at the Breslin Center. “It was an incredibly hard-fought game,” Crean said. “Certainly (Michigan State) brought a toughness. I think our guys brought a toughness. Neither team ever stopped battling. We took steps today but just didn’t get the win to show for it.”
(01/28/11 6:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In a game of constant lead changes, IU needed a player to step up and take control against No. 20 Illinois. Jordan Hulls was that guy. Ahead by one point with 12 seconds remaining, the sophomore guard stepped to the free throw line and calmly made two shots. The points proved to the finishing touches of IU’s 52-49 win against the Illini on Thursday night at Assembly Hall.“I wanted the ball at the end of the game to hit those two free throws,” Hulls said. “I just wanted to take simple grasps and not let the crowd get into my head. I was able to knock them in.” In need of a leader without junior guard Verdell Jones, who was out of the lineup with knee inflammation for the second consecutive matchup, Hulls stepped up in that category. He found open teammates for easy baskets. He pulled up and sank long-distance three-pointers.He drove the lane strong and finished despite 7-foot Illinois players in his face. Hulls finished with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting (including 4-of-5 from the three-point line).After the game, IU coach Tom Crean spoke about Hulls’ growth as a player and leader for his team. “You got to be happy for him because the kid works so hard, win or lose,” Crean said. “You can challenge them, and at the same time they are challenging themselves. When you are on the same page as where the challenge is, then you’re getting growth.“Jordan Hulls is like that.” With the lead swinging back-and-forth between teams, arguably the most impactful moment came with 7:37 remaining in the game. Despite his team trailing by one point, 38-39, Hulls pulled up on the right side and hit a three-pointer that sent the crowd at Assembly Hall into a frenzy. Hulls knocked down another three-pointer, this time from NBA-range, with 5:02 left in the game that ultimately turned momentum in the Hoosiers’ favor. IU junior forward Tom Pritchard said Hulls stepped up when the team needed him the most. “Jordy hit a lot of big shots, and that was really big for us,” Pritchard said. “He really opened the offense for us.” Hulls spoke at length about what a win like tonight does for a young team going forward. “It’s definitely a good victory over a good team like Illinois,” Hulls said. “At home with the fans, it was huge for us. We’re just going to try to carry that momentum over when we play Sunday.”
(01/27/11 5:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU coach Tom Crean made one thing clear following his team’s loss to Iowa on Sunday: The post players need to improve defensively.And with No. 20 Illinois coming to Assembly Hall on Thursday night — boasting one of the top frontcourts in the Big Ten — it needs to happen quickly. “They’re a great team because they pass the ball so well, they make their open shots and they really cover for one another defensively,” Crean said. “That’s where the length really comes in.” The Illini are led down low by 7-foot-1 center Mike Tisdale. The senior is a strong finisher in the post and possesses the ability to knock down the midrange jump shot with ease. Last year against the Hoosiers in Bloomington, Tisdale had 27 points and nine rebounds in his team’s 66-60 win. He is averaging 10.2 points and 7.2 rebounds this season.One possible reason for the decline in statistics is the cast of talented big men surrounding him. Illinois coach Bruce Weber gives significant playing time to two 6-foot-9 forwards in Mike Davis and Bill Cole as well as 7-foot freshman center Meyers Leonard. “When you start to look at depth, they truly have that ‘next man up’ theory,” Crean said. “Certainly they are experienced guys, and when you have four seniors playing the quality of minutes that they have, they are high-quality players.” An IU player who could play a big role in limiting the Illini is forward Christian Watford. The sophomore had a big day offensively for the Hoosiers against Iowa — 30 points and eight rebounds — but was a liability on the defensive end. Crean said Watford has a lot of work to do to become the all-around player he needs to be.“He’s just got to continue to improve,” Crean said. “I know he wants to. He’s got to guard the dribble better. He’s got to be a better help defender. He’s got to be a little bit more alert in the lane, a little more active with his hands before the catch rather than after the catch.”But while Illinois can give the Hoosiers trouble on the interior, it can also do the same on the perimeter.Senior Demetri McCamey is one of the top guards in the nation, let alone the conference, and paces the Illini with 15.6 points per game. McCamey is joined up top by last season’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year, D.J. Richardson.IU junior guard Matt Roth said though Illinois has a lot of weapons, he believes his team is well-prepared for the matchup.“We’ve got the guys and are confident in who we have with us,” Roth said. “We just have to play it like it’s any other night. We’re not the biggest team in the world, but we know we can go out there and fight hard. If we do that, we’re going to be fine.”
