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(01/31/13 7:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>More than 90 minutes before tipoff, they were outside in droves. Black shirts blended into the darkness, gold glimmering through in the lines stretched partway around Mackey Arena’s perimeter.The surest sign of the Purdue faithful, though, were the sounds, eager yells echoing through the night as the students waited to flood into their home.Just hours later, the announced Purdue student attendance of more than 10,000 was reduced to a comparative whimper, the most hostile environment IU has seen this season a non-factor as IU romped to a 97-60 rivalry win.“We knew it was going to be like this, for the older guys anyway,” senior guard Jordan Hulls said. “We let the freshman know how brutal it was going to be, playing in a really loud environment.”In the early going, the teams traded baskets. Then, as IU runs of 9-0 and 13-0 put the Hoosiers in control the rest of the way, the crowd of the circular arena was all encompassing in every sense.Loudspeakers blended with organic yells during Purdue’s starting lineup announcements and IU players turned their backs and huddled together.As tipoff loomed, fans swayed, arms around each other, moving as one massive entity.Perhaps no player was more targeted by the Boilermaker fans than junior forward Will Sheehey. Fans screamed toward his in pregame warm-ups, and his face showed that he heard them.“Go to hell, Sheehey” could be heard in the first half, followed by a homophobic remark. He did not appear to notice.In the second half, as IU maintained its lead then pulled away even more, Sheehey clearly responded to the hostility. When the fans taunted him, he taunted back, then calmly sank free throws, feeding off the boos.“Will is a great young man who’s got a great edge to him,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “He’s not the player that he without that edge and that energy. It fuels him.”Even in road games this season, IU fans have travelled well and filled significant chunks of opposing arenas, particularly against Northwestern in Evanston, Ill. when they outnumbered the Wildcat’s own following.Wednesday night was different.IU fans were there for the in-state match-up, but not in the same numbers. A concentration behind the IU bench and a sprinkling through Mackey, but nothing more.Under the turtle-like segments of the Mackey roof, though, the IU fans came out of their shells as the team boosted the lead with turnovers and accurate free throws.3-point shots by Hulls brought a miniature version of the reaction he elicits at Assembly Hall and “Co-dy Zell-er” chants rang after his plays.Purdue fans did not go quietly into the night, though. A Purdue block late in the first half that sent the ball into the stands brought roars of approval despite the deficit. “IU sucks” taunts continued well into the second half, reverberating down Mackey’s halls no matter the score.The jeers reached a point of irrelevance, the IU lead insurmountable and still growing. With roughly eight minutes still to play, and Purdue freshman center A.J. Hammons on the midst of a career night in his first taste of the rivalry, the crowd began quietly filing toward the exits.“It’s a great environment to play in,” Crean said. “It’s an excellent arena. I think the guys really enjoy the surroundings and the court. You come in here and win and you know you’ve done something.”
(01/30/13 5:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A tilt in any sport between IU and Purdue is steeped in an inevitable history, and basketball is no exception.With that being said, a number of players on both teams that will take the court today at Mackey Arena have a history with their opponents that goes beyond the trappings of a college rivalry.“There’s such a familiarity with each other and there’s some close friendships, not to mention rivalries,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “I think it’s a big part of it, especially because there’s young players in the game. We have some young freshmen and they have young freshmen that have played together, not to mention the older players.”Former Indiana high school players dot seven of 12 rosters in the Big Ten, but none to the level of IU or Purdue. With 11 former Indiana high schoolers apiece, in-state players comprise the backbones of both squads.This is especially true in each school’s senior and freshmen classes. Two of IU’s three seniors are from in-state, as are three of the four freshmen.Purdue is even more homegrown in those classes, with both of its seniors and all six of its freshmen either growing up or playing high school ball in-state.“I think the kids think about it a little bit, but once the game starts, I’m not sure if ‘I played with you in AAU’ has a lot to do with it,” IU Associate Head Coach Steve McClain said. “Playing with guys who you played in the summer and now you’re playing with them in this game, I’m sure there’s some emotion to it for all the kids.”Crean said as a coach, he can rely on such emotion to provide steady energy and focus throughout the game, while senior guard Jordan Hulls said player’s personal history with their foes certainly contributes to their motivation.“It’s fun playing against guys you know, guys that you’re good friends with that are good competitors,” Hulls said. “You want to try to beat each other. It’s a pretty cool dynamic out there.”There is perhaps no position better that embodies the long-standing familiarity between players on both teams than guard, where both the Hoosiers and Boilermakers sport a senior and freshman in key roles. Freshman point guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell and Purdue’s Ronnie Johnson, both Indianapolis products with similar small frames, were ranked as the top two point guards in state high schools for the 2012 recruiting class and had gone toe-to-toe a number on times prior to suiting up for college rivals.McClain said the difference in the players’ styles, combined with development in different college systems means their familiarity with each other aids little in game-planning.“When you get so wrapped up in what we’re doing and every game is another prep and you’re studying other guys, they may think back to it,” McClain said. “But just like Yogi’s gotten better, Ronnie’s gotten better. Yogi’s got to understand what he’s gotten better at, and I’m sure the Purdue coaches will make sure that Ronnie knows what Yogi’s gotten better at since his senior year of high school.”Hulls’ history with Purdue’s D.J. Byrd goes even further back, all the way to being seventh grade AAU teammates. Hulls said he considers Byrd a good friend and is not surprised by his improvement in college.“He’s always been able to shoot the ball off of screens, quick release,” Hulls said. “I think he’s playing with a lot of confidence, playing hard. That’s been the same way since we were in seventh grade together.”As he nears his penultimate college matchup with Byrd, Hulls said he cannot help but be taken aback by just how far back the pair go in each other’s careers.“That makes me feel old, to be saying ‘10 years ago,’” Hulls said. “That’s crazy to think about, to know each other that long.”
(01/28/13 6:53pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>To the likely chagrin of many professional chefs, I can think of no
better blank-canvas protein than boneless, skinless chicken breast.It
is plain, simple and cheap and therein lies the beauty. Its versatility
allows for an almost unlimited array of dishes that are more than
accessible to the typical college student with a small kitchen, tight
budget and little time.What follows is my personal favorite
quick preparation, a sort of Americanized, college-student knockoff of
the old staple: chicken cordon bleu. Think of it as a giant homemade
chicken nugget stuffed with ham and oozing cheese.College Cordon Bleu (makes 2 servings)2 medium-sized boneless skinless chicken breasts ($2)2 slices white American cheese ($0.75)2 slices smoked deli ham ($1.50)3/4 cup bread crumbs ($0.20)2 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese ($0.15)1 tsp. garlic powder1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper1/2 tsp. dried basil1/4 tsp. dried oreganoSalt and pepper to taste1 egg ($0.17)2 tsp. bacon grease (priceless)Total cost approximately $5 (with spices factored in)Cost per serving approximately $2.501.
