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(02/27/06 5:31am)
Wow, how good does that feel? Seriously, Sunday's 78-71 win over Michigan State was more refreshing than a breeze up your shorts during the summer. \nThe Hoosiers came out on fire and proceeded to out-hustle, out-execute and out-play the Spartans for most of the game's 40 minutes. IU played its best half of basketball in months, leading 43-31 by halftime. Despite a furious rally by the Spartans, the Hoosiers kept their cool and put the game away on the strength of a Marshall Strickland three-point play with 2:40 remaining and a Robert Vaden 3-pointer with 1:53 on the clock. Hey, by the way, who is this Vaden kid? He's pretty good, when did we get him? He finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to lead IU in all three categories. \nSo what does this win mean? \nIt means the Hoosiers are now at .500 in the conference and sit just a half game behind Michigan for fifth place. It means that over the past two seasons, coach Mike Davis' team is 15-1 at home in Big Ten play, and its only loss was to Iowa by three points when he was at home with the flu. It also means the Hoosiers are back. \nDespite a recent string of poor play that made Bode Miller look good in the clutch, the Hoosiers seemed to have, at least for an afternoon, regained their swagger. Marco Killingsworth found his long-lost rhythm in the post and is once again imposing his will on opposing big men. The team is rebounding better than it has all year -- it lost the rebound battle by two Sunday -- but that's an improvement compared to a -10 rebounding differential at East Lansing, Mich., earlier in the season. And it only committed 10 turnovers yesterday to Michigan State's 14. \nThe Hoosiers were moving the ball, fast breaking and playing smart ... Where have these guys been? Even Adam Ahlfeld is back on his game, running three-fourths of the way across the court to greet his teammates during timeouts. It was only halfway for the past few weeks. Adam -- you're my favorite Hoosier. Keep up the good work and you guys could be headed for big things. \nI've said all year that when the Hoosiers play well, they can compete with anyone in the nation and they proved it yesterday against an immensely talented Spartan team. If IU can keep up this level of play and maintain its energy level for the rest of the regular season, it could be primed to make a serious run in the Big Ten and (gasp) NCAA tournaments. \nSure, I'm being optimistic, but it's hard not to be after Sunday. Every Hoosier fan should feel re-energized right now. So bring on those cellar-dwelling, engineer chumps from Purdue.
(02/24/06 5:17am)
If the Hoosiers hope to win their final home game of the season, something has to change. Though I loved their effort and intensity during their win against Penn State Wednesday, they need to tighten some things up if they hope to hang with Michigan State on Sunday. \nTheir rebounding has improved immensely since their first matchup with the Spartans. During their 87-73 road loss in East Lansing, the Spartans out-rebounded the Hoosiers 27-17. IU needs to close that gap if it hopes to win.\nRobert Vaden also needs to find his shot. The Hoosiers are a dangerous team when Vaden is hitting from the outside and Marco Killingsworth is getting good position on the interior. \nThe Hoosiers also need to shut down Maurice Ager if they hope to come away with a victory. In their first meeting, Ager torched the Hoosiers for 28 points on 9-for-13 shooting. The job of shutting down Ager will likely fall on Lewis Monroe, A.J. Ratliff and Roderick Wilmont. And if they play well, IU will have a chance to pull off the upset. \nSunday is senior day, the final home game for Killingsworth, Monroe, Marshall Strickland, Sean Kline and coach Mike Davis. Davis claims to have a surprise in store for the game -- let's hope it's a victory.
(02/23/06 5:14am)
Take a deep breath Hoosier fans, the bleeding has finally stopped. After losing five straight games and falling out of contention in the Big Ten race, the Hoosiers earned a home victory against Penn State last night, 69-65. IU was able to secure the win because they had a huge rebounding margin (plus 12), played hard throughout and senior guard Marshall Strickland was simply on fire.\nThe Winfield, Md. native set a new career-high with seven 3-pointers and finished 7-for-11 from beyond the arc. Most of his damage came in the second half, as two early fouls limited him to only 10 minutes in the first half. Included in his second half barrage was a 3-pointer with 14:40 remaining that put him over 1,000 points in his college career, the 40th player in school history to accomplish that feat. He also moved into sixth place all-time in 3-pointers made with 170, passing Damon Bailey. Strickland finished with 22 points and four rebounds on the night, but what was more impressive was his poise.\nMost of his points came in crucial situations including his final 3-pointer. After Robert Vaden fouled out with 6:28 remaining, the Hoosiers lost the guy they seem to look to in clutch situations. So with 1:06 remaining and the shot clock winding down, the Hoosier nation was wondering who would step up. Strickland answered the call, with a head fake and a dribble from the right wing he got separation, rose up and canned a three to put IU up for good, 66-63. A senior in his second-to-last home game doing what seniors are supposed to do -- take over and win the game.\nIt's been a rough three years for Strickland. He came in as a top recruit along with Bracey Wright and was moved to point guard to accommodate Wright's desire to play off the ball. He basically sacrificed his game for the good of the team for three years. But this year, as a senior, he has moved back to his natural position at shooting guard and has been the Hoosiers most consistent scorer from the perimeter. \nAt his last home game this Sunday against Michigan State, the Hoosier faithful need to help send Strickland out on a high note. This is a guy who has sacrificed personal achievement and ego for the good of the team. A guy who's been through all the turmoil of the past four seasons, yet toughed it out and shined as a result. He's also the epitome of the "student-athlete," majoring in Biology, not basketball. He's everything we could ask for in the players we cheer on. \nSimply put, he's a true Hoosier.
