KelleyHoosh

Indiana (6-3) will host IPFW (7-3) for the first time in program history on Wednesday night. This is the first of two games before the Hoosiers face Notre Dame in the Crossroads Classic and if they are going to have a noteworthy season, Indiana needs serious momentum heading into their last chance at a quality win during their out of conference schedule. As for IPFW, the Mastodons feature a three-guard set and have a relatively weak frontcourt. That bodes well for an Indiana victory. IPFW, like Indiana, struggles to defend with the 224th best defensive efficiency field goal percentage. It doesn’t look likely that they will be able to take advantage of IU on the inside either, as they are ranked 308th and 139th nationally in offensive and defensive rebounding, respectively. Junior Mo Evans leads his team in scoring with 15.4 points per game and could cause some trouble, but the talent matchup is overwhelmingly in IU’s favor. What is important in this game is less about what the Hoosiers do against the Mastodons and more about if they bring the effort and intensity that has been lacking so far this season. The keys to this game are: 1) Playing another solid game defensively Nobody thinks the Hoosier’s woes on this side of the ball have been solved just because of their good showing against a mid-major program in Morehead State. While that commitment to defense was refreshing, for fans to truly believe this team has turned a corner, the first step is consistency. Another 100+ points on offense would be great, but I wager more fans would be excited about a game where they hold their opponent to under 65 points or so. On paper, IU matches up well here. Bringing that to the court, however, is another story- one that hasn’t been realized much this year. 2) Turnovers, Turnovers, Turnovers Sloppy is probably a nice way of describing Indiana’s ball-handling efforts this season. However, that aspect of the game has been cleaned up a bit in the past few games. I mentioned earlier that consistency is key in resolving chronic problems. If they end up falling into their old ways of 20+ turnover performances, the Hoosiers won’t be contending for the Big 10 and the only tournament they’ll be thinking of come March may be the NIT. Ultimately you can expect the offense to show up when it comes to this Indiana team. The real questions at this juncture are smart play and hustle. Nobody is going to be convinced that these problems have been corrected by beating IPFW, but if they look bad against IPFW, panic may hit the fan base.

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There was a renewed excitement around the Indiana (5-2) to start the season. After losing two games in Maui, to unranked opponents, that excitement became fleeting at best. At worst it became not only anger, but in many cases, apathy. Beating Alcorn State by 42? That is what the fans expect. That isn’t what will win their support back. Beat Duke? Now we’re talking. No. 7 Duke (6-1) is the next team up on IU’s schedule, which looks substantially weaker without the anticipated matchups of No. 16 Vanderbilt and No. 4 Kansas. With a talented, athletic and tall roster, Duke presents various challenges that Indiana may not be equipped to handle. A front line of 6’9” 6’9” and 7’ will almost certainly cause headaches for an IU team that struggles in the paint. The Blue Devils have not lost on their home court to an out of conference opponent since February 26th, 2000. On paper, there is a lot of reason to believe Duke runs away with the victory and Indiana fans continue to get more frustrated. The same problems that did in the Hoosiers last year are the ones that plagued the team during their Maui trip. Around twenty turnovers and matador defense isn’t going to get the job done against the defending champions, Duke. To win this game, Indiana will have to play their best game of the year and do the following: 1) Yogi Ferrell has to Expose Duke’s Lack of a True Point Guard Duke has shown themselves to be vulnerable this year. They dropped a game to No. 1 Kentucky and have found themselves in some close games. A large part of that is because of defense, but they also are lacking a real offensive identity to this point of the season because nobody has taken the reigns as a true point guard. Ferrell has shown great ability in his time at IU and if he can score, facilitate and defend like fans know he can for a complete game, he will be the reason Indiana wins this one. 2) Indiana Must Successfully Penetrate and be Fundamentally Sound Defensively Duke’s perimeter defense thus far isn’t typical of Mike Krzyzewski teams. This isn’t a game that Indiana can win by sitting back and shooting threes when they aren’t in transition. If they can get some easy buckets inside in their half court offense, IU can compete. Look for Troy Williams to shine in this area. It is of the utmost important that every Indiana player boxes out and plays fundamentally sound defense. They haven’t shown that ability too much this year, but if they are ever going to need it, it is will be this game. 3) Indiana Has to Hit Threes The Hoosiers have to do what they do best. Like it or not, a lot of Indiana’s offense depends on someone getting a hot hand from behind the arc. If those shots fall, as analyst Jay Williams has said, this team can beat anybody.