Butterfly the chicken breasts with a knife, then stuff with ham and
American cheese. Fold chicken back over, using toothpicks to hold it
closed if necessary.2. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan and spices on a
plate. Heat bacon grease in skillet — cast iron if possible. Crack egg
in a small bowl and scramble, seasoning with salt and pepper if you so
choose.3. Dredge a piece of chicken in the egg, then move to bread
crumbs and thoroughly coat. Place in hot skillet and repeat with the
rest of the chicken, working as quickly as possible.4. Cook chicken
until brown and crispy on one side, then flip and turn heat to
medium-low. Cover with a lid or a piece of tin foil, and cook until both
sides are brown and crispy, the chicken is cooked through and the
cheese is just beginning to ooze out.5. Serve immediately.
(01/28/13 4:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After several games in which IU slowed to the pace of its opponents, Sunday’s contest against Michigan State saw the Hoosiers’ return to their customary speedy ways.For much of the afternoon, though, the Spartans stayed with the Hoosiers step-for-step.When the second half slowed to a physical dogfight, though, No. 7 IU (18-2, 6-1 Big Ten) still emerged with a 75-70 win against No. 13 Michigan State (17-4, 6-2) to exit the weekend with a share of the Big Ten lead and its best start since the 1992-93 season.“This is a big game,” senior forward Christian Watford said. “It’s definitely going to help us down the road. I feel like Michigan State is a great team. They never stop fighting. That’s definitely how it’s going to be in the tournament, the Big Ten tournament. Teams are definitely not going to give up.”Junior guard Victor Oladipo led the charge for IU the entire game, pacing IU in scoring with 21, steals with six and blocks with three, and tying for the lead in rebounds with seven.His contributions often transcended the stat sheet, though, as he dived for loose balls and chased down Spartans to deny them apparent breakaway baskets.IU was able to dictate the pace from the beginning. Even though sophomore forward Cody Zeller lost the tipoff to MSU center Adreian Payne, Oladipo stole the ball on MSU’s first possession, taking the ball the length of the court and finishing with a dunk that brought the Assembly Hall crowd to its feet.Minutes later, he would replicate the feat almost identically, from a perimeter steal to the thundering jam.“Transition is a big deal on our team and for me to get those steals and start our break was a huge for us,” Oladipo said. “My guys did a good job of playing defense and running on the break.”Payne hit a pair of 3-pointers to keep IU from pulling away early, even giving MSU the lead briefly. He would later hit a third on the afternoon. Before Sunday, the 6-foot-10-inch center had made three 3-point shots all season.IU eventually staked a 28-19 lead, but it was quickly nullified by a 9-0 MSU run that included a dunk off of a stolen in-bounds pass.The Hoosiers played both man-to-man and zone defenses during the game, switching between the two as frequently as each possession, especially early on, to slow down the Spartans.With 1:06 to play in the first half, the game was again tied, now at 38-38, before a pair of 3-pointers, including one by freshman guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell with just two seconds to go, gave IU a six-point lead at the break.The second half had fewer turnovers than the first, slowing the game down and further preventing IU from running up the score in transition. Instead, IU’s lead never eclipsed seven points in the second half.Oladipo simply adapted to the slower pace. The IU offense had by no means been a one man show in the first half, but when his supporting cast’s shots stopped falling in the second period, the offense came to run primarily through the junior guard. He scored 13 points in the second half through all manners of shots.While the Spartan’s leading scorer, guard Keith Appling, was kept scoreless in the second half and fouled out with 5:17 to go, one-time IU recruiting target Gary Harris stepped up with 14 second half points, taking advantage of holes in IU’s zone defense.Harris, who led MSU with 21 points for the game, twice pulled his team within a single point.The Spartans bested IU in a pair of the Hoosiers’ hallmark statistics, rebounding and 3-point shooting, but the simple advantage for IU in the number of times it got to the line made up the difference. MSU did not attempt a single free throw in the second half. Its 5-for-6 mark at the line for the game was identical to Zeller’s.In the game’s final minutes, it was a pair of plays by Zeller that clenched the game for IU.With 2:09 left and IU leading 72-70, MSU center Derrick Nix was called for a travel. Seconds later, Zeller drove into the paint from outside the perimeter, almost guard-like, ending with a finger roll layup at the other end to double the lead.“It was winning time and Cody answered the bell,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “He rang the bell. To get that charge and to get that drive and to make that play in the heat of that game, that’s where his mental toughness is.”With the score still 74-70, with 14.3 seconds left, the Spartans fed the ball to Payne. As he worked toward the basket, Zeller took a charge to give the ball back to IU and effectively clench the win.After keeping MSU scoreless for the final 3:32 of the game, the victory puts the Hoosiers in a tie for the conference lead with Michigan.“We’re not in a league where you’re going to get a lot of those type of big wins,” Crean said. “You’ve got to be in some fights. We’ll get better from this.”
(01/27/13 7:08pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After several games in which IU slowed down to the paces of its opponents, Sunday's against Michigan State saw the Hoosiers return to their customary speedy ways.For much of the afternoon, though, the Spartans stayed with the Hoosiers step-for-step.When the second half slowed to a physical dogfight, though, No. 7 IU still emerged with a 75-70 win against No. 13 Michigan State.Junior guard Victor Oladipo led the charge for IU the entire game. He led IU in scoring, steals and blocks, and tied for the lead in reboundsHis contributions often transcended the stat sheet, though, as he dived for loose balls and chased down Spartans to deny them apparent breakaway baskets.IU was able to dictate the pace virtually from the beginning. Even though slumping sophomore forward Cody Zeller lost the tipoff to MSU center Adreian Payne, Oladipo stole the ball on MSU's first possession, taking the ball the length of the court himself and finishing with a dunk that brought Assembly Hall to its feet.Minutes later, he would replicate the feat almost identically, from the perimeter steal to the thundering jam.Payne hit a pair of surprise 3-pointers to keep IU from pulling away early, even giving MSU the lead briefly. He would later hit a third on the afternoon. Before Sunday, the 6-10 center had made three 3-point shots all season.IU eventually staked a 28-19 lead, but it was a quickly nullified by a 9-0 MSU run that included a dunk off of a stolen in-bounds pass.IU played both man-to-man and zone defenses during the game,
switching between the two as frequently as each possession. The strategy
was especially flummoxing early on for the Spartans.With 1:06 to play in the half, the game was again tied, now at 38-38, before 3-pointers by Sheehey and Ferrell, his coming with just two seconds to go, gave IU a six-point lead at the break.With fewer turnovers in the second half, fast breaks became less frequent and the game slowed somewhat, further preventing IU from running up the score in transition. Instead, its lead never eclipsed seven points.Oladipo simply adapted to the slower pace. The IU offense had by no
means been a one man show in the first half, but when his supporting
cast's shots stopped falling in the second period, the offense came to run primarily through the junior guard. He scored 13 points in the second half through all manner of shots.While the Spartan's leading scorer, guard Keith Appling, was kept scoreless in the second half and fouled out with 5:17 to go, one-time IU recruiting target Gary Harris stepped up with 14 second half points. He was serenaded by bitter IU fans with chants of "Gary sucks" and "IU reject" all afternoon.Harris kept the Spartans squarely in the contest all afternoon, twice pulling his team to within a single point.In the game's final minutes, after Oladipo's moments of dominance, it was a pair of plays by Zeller, who had nine points but largely continued to struggle, that clinched the game for IU. With 2:09 left and IU leading 72-70, MSU center Derrick Nix was called for a travel. Seconds later, Zeller drove the length of the floor, ending with a finger roll layup at the other end to double the lead.The score still 74-70 with 14.3 seconds left and MSU getting desperate, the Spartans fed the ball inside to Payne. As he worked toward the basket, Zeller took a charge to give the ball back to IU and effectively clinch the win and a share of the conference lead.
