IndyHutch

For some reason, the committee appears to have really liked the Pac-12. I don't get that one either.  

That's one of the ones I didn't get for sure. They got a 4 over Purdue, too, and could meet them in the second game so maybe we'll find out pretty quickly if the Big Ten had a beef.  

There has been a lot of talk regarding James Blackmon Jr. as his future with Indiana after a few people went on Twitter Saturday night with the claim that IU’s sophomore guard was planning to transfer. At Btownbanners.com we choose not to publish articles with rumors and/or unconfirmed reports. Here is a confirmed report, however, from a press release that Indiana put out today where Blackmon Jr. makes it clear that he has no intentions of leaving the IU program. Here is what the release, put out by Indiana University media relations, had to say on the matter. Indiana University sophomore guard James Blackmon, Jr., is focusing on helping his team get ready for the upcoming NCAA Tournament and the rehab of his surgically repaired knee so he can return to full health and resume his playing career next season. “There is no validity to anything being said about my future other than I will be an Indiana Hoosier,” said Blackmon prior to practice on Sunday. “Besides working to get healthier, I’m going to help my teammates prepare for the NCAA Tournament. I’m obviously disappointed I can’t play, but the players and coaches have helped me through my injury and I want to be a leader for them.” He was averaging 15.8 points per game prior to being hurt before the teams Big Ten opener at Rutgers., IU is 21-0 anytime he shot 47.0 percent or higher from the field. He is the Big Ten sophomore class career leader in scoring averaging 15.7 ppg. So now we have a report with substance that we can pass along. The idea never made sense on a lot of different levels but it’s good to have Blackmon Jr. quoted on the topic to put that rumor to rest.

James Blackmon Jr. said in a release put out by Indiana University media relations today that he has no interest in transferring and will play for Hoosiers next season. There has been a lot of talk regarding James Blackmon Jr. as his future with Indiana after a few people went on Twitter Saturday night with the claim that IU’s sophomore guard was planning to transfer.   At Btownbanners.com we choose not to publish articles with rumors and/or unconfirmed reports.   Here is a confirmed report, however, from a press release that Indiana put out today where Blackmon Jr. makes it clear that he has no intentions of leaving the IU program.   Here is what the release, put out by Indiana University media relations, had to say on the matter.   Indiana University sophomore guard James Blackmon, Jr., is focusing on helping his team get ready for the upcoming NCAA Tournament and the rehab of his surgically repaired knee so he can return to full health and resume his playing career next season.   “There is no validity to anything being said about my future other than I will be an Indiana Hoosier,” said Blackmon prior to practice on Sunday. “Besides working to get healthier, I’m going to help my teammates prepare for the NCAA Tournament. I’m obviously disappointed I can’t play, but the players and coaches have helped me through my injury and I want to be a leader for them.”   He was averaging 15.8 points per game prior to being hurt before the teams Big Ten opener at Rutgers., IU is 21-0 anytime he shot 47.0 percent or higher from the field. He is the Big Ten sophomore class career leader in scoring averaging 15.7 ppg.   So now we have a report with substance that we can pass along.   The idea never made sense on a lot of different levels but it’s good to have Blackmon Jr. quoted on the topic to put that rumor to rest. [url=https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/basketball/blackmon-jr-says-there-is-no-truth-to-transfer-r320]Click here to view the article[/url]