On paper, there is a lot of reason to believe Duke runs away with the victory and Indiana fans continue to get more frustrated. There was a renewed excitement around the Indiana (5-2) to start the season. After losing two games in Maui, to unranked opponents, that excitement became fleeting at best. At worst it became not only anger, but in many cases, apathy.   Beating Alcorn State by 42? That is what the fans expect. That isn’t what will win their support back. Beat Duke? Now we’re talking.   No. 7 Duke (6-1) is the next team up on IU’s schedule, which looks substantially weaker without the anticipated matchups of No. 16 Vanderbilt and No. 4 Kansas. With a talented, athletic and tall roster, Duke presents various challenges that Indiana may not be equipped to handle. A front line of 6’9” 6’9” and 7’ will almost certainly cause headaches for an IU team that struggles in the paint. The Blue Devils have not lost on their home court to an out of conference opponent since February 26th, 2000. On paper, there is a lot of reason to believe Duke runs away with the victory and Indiana fans continue to get more frustrated.   The same problems that did in the Hoosiers last year are the ones that plagued the team during their Maui trip. Around twenty turnovers and matador defense isn’t going to get the job done against the defending champions, Duke. To win this game, Indiana will have to play their best game of the year and do the following:   1) Yogi Ferrell has to Expose Duke’s Lack of a True Point Guard   Duke has shown themselves to be vulnerable this year. They dropped a game to No. 1 Kentucky and have found themselves in some close games. A large part of that is because of defense, but they also are lacking a real offensive identity to this point of the season because nobody has taken the reigns as a true point guard. Ferrell has shown great ability in his time at IU and if he can score, facilitate and defend like fans know he can for a complete game, he will be the reason Indiana wins this one.   2) Indiana Must Successfully Penetrate and be Fundamentally Sound Defensively   Duke’s perimeter defense thus far isn’t typical of Mike Krzyzewski teams. This isn’t a game that Indiana can win by sitting back and shooting threes when they aren’t in transition. If they can get some easy buckets inside in their half court offense, IU can compete. Look for Troy Williams to shine in this area. It is of the utmost important that every Indiana player boxes out and plays fundamentally sound defense. They haven’t shown that ability too much this year, but if they are ever going to need it, it is will be this game.   3) Indiana Has to Hit Threes   The Hoosiers have to do what they do best. Like it or not, a lot of Indiana’s offense depends on someone getting a hot hand from behind the arc.   If those shots fall, as analyst Jay Williams has said, this team can beat anybody. [url=https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/basketball/news-notes/what-to-watch-for-duke-keys-r277]Click here to view the article[/url]

Would be great to get the ball rolling with some momentum if they announce an extension after this game

PU player cleated our back in the facemask when he was down 

Why run out of the shotgun this close to the end zone?    That PU kid should be suspended.... next year because Purdue won't play another game this year  :laugh:

Keep it civil. 

For me personally, I'll cheer the team on but have no expectations. I do think the team can get hot at the right time and make a run, but so can a lot of teams. I was watching the game last night with my dad, a duke fan, and with 3.2 seconds left he said "plenty of time, I bet you'll get an open 3 to win or find Williams cutting for a dunk." But I had zero confidence we would win. I mean, at least last year Yogi would get a shot off. But when you're surprised your coach actually drew something up in the first place, and 100% expect to lose in a close game situation, you know it's time. But, it's somewhat irrelevant IMO because the athletic department doesn't care about being elite or winning. Kind of sad that my time at a blue blood basketball program is in the midst of a very "meh" period

Lol, just lol. Such a stretch saying Yogi can't pass. This post is hardly worth my time replying to beyond this: You're embarrassing yourself. Please step away from the keyboard.