(01/25/13 5:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After five seasons in the Big Ten, IU Coach Tom Crean facing his mentor, Michican State Coach Tom Izzo, is no longer a novel occurrence. A stifling IU defense in such a game might be, though.Perhaps not by coincidence, the teams’ last meeting saw IU hold the Spartans to their lowest score — 55 points — since Crean arrived in Bloomington and was the protégé’s first win against his mentor.Fresh off Wednesday evening’s 72-49 win against Penn State, the second-lowest point output of an IU foe this season, players and coaches alike pointed to defense as the key behind the team’s successes and failures as they welcome No. 13 Michigan State 1 p.m. Sunday in Assembly Hall.“Our team right now, they are really trying to put themselves in a place where they can hang their hat on the defensive end,” Crean said. “We’re getting there.” Before the victory last season, a 64-59 loss in Crean’s first year was the only time IU kept MSU at less than 70 points. Until then, IU suffered a spree of losses to the Spartans including an 80-65 drubbing that gave IU its first Big Ten loss last year.The Spartans cannot take that honor this season. IU already has a loss. Every team does, MSU included.Heading into the weekend, the teams occupy the top two slots in the Big Ten standings, Michigan State with a 6-1 conference record and IU coming in with a 5-1 mark. The winner will likely emerge from the weekend as the outright leader in the league standings.“If you spend too much time celebrating one (game), you spend too much time dreading the result of another. You slide in a hurry in this league,” Crean said. “These guys have done a great job and the entire focus will be on their improvement and preparing for Michigan State.”Crean and his players have often said success in the conference comes back to defense, both in and of itself and as a catalyst for the team’s full court offense.“Right now, the biggest thing we can work on is making sure we’re getting better as individual defenders, collective defenders, that our rebounding continues to improve and turning defense into offense,” Crean said. “Sometimes you can do that in this league. Sometimes you can’t. The bottom line is you’ve got to be able to defend.”Junior forward Will Sheehey echoed his coach and credited defense with helping him break out of a multi-game slump Wednesday against the Nittany Lions, in which he scored 12 points.“I never think about that kind of stuff as long as I’m playing hard on the defensive end,” Sheehey said. “If you ever see me not playing hard on the defensive end, that’s when you know something is wrong and it’s never going to happen. The offense will come.”In the case of Michigan State on Sunday, IU players may have to defend some familiar faces from their pasts. MSU sports a pair of Indiana natives on its roster in guards Branden Dawson and Gary Harris. Both players number among the Spartans’ top three scorers with 10.5 and 12.3 points per game, respectively.A third guard, Keith Appling, leads MSU with 14.1 points per contest. With its own three-guard lineup, IU is likely to again give up some size to the Spartans as it regularly has to opponents this season.In some such cases, sophomore forward Cody Zeller has gravitated out toward guards on defense, but he is likely to have his own preoccupation Sunday. At 6-feet 9-inches and 270 pounds, Derrick Nix is among the largest centers Zeller has seen this year.Nix, averaging 9.1 points and 6.9 rebounds, catches Zeller coming off his lowest scoring output of the season, a mere two points against Penn State.“He might be having a slow night on offense, but he’s doing what it takes to win,” junior forward Victor Oladipo said. “Sure we’ve got to step it up a little bit, but when he plays like that we’ve just got to play together.”Backing up his teammate’s point, Zeller was second on the team with eight rebounds Wednesday and, combined with his teammates, held PSU forwards to just 18 points on the night.“When you play defense, when you talk, when you have a complete defensive effort, you’re not going to lose, and if you do, you’ve just got to tip your hat and say ‘next game,’” Sheehey said. “I don’t think in our two losses that we’ve done that. I think we’re working on it.”
(01/24/13 5:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The only real difference was the end of the court.Sparking both IU’s 7-0 spree to start the first half and the 11-5 run to begin the second period of its 72-49 home win against Penn State, freshman guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell grew up beneath the lights of Assembly Hall on Wednesday night.“It was all in his head at first, but he’s finally realizing that he can shoot the ball,” junior guard Victor Oladipo said. “A lot of the players were just coming off, and they were just leaving him. I’m not just going to not kick to him and he knows that. He gets ready to shoot, and it’s very hard for him to miss when he gets going, and the confidence gets going, and it all pours in after that.”With 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, IU’s lone freshman starter set a new career high, besting the 14 he scored against Georgetown in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Nov. 20 and jumpstarting IU leads in both periods that allowed the Hoosiers to ride out later sloppy play and subpar shooting.Ferrell’s effort against Georgetown is perhaps best remembered for his late game heroics, but on Wednesday, he made his mark early in the halves.His teammate junior forward Will Sheehey said afterward, “if you don’t shoot open shots, you’re hurting the team,” and Ferrell embodied that in opening moments of both halves.With a 2-0 IU edge already, Ferrell set up to the left side of the court, just a step beyond the 3-point line. Such a spot would become a regular hangout for him in the evening.The ball moved along the perimeter, and when it reached him, he almost automatically launched it toward the basket, not a second of hesitation. The shot was good.Thirty-six seconds later, the score still 5-0 for IU, Ferrell was again in his spot on the left side, but only for a second as he darted inward, ball in his possession, taking flight and shooting a floating jump shot. It dropped through, padding the IU lead to seven and helping to ensure the Hoosiers would never trail throughout the night.Eight seconds into the second half, there he was again. Out near the corner this time, at the other basket but still on the left, Ferrell drained another 3-pointer as soon as the ball swung out his way on a pass from Oladipo.The scene repeated itself, 107 seconds later. Another Oladipo pass. Another left side jumper. Another three points for IU, the Hoosier lead now back greater than 20. “I was just taking what the defense was really giving me,” Ferrell said. “(Oladipo) found me and (senior forward) Christian (Watford) in the second half a lot, and I was open so I was going to shoot the ball.”Granted, Ferrell is still a freshman, and at times, it showed. Bookended by his early second half 3-pointers was a misplayed pass that was ultimately credited as a Jordan Hulls turnover.A few minutes later, it appeared the growing pains might be more literal, as Ferrell tweaked his ankle. He was back within seconds, though, and appeared unhindered, even if his scoring contributions were limited in both halves after the quick starts.Ferrell left his familiar abode on the left side of the court to provide one final exclamation point on the win, a successful contested jumper that gave him an and-one opportunity. Even though he missed the ensuing free throw — a persistent issue for the Hoosiers during the night — IU’s 67-46 lead with two minutes to go made the victory just a matter of time, thanks to Ferrell’s performance that IU Coach Tom Crean simply summarized.“Yogi did an excellent job tonight shooting the ball,” Crean said. “He really shot it good.”