(02/22/06 4:40am)
OK, I really mean it this time. The Hoosiers can win at home versus Penn State tonight. In fact, I still can't believe they lost the first time. \nThe Hoosiers forced 18 turnovers while only committing 13 and still lost, 71-68. \nThe reason for the loss was simple. IU allowed the Nittany Lions to get easy shots in the paint. Penn State shot 51 percent from the field, and forwards Geary Claxton and Travis Parker killed the Hoosiers with 20 and 21 points respectively. \nThe Hoosiers simply need to stop Claxton's penetration on the defensive end and get some of their own on the offensive end. Marshall Strickland and Earl Calloway need to use their quickness to get into the paint and either get lay-ups or get fouled. Settling for jump shots simply won't work over the final stretch of this season. \nRobert Vaden also needs to make sure his recent shooting woes don't affect the rest of his game. His 4-13 (1-for-9 3-point shooting) performance this past Sunday was hard to watch. The Hoosiers need to stop forcing up threes if they aren't there, and be more aggressive. \nIf the Hoosiers play up to their potential, they should end their five-game losing streak. If they play like they have lately, it will be a long night.
(02/15/06 5:03am)
Forget the records. Forget the statistics. Forget the over-thought analysis. This game is about who wants it more. The Hoosiers are reeling. After losing five of their last six and dealing with the rumors surrounding the IU coaching situation, the Hoosiers need something positive to happen. Put simply, they need a "slump buster."\nThe Penn State Nittany Lions are the perfect team for IU to face right now. Even though they knocked off No. 13 Illinois in Champaign a week and a half ago - ending the Illini's 33-game home winning streak -- they should still be outclassed by the struggling Hoosiers. If the Hoosiers can hold sophomore Geary Claxton in check, it will be a long night for the Nittany Lions.\nIf Marco Killingsworth can continue his development into a good rebounder and have a good night on the offensive end, the Hoosiers should get their first road victory of the year. IU also needs to protect the ball because you can't turn the ball over and expect to win on the road. \nIt all comes down to one simple fact, though. If the Hoosiers want this one bad enough, they will take it. If they simply play defense, rebound and protect the ball, this should be a walk in the park.
(02/13/06 5:37am)
Please, all of you just keep it down. I can't take any more of this. It's making my temples throb. All I've been getting for the past four days have been e-mails, phone calls, instant messages and even Facebook.com messages listing the reasons Mike Davis must be fired immediately.\nAside from calling me everything from a "twerp that doesn't know anything about basketball" to a "conservative stoolie" (yeah, I didn't understand that one either), all the negative e-mails I've received have said that if Davis goes now, things will immediately get better. Guess what? They won't. You can disagree with me, that's absolutely fine ... you'll be wrong, but that's fine.\nIf Davis is fired now, this season is over. \nAs it stands now, the Hoosiers are not playing good basketball. That's painfully obvious. This team needs something to fire it up, to motivate it. Regardless what some middle-aged, Diet Coke-swilling, message board-trolling idiots might say, these players love their coach. Why not let them rally around him? During the second half of their 70-67 loss to Iowa on Saturday, you could see them giving their all to try and pull it out for their incredibly sick coach. If one or two more shots fall in key situations, this column might be about how they refused to lose to the top team in the conference.\nIf you think the negative reactions from the fans aren't affecting the team, again, you're wrong. Sitting in the press room after Saturday's game, you could tell by the looks on several players' faces that they were simply out-matched. Not by the game, not by the disciplined play of the Hawkeyes, but by the situation they have been put in. These players all have very strong feelings for Davis, and sometimes those feelings are more important than wins to college-aged athletes. Let's remember, these aren't professionals. This isn't supposed to be a business -- it's still supposed to be a game.\nSeeing someone you admire, adore and care for continuously ridiculed by the very people who claim to be rooting for you is a state of limbo that has to be incredibly difficult for these kids. Players have even been quoted saying that all the negativity has affected the morale of the team and has clouded its focus.\nIf something is going to happen to the IU coaching situation, it will come at the end of the season. Firing Davis now serves no purpose. One of the assistants would be promoted for the rest of the season, the team's problems would only worsen, the players would feel the University has no confidence in them and they would self-destruct. It would not help at all, so stop calling for it.\nThose of you who claim to be for the players but against the coach are idiots. When you come to games and boo, you are booing the team, not just the coach. So, either come and root on the players who are giving everything they have or don't show up. Rally around these kids who have gone through so much or sit at home and jeer at your television. Heck, put your ticket on eBay. I'm sure there's someone in this state who would kill to be able to go and cheer on their Hoosiers.\nLook people, I'm not a Davis apologist. I know the reasons people want him fired and I understand the argument. But I just don't see how attacking him would help things right now. You can call me names all you want but that doesn't change the fact that, regardless of your intentions, you are giving IU fans a bad name and making the players feel they have no support.\nI'm tired of the same stupid arguments over and over. Let's all just root for the team and hope it does well. What happens in the off-season will happen in the off-season. So, until then, please just shut up. I've got a headache.