You guys are doing good so far, but reminder of no name calling please...

And thats fine. But express that in the Crean thread.   Example of what is acceptable in this thread: Gee, that play Crean drew up with 3 seconds left sure was questionable Example of what is NOT acceptable in this thread: OMG durrrr this happens every year are you really surprised???? BYE CREAN!!

For the sake of repeating: This thread is being watched. This thread is for commentary on the Wake game, not your opinion of Crean

Lot of missed opportunities.....Lot of growth to do.... Season isn't lost yet...... But wow is basically where I am at

2012 McDonalds All American nominee and ACC's active leader in double doubles. So not a slouch

When Indiana (3-0) plays Wake Forest (2-1) tonight in the opening round of the Maui Invitational, it will be the Hoosiers first of three games in three straight days. The prestigious tournament will be a good test of the Hoosier’s stamina and skill, as they will likely play some of the best teams in the country. In its sixth appearance at this tournament, IU stands a fairly good shot of winning the whole thing, but it won’t be easy. The road starts with Wake Forest and will likely include Vanderbilt as well as Kansas. Fans have seen lights out shooting to this point of the season and an overall explosive offense, but can they withstand elite competition in such close succession? The answer will unfold over the next few days. Last season, Wake Forest did not make the post season. This year, it is off to a 2-1 start and is coming off a loss to Richmond at home by nine points. Danny Manning’s second Wake squad is missing two of its biggest contributors in Codi Miller-McIntyre and Cornelius Hudson. Wake has relied on inside scoring from Devin Thomas and John Collins, which has been good enough for the 46th adjusted offense according to KenPom rankings. Their perimeter shooting holds that number back a bit and their defense leaves a lot to be desired, as opponents are averaging 82 points against them through three games. Couple that with the fact that Indiana has no trouble scoring and Wake Forest could be in big trouble on Monday evening. There is a long list of reasons that the general college basketball world may doubt Indiana this year. A strong Maui showing will go a long way in quelling that uncertainty. To beat Wake Forest, Indiana will have to excel in the following areas: 1) Take Advantage of a Young Backcourt What is a strength for Indiana may be the cause of Wake’s downfall in this matchup. Without two of their best guards, the Deacons have turned to freshman Bryant Crawford for their primary ball-handling duties. They also play a former walk-on, Trent VanHorn, for about 27 minutes per game. Manning has not yet instilled the same defensive prowess in Winston-Salem that he did while at Tulsa and that will haunt his team against Indiana. There should be plenty of opportunities for IU to drive and kick- the bread and butter of their offense. 2) Can Bielfeldt/Hartman/Williams Add Post Defense? If Wake Forest is going to win, it will be because they successfully exploit Indiana’s lack of height. 7’1” Doral Moore and 6’10” John Collins make up a front court that dwarfs Indiana’s as IU doesn’t have a player besides Thomas Bryant over 6’8”. If the perimeter defense is up to snuff, the Deacons may not get the chance to go down low too much. You have to think an All-American like Yogi Ferrell can get the best of a player like Crawford, who only has three college games under his belt. Whoever is playing the power forward position is going to have to bring an imposing physical presence. Bryant, as good as he is, can’t hold down the paint for 40 minutes by himself. If he gets into foul trouble, it could be a long day for the Hoosiers. 3) Will the Guards Rebound Effectively? Coach Tom Crean has mentioned this as a point of emphasis for this year. It would be particularly useful in this game when Indiana will need help rebounding thanks to their height disadvantage. If they limit second chance points for Wake’s big men, the Deacons are going to struggle to score. The IU backcourt has an opportunity to really help their team by doing more against inferior counterparts and playing bigger than they are versus a taller team. The guards will need the practice because Vanderbilt and archrival Purdue present the same matchup problem. If they struggle to effectively rebound and dominate a much weaker backcourt in this game, the season’s expectations may have to be tempered.