(01/23/13 5:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU players and coaches have been able to watch as much film of upcoming opponents as they like all season, but in preparing for today’s contest with Penn State, the Hoosiers have the benefit of firsthand experience for the first time.“It helps that we’ve played them once before,” sophomore forward Cody Zeller said. “Playing a team first hand is a lot different than seeing them on film.”At 7 p.m. today, IU vs. Penn State will mark the first Big Ten rematch of the season, though Minnesota vs. Northwestern, another rematch, tips off two hours later. Even with the first contest between the Hoosiers and Nittany Lions coming just 16 days prior, IU Assistant Coach Kenny Johnson said he recognizes the opponent has changed.Guard Tim Frazier, Penn State’s leading returning scorer, went down with a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon in November. Since then, fellow guards D.J. Newbill and Jermaine Marshall have emerged in his absence. Johnson said the pair is more comfortable and confident now than in their first game with IU.“Early in the year, at the start of conference play, when you lose a player like Frazier, you’re still trying to identify roles,” Johnson said. “Having guys step up into their roles, their new roles, I think as the season goes along, they have a better idea of what they’re trying to accomplish.”Beyond just changes and improvements among their personnel, Johnson said he expects to see some new wrinkles in the Penn State game plan, especially within the Nittany Lions’ zone defense.“They’re doing certain things a little bit different,” Johnson said. “They were almost exclusively playing 2-3 in the past and now they’re showing some 3-2 looks in it. At times, they had a couple possessions when they were running and jumping at the ball, full-court pressure. From a philosophy standpoint, it’s pretty similar, but there are certain things.”Even with the recent memory of the first matchup, Zeller said the team must balance first-hand experience with more recent film study that reflects Penn State’s development.“They’ve gotten a lot better since we played them,” Zeller said. “We watched some of their more recent games and you can tell they’ve improved.”Improved second showings from opponents is something IU must anticipate, albeit not for a few more weeks after today. Starting Feb. 16, IU’s final six regular season matchups will all be rematches. Junior guard Victor Oladipo said the strength of the conference will result in tougher games the second time around, including tonight.“They’re a better team,” Oladipo said. “They’ve been playing in the Big Ten in really tight games. They’re very capable of winning games in the Big Ten. We know that they’re better. We’re better as well.”
(01/22/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU players and coaches have been able to watch as much film of upcoming opponents as they like all season, but in preparing for today’s contest with Penn State, the Hoosiers have the benefit of firsthand experience for the first time.“It helps that we’ve played them once before,” sophomore forward Cody Zeller said. “Playing a team first hand is a lot different than seeing them on film.”At 7 p.m. today, IU vs. Penn State will mark the first Big Ten rematch of the season, though Minnesota vs. Northwestern, another rematch, tips off two hours later. Even with the first contest between the Hoosiers and Nittany Lions coming just 16 days prior, IU Assistant Coach Kenny Johnson said he recognizes the opponent has changed.Guard Tim Frazier, Penn State’s leading returning scorer, went down with a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon in November. Since then, fellow guards D.J. Newbill and Jermaine Marshall have emerged in his absence. Johnson said the pair is more comfortable and confident now than in their first game with IU.“Early in the year, at the start of conference play, when you lose a player like Frazier, you’re still trying to identify roles,” Johnson said. “Having guys step up into their roles, their new roles, I think as the season goes along, they have a better idea of what they’re trying to accomplish.”Beyond just changes and improvements among their personnel, Johnson said he expects to see some new wrinkles in the Penn State game plan, especially within the Nittany Lions’ zone defense.“They’re doing certain things a little bit different,” Johnson said. “They were almost exclusively playing 2-3 in the past and now they’re showing some 3-2 looks in it. At times, they had a couple possessions when they were running and jumping at the ball, full-court pressure. From a philosophy standpoint, it’s pretty similar, but there are certain things.”Even with the recent memory of the first matchup, Zeller said the team must balance first-hand experience with more recent film study that reflects Penn State’s development.“They’ve gotten a lot better since we played them,” Zeller said. “We watched some of their more recent games and you can tell they’ve improved.”Improved second showings from opponents is something IU must anticipate, albeit not for a few more weeks after today. Starting Feb. 16, IU’s final six regular season matchups will all be rematches. Junior guard Victor Oladipo said the strength of the conference will result in tougher games the second time around, including tonight.“They’re a better team,” Oladipo said. “They’ve been playing in the Big Ten in really tight games. They’re very capable of winning games in the Big Ten. We know that they’re better. We’re better as well.”