It’s the question foremost on the minds of Indiana University basketball fans everywhere. Where will Indiana be seeded when the NCAA unveils the 68-team 2016 tournament field in its Selection Sunday Show on Sunday? A lot of people felt that Indiana was a No. 3 seed heading into Friday’s quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament. After the buzzer beating 72-69 loss to Michigan, however, the sentiment was that IU may have slipped a spot to a No. 4 seed. The sentiment was also that instead of playing closer to home Indiana might have to travel a distance for the first two games. So what do you think? Let’s begin with the seed itself. Should Indiana be a No. 3 or a No. 4? My guess is that it will be one or the other. I’m still not convinced that Indiana has slipped off of the No. 3 line. While I think a win in the Big Ten Tournament would have improved IU’s chances to stay there, I’m just not certain that Friday’s lost was damaging enough to force the Hoosiers to fall. Michigan is not a bad team. In fact, those that think the Wolverines are still on the outside looking in after the loss to Purdue Saturday may have another thing coming. I think the Wolverines have proven themselves worthy to be an NCAA Tournament team. So what do the Bracketologists say? ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has Indiana as a No. 4 seed facing No. 13 Chattanooga in Spokane, Wash. On the other side of that tandem is No. 5 California and No. 12 South Dakota State. CBS Sports.com’s Jerry Palm has the Hoosiers also on the 4 line but has them in Oklahoma City where they would face No. 13 Yale. The other game there is No. 5 Iowa State and No. 12 Little Rock. A third Bracketologist, Shelby Mast of USA Today, has Indiana as a No. 3 seed and facing No. 14 Middle Tennessee State in Des Moines. The other game there is No. 6 Notre Dame versus a play-in winner. So the Bracketologists are far from a consensus in this regard, too. Plus, after last year I’m not sure what to believe. Remember last season when Joe Lunardi had Indiana on the outside looking in in his final bracket before the show and then the Hoosiers not only turned out to be in but they were in as a No. 10 seed and weren’t sweating as much as Lunardi would have had them sweat. It also didn’t hurt that Indiana was announced in one of the first brackets revealed on TV. It’s always nice when you’re on the bubble to not have to wait until that final region is revealed. If Indiana is a 4 seed, let’s look at some of the other potential 13 seeds out there. Lunardi’s other 13’s are Stephen F. Austin, Stony Brook and Northern Iowa. Palm has Stony Brook, South Dakota State and Northern Iowa. Mast has Akron, Yale, Iona and South Dakota State. So how has Indiana fared as a No. 4 seed in the past? The most recent time was 2012 when the Hoosiers were a No. 4 seed in Portland, won two games and lost to Kentucky in the Sweet Sixteen in Atlanta. Prior to that it was the 2001 NCAA Tournament, the first for then interim coach Mike Davis. IU lost to No. 13 seed Kent State in that one. It also wasn’t good in 1988 when the No. 4 seeded Hoosiers lost to Richmond. In 1984, IU won two games as the No. 4 seed. The only time IU has been a No. 3 seed was a bad NCAA Tournament memory for the Hoosiers. IU lost in 1986 to Cleveland State. So I still think it’s up in the air between a 3 and a 4 seed. It will depend on what the committee thinks about the Big Ten. Let’s just say I won’t be surprised if come Sunday the Hoosiers are a 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. But like always I want to know what you think. Where do you think Indiana will be seeded on Sunday?

I don't think IU has necessarily fallen off of the No. 3 line. At least one Bracketologist agrees with me. What do you think? Here is my take. It’s the question foremost on the minds of Indiana University basketball fans everywhere.   Where will Indiana be seeded when the NCAA unveils the 68-team 2016 tournament field in its Selection Sunday Show on Sunday?   A lot of people felt that Indiana was a No. 3 seed heading into Friday’s quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament. After the buzzer beating 72-69 loss to Michigan, however, the sentiment was that IU may have slipped a spot to a No. 4 seed.   The sentiment was also that instead of playing closer to home Indiana might have to travel a distance for the first two games.   So what do you think?   Let’s begin with the seed itself. Should Indiana be a No. 3 or a No. 4? My guess is that it will be one or the other.   I’m still not convinced that Indiana has slipped off of the No. 3 line. While I think a win in the Big Ten Tournament would have improved IU’s chances to stay there, I’m just not certain that Friday’s lost was damaging enough to force the Hoosiers to fall. Michigan is not a bad team. In fact, those that think the Wolverines are still on the outside looking in after the loss to Purdue Saturday may have another thing coming.   I think the Wolverines have proven themselves worthy to be an NCAA Tournament team.   So what do the Bracketologists say?   ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has Indiana as a No. 4 seed facing No. 13 Chattanooga in Spokane, Wash. On the other side of that tandem is No. 5 California and No. 12 South Dakota State.   CBS Sports.com’s Jerry Palm has the Hoosiers also on the 4 line but has them in Oklahoma City where they would face No. 13 Yale. The other game there is No. 5 Iowa State and No. 12 Little Rock.   A third Bracketologist, Shelby Mast of USA Today, has Indiana as a No. 3 seed and facing No. 14 Middle Tennessee State in Des Moines. The other game there is No. 6 Notre Dame versus a play-in winner.   So the Bracketologists are far from a consensus in this regard, too. Plus, after last year I’m not sure what to believe. Remember last season when Joe Lunardi had Indiana on the outside looking in in his final bracket before the show and then the Hoosiers not only turned out to be in but they were in as a No. 10 seed and weren’t sweating as much as Lunardi would have had them sweat.   It also didn’t hurt that Indiana was announced in one of the first brackets revealed on TV. It’s always nice when you’re on the bubble to not have to wait until that final region is revealed. If Indiana is a 4 seed, let’s look at some of the other potential 13 seeds out there. Lunardi’s other 13’s are Stephen F. Austin, Stony Brook and Northern Iowa. Palm has Stony Brook, South Dakota State and Northern Iowa. Mast has Akron, Yale, Iona and South Dakota State.   So how has Indiana fared as a No. 4 seed in the past?   The most recent time was 2012 when the Hoosiers were a No. 4 seed in Portland, won two games and lost to Kentucky in the Sweet Sixteen in Atlanta.   Prior to that it was the 2001 NCAA Tournament, the first for then interim coach Mike Davis. IU lost to No. 13 seed Kent State in that one. It also wasn’t good in 1988 when the No. 4 seeded Hoosiers lost to Richmond. In 1984, IU won two games as the No. 4 seed.   The only time IU has been a No. 3 seed was a bad NCAA Tournament memory for the Hoosiers. IU lost in 1986 to Cleveland State.   So I still think it’s up in the air between a 3 and a 4 seed. It will depend on what the committee thinks about the Big Ten. Let’s just say I won’t be surprised if come Sunday the Hoosiers are a 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.   But like always I want to know what you think.   Where do you think Indiana will be seeded on Sunday? [url=https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/basketball/analysis-where-should-iu-be-seeded-in-the-ncaa-r319]Click here to view the article[/url]