What is a strength for Indiana may be the cause of Wake’s downfall in this matchup. When Indiana (3-0) plays Wake Forest (2-1) tonight in the opening round of the Maui Invitational, it will be the Hoosiers first of three games in three straight days. The prestigious tournament will be a good test of the Hoosier’s stamina and skill, as they will likely play some of the best teams in the country.   In its sixth appearance at this tournament, IU stands a fairly good shot of winning the whole thing, but it won’t be easy. The road starts with Wake Forest and will likely include Vanderbilt as well as Kansas. Fans have seen lights out shooting to this point of the season and an overall explosive offense, but can they withstand elite competition in such close succession? The answer will unfold over the next few days.   Last season, Wake Forest did not make the post season. This year, it is off to a 2-1 start and is coming off a loss to Richmond at home by nine points. Danny Manning’s second Wake squad is missing two of its biggest contributors in Codi Miller-McIntyre and Cornelius Hudson. Wake has relied on inside scoring from Devin Thomas and John Collins, which has been good enough for the 46th adjusted offense according to KenPom rankings. Their perimeter shooting holds that number back a bit and their defense leaves a lot to be desired, as opponents are averaging 82 points against them through three games. Couple that with the fact that Indiana has no trouble scoring and Wake Forest could be in big trouble on Monday evening.   There is a long list of reasons that the general college basketball world may doubt Indiana this year. A strong Maui showing will go a long way in quelling that uncertainty. To beat Wake Forest, Indiana will have to excel in the following areas:   1) Take Advantage of a Young Backcourt   What is a strength for Indiana may be the cause of Wake’s downfall in this matchup. Without two of their best guards, the Deacons have turned to freshman Bryant Crawford for their primary ball-handling duties. They also play a former walk-on, Trent VanHorn, for about 27 minutes per game. Manning has not yet instilled the same defensive prowess in Winston-Salem that he did while at Tulsa and that will haunt his team against Indiana. There should be plenty of opportunities for IU to drive and kick- the bread and butter of their offense.   2) Can Bielfeldt/Hartman/Williams Add Post Defense?   If Wake Forest is going to win, it will be because they successfully exploit Indiana’s lack of height. 7’1” Doral Moore and 6’10” John Collins make up a front court that dwarfs Indiana’s as IU doesn’t have a player besides Thomas Bryant over 6’8”. If the perimeter defense is up to snuff, the Deacons may not get the chance to go down low too much. You have to think an All-American like Yogi Ferrell can get the best of a player like Crawford, who only has three college games under his belt. Whoever is playing the power forward position is going to have to bring an imposing physical presence. Bryant, as good as he is, can’t hold down the paint for 40 minutes by himself. If he gets into foul trouble, it could be a long day for the Hoosiers.   3) Will the Guards Rebound Effectively?   Coach Tom Crean has mentioned this as a point of emphasis for this year. It would be particularly useful in this game when Indiana will need help rebounding thanks to their height disadvantage. If they limit second chance points for Wake’s big men, the Deacons are going to struggle to score. The IU backcourt has an opportunity to really help their team by doing more against inferior counterparts and playing bigger than they are versus a taller team. The guards will need the practice because Vanderbilt and archrival Purdue present the same matchup problem. If they struggle to effectively rebound and dominate a much weaker backcourt in this game, the season’s expectations may have to be tempered. [url=https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/basketball/news-notes/what-to-watch-for-keys-vs-wake-forest-r265]Click here to view the article[/url]