(01/21/13 8:45pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>EVANSTON, Ill. - For the second straight game, Indiana saw its opponent dictate the pace of the game as Northwestern slowed it into half-court matchups.This time, though, the Hoosiers beat their foe at its own game.IU defeated Northwestern 67-59 Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena after stifling the Wildcats into miss after miss and dominating the ensuing rebounds in the first half. The Hoosiers then rode out a comeback in the second half to remain undefeated in Big Ten road games this season and win in Evanston for the first time since Feb. 23, 2008.“I hope everybody understands that’s three straight wins on the road,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “I don’t care where they’re at. When you’re in any league, but especially a league like this, and you go out and you find a way to win on the road, that’s a big, big deal.”IU never trailed after a 4-3 deficit 1:56 into the game. The team reeled off 10 consecutive points following that moment to take a lead that reached as many as 17 points in the first half.Northwestern had 17 points on 7-for-23 shooting at the half, the fewest points allowed in a half by IU since Jan. 27, 2011, in a home win against Illinois.Senior forward Christian Watford figured prominently on both ends of the court, leading IU with 11 first half points on offense and allowing few easy shots playing both in the paint and out toward the perimeter.“Christian really got us going,” Crean said. “When we can find a match-up that works when they really can’t defend Christian, we’ve got to ride it as much as we can and we did.”Sophomore forward Cody Zeller missed several shots early, but staked his presence on the glass. His eight boards at halftime were already more than his season average of 7.9. He finished with 13 as IU won the rebounding battle 36-24. Wildcat centers had only a single board.Northwestern threatened to claw back into the game as the second half opened with a flurry of Hoosier fouls and improved shooting and rebounding from the Wildcats.However, Zeller scored six of IU’s first 10 points in the period and kept the IU lead in double digits. He ended up with a team-leading 21 points after an 8-for-8 second half effort from the free throw line.“We always have to be aggressive,” Zeller said. “Keep attacking whether shots are going in or not.”An IU shooting slump of its own, from both the field and foul line, saw a 16-point lead evaporate down to five as the offense lacked the rhythm to set up proper plays, instead improvising with little success.Meanwhile, Northwestern found its outside touch, connecting on 5-of-10 shots from 3-point range after its 11.1-percent first half performance.“The problem with a team like Northwestern — they keep coming and coming and coming with the screens,” Crean said. “But our defense was really good. We had a couple of different things that we wanted to do today defensively, depending on who is on the floor, and we did it.”Unlike in past games this season when IU has seen opponents attempt comebacks, turnovers were hardly a factor. Each team committed only six, a season low for the Hoosiers.Senior guard Jordan Hulls in particular struggled during the Northwestern comeback, missing three free throws and missing on several open looks.“I’m getting better at just shaking off one, but if I miss three in a row, that’s kind of tough on me,” Hulls said.Yet with the lead hovering at five points with 1:31 remaining, it was Hulls who blew past his defender then pulled up for a midrange jumper.Looking to exploit his recent free throw struggles, Northwestern fouled him twice in the final 57 seconds. He made all four shots, putting the game to bed once and for all.“Free throws are going to be huge for us,” Hulls said. “I know I missed three, and if we’re going to win big, we can’t miss free throws. I think overall as a team, we did a really good job of knocking down the shots we needed to.”
(01/20/13 7:01pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>EVANSTON, Illinois- For the second straight game, Indiana saw its opponent dictate the pace of the game, Northwestern slowing the game into half-court matchups.This time, though, the Hoosiers beat their foe at its own game.IU defeated Northwestern 67-59 Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena after stifling the Wildcats into miss after miss and dominating the ensuing rebounds in the first half, then riding out a sloppy second half to remain undefeated in Big Ten road games this season.IU never trailed after a 4-3 deficit 1:56 in. The team reeled off 10 consecutive points following that moment to take a lead that never dipped below seven points from that point on and reached as many as 17 points in the first half.While IU's shooting was not particularly accurate through the first half, the Hoosiers held Northwestern to 7-for-27 from the field and 1-for-9 from 3-point range.For much of the game, Fort Wayne native Reggie Hearn seemed to be the sole Wildcat immune to his team's shooting woes. His 22 points easily paced Northwestern.Northwestern had 17 points at the half, the fewest points allowed in a half by IU since Jan. 27, 2011 in a home win against Illinois.Senior forward Christian Watford figured prominently on both ends of the court, leading IU with 11 points on offense and allowing few easy shots playing both in the paint and out toward the perimeter.Sophomore forward Cody Zeller missed several shots early, but staked his presence on the glass, his eight boards at halftime already more than his season average. He finished with 13 as IU won the rebounding battle 36-24.As the lead grew, senior guard Jordan Hulls joined the fray as well, seemingly rediscovering his shooting touch to the tune of seven points in the first half as the IU lead continued to balloon.The Wildcats threatened to claw back into the game as the second half opened with a flurry of Hoosier fouls and improved shooting and rebounding from Northwestern.However, Zeller scored six of IU's first 10 points in the period and keep the lead in double digits. Following several misses on questionable shot selection early, he ended up with 21 points after an 8-for-8 second half from the free throw line.An IU shooting slump of its own, from both the field and foul line, saw a 16 point lead evaporate down to 6 as the offense lacked the rhythm to set up proper plays, instead improvising with little success.Meanwhile, Northwestern found its outside touch, connecting on 5-of-7 shots from 3-point range after its abysmal first half performance.Hulls in particularly struggled during the Northwestern comeback, missing three free throws and missing on several open looks.Yet with the lead hovering at five points with 1:31 seconds remaining, it was Hulls who blew past his defender then pulled up for a midrange jumper.Looking to exploit his recent free throw struggles, Northwestern fouled him twce in the next 57 seconds. He made all four shots, putting to bed the game once and for all.Though indeed a true road game, the Chicago stronghold of IU fans made themselves known, appearing to outnumber the home crowd and responding each Northwestern with a louder pro-Hoosier yell.
(01/16/13 5:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As Wisconsin’s plodding precision set the pace in its Tuesday evening upset of No. 2 IU at Assembly Hall, Cody Zeller seemed resolved to try to beat the Badgers at their own game.It nearly worked, especially for the first half, but in the end the sophomore forward fell victim to the same shooting woes that knocked IU from the ranks of the Big Ten unbeaten.“Some nights shots don’t fall,” Zeller said. “Guys are guarding on the outside. That’s how basketball is sometimes.”He finished the game with a team-leading 23 points on 60 percent shooting. He also posted 10 rebounds, another team high, and locked down Badger big man Jared Berggren.Berggren, Wisconsin’s leading scorer with 13.4 points per game entering Tuesday, had only five points on 2-of-8 shooting and was a nonfactor. Zeller almost singlehandedly kept the Hoosiers afloat in the first half, as Wisconsin dictated the game’s tempo and his teammates struggled with their shooting.Zeller did not miss a single shot in the first half, scoring 18 points and going a perfect 8-for-8 from the field to give IU a scant 32-31 halftime lead. Outside of Zeller, the team shot only 25 percent in the period.“I just wanted to be aggressive and take what the defense gives me,” Zeller said. “(You have) got to attack and get to the line.”Starting at the 14:05 mark in the first half, when Zeller’s layup gave him seven points and IU a 12-9 lead, he had more than half his team’s points for a span of more than 19 minutes between the two halves.After halftime, Zeller’s contributions in the contest took on a different form.The IU shooting struggles continued into the second half, even striking Zeller when he missed his first six shots of the half.“They were clogging up the middle more,” Zeller said. “Shots stopped falling.”Even with his struggles on offense in the second half, Zeller’s presence continued to have an impact. Wisconsin primarily settled for long jump shots for much of the game, only driving into the paint every so often.The problem for IU, though, was that Wisconsin sank several timely jump shots and drawed fouls on the drives, building a second-half lead into double digits.IU chipped away at the lead as the half wore on, Zeller playing the vast majority of the period, pulling down several defensive rebounds and getting to the free throw line for four shots.“He still got the shots, got to the foul line, but we didn’t do a great job of rebounding the ball when he missed,” IU Coach Tom Crean said.IU’s shooting woes were simply too much, though. Zeller finally broke his own slump on a dunk with 16 seconds remaining, but by then, IU’s lack of shooting had essentially put the game in garbage time, his effort ultimately all for naught.“Cody had a tremendous first half,” Crean said. “They had nobody, really, that could guard him. They still didn’t in the second half. They just went with more pressure.”