(01/24/11 3:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IOWA CITY, IOWA — The IU men’s basketball team entered its game against Iowa expecting to see the worst scoring offense in the Big Ten.It left with an entirely new mind-set. Thanks largely to a lackluster defensive effort, the Hoosiers fell to the Hawkeyes, 91-77 Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.“We weren’t good defensively at all,” IU coach Tom Crean said. “Our transition defense was poor. Our big guys were nonexistent in transition defense. We gave up too much middle drive, and we weren’t as physical as we needed to be.” From the opening tip, the Hoosiers did not appear to have the same energy that was apparent in their most recent stints against Michigan and Wisconsin. Iowa was able to penetrate the lane easily and had good ball movement to set up open 3-point shots. The Hawkeyes entered halftime up 43-33, while shooting 51.7 percent from the field. And while most teams tend to cool off after a hot shooting performance early on, Iowa did not slow down. It played one of its strongest halves of the season, shooting 65.2 percent in the second half. “We just got to step up and play better defensively,” IU junior guard Matt Roth said. “It’s all things that are correctable and all things that we know how to do, so it’s just a matter of getting it turned around.” The Hawkeyes’ offensive outburst — its second highest of the year — was not the work of one or two star players. They received contributions from a variety of scorers.Four different players finished in double figures, including Devyn Roy Marble off the bench, who totaled 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Forward Melsahn Basabe and guard Matt Gatens poured in 20 and 19 points, respectively.“I thought from a consistency standpoint, today was the best we’ve been,” said Iowa coach Fran McCaffery.The most telling statistic, though, may have been transition defense. Iowa had 16 fast-break points to the Hoosiers’ two.“We just didn’t get back,” said sophomore forward Christian Watford. “They got out on transition, rebounded the ball well, and we didn’t get back at all.” The lone bright spot on the night — at least offensively — was Watford, who finished with a career-high 30 points on 10-of-20 shooting. But while Crean agreed Watford’s offensive effort was good, he was quick to point out how much harder he needs to work defensively. “You can’t score 30 and give up the points that he gave up,” Crean said. “We need go-to defenders more than go-to scorers. He’s got to take a real close look at what defense really means to him if he’s going to be a complete player and play at the next level.” Crean said a major part of the loss could be attributed to his team not being physical enough, especially on the interior. His squad allowed 46 points in the paint to Iowa’s big men.“We weren’t as physical at the rim; we didn’t step in and draw charges the way we should have consistently,” Crean said. “We had an all-around bad day defensively for a team that was making a lot of strides.”
(01/21/11 5:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>MADISON, Wisc. - Coming off its first Big Ten win of the season, IU began its road matchup against No. 17 Wisconsin in dramatic fashion.Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, the stellar first half play couldn’t carry over into the final 20 minutes of their 69-60 loss to the Badgers. IU junior guard Verdell Jones said despite the close game, his team cannot accept moral victories.“I never do and I never will,” Jones said. “It was in our grasp and we just let it go.” IU coach Tom Crean has spoken many times this season about needing his team to play consistent basketball for all 40 minutes. It did it against Michigan last week but failed to do so against opponents such as Minnesota, Northwestern and Kentucky.Thursday was another case of the latter for the Hoosiers (10-9, 1-5). “We knew we were going to have to play very well,” Crean said. “It was a very good Big Ten game, and they made some timely baskets, very timely. They got to the foul line more, especially in the second half.”IU sophomore guard Jordan Hulls opened the game on fire with 10 points — on four-of-five shooting — in the first five minutes. Jones and sophomore forward Christian Watford combined for 15 points and six rebounds in the first half.The Hoosiers also displayed the hard-nosed defensive approach that was effective against the Wolverines last Saturday. Paced by Hulls, IU went into halftime with a 34-30 lead having shot 60.9 percent from the field. “I’m always trying to be more aggressive. It opens up things for the other players on the team,” Hulls said. “If it’s open, I’m going to try to shoot it. I was able to get some drives in tonight, but our offense was what opened the looks for me.” But that firepower created in the first half could not be sustained for the remainder of the game. Hulls scored six more points early in the final period but did not score after the 11:32 mark. The Badgers also picked it up on the offensive end. With about nine minutes remaining and Wisconsin ahead 52-50, the Badgers went on a game-changing 7-2 run to expand a lead that would not be relinquished. The two catalysts for Wisconsin were its leaders from the get-go: forward Jon Leuer and guard Jordan Taylor. Both players displayed their all-around game against the Hoosiers, finishing with 20 and 28 points, respectively. Jones said Leuer and Taylor proved why they are All-Big Ten caliber players. “Leuer got some big and ones. Jordan Taylor got hot in the first half and got to the foul line in the second half,” Jones said. “He’s a great player — a strong player, and we’re going to have to play a little bit better next time against them.”