Great read and I agree that IU will likely beat Purdue. I felt the same way for the same reasons. If a couple of things broke differently, this team could've pulled some big upsets this year. People are quick to point out that hypotheticals don't matter or that you can't discount things that DID happen, and to an extent I agree. But in certain cases I think that's being intentionally obtuse. It's not like this team was lucky. They consistently took it to top ranked teams before running out of gas or simply succumbing because of a lack of talent. All things considered, if Indiana hadn't let the foot off the gas against Rutgers, they'd be 6-5. If you told everyone before the season that in those 5 losses they'd have taken OSU, UM, and MSU, and Iowa deep into the fourth, people would probably say that is a great season. Little things like that matter. It's a shame all those games got dropped or there would be a lot more happy feelings around the program. It's unfortunate the team will probably take a step back next year if they lose Howard along with Sudfeld

The Indiana men’s basketball team (2-0) will host the Creighton Bluejays (2-0) tonight in a Gavitt Tipoff game. Creighton isn’t quite the same program since head coach Greg McDermott’s son, Doug, left for the NBA. Last year, the Bluejays were just 14-19. This season may not be that much better as they return only one starter in 6’10” forward Toby Hegner. That doesn’t mean this game won’t be a challenge. Hegner may be the only returning starter, but this team has quite a lot of young talent and is adept at spacing the floor. Additionally, McDermott’s sixth squad at Creighton is very efficient and fast, averaging 1.226 points per possession, which on average lasted merely 12 seconds in their last game. Make no mistake; this is not Eastern Illinois or Austin Peay. This will be the Hoosier’s last chance to prepare before the Maui Invitational where they will play some of the best teams in the nation. This game will give everyone a better opportunity to evaluate what needs the most work going forward. The key areas for Indiana’s game against Creighton are: 1) Indiana Setting the Pace Another 20-turnover performance isn’t going to cut it in this game. The guards don’t need to play a perfect game, but they must control the speed. If they try to play Creighton’s style, which has allowed them to average 98 points per game this season, they run the risk of tiring out their limited big men and opening themselves up to potential foul trouble. Creighton has more post players and if IU has to rest their taller players for extended periods of the game, the Hoosiers will be relatively helpless down low. Indiana is good in transition, but they’ve already shown to be turnover prone this year, which is the exact opposite of Creighton, who have just 22 turnovers this year. 2) Play Sound Defense This is probably going to be one of the keys you see a lot when previewing an IU game. It is common sense that defense needs to be good to win a lot of ball games, but for Indiana specifically that has been a struggle. There are definitely signs of progress on this front from last season, but giving up 76 points to Austin Peay isn’t confidence inspiring. Making Creighton work for their buckets as opposed to playing matador defense just to get the ball back will pay huge dividends. They don’t have to do anything fancy, just bring intensity and desire that Hoosier fans love so much. 3) Taking Advantage of Height The Hoosiers don’t necessarily have a height advantage in this game – Creighton has quite a few bigs – definitely more than Indiana. Creighton however starts three players 6’3” or shorter so IU’s lineup of Yogi Ferrell, James Blackmon Jr., Troy Williams, Max Bielfeldt and Thomas Bryant compares to that quite favorably. Coach Tom Crean spoke to the need for rebounding to improve especially from the guard positions. This is a game where there is no reason for them to not have a good performance. Of course, that is predicated on Bryant having a strong performance, as he will be needed to box out Creighton’s big men for the guards to crash the boards. Bryant got his feet wet in the first two games, but this will be his first legitimate competition as a college basketball player. He has to prove that he can play at a high level against Creighton, because in about a week he will be playing against the best of the best. Over the next two weeks, after going through Duke and potentially Vanderbilt as well as Kansas, there will be a much clearer picture of if Indiana belongs among that best of the best category or if they are still chasing it.