(01/15/13 5:00am)
IU has lost its last 10 games to Wisconsin, dating back to 2008, a
streak it hopes to snap when the Badgers come to Assembly Hall today.
(01/14/13 5:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For a few brief moments late in No. 5 IU’s 88-81 victory Saturday against No. 8 Minnesota, Jordan Hulls was not himself.His face is normally still and stoic when he shoots and may show an occasional smile as he retreats back on defense after an IU basket. His free throw shot is nearly automatic, 13-for-16 in the season entering Saturday.Yet, as Minnesota looked to complete a second-half comeback and overcome IU’s 23-point halftime lead, Hulls missed three straight shots out of 10 free throw attempts in 55 seconds.As the third rattled off the rim, the senior guard stampeded up the lane, came out of the physical fray with the ball and let out a yell as he was fouled once more. Brow furrowed and jaw clenched, he walked toward the free throw line and made both shots to give his team an 86-81 lead, finally salting away the Hoosiers’ win.“(Sophomore forward) Cody (Zeller) got into the lane, and he was able to tip it out,” Hulls said. “I was just mad enough to go get it.”In a battle between deep teams replete with rebounders on both sides, the teams primarily stuck with their starters as turnovers, and jump shots set the pace in both halves during a game in which IU never trailed.Hulls had 19 points in free throws and 3-pointers. Junior guard Victor Oladipo led IU with 20 points and three steals before fouling out late in the game.IU controlled the board in the opening minutes, but 3-point jumpers by Minnesota’s Andre Hollins kept it even until other Gophers found their touch on layups.The Hoosiers responded by feeding an inside ball to Zeller. Though he passed out to open teammates on several occasions, Zeller still scored six of IU’s first 14 points.Minnesota pulled within a single point at 16-15, before IU reclaimed a large lead in a 10-point scoring spree.After an early miss, Hulls hit several 3-pointers, including one from several feet beyond the arc. His four 3-pointers all came in the first half.“I think that was important,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “They obviously made their mind up that they were going to try to take him out of the game with size.”In other cases, the defense forced turnovers that bred quick offense for IU. At one point, Zeller reached out his long arm to steal a pass and start a fast break.Moments later, Oladipo seemingly barreled through a Minnesota ball handler, emerging with the ball on his way to a score.“When you’re working as hard as you are on defense, you’re rarely going to come down and take a bad shot or force something when you’ve got other teammates working that hard with you defensively,” Crean said. “I think we’re a good example of that now.”IU closed the half on a 36-14 run overall during the final 11:03 to enter the second half with a 52-29 lead that seemed almost too good to be true.It nearly was.“I was proud of the way we hung in there and didn’t give up, didn’t give in,” Minnesota Coach Tubby Smith said. “I thought we did the things to help us give ourselves a chance, didn’t embarrass ourselves by folding the tent and heading home.”As IU fed off its defense in the first half, Minnesota troubled IU with press defense that helped it quickly cut its deficit to 13 points. The game’s pace slowed in the second half as Minnesota dictated more half-court sets.The referees were more active as well. After only nine fouls called in the first half, it took just 6:54 to reach that mark in the second. In all, officials called 31 fouls in the second half.IU could not capitalize on its chances from the line, though, shooting 26-for-40 for the game.This allowed Minnesota to continue chipping away at the lead. With 5:55 remaining, the Hoosier led with 12 points. By the 2:48 mark, it was down to nine, in single digits for the first time in 24:57.Two 3-pointers by the Gophers, including Hollins’ fifth, and several controversial fouls beyond the arc against Oladipo sliced the lead all the way down to three.“I felt like I almost blew the game away,” Oladipo said. “That’s nine free throws that I just let them have. I was making dumb little mistakes towards the end of the game. I shouldn’t be doing that. I’m a junior now, and I’m a leader, and I can’t be making dumb mistakes like that.”Enter Hulls, whose grim-faced free throws, along with two by senior forward Christian Watford, iced the game once and for all.“A year ago, we would have been ecstatic with that victory,” Crean said. “I want them to enjoy it, but we have different expectation levels now.”
(01/12/13 6:03pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Turnovers and fouls nearly derailed a 23-point halftime lead, but No. 5 Indiana hung on to come away with an 88-81 win against No. 8 Minnesota.Senior guard Jordan Hulls had 19 points and iced the game for IU with multiple trips to the line in the final minutes. Junior guard Victor Oladipo led IU with 20 points.As has seemingly become routine in games this season, the game stayed close in the early going. IU controlled the board in the opening minutes, but 3-point jumpers by Minnesota's Andre Hollins kept it even until other Gopher's found their touch on layups.IU responded by feeding the ball inside to sophomore forward Cody Zeller. Though he passed out to open teammates on several occasions, Zeller still scored 6 of IU's first 14 points.Minnesota pulled within a single point at 16-15 before one of IU's customary scoring sprees began, starting with 10 straight IU points.After an early miss, Hulls hit several 3-pointers, including one from several feet beyond the arc. He finished with four 3-pointers by halftime.In other cases, the defense forced turnovers that bred quick offense for IU. At one point, Zeller reached out his long arm to steal a pass and start a fast break.Moments later, Oladipo seemingly barreled through a Minnesota ball handler, emerging with the ball on his way to a score.IU closed the half on an 36-14 run overall during the final 11:03 to enter the half leading 52-29.Much as IU fed off its defense in the firs thalf, Minnesota took advantage of four IU turnovers early in the second period to cut its deficit to 13.The game's pace changed as the second half wore on as Minnesota dictated more half court sets. When IU had the ball, Minnesota often had a defender on the IU point guard before he reached half court.The referees were more active as well, further slowing down the half. After only nine toal fouls called in the first half, it took just 6:54 to reach that mark in the second.IU could not capitalize on its chances from the line, though, shooting 26-of-40 for the game, a regression after improved play on free throws.This allowed Minnesota to continue to chip away at the lead. With 5:55 remaining, the Hoosier lead was down to 12. By the 2:48 mark, it was down to nine, single digits for the first time in just under 25 minutes.A Minnesota steal threatened to make it a two-possession game before an Oladipo rebound and two timely free throws made it a 10-point game once again and appeared to ice the win for IU.However, two more 3-pointers by the Gophers, including Hollins' fifth, and several fouls against IU near the Minnesota basket sliced the lead all the way down to four.Hulls hit one of two free throws, but a controversial foul call on IU with 19.5 seconds remaining allowed Minnesota to pull within three points. Free throws by Hulls and Watford finally iced the win for IU.