I like this source better than the James Blackmon Jr. transfer source though.  

We have a story up on this in articles on our site.    

I just posted the article with Blackmon Jr. denying the rumors. Sure, he could be doing that publicly and then changing his mind but I'd be surprised. I know what you're saying but I'm not a big fan of the go on to Twitter and throw something against the wall and see what sticks kind of mentality. I know you had a source but even you said you weren't sure if was really his aunt and I just like to have real, confirmed sources on stories before throwing them up there. I do appreciate the fact that you continue to come on here though to face the music. That's a rarity when these things occur from my experience.    

Right now Lunardi has IU as a 4 in the Midwest with Kansas as the 1.   His No. 1's are Kansas, Michigan State, North Carolina and Virginia.    Which of those four No. 1's would you rather be paired with? Of the 4, I would probably take Virginia.

Actually I'd be OK with that.    

It's amazing how much easier this all would have been if Indiana simply could have played the way it had in recent weeks when it faced a desperate Michigan team on Friday. Give Michigan credit though. They hit some big shots.

This is kind of where I am, too. What IU did in the Big Ten was impressive, winning it outright by two games. You don't put them into free fall mode because of a buzzer-beating quarterfinal loss in the conference tournament.  

It is a body of work. Indiana has won 20 of its last 24 games. I think that puts them at a 4 or higher.  

I don't think that one game will mean as much as you do. I've sat on that mock NCAA Selection Committee exercise with the NCAA years ago and I have a feel for the process. If IU truly was considered a 3 going into it, I don't think they come out as a 5 based on one loss. Just my two cents.

That was my first thought when I saw Northern Iowa on the 13 line. Wichita State didn't go so well from that league last year for IU and Northern Iowa would be no picnic.

I'm not going to pretend that I've read every post on this topic. I read the first page and the last page. Here's my take for what it's worth. I've covered Indiana basketball for 18 years. There have been a lot of rumors over the years. I've always taken the high road on rumors and that is to discount them unless I'm hearing it from a very good source. Sometimes you get burned on that. Luke Recker told me in person, one-on-one, two weeks before he transferred that there was no way he was transferring from Indiana. So I'm also skeptical on both sides of rumors, whether it's that they're staying or leaving.   Here's the thing with JBJ. First of all, I'm not going to post an article on this because I think all you do is give something more life than maybe it deserves. If it's true, we'll find out soon enough. If it's false, it will just fizzle out like a lot of rumors do. But you won't see a article on Btownbanners about it until it's coming from a reputable source. Second thing is it makes absolutely no sense. Where would he be transferring to? He'd have to sit out an entire season if he was going the D1 route? This is a kid who was hoping to be one and done or two and done but now you're saying he'll be in college for four years? That would surprise me. It also just seems like really strange timing for this to come out. And if he was really leaving and papers were signed would he be on the bench in the B1G Tournament? I don't know. Call me skeptical. But until I hear this from someone else I'm going to play the wait and see card. This is in now way meant to be a knock on Yogi's Picnic Basket but rather just an approach that has always worked best for me and I'll use it again in this case.