(02/10/06 5:22am)
So I guess it's time to panic.\nSitting at 13-7 overall, 5-4 in the Big Ten and after losing four out of their last five, apparently the Hoosiers are done. There's no chance, all is lost. Let's just blow up the season and look toward next year. I mean, being a game and a half out of first place in the Big Ten is absolutely insurmountable. At least, that's the attitude of most people around these parts and I think it's crap.\nCall me an optimist, but I don't see this season as a lost cause. Maybe my math skills are a little rusty, but last time I checked, a game and a half wasn't a huge deficit. Sure, it isn't an ideal position, but you play with the hand you're dealt. So should we all give up with more than a month left to play? Hell no, what are we, Cubs fans?\nLook, this team was dealt a serious blow when D.J. White was lost for the season. The unfortunate side effect has been the destruction of Ben Allen's confidence as White's brief foray back to the team in late December relegated the freshman to the pine. Now, the Hoosiers need Allen's versatility more than ever and he simply hasn't played like he's capable of. Lately, Big Ben has looked more lost than Ray Charles in a maze. He simply needs a shot of confidence, one good game and I feel like he'll be back.\nLook people, there are plenty of things that could be going better, we all know that. But panicking and calling for coach Mike Davis to be fired is irrational and idiotic. I mean think about it, if we fire Davis do you really think the players who love him would stay here? Why would D.J. White stay when Davis was his reason for coming to IU? We would likely lose our recruiting class and we'd have no shot at five-star prospect Darrell Arthur, who has said Davis is the main reason he would come here. \nAnd if we get rid of a coach all of our players love, who would we replace him with? \nThere aren't a whole lot of great, realistic options out there. The main names associated with the IU job have been ESPN analyst Rick Majerus and Iowa coach Steve Alford. Alford, a great former Hoosier player, honestly isn't a decent coach, just ask any Iowa fans and they'll agree with me -- wow, does it make me feel uncomfortable saying that. As far as Majerus goes, anyone who calls it "Oh-fense" shouldn't be allowed to comment on national television, much less coach a storied program. Plus, what's to stop Majerus from taking the job and then quitting a week later because of "health reasons"? \nSo to all of you students planning a "Black-Out" (in support of the fire Mike Davis movement) at Saturday's game against conference-leading Iowa, sit down and shut up. Either cheer for the team or don't show up. Regardless of what you think, you're not a real fan. A real fan would support the coach for the entire season, not just until things got bad. After the season, if you want to bring up the discussion, then go right ahead. But right now these kids (and their coach) need our support. \nReal fans don't abandon their favorite team when it needs them the most.
(02/09/06 7:12am)
For this column I'm going to do things a little differently. Rather than rehash the same problems the Hoosiers have had during their recent slide, I'm just going to put my thoughts directly into print. I saw this as a way for the avid readers out there to get inside the head of their favorite columnist and see what goes though my mind during a game. \nOK, here we go boys. Lets pull this one off. No stupid mistakes, and we should be fine.\nWow, Marco Killingsworth just threw the ball into the third row. Actually, I'm more impressed than I am mad. That was Rick Ankiel-like accuracy. Badgers are up to start the game. \nEarl Calloway started tonight. You know, the more I look at him, the more I think he looks like David Aldridge after a full-body liposuction. \nAm I the only one who thinks Erin Andrews has surpassed Melissa Stark on the hotness scale? I'm referring of course to Melissa Stark pre-pregnancy. Um, oh yeah, and they are talented sideline reporters, too ... \nIt's obvious that Killingsworth has lost his confidence and that it's rubbing off on the rest of the team. Badgers up now 31-22 at halftime. \nNice of Robert Vaden to finally show up with 16 minutes remaining. He must have had trouble finding the arena. UW 40-29. \nESPN reported that D.J. White is officially out for the rest of the season. On the bright side he'll have plenty of time to plan out his wardrobe for the remaining games. By the way, the black shirt on black pants really works for him. \nKillingsworth fouled out on a ridiculous call, one of many on the night. Officials are never the reason for a loss, so it's not an excuse. But seriously, the Big Ten boasts the worst legion of whistler-toters in the nation. UW 57-40. \nNote to all Big Ten fans, the "Hoosier Daddy" chant is not creative or funny -- it has been done, worn-out and over-used. Please think of something new. You're college students -- creativity shouldn't be hard to come by. \nThe always insightful Brent Musburger just informed the viewers that Michigan State is a pretty good team. In related news, John Wooden was a decent coach and J.J. Redick is a white guy who can shoot. Thank you Brent, I really don't know where I'd be without you.\nThis Steve Lavin-Musburger broadcasting team is really god-awful. I could deal with the incredibly obvious statements and the over-used superlatives, but when they start talking about their life on the road together it just gives me the creeps. \nHey, Sean Kline is in.\nHey, Sean Kline had a tip-in. \nAnd that'll just about do it. Wisconsin spanks IU 72-54. Another stellar road performance from the Hoosiers. Four Big Ten road games and four double-digit losses. I consider myself to be pretty good with words and pretty insightful ... I got nothin'.