(01/20/11 4:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was an all-too-familiar scene. IU sophomore guard Maurice Creek stood on the podium Wednesday in Assembly Hall answering questions about a likely season-ending knee injury. A little more than a year after fracturing his left knee, Creek spoke about fracturing his right patella Saturday against Michigan and the rehabilitation process he expects in the coming months. “It’s been pretty tough,” Creek said. “I have my teammates and family here supporting me. I’m just going to try to keep myself mentally strong and physically strong.”Creek was injured late in IU’s 80-61 win against the Wolverines. He said he “heard a pop” in his knee as he was back cutting for a long pass from the baseline. Creek managed to drive to the hoop and make a layup, but he felt discomfort immediately after.“By the grace of God I caught (the ball),” Creek said. “I just threw it up there and it went in. When I fell back down on it, it hurt even more. When I got back up, I was happy to even walk.”IU coach Tom Crean put Creek back in the game shortly. Creek admitted he “didn’t feel much pain” but was taken out moments later when it appeared the injury was worse than expected. After closer examination on the right knee, the IU medical staff determined he would need surgery on the patella Thursday.Creek said he and IU men’s basketball trainer Tim Garl spoke to the team Saturday night about the severity of the injury. IU junior guard Matt Roth said it was a very emotional meeting. “It was definitely frustrating to see him step up and talk to us,” Roth said. “At the same time, myself and him went through things last year where we were in the same situation.”Crean spoke Wednesday about the growing maturity of Creek this season. He felt Creek was only a couple weeks away from getting back to 100 percent on the court.“I’m really proud in how he has handled this,” Crean said. “His spirit, the way he’s handled this with his teammates, the way he’s handled this just as a person. I can’t imagine how hard it would be, I really can’t.”Crean said he hopes the NCAA will allow Creek an extra year of eligibility because of the injury. The Hoosiers have 13 games remaining before the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.“I don’t know how we would be denied on this, to be honest with you,” Crean said. “He’s basically played one year inside of two. I would hope down the road we would get the leniency on that because this has not been the fault of his own.”After having surgery on Thursday, Creek admitted that he did not receive any form of time line for his rehabilitation process or what exactly he will be doing. He did, however, say that he feels better prepared mentally than he was last season.“I feel a little bit better about this one just because of what I went through last year,” Creek said. “It will just be another challenge that I will have to tackle.”
(01/18/11 5:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With six straight losses, IU entered its matchup against Michigan in need of a statement game to turn the season around.On Saturday night, the team got it.The Hoosiers dominated the Wolverines in nearly every facet of their 80-61 win at Assembly Hall. “This gives us confidence,” IU sophomore forward Christian Watford said of his team’s first conference victory. “We finally got one on the board, and we feel like maybe we can run off a couple and get on a winning streak. We’ll see what happens.” While the Hoosiers’ success stemmed partly from stifling defense — they allowed only 15 points in the first half for the first time since 2002 — IU’s offense was equally sensational against Michigan.Led by junior guard Verdell Jones, who finished with 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field, the Hoosiers shot a blistering 67.4 percent as a team. Watford was also a major factor offensively with 17 points and 10 rebounds.But no player may have been as clutch as sophomore guard Jordan Hulls, who stepped up when the team needed him down the stretch.IU, which led by as many as 21 points in the second half, began seeing its lead slowly diminish with 10:40 remaining. Michigan cut the deficit to 11 points behind sharpshooting from sophomore Darius Morris and true freshman Tim Hardaway Jr. with help from a dunk by redshirt freshman Jordan Morgan to build some momentum. But Hulls, who did not even attempt a shot in the first half, quickly put an end to that.With 8:15 left in the game, Hulls buried a 3-pointer from the right side of the court. After Hardaway Jr. made another 3-pointer, Hulls countered with one of his own, this time in the far right corner, to put IU up 14 points.“They came at a great time,” IU coach Tom Crean said of Hulls’ baskets. “That’s exactly what we need. That’s what his teammates expect from him. That’s what his teammates see at practice. He played an excellent game.” Hulls, who finished with 13 points on 4-of-4 shooting, was jokingly asked after the game if he “was waiting for it to be dramatic” before taking shots. He quickly shot that theory down.“I don’t care if I score 20 points or two points,” Hulls said. “If we’re winning ball games, that’s fine with me. I’m just doing whatever it takes to help this team win.”Crean spoke a lot this week about needing consistency from his squad. Much of this season has either been building leads and losing them or trailing early and being forced to come back, he said.Against Michigan, though, the Hoosiers played well from start to finish.IU got significant contributions down the stretch from its regulars — Jones, Watford, Hulls and sophomore guard Maurice Creek — as well as players making the most of their playing time.Junior guard Matt Roth played only three total minutes but finished with six points on two 3-pointers. Senior guard Jeremiah Rivers, known primarily for his defensive ability, threw down a dunk on the left baseline.Jones said the difference between Saturday’s win against Michigan and last week’s loss to Northwestern was energy.“That was the biggest thing for us tonight, period,” he said. “We just played with energy. I thought we came out very lackadaisical at Northwestern, and today we had energy all 40 minutes.”
