ziggyiu

I don't understand bragging about beating one of the worst UK teams under coach Cal to advance to the sweet 16. Sure, it was fun, but beating a 4 seed to get to the sweet 16 used to be something greater is on the horizon, perhaps. Now, that's it. The three times Crean has taken IU to the sweet 16, the team has lost by double digits. But that's enough to keep some IU fans happy. It's like that with the two Big Ten titles. Sure, they're great. Happy to have them, but never finishing better than 5th in the league every year expect for those two is more concerning. Between the title seasons was a year IU didn't even make the NIT and a team that earned the lowest tournament seed in school (then got bounced by Wichita State).

I saw Crean do that on TV. My first thought was no amount of cheering with teach this team defense.

IU hasn't beaten any really good teams either, though. The team looks better, but it's difficult to learn how much better until the competition gets better.

You've pointed out two games against bad defensive teams, and he's played two years. The kid isn't a shooter. He wasn't in high school either. He isn't a terrible addition, but you have taken two exceptions and made them the rule. There's a larger sample size from this kid, and it strongly suggests he isn't much of a shooter. He can score around the rim though, and he will have more opportunities to do that (and distribute) at IU than at Pitt.

My issue is this number of threes without any motion or screens or working through the post is unsustainable. This won't work on a consistent basis against quality teams.

I don't understand this being called "fun" basketball. There's no communication or effort on defense. Offensively, there's no movement except for the dribble drive, we don't play through the post (even with an all-American down there), we jack up threes at any time (even when there's wide open post player). We don't value the ball: passes through multiple defenders, jumping without knowing what to do with the ball, dribbling into multiple defenders, dribbling without body control or before there's true possession. These are correctable mistakes, but I've learned over the last seven years that these mistakes will not be corrected. It will be interesting if this style looks fun against teams like Duke.

Difference is Zeke choose a championship caliber coach and program over his family's program, not a program like Nevada.

When someone is kind to him he is certainly kind, too. He doesn't take criticism well though. He is a love me or leave me type of guy. Also, what do people expect at these kinds of events? This is part of his job. Of course he isn't a complete moron. He knows he has to smile, shake hands and kiss babies.

Only UAB, Hampton and Robert Morris have more, I think.

They were the best of a low major conference. It's not like they received an at-large bid. IU basketball is in a bad place when a loss to EWU is a wash and EWU is a terrible match up for the Hoosiers.

Yep.

You are not wrong. It was an interesting quote or two from the young man.

Very true. For sure.

Recruiting one consensus top 100 player doesn't prove IU can recruit with the big boys. Also, if anyone chills because IU recruited one consensus top 100 player I would wonder if those people care about victories. Noah Vonleh was highly recruited and helped IU to no better than a 17-15 record. Troy Williams was highly recruited. Stanford Robinson was highly recruited. Hanner Mosquera-Perea was highly recruited. None of that seems to matter. What matters more than any recruiting ranking is how the kids are utilized and developed after they arrive on campus.

Yes. Good post. The similarities in offensive style and inefficiencies, as well as lack of decent roster management year to year, and terrible defense over the last year and a half of the Davis years. In my opinion the Davis results weren't acceptable then, and they aren't acceptable now.

it will probably factor in a little bit with the committee, should IU be on the bubble, that SMU was without their best player when they squared off against us.

I'm happy with the win, but don't forget Incarnate Word won at Nebraska earlier this year.

Not a good example. Noah was no where near featured. He wasn't happy in his role. Whether his fault, the guards' fault or coaching or any combination. He was neglected, especially when you look at his shot attempts and how many were just based on offensive rebounds. He was a top 10 pick regardless of where he went to school, though the same can be said of UK's talent.

Why would you think this makes things look any different for the IU vs. EWU game? Different games and different teams. I want IU to beat EWU regardless of how any other team performs.

I don't know why people perpetuate this fallacy. When Crean took over he had a roster with some holes, but he continued to kick players off the team or have players leave. Yes, DD kicked some players off the week or two before Crean got here. He decided not to give some of those players another chance (unlike the multiple chances he is giving Hanner, Yogi, Troy, Stan, etc.). Certainly it could be debated whether or not the kids from years ago or this pervious season and this season should be retained. However the point here is that Crean started his first season at IU with no returning scholarship players--in part (for good or bad)--because of the decisions he made.

One family coughed up $40M for Assembly Hall. I'm pretty certain enough coin can be found to buy out a bad coach that costs $11.5M.

I never said anything about SMU. I said 3 opponents (Lamar, Texas Southern and Mississippi Valley State.). I think SMU is a solid mid-major. Let's not forget they were waxed by Gonzaga before playing us. They'll be even better when Kennedy can play.

Terrible defense: no one boxes out, everyone leaves their feet, no one communicates. Keep in mind this terrible defense has been against 3 teams that will end up in the bottom 250 of D1. On the positive side I liked the dribble drive (when IU dribbled with a purpose).

You are spot on. Holt was enrolled at a prep school for this year before IU threw a scholarship at him in August. Remember his best offers were from low major schools in the northeast. He is more developed than April, but he isn't someone who can be counted on for major minutes. He's not that talented of a freshman.

In reference to HoosierDribbler's post, sure three should be. However, there is no leadership on this team. There wasn't last year. Think about Yogi. One would assume he would be one of those leaders, especially considering he is one of the very few players on this team that's had the benefit of learning from upperclassmen like Hulls, Watford, VO, etc. But even Yogi made a seriously terrible mistake. With near complete roster turnover two consecutive years and signing kids last minute that coaches really don't know there is a serious void of responsibility and accountability. Before anyone takes this the wrong way. I'm not blaming Yogi, Crean or anyone else for this incident. It could totally have been a freak accident between friends. I'm merely citing how sometimes issues like these can arise.