(02/08/06 5:08am)
K, this time I really mean it: The Hoosiers have a great chance to steal a Big Ten road win tonight at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. To say the Badgers are struggling would be a huge understatement. They've lost five of their last six contests, including home losses to Illinois (a team IU handled) and North Dakota State (a team my high school squad could have handled).\nJuniors Alando Tucker and Kammron Taylor lead the Badger attack. If the Hoosiers can limit Tucker's penetration and force Taylor to take contested 3-pointers, they will win this one. If they can't, it will be a long night.\nAfter playing with No. 1 Connecticut for much of the game Saturday, it's not a stretch to expect the Hoosiers to come out and play with some fire. If Robert Vaden regains his scoring touch and IU plays solid defense, the Hoosiers will be tough to beat. \nIn the post, Marco Killingsworth should be able to overpower sophomore Brian Butch, who has yet to live up to his McDonald's All-American billing from high school. \nIf Marco dominates like he should, and makes good passes out of the inevitable double teams he'll face, the Hoosiers will get their first road Big Ten road win of the season.
(02/03/06 5:07am)
This Saturday's match-up with the No. 1 Connecticut Huskies should be interesting for a number of reasons.\nThe Hoosiers have been struggling of late but put together a nice win Wednesday and carry a bit of momentum into the game. \nThe Huskies also come in on a roll, having won eight straight games in the incredibly tough Big East conference. That streak has seen them climb to the top of the rankings and has occurred largely because of the re-emergence of junior point guard Marcus Williams. \nWilliams was suspended for the first semester this year for his involvement in the theft of several laptop computers. Another UConn player, redshirt freshman A.J. Price, was suspended for the entire year for his part in the incident. But the university was lenient with Williams, and coach (and Hall of Famer) Jim Calhoun commented that he did not feel it was right to abandon players who made a mistake or used bad judgement. Excuse me Jim? I'm sorry, but when you bounce a check, that's a mistake. When you ask a girl out, then realize you like her roommate more, that's bad judgment. When you steal laptops worth more than $11,000, that's what we call a crime. But apparently if you are a talented point guard on a team with championship aspirations, the typical rules of law don't apply to you.\nLook, no one is denying Williams' ability -- last season he elevated his play in March and had the Huskies playing as well as anyone until they were upset by North Carolina State in the NCAA tournament. With him leading the offense and disrupting the opposition on defense, no one has been able to control UConn lately. This is a loaded roster, with sophomore Rudy Gay, junior Josh Boone and vastly improved senior Hilton Armstrong. All of these guys can kill you on either end of the floor, but the team's best all-around player is certainly Gay ... not that there's anything wrong with that.\nUConn was my preseason pick to win the title and with Williams leading the way, I don't see anyone stopping them. But make no mistake, the Hoosiers have a chance in this game if they can stay focused, intense and get Marco Killingsworth back on track. If Killingsworth forces Boone or Armstrong into foul trouble early and IU's guards can contain Williams and not allow him to penetrate, the Hoosiers could "steal" this game. OK, so that was a cheap joke, but I really think if IU plays the way it is capable of, this one could go down to the wire. And in college basketball, anything can happen if the game is close with less than five minutes to go. Let's face it, the Hoosiers have nothing to lose in this game. It is an out of conference, nationally televised game against the No. 1 team in the country. If they lose, no one will think twice about it, but if they somehow pull off an upset, it's the kind of game that could be a turning point in the season. If they simply go out and give their all, win or lose, they might impress some people, including themselves. I think this contest is the perfect chance for IU to show the country it is ready to take on all comers. \nSo Hoosier fans, wear your white shirts to support the "White-Out," come equipped with your best "Where's my laptop?" chants and support our boys as they, once again, welcome the top team in the land to Assembly Hall.
(02/02/06 5:48am)
Errek Suhr was all over the place during IU's 72-63 win over Northwestern last night. Anyone else think it's funny that the smallest player on the Hoosier squad has the biggest heart?\nStanding only 5-foot-8 and 151 pounds, Suhr showed again last night that size really doesn't matter -- hear that ladies? \nThe junior guard, and Bloomington native, spent the game scrambling all over the court like a 5-year-old on Ritalin -- diving on the floor, driving to the basket and finding his teammates with great passes. What impressed me is how he's never scared or tentative with the ball and he's aggressive on defense no matter who he's guarding. \nWhile Roderick Wilmont led the team in scoring with 23 points, Suhr was clearly the player that sparked his teammates all night. He finished with 10 points, five assists and three rebounds (all on the offensive end). \nIU played with much more energy than they had in the last few contests. They were clearly happy to be home after two tough road losses, as they opened the game with a 12-4 run and never trailed. With Marco Killingsworth struggling through a nine-point effort, largely due to double teams in the middle of Northwestern's trapping zone defense, the backcourt needed to step up its play. Suhr and Wilmont led the charge as the Hoosier guards looked to drive into the lane for the first time in several games. \nBut it was Suhr's night. He consistently energized his teammates and the home crowd with his hustle on defense, smart passes and great shooting from the perimeter. \nIt's the halfway point of the Big Ten season. If IU wants to compete for the conference title, they need to continue to win at home and steal a few games on the road. There is zero chance of winning road games in this conference if you play without energy, and Suhr, Sean Kline and Wilmont bring those elements every time they step on the floor. They make the players around them better by elevating the team's overall intensity level. \nOne major area the Hoosiers improved last night was their aggressiveness on offense. They shot too many contested 3-pointers in the first half but began to move the ball and drive to the hoop during the second frame. IU shot 64 percent in the second half -- a direct result of their patience, ball movement and getting shots closer to the basket. Suhr helped facilitate the offense by finding his open teammates and getting them the ball and that was just what this team needed.\nThough he had not seen much action since the Big Ten season began you can be sure, after last night, that Coach Davis will find a place for him in the Hoosiers' lineup. \nAfter all, size doesn't matter. Heart does.