(01/18/11 1:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sophomore guard Maurice Creek will be out indefinitely after suffering a stress fracture on his right patella, IU coach Tom Crean said Monday on his weekly radio show.The injury came with 2:02 remaining in IU’s win Saturday against Michigan.Creek caught a long inbounds pass and took it all the way to the basket. As he drove, Creek was fouled by Michigan guard Matt Vogrich and came down hard holding his right knee.Crean put Creek back in the game quickly and said afterward that it did not appear serious. After closer examination, the injury was worse than initially thought. “You can’t imagine how big a blow it is to him,” Crean said. “It’s a tough, tough situation, and I hope everyone will think about him and say a prayer for Mo and his family.”Creek missed much of last season after suffering a left knee injury last December against Bryant. The Oxon Hill, Md., native has started 13 games this season and is averaging 8.3 points.
(01/14/11 5:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Without its top two scorers from last year and an already young squad, Michigan entered the season picked as one of the Big Ten’s worst. But after two months of good basketball, including near wins against three top 10 teams, the Wolverines are proving the doubters wrong.The Hoosiers, meanwhile, hope to do the same when they take on Michigan at 8 p.m. Saturday at Assembly Hall.“We have to buy into the game plan the coaches have for us,” IU freshman guard Victor Oladipo said. “We have to balance our defense and get back in transition to be successful.”IU (9-8, 0-4), which has lost six consecutive games, will need to show that tough defense against a much-improved Michigan team (11-6, 1-3).On Wednesday, in the Wolverines’ most recent game, Michigan narrowly lost to No. 2 Ohio State 68-64 in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Buckeyes needed a 12-0 run in the second half to secure the victory.Michigan only lost by three points to No. 10 Syracuse and fell in overtime to No. 3 Kansas. The Wolverines have been especially tough on the defensive end, holding opponents this season to only 30 percent shooting from the field.Sophomore guard Darius Morris paces Michigan’s offense with 15.4 points and 7.3 assists per game.Though he admitted the Wolverines would be a good challenge, IU junior guard Verdell Jones said his team’s focus for Saturday is on itself.“We know what each one of us can do well, and we have to keep that in mind and not try to go outside of what we do well,” Jones said. “We can’t try to make something happen if its not there or try to do things by ourselves.”This was most evident in the Hoosiers’ 93-81 loss to Northwestern on Sunday in Evanston, Ill. The Hoosiers opened the contest with one of their worst starts of the season and faced a 12-point deficit at halftime. Thanks to a late comeback, IU pulled to within 8 points but could not get any closer.IU coach Tom Crean said consistency was the biggest factor in the loss.“In the second half, we start to come back and play desperate,” Crean said. “We don’t understand that we got to play that way in the first half. We got to learn how to play 40 minutes quickly.”In preparing for his team’s matchup against Michigan, Oladipo took it upon himself to improve in that area.“My all-around play needs to be more consistent — on the defensive end and on the offensive end,” he said. “I can help the team out just by being more consistent and more vocal and step up in each area — and I need to take those strides to become a better player on this team.”The Hoosiers also believe playing a conference game at home with the students back from winter break will be beneficial.Saturday’s contest will mark the first time in the last three games that IU will play at Assembly Hall. The team then faces Wisconsin and Iowa on the road. “The students are back from break, so it will be a good atmosphere,” IU freshman forward Will Sheehey said. “Shooting on the same baskets and knowing the court and knowing your spots really makes you more comfortable.”