(01/11/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The sole blemish on Indiana’s home slate last season was the 77-74 loss to Minnesota, a surprising mid-January upset to the then-middling Golden Gophers.This year’s showdown will be a little different.Minnesota, currently ranked No. 8 nationally after starting the season unranked, is arguably the country’s biggest surprise team this season. IU Coach Tom Crean said he knows what to expect in the first showdown between two top-10 teams.“I know that tickets are sold out, and we need to have a boisterous, loud, crazy crowd that exemplifies that because they are really, really good,” Crean said.The Gophers’ only loss this season was against Duke, the only team other than IU to be ranked No. 1. Like the Hoosiers, the Golden Gophers are undefeated in the Big Ten and have a pair of double-digit wins against then-No. 18 Michigan State and No. 12 Illinois.Minnesota boasts Andre Hollins, who leads their offense with 13.7 points per game. Three other Gophers average in double-figures. Forward Trevor Mbakwe, however, is in a different league.The sixth-year graduate student started his career playing at Marquette for Crean. Mbakwe averaged a double-double two seasons ago as a junior and nearly repeated that pace last year before an ACL tear in his right knee cut his season short.He is back this season but has posted lower numbers due to his injury and an off-season legal issue. However, he started in the past four games and tied his season high with 19 points Wednesday against Illinois.Despite his setbacks, he leads his team in rebounds with 7.9 per game. Both Minnesota and IU have the highest number of rebounds in the Big Ten, but Crean is concerned about Minnesota’s exemplary record for steals after his team had 12 turnovers in the second half of Monday’s 74-51 road win against Penn State.“We went through every one of those turnovers (Tuesday) as a team in the film and then with a couple of guys individually,” Crean said. “Some of it was decision-making. Some of it was, maybe, just a little bit of a drop of focus.”IU was the only team in the conference to open the Big Ten season with two games on the road, something Crean said he does not mind.“When you win on the road and you have two Big Ten games already under your belt and you have nine homes games and seven road games left after you get through it, you don’t look forward to it before it comes,” Crean said. “And then, when you have the wins, you feel great about it.”Dante Exum, a 2014 recruit given a five-star rating by Rivals.com, will be in attendance after traveling all the way from Australia.A win Saturday against an experienced Gopher squad coached by former Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith would place IU squarely among the conference frontrunners early in the league season. “They’ve got a veteran team,” Crean said. “They’ve got one of the older teams in the league. They’re extremely well-coached, as they always are, and we need to play well, and we need the crowd to be behind us the entire way.”
(01/08/13 5:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Though only the second game of IU’s young conference season, the Hoosiers’ 74-51 romp on the road against Penn State had a familiar element to it.Through the team’s first 15 games, a strong performance by senior forward Christian Watford has been a nearly surefire indicator of an IU blowout, and Monday evening was no exception.Watford had his fingerprints all over the game, finishing with 16 points and eight rebounds to lead his team in both categories and spurring the first-half run that put IU in the driver’s seat early.“We wanted to get him going,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “We wanted to get him right off the back.”IU’s 23-point margin of victory was its smallest of the season in games that saw Watford score 15 points or more — all previous wins in those matchups were by at least 31 points — though the game was never truly in doubt after an early 17-6 Hoosier run that pushed the lead to double figures, at 19-8, for the rest of the contest.Watford was heavily involved in that early point spree, scoring in a multitude of ways. As he had last time out in IU’s Big Ten opener on the road against Iowa, the forward aggressively drove to the hoop at the game’s onset, scoring the game’s first points on a layup 15 seconds in.“I just wanted to be aggressive, wanted to get in the paint and get some easy buckets to start off,” Watford said. “My teammates did a great job of finding me and we executed some plays and took it from there.”He followed this with a 3-point shot, the first of a team-leading three he made out of five attempts, then another aggressive, contested layup in the paint that gave him an and-one opportunity that he successfully converted on.And just like that, Watford had eight points in his team’s 10-3 lead. He would head into the half with 13.“He really went to his pull-up tonight instead of going with a floater,” Crean said.Watford concurred with his coach.“I didn’t settle for the outside jumper,” Watford said. “I took what the defense gave me.”Though he scored only three more points in the second half, Watford remained involved with the offense, sending a crisp pass into the paint for a backdoor layup by junior guard Victor Oladipo with 5:33 to go in the game.Seven of his eight rebounds came on the defensive boards as Watford was a persistent defensive presence all evening for the Hoosiers as they held the Nittany Lions to 19-of-60 shooting and, like the Crimson Tide of Watford’s home state, rolled to victory.
(01/07/13 4:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A day short of one year ago, a highly ranked IU squad stormed into the Bryce Jordan Center against a seemingly overmatched Penn State team and left with a narrow 88-82 victory against a team IU would later dominate in home and neutral floor contests.A year later, the Hoosiers (13-1, 1-0) are ranked even higher, the Nittany Lions (8-5, 0-1) — without injured star guard Tim Frazier — are again among the Big Ten cellar dwellers.However, sophomore forward Cody Zeller knows what to expect from Penn State.“I know from last year they always play hard and never let up,” Zeller said.That could perhaps be said about much of the Big Ten, which has seemingly distanced itself from other conferences thus far this season.Led by No. 2 Michigan and No. 5 IU, the league conference boasts six ranked teams, five in the top 11 and none ranked lower than 18th. Early projections have said the league conference could send as many as seven or eight teams to the NCAA tournament come March.If last year’s Penn State away game was not a convincing indication of just how tough it could be to win on the road in the Big Ten in 2013, IU needs only to look at this past week for several conference rivals.No. 11 Illinois, after an unexpectedly strong non-conference run, fell victim to an unranked and rebuilding Purdue squad on the road, then days later thoroughly drubbed No. 8 Ohio State on its own home court.IU, the only Big Ten team to open league play with two consecutive road games, already has one conference win under its belt after grinding out a 69-65 triumph against Iowa on New Year’s Eve, another potential predictor of what is to come.“It’s crucial that they have that,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “This team needs to be in some fights. We’ve been in some fights, and the only way you can learn to win consistently in a league like this is to fight your way through it. It gave them confidence.”Iowa in particular had been a thorn in the side of the Hoosiers for several seasons, regardless of ranking. Last Monday’s win in Iowa City was the first for IU’s current seniors.“It was big, just getting us started being 1-0 in the Big Ten,” Zeller said. “Winning at Iowa has been tough for us, but it was a big win for us. But we went right back to work the next day.”For the team’s freshmen, the Iowa victory was both their first true road game in college as well as their conference debuts. As such, it made several lessons quickly apparent to the young players.“I remember at Iowa I couldn’t really hear,” freshman guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell said. “It’s just that much more focus we have to have on communication on offense and defense.”Players and coaches alike preached efficient communication as an always-present key to conference play, especially on the road.“We emphasize to make sure our communication travels,” Assistant Coach Kenny Johnson said. “Your scoring may not always travel, but if your defense and communication travels, you’re at least giving yourself a chance, and it’s something that has to happen in this league to be successful.”