(02/01/06 5:40am)
Right now the Hoosiers need one thing -- a true leader. There needs to be a vocal presence on the court that spurs the team through the lulls that have plagued it lately. Tonight's home game against the Northwestern Wildcats provides IU with an opportunity to iron out the difficulties that have surfaced during the last few games. But there needs to be a forceful leader on the floor who commands the respect of his teammates, a guy the team looks to for confidence when it gets behind.\nWho will that leader be? I hope senior Marco Killingsworth realizes he would be the perfect guy to step up and take the reins. Tonight's game would be a great opportunity for Killingsworth to put the team on his back and right the ship, especially because a matchup with No. 1 Connecticut looms Saturday.\nMarco needs to take it upon himself to lead the team the way he did early in the season. I think he will, and I think the Hoosiers will have an easy night.
(01/30/06 5:42am)
There are plenty of words to describe the Hoosiers' performance Sunday -- uninspired, undisciplined, sloppy, embarrassing. But there are fewer reasons for why it happened. Minnesota out-rebounded, out-hustled and simply outplayed IU in an awful 61-42 road loss for the Hoosiers in which they were held to just 32 percent shooting from the floor.\nThe Golden Gophers played a great game and should be commended, but this game was about the Hoosiers and their rapidly disappearing offensive prowess.\nMinnesota did show IU up in one major respect -- assists. They assisted on 18 of their 26 field goals while the Hoosiers tallied only eight assists. The Gophers played a team game and shared the ball. Seriously, I haven't seen a bunch of guys pass something around like that since Jodi from "The Real World/Road Rules Challenge." The Hoosiers should take note and remember that early in the season, they moved the ball better than anyone in the Big Ten. \nSure, it's hard to win on the road in the Big Ten -- we all know that. But these last two games have been horrendous and there is no excuse for it. People will automatically start the "Davis-bashing," but it's not his fault if the players don't do what they're capable of. Marco Killingsworth has disappeared on the road so far in the conference season. Robert Vaden was a turnover machine Sunday, tallying six before finally fouling out. Marshall Strickland, usually a steady contributor, failed to score. The offense slowed itself, as bad shots and stupid mistakes plagued the team all day. \nBig Ten game or not, you simply can't turn the ball over 17 times and expect to win on the road. The Hoosiers need to get better at controlling the ball when they move toward the basket and not forcing difficult cross-court passes when they don't have to. These are simple things anyone could understand and I'm sure they realize what's wrong. \nIt's apparent at this point in the season that every team on the schedule will double-team Killingsworth as soon as he receives the ball in the post. Therefore, IU's guards need to be able to score to take pressure off the big man. But standing around and firing up contested threes only works if you're shooting well and IU's shooters have been struggling recently. \nThe Hoosiers also seem incapable of getting to the foul line. This is a direct result of settling for jump shots and not getting to the basket. They need to be more aggressive and can't be afraid to drive to the basket and get fouled. And, by going to the hoop, it will cause opposing defenses to collapse, leading to more open looks from the three-point line. \nI guess what I've been wondering is: Where is the offense that was scoring 80 points per game? I know shooting percentages usually drop as the season goes on, but this has been a ridiculous slide. Obviously something needs to change. \nNow, before you say I'm overreacting, let me assure you, I know they had an off-day in shooting and I know "The Barn" is a tough place to play. Sometimes these things happen, but great teams find ways to win in tough situations. We know these Hoosiers have the talent to do great things, but ability will only get them so far. \nThey need to prove they are willing to put forth a superior effort and match that talent with heart. They need to prove they want to win more than anyone. \nI hope these last two games have been a wake-up call.