(01/10/11 6:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>EVANSTON, Ill. — IU entered its matchup against Northwestern knowing the capabilities of its opponent’s offense. But in Sunday’s 93-81 loss at Welsh-Ryan Arena, the Wildcats firepower was even better than expected. Much of that success, according to IU coach Tom Crean, stemmed from his squad’s lack of defensive discipline. “Our issues were that we weren’t off enough — we didn’t have good enough ball pressure,” he said. “Then we just started hanging our heads. We played extremely immature in the first half.” The loss was the sixth in a row for the Hoosiers, who fell to 9-8 overall and 0-4 in the Big Ten.The Wildcats (10-4, 1-3) ran a Princeton offense — a system utilizing quick passes and screens to set up backdoor layups and open looks from the perimeter — that simply was too much for the Hoosiers’ defense. One of the offensive system’s main beneficiaries was forward John Shurna, who paced Northwestern with 24 points on 6-of-9 shooting (including 4-of-5 from the 3-point line). Crean said Shurna lived up to his billing as one of the Big Ten’s top players.“He’s an excellent player. He’s the leading 3-point shooter in the country for a reason,” Crean said. “You can’t give him any space. He’s going to be a pro for a long time.”Shurna, though, was not the only Wildcat player who was effective against IU’s poor defense. Northwestern guard Michael Thompson added 16 points while serving as his team’s main distributor with eight assists. Center Luka Mirkovic was on the receiving end of many of Thompson’s passes. The Wildcats’ big man controlled the paint with ease Sunday, pouring in 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting despite often facing multiple IU defenders. Mirkovic also pulled down 12 rebounds — five offensive — that kept many plays alive for the Wildcats. “He just out-toughed us,” Crean said. “He just out-toughed us inside, and that’s the bottom line.”IU’s inability to stop the Northwestern offense was most apparent early on. Quick ball movement by the Wildcats set up open looks from long range. When the perimeter was tightly guarded, the Wildcats big men were freed up down low for easy baskets. By halftime, the Hoosiers trailed by 12 points, 40-28. And while the Hoosiers have typically come out stronger in the second half of games this season, it was not the case Sunday. The lack of defensive energy in the first half continued to hurt IU in the final 20 minutes of play.With 11:14 remaining, the Hoosiers faced their largest deficit of the game, down 24 points. IU eventually cut the lead to eight points with two minutes remaining, but their comeback was too little, too late. Crean said consistency was a major issue against Northwestern, especially on the defensive end. “In the second half, we start to come back and play desperate,” Crean said. “We don’t understand that we got to play that way in the first half. We got to learn how to play 40 minutes quickly.”
(12/13/10 3:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LEXINGTON, Ky. — IU senior guard Jeremiah Rivers said Saturday’s game against No. 16 Kentucky came down to mental toughness. For the first 30 minutes, his team had it. Then it disappeared.Those issues down the stretch — including a nine-minute scoring drought — contributed to the Hoosiers’ 81-62 loss to the Wildcats at Rupp Arena. “We have the physical talent, we have the players, we have the depth on the bench, we have the coach’s game plan,” Rivers said. “But with all that said, it’s really just the mental toughness to be able to finish off the games.”That was not the case early on. For the first half and early part of the second half, the Hoosiers (7-2) appeared even with the Wildcats (7-2). Sophomore forward Christian Watford and sophomore guard Jordan Hulls were productive shooting the ball, while tough defense forced the Wildcats to take contested shots.IU went into halftime trailing by just one point, 32-31. The Hoosiers eventually took a 57-56 lead after Watford hit a 3-pointer with 9:42 remaining in the game.But any momentum gained in that sequence subsided as Kentucky responded with an 8-0 run. It closed with a 25-5 stretch to put the Hoosiers away for good.“It kind of went fast on us,” Watford said. “I look down, we were close, and then all of a sudden they make a run. The game of basketball is all about runs, and we didn’t do anything to weather their storm.”Since Watford’s basket, the IU offense had very little cohesion. The Hoosiers could not penetrate Kentucky’s zone as easily as before, and as a result, they took poor shots. Before a Rivers’ layup with 38 seconds remaining, IU was 0-for-10 from the field during that time frame.“If you are going to win, you got to be able to make shots,” IU coach Tom Crean said. “For most of this game, we did. And then in the end, we didn’t, and they did. That was so much of the difference.” The Hoosiers also looked gassed toward the end of the game, while the Wildcats did not. This was especially evident on the glass, as Kentucky outrebounded IU 20-7 in the final 9:42 of the second half. That aggressiveness helped give the Wildcats a 21-4 advantage on second-chance points for the game. Even though his team did not earn the victory, Watford said a game such as this will benefit his squad long-term.“Playing against great players out there, it’s only going to help us,” he said. “We’re looking forward to going back to Bloomington and getting back to work.”
(12/11/10 9:53pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LEXINGTON, Ky. – IU played Kentucky tough for the first 30 minutes of the game on Saturday at Rupp Arena.Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, they fell apart down the stretch in an 81-62 loss to the Wildcats. “If you are going to win, you got to be able to make shots,” IU coach Tom Crean said. “For most of this game, we did. And then in the end, we didn’t and they did. That was so much of the difference.” After IU sophomore forward Christian Watford’s 3-pointer put the Hoosiers up 57-56 with 9:43 remaining in the game, his team did not make a field goal for more than nine minutes. During that period, Kentucky (7-2) began an 8-0 run to put the Hoosiers behind for good. The Wildcats closed with a 25-5 stretch.“It kind of went fast on us,” Watford said. “I look down, we were close and then all of a sudden they make a run. The game of basketball is all about runs, and we didn’t do anything to weather their storm.” Watford paced IU (7-2) with 19 points, while both sophomore guard Jordan Hulls and freshman guard Victor Oladipo added 10 points. The most telling stat was free throw attempts, in which Kentucky went to the line 28 more times than the Hoosiers.“My stock line is that it’s part of the game,” Crean said. “It’s a hard fought game, there’s no question about that.”IU junior guard Verdell Jones played sparingly on Saturday as he was hindered with an ankle injury. Jones limped off the court with 15:15 remaining in the second half and did not return. IU senior guard Jeremiah Rivers, who filled in at the point guard spot for Jones much of the game, said the Hoosiers learned a lot about themselves against Kentucky. “We know what we got to do to finish off games,” Rivers said. “We know we can play with the best of the best. I think really it came down to toughness mentally more than anything. That’s what we’ll take away from it.”