(01/04/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Dec. 15: Butler 88, No. 1 Indiana 86 At Banker’s Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IU suffered its first loss of the season after Butler hit several long jump shots in overtime to put the Bulldogs ahead for good. It took a 3-pointer by freshman guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell with six seconds left in regulation just to get the Hoosiers to overtime. Despite a size advantage, IU was outmuscled almost the entire game and trailed in rebounding for the duration of the contest. Junior guard Victor Oladipo and sophomore forward Cody Zeller led IU with 18 points each in the losing effort.Dec. 28: No. 5 Indiana 93, Jacksonville 59In his final nonconference game at IU, senior guard Jordan Hulls hit 6-of-9 field goal attempts, all from 3-point range, on his way to a team-leading 20 points in IU’s final tuneup before Big Ten play. Ferrell hit double figures in assists for the first time at IU with 10 as five Hoosiers, led by Hulls, scored 11 or more points. Following the game, teammates credited Ferrell for his facilitation skills despite his lack of height and experience.Dec. 21: No. 6 Indiana 88, Florida Atlantic 52Zeller posted a season-high 24 points through a variety of shots and improved free throw shooting as the Hoosiers trounced the Owls in their final game before a short Christmas break. IU turned in its fourth-best single game performance ever from the foul line, missing only one of 27 attempts. Freshman center Peter Jurkin made his season debut while freshman forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea, in just his third game for IU, led the team in rebounds with 10 in only 14 minutes of play.Dec. 19: No. 6 Indiana 93, Mount St. Mary’s 54IU dominated the boards by a 41-18 margin against an undersized and outmatched Mount St. Mary’s squad. Five Hoosiers reached double figures with each sinking more than half of their shots from the field. The team shot 70.6 percent on field goal attempts, the fourth-best single game mark in program history. The game also marked the season debut of senior forward Derek Elston, who missed IU’s first 10 games recovering from a torn meniscus.Dec. 31: No. 5 Indiana 69, Iowa 65IU came out victorious in its Big Ten opener on the road. The Hoosiers salted the game away late as the contest became a battle of free throws. Early on, neither team shot well. Most IU players broke out of the slump, but not Hulls. Days after leading his team against Jacksonville, Hulls missed all 10 of his attempts from the field against the Hawkeyes, leaving his teammates, such as Zeller who led IU with 19 points, to pick up the slack.
(12/31/12 10:04pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IOWA CITY, Iowa- Fast breaks and sloppy shooting gave way to zone defense and free throws as No. 5 IU emerged from a grind-it-out dogfight against Iowa 69-65 to start the Big Ten season on a winning note Monday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.“We feel very good about our toughness inside of this game," IU Coach Tom Crean said. "This was truly one of those 15-round heavyweight fight games that the Big Ten is full of where you can’t necessarily land the knockout punch and you just want to make sure it doesn’t get landed on you."Sophomore forward Cody Zeller and junior guard Victor Oladipo keyed the team during a physical second half, leading IU with 19 and 14 points respectively. Each also posted 10 rebounds, and Oladipo's 12 deflections gave him a triple-double by Crean's standards.Senior forward Watford and Zeller led the attack early, with differing success. While Zeller came away from his first two trips to the paint with a missed shot and a charging call, Watford scored IU's first five points off a 3-point shot and a pair of free throws.A 4:36 scoreless slump by the Hoosiers allowed the Hawkeyes to string together a 10-0 run and turn an 11-6 deficit into a 16-11 lead.IU then countered with a quicker 10-0 run of its own, this one taking 3:52 and employing more of their customary fast break than the Hoosiers employed early on.Even when Iowa broke the drought, IU was quick to respond seconds later with a layup in traffic by freshman guard Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell.3-pointers by Watford and junior forward Will Sheehey helped push the lead 29-20. The nine-point margin was the largest lead for either team in the half.Neither team shot well from the field in the first half, though largely for different reasons. IU was at times overly aggressive, especially early on, as Zeller and several guards drove into traffic in the lane and found themselves unable to get off clean shots. The Hoosiers shot 14-of-36 heading into the break.Meanwhile, Iowa settled for a number of long jumpers and rushed shots, connecting on only 8-of-34 attempts.Contrary to his early struggles in the first half, Zeller carried IU early in the second period, scoring 11 of IU's 13 points in the first 4:10 to boost the lead to a 10-point margin.“He just kept playing his game," Crean said. "I don’t think he got rattled. It’s easy to drop your head a little bit when you’re missing close shots and you’re not getting to the line the way you think you should be. That’s not Cody. His mental toughness is so strong it just doesn’t affect him."Iowa responded much as IU had in first half, stringing together a run of transition baskets that cut the lead to two for IU. The Hawkeyes were 9-of-10 to start the second period.IU pushed its lead back to as many as eight points, but rebounding and foul shots kept Iowa close. With 6:13 remaining, Iowa's Zach McCabe hit a jump shot to make it a one-point game at 57-56.The game slowed down from that point on as offenses set up in half-court sets, Iowa employed a zone defense and the fouls that had mounted all game, especially for IU, resulted in frequent foul shots. Seven different Hoosiers accumulated multiple fouls, though none fouled out."I've seen a lot of different defenses, even back in high school," Zeller said. "I try not to worry about it and just be aggressive."After his team-leading 20 points Friday against Jacksonville, senior
guard Jordan Hulls was conspicuously off his game Monday, missing all 10 of his field goal attempts. Six came in the second half.Despite his inaccuracy, both Hulls' coach and teammates said they expect him to swiftly bounce back to form and are not planning to make an adjustments to his role in offense."The great thing about Jordan Hulls, and I said it to him after the game, the 0-for-10 is meaningless," Crean said. "I thought he passed up five or six other opportunities that he needed to shoot the ball in… He missed some open looks, but at the same time, they were conscious of him… Jordan makes the game easier for everybody when he’s shooting the ball."Iowa's leading scorer, Roy Devyn Marble, fared even worse. Guarded primarily by Oladipo, Marble missed all but one of his 14 attempts from the field. Even with 12-of-13 free throw shooting, Marble's often-rushed misses from the field jump-started a number of IU possessions.“We’re well aware of what Marble’s doing, we’re well aware of his numbers, we’re well aware of what he’s done the past few days. No question, we know what he’s capable of," Crean said. "We had a game plan, and our guys did an excellent job of it."Still, Marble made two of three free throws after being fouled by Oladipo beyond the arc to keep his team within three points, trailing 63-60.McCabe had a 3-pointer rattle off the rim with 30 seconds to go that would have tied the game at 65. Instead, IU was able to ride out the clock on foul shots after Oladipo rebounded a Zeller miss and was subsequently fouled."Rebounding is one of my strengths," Oladipo said. "I saw Cody shooting, and I saw how it was coming off the rim, and I found myself in the right place at the right time. It's big plays like that that are going to help us win down the road."