(01/27/06 5:10am)
The Hoosiers need to win a few conference road games this season if they hope to contend for the Big Ten title. And Sunday afternoon would be a good time to start. \nIU travels to Minnesota this weekend to take on a Golden Gopher squad that currently occupies the cellar of the conference. At 0-6, Minnesota has had a tough time establishing itself this season and the Hoosiers need to take advantage of the opportunity they have to pick up a precious road win.\nMinnesota must be looked at as a statement game for the Hoosiers, since they failed to score a win or even a solid performance at Iowa on Tuesday. IU needs to dominate this game from the outset, take the crowd out of the game and not allow a struggling team to think it has a chance. Minnesota lacks post depth and has very little in terms of post talent, so senior Marco Killingsworth needs to establish himself early and take over the game. \nThe Hoosiers also need to do something they haven't done recently -- drive to the basket. In the last several games, it seems like the Hoosier guards are looking to shoot threes as opposed to finding way to get easy layups. While the team's shooting percentage has been great all year, it has dropped in the last few games and settling for contested shots from beyond the arc is not the best plan when you're struggling. Driving to the hoop will not only create better opportunities for the shooters, as defenses will collapse on the driving player. But it will also cause the defense to foul. \nThe Hoosier guards have simply not gotten to the charity stripe enough this season and that is a direct result of not being aggressive. Though he's a great shooter, Robert Vaden needs to take a leadership role in this effort and be an example to the other perimeter players. If Vaden starts to go to the hoop, others will follow. This will be a great game to work on getting the offense back on track for the rest of the season. \nBut that's not to say Minnesota can't pull this upset, the team is certainly capable. It will look at IU as a team that is struggling and even reeling after a bad loss at Iowa. Williams Arena is always a difficult place to play and you can bet that if the Hoosiers don't take care of business early, it could be a tough slog down the stretch. And it's not like the Gophers are totally devoid of talent, either. \nThe Hoosier guards will have their hands full with 6-foot-5 senior swingman Vincent Grier, who might be the conference's best penetrator. Grier has the ability to go for 30 any night and can cause problems for teams that don't play disciplined help defense. The key to stopping him is to stop his penetration and make him shoot long-range jump shots, something he has a tough time with. If the Hoosiers stop Grier, it should be an easy win.\nIU is simply more talented than Minnesota and should win this game. Sure, anything can happen in the Big Ten, but I personally want this to be what I call an "Ahlfeld game." I want to see my boy Adam Ahlfeld on the floor. I've done a little research and I found that every time he registers at least one minute of playing time, the Hoosiers have won the game. I know my old psychology professor would say that my study proved a correlation not causation, but as a fan all I know is when Ahlfeld plays, we win.\nGet him in the game.
(01/25/06 5:33am)
Pretty much all of Tuesday night's 73-60 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes pissed me off. \nIowa scored the game's first seven points and it was all downhill from there. \nEarly in the second half, IU coach Mike Davis was obviously disappointed with the effort of his team and went with a lineup loaded with back-ups. The group of bench-buddies, including Errek Suhr, Earl Calloway and Sean Kline, played hard and tried to bring the Hoosiers back to no avail. \nDavis was clearly trying to send a message to Marco Killingsworth, who has had a tough time on the defensive end this year. \nThe officials didn't help matters either, as Ed Hightower and his crew seem to always call touch fouls on the Hoosiers and allow Killingsworth and the other IU post players to get mauled. Tuesday night, they called 26 personal fouls on IU while only hanging Iowa with 10. A 16-foul difference is ridiculous and if you believe that the Hawkeyes simply played that much cleaner than the Hoosiers, you need to have your head examined. Davis obviously felt the officiating was horrible as he verbally sparred with Hightower all night, eventually receiving a technical foul in the second half. As most people know, the Big Ten has the worst officials in the country, in basketball as well as football. Big Ten officiating is the reason we now have instant replay in college football, because there were so many instances in which they blew calls that we needed to add a system to constantly correct their mistakes. Who can forget Joe Paterno sprinting off the field to almost tackle an officiating crew, just to give them a piece of his mind? The basketball officials in the Big Ten own a similar tradition of excellence. \nHowever, that's not an excuse for the loss, as the Hoosiers simply did not play tough on the road. Killingsworth always plays hard, but sometimes makes bad mistakes, like not being strong with the ball in the post, or making stupid passes when he gets double-teamed. Marco simply needs to work on being stronger with the ball and where to look when he gets pressured. \nThe Hoosiers were bothered all night by Iowa senior center Erek Hansen. The gangly 7-footer altered shots all night and ended up with 11 points. I know he had a nice game, but Hansen really needs to gain some weight. It has become intervention time -- how do his friends and family allow this to go on? He looks like a skeleton wrapped in wax paper. I mean, he's so skinny Mary-Kate Olsen is making fun of him. And I had to watch that guy alter the way our Hoosiers played. \n And since when does Steve Lavin know anything about basketball? This is a guy who couldn't win at UCLA with a team loaded with high school All-Americans, and suddenly he's qualified to be an analyst? \nAlso, I've got a few problems with Iowa fans. The "Marco-Polo" chant? You're college students; you can't be more creative than that? And since when is it OK to rush the floor after winning a game you were favored to win? Are the expectations for your basketball team really that low?\nOh well, guess that's what you get for going to a "safety school"
(01/18/06 5:34am)
Sometimes all you need is guts.\nThere was a moment during Tuesday night's 62-60 win over Illinois that I'll remember for a long time. After suffering what looked like a serious ankle injury early in the second half, junior Roderick Wilmont emerged from the Hoosier locker room with 14:24 remaining in the game and was greeted with a standing ovation. Wilmont had absolutely taken over the game until his injury and was dominating on both ends of the floor. Had the injury been more serious, the Hoosiers might have been doomed to their second conference loss. As he emerged from the locker room, looking like Willis Reed in the 1970 NBA Finals, you could see nothing was going to keep him from finishing the game. When he finally re-entered, he immediately made another contribution by hitting a 3-pointer while being fouled. He finished the night with 17 points and nine rebounds.\nWilmont wasn't the only Hoosier fighting through pain Tuesday night as senior Marco Killingsworth battled back spasms for most of the night. Killingsworth only scored three points in the opening half and was visibly frustrated throughout the early part of the game. He toughed it out and provided a steady inside presence in the second half as he finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds. \nDuring the Hoosiers' early struggles, coach Mike Davis searched for an answer as the Illini shot to an 8-0 lead. Davis called on Wilmont and the rest of the bench to cause a spark. In a priceless moment, he turned to Sean Kline early in the first half and told him to go in. The look on Kline's face was exactly like the one on Ollie's face when Coach Dale tells him to enter the sectional final game in "Hoosiers." \nThe Hoosiers moved the ball well near the end of the first half, getting open looks and quality shots despite the lack of production from Killingsworth. The Hoosiers went into the locker room leading 28-24 and, despite a late run by Illinois, they held on to win. \nWhat the Hoosiers did Tuesday night proved you don't have to score a ton of points to win the game. If you do the little things, like play solid defense, rebound and are simply tougher than the other team, you will come out with a victory at the final buzzer. IU ended the game with six more rebounds than the Illini, showing they can, in fact, control the boards. \nIt was a different type of win than the Hoosiers have had this year. We hadn't seen Killingsworth fight through adversity to end up dominating, or watched a bench player, like Wilmont, ignite the home crowd and electrify the atmosphere through gutty play. \nThough they still have a lot to work on, think about this: The Hoosiers held the preseason Big Ten player of the year to five points, they won on national television against the No. 7 team in the country, they are now in sole possession of second place in the conference and have a home date with a struggling Purdue team Saturday. The Hoosiers proved they can rebound from a bad loss -- let's see how they respond after a big win. \nBut if they show this type of determination and heart the rest of the way, the Hoosiers will be nearly impossible to beat.