(12/10/10 5:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In last season’s game against Kentucky, then IU freshman guard Maurice Creek almost single-handedly carried his team to a victory by contributing 31 points.But despite Creek’s efforts, the Hoosiers couldn’t keep pace down the stretch in a 90-73 loss to the Wildcats.Creek said he hopes Saturday’s game against the Wildcats ends with a different result.“I think everybody’s pumped up for this game,” Creek said. “I watched them last night and they looked pretty good. We got a big thing on our hands come Saturday.” After his performance against Kentucky last year at Assembly Hall, Creek’s stock was as high as ever. At that point, he was the top freshman scorer in the country.But when he suffered a season-ending knee injury against Bryant two weeks later, Creek had to start over from scratch.Almost a year after the injury, Creek said he is finally getting back to where he was physically.“We’re just going to take it one step at the time. I was driving the ball hard the other night, and that was something that I haven’t done in a couple of weeks,” Creek said this past week. Creek has averaged 11.8 points per game in IU’s eight match-ups this season. As the season has progressed, his shot has been more effective, and he is becoming more comfortable driving the lane.In IU’s most recent game, a 79-57 win last Saturday against Savannah State, Creek had one of his most efficient performances. He finished with 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three-point range.IU coach Tom Crean said he likes where Creek is right now.“He’s shooting the ball really well right now, and I hope that carries over into the games,” Crean said. “I think knowing that he’s had success in games like (Kentucky) and had success as a freshman will help. It’s really just a matter of him getting locked in and doing what we need him to do now.” Creek said he hopes any momentum gained against Savannah State will translate to Kentucky on Saturday.He also admitted, though, that he doesn’t expect a performance against the Wildcats like he had last season.“It’s just a normal game, but if I do it again it’ll be an accomplishment,” Creek said. “We can’t just look at last year and say,‘oh I did this last year and I’ll do it again this year.’ It could be somebody else’s turn. We just got to take it as another game and get this win.”
(12/06/10 5:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In IU’s loss to Boston College last Wednesday, IU coach Tom Crean said his team lacked the proper defensive intensity.It got outrebounded. It lost most 50-50 balls. It didn’t defend the dribble well enough.But in the Hoosiers’ 79-57 win against Savannah State on Sunday at Assembly Hall, things changed.“I thought our effort tonight, especially on the defensive end, was outstanding,” Crean said. “You judge it if you get better during the game. That’s exactly what our guys did.”IU’s tough defense forced Savannah State to shoot 32.7 percent from the field. Its best effort, though, came in the second half when the Tigers made only 27.6 percent of their shots.The Hoosiers (7-1) also outrebounded Savannah State (1-9), had more blocks and, Crean said, had 71 deflections — 46 of which came in the second half.“I’ve never been part of a team, as a head coach or assistant, that had those kind of deflections,” Crean said. “That was outstanding. That’s always the barometer, back to defense.” Any poor on-ball defense shown Wednesday against Boston College was nowhere to be found against Savannah State.A leader in that aspect was senior guard Jeremiah Rivers, who Crean specifically mentioned after the win.Rivers provided good pressure on the perimeter and limited the offensive production of Tigers guard Preston Blackmon. Another telling stat for Rivers was his plus/minus line. When he was on the floor, the Hoosiers scored 21 more points than they gave up. “I’m trying to help the team any way I can,” Rivers said. “For me, it’s just about taking it game by game and doing what Coach has been preaching.” The senior also said the team’s overall attitude on defense this year has been better.“I don’t know how important it was to each individual last year,” Rivers said. “I think it was important at times and in stretches, but that’s why we were so inconsistent last year. This year we have been a lot more consistent with our defensive effort.”IU hopes that consistency on the defensive end continues in next Saturday’s matchup against Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.The No. 10 Wildcats boast one of the nation’s top offenses with freshman trio Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb and Brandon Knight.IU junior forward Tom Pritchard said his team’s early success will provide confidence heading into Kentucky.“We’re just going to have to come in there and play it like a regular road game,” Pritchard said. “We need to stay with our offense and keep our defense going.”