Memorial Stadium was like a bubble swelling with excitement. The Hoosiers had conference foe and nationally ranked University of Michigan on the ropes in the fourth quarter. In anticipation fans gathered near the bottom of the stands, waiting for their chance to rush the field after Indiana’s breakthrough moment. All season this team had seemed on the cusp of getting an elusive win against a stacked Big Ten schedule. It seemed fitting that Senior Day would be when they finally put it all together and stop a five-game losing streak. With 2:52 on the clock and Michigan getting the ball back, everyone in the stadium knew Indiana had left too much time on the clock to win in regulation. Once in overtime, students felt an excitement about IU football that’s normally reserved for the team that plays across the parking lot. 4th and 2, Indiana ball on the two yard line. Pop. That excitement bubble? It was popped by an incomplete pass and replaced with Wolverine fan cheers. IU fans began wondering aloud if they really expected anything different. The Michigan game was sort of like a microcosm of this year’s football season. Always close, but never enough; this Indiana football team has taken almost every opponent excluding Penn State down to the wire. Opposing teams fans are calling the Hoosiers the best winless team in the conference. That is not the accolade anyone on the team wanted, especially after the first undefeated start of the Kevin Wilson era. What seemed like a turning point season for the program has shaped up to be just like the other forgettable ones before it. At 4-6, there are two games remaining in the season and a lot is on the line. “We are very excited about the opportunities we have and the challenges ahead,” senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld said. “We are definitely just taking it one day at a time.” Next opportunity for the Hoosiers? 2-8 Maryland. The next week Indiana takes on rival Purdue, who is also 2-8. There is plenty of reason to think that with only two relatively weak teams remaining on the schedule that Indiana can finish strong and achieve 6-6 and a bowl game appearance. The team however, isn’t looking that far ahead. “We need to make sure guys don’t let their guard down because they’re 2-8,” Sudfeld said about Maryland. “Defensively they’re extremely good and aggressive.” While defense may be the strength for the Terrapins, that isn’t necessarily saying much. Their total offense is ranked an abysmal 114th while their total defense is ranked at about middle of the division one pack at 64th. Compare that to Indiana whose total offense is ranked 28th and total defense is ranked 119th. On paper, IU should pull this one out. But the game isn’t played on paper and the fact is small mistakes can cost a whole team. IU secondary coach Brandon Shelby put it like this, “…if there are 55 passes and you do everything right 50 times but mess up 5, you’re giving up 3 or 4 touchdowns.” The defense, specifically the secondary, has been inconsistent this year. That can probably be chalked up to youth as freshmen and sophomores are getting the bulk of the reps. “These guys are 17, 18 years old going against seniors who are going to be lottery picks, so at the end of the day they can get overwhelmed,” Shelby said. “Unfortunately we are taking our lumps now but in a few years we are going to have some very good veterans back there.” While all of this experience may pay dividends down the line, someone has to answer for the poor play this year. Shelby says that is his brunt to bear. “I take full responsibility for us not doing a good job,” Shelby continued. “It’s not on those guys, I have got to do a better job coaching.” Coaching is a really controversial topic around this program in the midst of a six game losing streak when the coaching staff will likely have their contracts either extended or terminated this offseason. Fans are pretty evenly split on what direction they’d like to see the program take. Right now, Sudfeld says the coaches are instilling a winning attitude. “Coach Wilson is doing a great job of facilitating a culture right now of us being a winning team.” That may sound silly when historically IU football has anything but a winning culture, but if that is ever going to change, so too must the expectations that the team has for themselves. Before any games were played this year, the fan base had hopes for being around 6-6 and bowling. After the four game win streak to start the year, optimism soared to perhaps unrealistic levels. Despite the disappointment, that original goal is still achievable. And that’s progress.

Unless he really misses home, you have to think St Johns is out...   UNC, if they get hammered, I can't imagine will be too much of a threat but they do have great pull and he is in NC.    NC State, he is near them at his prep school, may have a good relationship with the staff. Not sure how their make up on the court is   We make a lot of sense if this is a basketball decision if JBJ leaves IMO

Damn

Whoever he is with is wearing an orange tie. I'm seriously questioning my sanity after reading far enough into that to think it means he's going to the U

I don't know, don't necessarily think he's much more tuned in than any of the other guys here. Not that I'm any more informed, but I don't think Bozich's flip is the kiss of death.

To be fair, theres a lot worse plans to fall back on than Eron Gordon