(01/11/06 5:26am)
Hear that knocking on the door, Hoosier fans? It's an opportunity, one that might not present itself again.\nSitting at 2-0 in Big Ten play, our beloved Hoosier basketball team has a chance to put a WWE-style chokehold on first place in the conference tonight. All it has to do is beat preseason Big Ten favorite Michigan State on the road, without super-sophomore D.J. White. So what's the good news?\nRight now, the Spartans are struggling. They are 0-2 in the conference and have suffered from a lack of frontcourt depth. If the Hoosiers can get senior center Paul Davis into foul trouble, senior Marco Killingsworth could have a field day in the paint.\nThe major problem for the Hoosiers will be rebounding. They were badly out-rebounded by Ohio State and against Michigan, they made the terminally un-athletic Graham Brown look like Dennis Rodman, as he pulled down 21 boards by himself. That can't happen tonight. If the Hoosiers allow senior guard Maurice Ager and junior Shannon Brown multiple second-shot opportunities on the offensive end, it will be a long night. But if IU can win the rebounding battle, it can win the game.\nSo boys, opportunity is knocking and somebody better answer it. It may not come around again.
(01/09/06 5:12am)
OK, let's all just admit it now. We were expecting the Hoosiers to find a way to lose Saturday's game against undefeated Ohio State. As the clock ticked down to the final buzzer, everyone in Assembly Hall was waiting for the other shoe to drop and for IU to find a way to blow the game. We've become accustomed to this song and dance throughout the last three seasons. It's just how things operate. The Hoosiers play tough and end up falling just short when they play good teams. \nBut Saturday, we were once again reminded that this is a different team, with a different attitude.\nTrailing by 17 points late in the first half, the Hoosiers fought back and showed a toughness that has been sorely lacking in Bloomington lately. No offense to the past few Hoosier teams, but in pressure situations, they showed their true colors and disappeared. When facing adversity, last year's team was softer than a wet ham sandwich. \nThis team prides itself on taking a punch and firing back. Marco Killingsworth played his rather large tail off in the second half, finishing with 26 points, five rebounds and four blocks. He also spent the entire evening frustrating Ohio State center Terence Dials, forcing him into foul trouble. Killingsworth was visibly exhausted late in the game, but he continually fought for position in the post and ran the floor. You could see in his eyes that he was not going to let his team wilt under pressure.\nWhile Marco had an \ninspiring performance, my player of the game was Marshall Strickland. The senior guard played all 40 minutes and finished with 15 points. But his most important contribution to the team was his calming influence and his willingness to step up and make big plays. He hit two huge three-pointers at the beginning of the second half, played great defense all afternoon and looked as fresh in the last five minutes as he did at the opening tip. \nHe showed what he's made of during the game's final two possessions. The Hoosiers had the ball, with the score tied at 79 and only 10 seconds remaining. As the final play developed, Strickland set a screen on Dials to free up Killingsworth. As the two collided, Strickland allowed himself to fall to the ground, forcing the official to call Dials for his fifth and eliminating foul, and giving Marshall two shots from the charity stripe. \nThe Winfield, Md., native calmly sank both free throws to give the Hoosiers the lead at 81-79. Then for good measure, he stripped Matt Terwilliger of the in-bounds pass on the defensive end, closing out the game and beating those previously unbeaten Buckeyes. \nIf there is one player on this team who has struggled through the ups and downs of the past three years, it's Marshall Strickland. He is a different player this season though and you can tell by his attitude that he will not let this team fail. \nSo the Hoosiers have opened the Big Ten season 2-0, tied for first place with Northwestern and Wisconsin. Yes, that's right. If I had looked at the standings and seen that in any recent year, I would have thought the apocalypse was upon us, but this is a different year, and different team, with a different attitude.