(12/03/10 5:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After his team’s 88-76 loss to Boston College on Wednesday, IU coach Tom Crean was asked about the offensive production of his big men.His answer? It has to be better.“We need to get more out of the front line across the board,” Crean said. “It’s got to start on the physicality of rebounding and being better defensively. We’ve got to be more of a force.”Without 7-foot center Guy-Marc Michel — who was ruled ineligible by the NCAA on Tuesday — the Hoosiers have less low post depth than they might like.Michel’s absence makes junior forward Tom Pritchard and sophomore forwards Derek Elston, Christian Watford and Bobby Capobianco — all 6-foot-9 — the tallest players on the team. Other than Watford — who plays more of a small forward position — the other three play a more traditional “big man” role.And while those three have improved on the defensive end this season compared to last year, their offense has been stagnant.The Hoosiers (6-1) will look for them to get more involved in Saturday’s 6 p.m. matchup against Savannah State (1-7) at Assembly Hall. Pritchard, Elston and Capobianco each average fewer than five points per game this season. In IU’s loss to Boston College, Pritchard attempted one shot from the floor and finished with two points and three rebounds despite playing 21 minutes.Elston and Capobianco combined for seven points. Crean said offense will come as a result of being more physical inside and rebounding, and he used a Boston College player as an example.“(Joe) Trapani didn’t have a ton of rebounds, but he kept a lot of balls alive,” Crean said. “We’ve got to be able to do that. We’re not as big, maybe, as they were, but we got to be as aggressive.”In the Hoosiers’ first six games, these interior problems were not glaring issues because the opposing frontcourt players were not as big or tough inside, and the IU guards were good enough offensively to carry the team to victories. But Wednesday’s loss featured a true test of the season: centers and power forwards from a major conference. Crean said the Eagles’ ability to limit IU’s big men was a main reason for Boston College’s victory.With a matchup against Kentucky a little more than a week away and the Big Ten schedule looming, the Hoosiers’ frontcourt will be facing more tough challenges. The Wildcats, for example, boast three players taller than 6-foot-8, including star freshman forward Terrence Jones.Crean, though, said his big men have worked hard all year and will learn from a game like Wednesday night. “They are a pretty good learning team that wants to get better,” Crean said. “We’re not as aggressive on the backboards as we need to be. But the level of play went up tonight to prove that to us, and that will be good for us.”
(12/02/10 5:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Much of the talk this offseason for IU had been on a re-emphasis on defense. So far this season, it’s shown.But in the Hoosiers’ 88-76 loss to Boston College on Wednesday at Conte Forum, it was nowhere to be found. The Eagles’ point total is the most IU (6-1) has given up this year. Before its first road game of the season, the previous high was 66 to Northwestern State on Nov. 26.Boston College (5-2) also shot 51 percent from the field for the game and out rebounded the Hoosiers 32-27. After his team’s loss, IU coach Tom Crean said the end result came down to two factors: poor on-ball defense and rebounding. “The two biggest issues for us were that we did not guard the dribble well enough, and we were not physical enough on the backboards, especially in the first half,” Crean said. “I’m proud of the way we came back. But we’ve got to do a much better job on the glass.” These issues were most clearly shown in the first half, in which the Hoosiers ended the first 20 minutes down 14 points.From the get-go, the Eagles attacked down low. Forward Joe Trapani made a couple of big layups, and Boston College’s frontcourt out-muscled junior forward Tom Pritchard and sophomore forward Christian Watford for rebounds. Many of those rebounds led to second-chance points. The Eagles ended the contest with 21 such points.“I think one of the bigger stories of the game was the 21-12 on the second-chance points,” Crean said. “That hurt us.” Boston College’s low-post presence opened up shots from the perimeter in the first half. Guards Reggie Jackson and Biko Paris combined for 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting.And while second-half offense was a major improvement for IU — 63 percent shooting allowed the Hoosiers to tie the game late — the defense was much of the same. Paris continued his hot shooting and ended with 19, while Jackson finished with 27. Jackson’s all-around game caught Crean’s eye. “Reggie Jackson is the toughest matchup that we’ve seen thus far,” Crean said. “Without a doubt, one of the tougher guys we’ve faced going into my third year at Indiana. “I had a strong appreciation for him going into the game but an even greater one now leaving the game.”Junior guard Verdell Jones said Jackson and Paris could have been contained with better on-ball defense.“That’s one of our biggest weaknesses right now,” Jones said. “We got to keep the dribble in front of us. We’ll watch film on that tomorrow, and it’s something we will have to work on in practice.” Despite the large deficit early, the Hoosiers’ offense did a good job scoring in the second half. But many times after a big basket was made, the IU defense would let up on the next possession and allow the Eagles to take any momentum right back.“We weren’t rebounding the ball well and weren’t guarding the ball well,” Watford said. “That’s all it was. That was the ball game.”
(12/01/10 5:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Even as the Hoosiers struggled on the court the last two seasons, IU coach Tom Crean told fans to trust him.Better times are ahead. Success will be in the near future.They now understand what he was talking about.Since August, the Hoosiers have landed commitments from nine of the nation’s top high school basketball players. Seven of those players were raised in Indiana and the two others played AAU basketball for an in-state program. “Maybe it’s taken a little longer than they had hoped, but the tide is turning,” Scout.com recruiting analyst Evan Daniels said. “IU is cool again. It’s the place to go in the state of Indiana.” Last Wednesday, 2012 guard Kevin ‘Yogi’ Ferrell (Park Tudor School, Indianapolis) became the third Rivals.com five-star player to commit to the Hoosiers in the last month. Forward for 2011 Cody Zeller (Washington High School, Washington, Ind. ) and 2012 forward Hanner Perea (La Lumiere School, LaPorte, Ind.) join Ferrell on that list. Every other recruit committed to IU for the next four years — and the Hoosiers have at least two in every high school class — is highly touted.Daniels said IU is “just now reaping the benefits in a big way.”“It’s flat-out impressive what Tom Crean and his staff has been able to accomplish,” Daniels said. “I think they have been building up to this point for quite some time. They have been working on relationships and maintaining visibility across the state with the top players since they got the job.”“They made some headway with some of the right guys, and it’s paying off.”The Hoosiers, though, are not just landing talent from anywhere. They are quickly becoming the go-to school for Indiana’s top players, one of Crean’s main goals since becoming coach in 2008. The state of Indiana has been a hotbed for some of the nation’s best basketball talent for decades. Former IU basketball coach Bob Knight, while he did land out-of-state players during his time in Bloomington, was able to bring many of the best. Mike Davis, who coached the Hoosiers from 2000-06, struggled to do the same and faced strong criticism in that aspect.Crean, though, has made recruiting Indiana a top priority since he stepped on campus. “Indiana and Tom Crean have taken back their home state,” ESPN recruiting analyst Dave Telep said. “There were people invading them from all areas of the Big Ten. Now there is a border patrol.“You are not going to get in that border without Tom Crean or his staff knowing about it.” Both Telep and Daniels said much of its recent success has come from the strong bonds formed between IU coaches and the top AAU programs. One of those is Indiana Elite, which has seven players — Zeller and Austin Etherington in 2011; Ferrell, Perea, Ron Patterson and Peter Jurkin in 2012; Collin Hartman in 2013 — all who have committed to the Hoosiers. Mike Barnett, a director of Indiana Elite and father of IU player Kory Barnett, said Crean’s hard work is finally paying dividends. “I think the sky is the limit for this program,” Barnett said. “Crean’s really had to sell people on faith, but I think the product that is going to be on the floor is going to sell a lot of what he has had to get people to envision. They’ll be able to watch it for real, right in front of their eyes.”
(12/01/10 12:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Guy-Marc Michel, a junior center who transferred to IU during the offseason from North Idaho College, was ruled ineligible Tuesday by the NCAA. The 7-foot center played for a French club team from 2005 to the 2007-08 season. In the final year, he played five games with French Pro A League team SLUC Nancy, which is considered a professional team by NCAA standards. Michel’s participation on the team occurred before a NCAA rule allowing prospective student-athletes to compete on a professional team while maintaining amateur status was instituted.Another issue for Michel is the NCAA allows every Division I athlete five years of competition after they first enroll in college.He enrolled in a French university in 2006, which started that five-year clock. The NCAA determined that Michel would have to sit out one year (for signing a professional contract) and 10 games (two games for every one played for SLUC Nancy). By that time, his five-year eligibility would have ended.Julie Cromer, IU senior associate athletics director for compliance, said Michel worked with the NCAA throughout the investigation process that began on Oct. 15.“We worked hand-in-hand with him throughout the time,” Cromer said. “He volunteered information. The more information we collected, we went back to him to confirm. He was involved with us from the beginning of the process.” Cromer said while Michel lost eligibility, IU will still honor the scholarship for the 2010-11 season, and he can receive all benefits a Division I student-athlete has. This includes access to athletic facilities and the ability to receive academic support. IU coach Tom Crean said in a statement that he was “disappointed by this decision.”“Everyone involved in this process agrees that Guy did not intentionally do anything that would have jeopardized his ability to play here or at any of the number of institutions that also recruited him,” Crean said in a statement. “We will regroup, assess all our options and do whatever we can for Guy, who has demonstrated to us that he deserves to be part of the IU program.”