(12/12/05 6:39am)
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.\nIn my column Friday, I declared that the Hoosiers needed to make a statement and show their true identity against Kentucky if they wanted to regain my full support. Done and done. I didn't quite jump off the bandwagon, but the Hoosiers looked flat after nearly upsetting Duke on Nov. 30. That changed Saturday. \nOur boys jumped out to a 25-12 lead and never looked back as they cruised to a 26 point win. They dominated the Wildcats in every facet of the game despite a seven-minute scoreless stretch early in the second half. They made this match-up look less like a rivalry and more like a geographical coincidence, as they ran away with Mike Davis' first win in the series. \nHonestly, I haven't seen a thorough beating like that since Apollo Creed battled Ivan Drago in "Rocky IV" ... and Creed died as a result of that fight. \nThe Hoosiers used smothering defense to hold Kentucky to 19 points in the first half and forced 19 turnovers for the game. Kentucky couldn't handle IU's pressure defense and continually made stupid passes and took contested shots. There were at least three times I looked at the sidelines and thought Tubby Smith's head was going to explode. I swear at some point this year, Rajon Rondo will launch another contested three-pointer and it'll happen, like a scene out of "Evil Dead." \nSaturday's performance in Indianapolis showcased the IU team we fell in love with several weeks ago. It was the type of game fans should expect from the Hoosiers this year. Marco Killingsworth was dominant at times, as he finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds. But Killingsworth's biggest contribution was the way he passed out of double teams quickly, getting open shots for his teammates. With frontcourt buddy D.J. White still out with a foot injury and relegated to acting as the world's tallest cheerleader, Killingsworth made adjustments to his game and once again proved that he's one of the best in the country. \nThe team used great spacing on offense to spread the wealth, as four players scored in double figures. \nKillingsworth was great, but my player of the game was sophomore guard A.J. Ratliff. Ratliff returned to his hometown and logged his first start of the season. All he did after that was pour in 21 points in 21 minutes and basically dominate the last 10 minutes of the game. If he continues to play with the same offensive aggressiveness and defensive intensity, it will give a huge boost to the Hoosier backcourt -- one that has struggled a bit since the Duke game. \nWith a week off because of finals, the Hoosiers will have time to rest and recoup from a 5-2 start to the season. Their next game will be their first real road trip of the season at Charlotte on Dec. 19. Though they're only 5-4 to start the season, the 49ers are a solid team that can't be overlooked -- not that the Hoosiers would do anything like that.\n"Cough -- Indiana State -- cough."\nSo what do I think about our match-up on Dec. 19? Well, I'm never one to break a streak, so here goes: The Hoosiers need to come out and make a statement at Charlotte ...
(12/09/05 5:54am)
Wow, really guys? Indiana State, huh? \nWe lost to the other, other, other team in our home state. Sure, it was on the road and, yeah, they played great, but we should have won that thing by double-digits blindfolded. After that game my opinion of our team has shifted slightly. The only comparison I can think of is L.C. from "Laguna Beach." When you first see her, she looks great and there are honestly no visible flaws. Then you get to know her a little bit, and it confounds you how anyone could pass her up because honestly, she's perfect. Then later in the season, she starts dating that loser, Jason, and everything changes. You begin to wonder what possessed her to do such a thing and ponder if it was all just a façade and if this is who she really is. You wonder if your massive crush on her was based on a lie or if it was justified. Yeah, it's kinda like that. \nWho are the real Hoosiers? \nAre they the team that fought tooth-and-nail with Duke? Are they the guys who blew teams out and scored 100 points easily? Or are they the team that had 22 turnovers against the red-headed stepchild of Indiana basketball?\nSaturday at the RCA Dome, it's time for the real Hoosiers to come to play and make a statement. But there's one problem -- their opponent, Kentucky, is loaded and needs to make a similar statement. \nAfter early season losses to Iowa and a rebuilding North Carolina team, the Wildcats are searching for their identity as well. Tubby Smith and company now know they will be without center Randolph Morris for the entire 2005-06 season after he was ruled ineligible by the NCAA. Luckily for Ashley Judd, the cupboard isn't totally bare. \nIt's a solid bet this season's success will depend upon Kentucky's immensely talented backcourt. Senior Patrick Sparks is one of the top shooters in the country and can't be left open, while sophomore Rajon Rondo is enjoying a breakout season. So far, Rondo is averaging 14.7 points, 10 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Needless to say, the kid can play. He steals the ball like Angelina Jolie steals husbands, slyly but right under everyone's noses. \nWhat the Hoosiers need to do is take care of the ball, play smart and hit open shots. They need to regain their early season swagger. Senior Marco Killingsworth needs to play like he thinks he's the best post player in the country. Senior Lewis Monroe needs to stop being tentative and take the open shot when he has it. Lewis, it's your last year man, don't hold back. Sophomore Robert Vaden needs to get back to his strength, slashing. Robert, you're a great shooter, but your game is at its best when you're going to the basket and finishing or getting fouled. \nThe team needs to play fearlessly. It needs to take a page out of Ben Allen's book. The Aussie freshman has been the best player on the court for the last two games and looks like the most confident guy on the floor. He wants the ball and knows what to do when he gets it. \nThe strength of the Hoosiers this year was supposed to be their experience, yet since the Duke game, a freshman has carried them. The four seniors need to get control of the team and steer it in the right direction. They need to establish this team's identity. \nThey need to show that this campus' crush on them was justified.