I didn’t expect Indiana to win the Big Ten Tournament. I also didn’t expect the Hoosiers to bow out as the No. 1 seed against No. 8 seed Michigan on Friday afternoon. But unfortunately, of the two scenarios, I would have thought the latter had a better chance of happening than the former. For whatever reason, Indiana basketball has not fared well in the conference tournament. In 19 tournaments, the Hoosiers have been knocked out in the first game 10 times. TEN TIMES ONE AND DONE. The last time the Hoosiers played on a Saturday in the Big Ten Tournament was 2006. And now three times Indiana has lost at the buzzer in the Big Ten Tournament. It started with Iowa’s Luke Recker (when arguably the clock operator in Indianapolis started the clock a split second too slow) and later with Minnesota’s Blake Hoffarber in Dan Dakich’s interim season as coach. The third time, and the charm if you will, was Kameron Chatman’s 3 from the right corner with 0.2 seconds to play Friday that eliminated the Hoosiers 72-69. So what was Indiana’s problem Friday and how did the Hoosiers get knocked out of the Big Ten Tournament in the first game? Here are a few takes: 1. Collin Hartman has to be better: He took two shots, both 3’s, and missed them both. He had three rebounds and one turnover in 20 minutes. But he just didn’t make an impact and when Indiana has played well, Hartman has made an impact. He also looked lost on a couple of back door cuts early that resulted in Michigan layups. 2. Indiana was 4 for 17 from 3-point distance: I’m not saying that Indiana has to be connecting from deep but … in the last nine games coming in to the B1G Tournament, the Hoosiers had made at least eight 3-pointers in each game and more than 10 five times. IU relies on the long ball and if that’s not going in, then the Hoosiers simply have to be more efficient inside. And that wasn’t the case on Friday. 3. IU has to be stronger with the ball: In the last 16 games, Indiana has had 15 or more turnovers three times. One of those times was Friday. In those three games, IU was 0-3. In the other 13 games, when the Hoosiers turned it over 14 times or less, Indiana is 12-1. Indiana simply has to be stronger with the ball. So where does Indiana go from here? The answer is that the Hoosiers will likely still be a top 4 seed on Sunday when the brackets are revealed but there’s now a chance that the Hoosiers could be sent out West or somewhere a lot farther away than St. Louis or central Iowa. If that were to happen, IU would only have its self to blame after Friday’s performance .

There are a lot of reasons why Indiana is not playing on Saturday in the B1G Tournament despite being a No. 1 seed and winning the conference regular season title outright by two games. Here are three of them. I didn’t expect Indiana to win the Big Ten Tournament.   I also didn’t expect the Hoosiers to bow out as the No. 1 seed against No. 8 seed Michigan on Friday afternoon.   But unfortunately, of the two scenarios, I would have thought the latter had a better chance of happening than the former.   For whatever reason, Indiana basketball has not fared well in the conference tournament.   In 19 tournaments, the Hoosiers have been knocked out in the first game 10 times. TEN TIMES ONE AND DONE.   The last time the Hoosiers played on a Saturday in the Big Ten Tournament was 2006.   And now three times Indiana has lost at the buzzer in the Big Ten Tournament. It started with Iowa’s Luke Recker (when arguably the clock operator in Indianapolis started the clock a split second too slow) and later with Minnesota’s Blake Hoffarber in Dan Dakich’s interim season as coach.   The third time, and the charm if you will, was Kameron Chatman’s 3 from the right corner with 0.2 seconds to play Friday that eliminated the Hoosiers 72-69.   So what was Indiana’s problem Friday and how did the Hoosiers get knocked out of the Big Ten Tournament in the first game?   Here are a few takes:   1. Collin Hartman has to be better: He took two shots, both 3’s, and missed them both. He had three rebounds and one turnover in 20 minutes. But he just didn’t make an impact and when Indiana has played well, Hartman has made an impact. He also looked lost on a couple of back door cuts early that resulted in Michigan layups. 2. Indiana was 4 for 17 from 3-point distance: I’m not saying that Indiana has to be connecting from deep but … in the last nine games coming in to the B1G Tournament, the Hoosiers had made at least eight 3-pointers in each game and more than 10 five times. IU relies on the long ball and if that’s not going in, then the Hoosiers simply have to be more efficient inside. And that wasn’t the case on Friday. 3. IU has to be stronger with the ball: In the last 16 games, Indiana has had 15 or more turnovers three times. One of those times was Friday. In those three games, IU was 0-3. In the other 13 games, when the Hoosiers turned it over 14 times or less, Indiana is 12-1. Indiana simply has to be stronger with the ball. So where does Indiana go from here?   The answer is that the Hoosiers will likely still be a top 4 seed on Sunday when the brackets are revealed but there’s now a chance that the Hoosiers could be sent out West or somewhere a lot farther away than St. Louis or central Iowa.   If that were to happen, IU would only have its self to blame after Friday’s performance . [url=https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/basketball/analysis-three-reasons-iu-is-done-in-the-b1g-t-r318]Click here to view the article[/url]

Iowa looked flat and disinterested Thursday afternoon in a 68-66 loss to Illinois. Wisconsin couldn’t shoot straight against Nebraska, hitting just 30.2 percent of its shots in a 70-58 loss to the Cornhuskers. Ohio State was lucky to get away with a victory over Penn State, and Michigan needed overtime to beat Northwestern. Bottom line: It wasn’t a great day for the favorites Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Now, with that as a backdrop, No. 1 seed Indiana will open quarterfinal action on Friday against Michigan. The Wolverines could be playing like a desperate team as Michigan likely needs a victory to have a shot at qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Indiana fans are hoping for a rare semifinal appearance in the conference tournament with a victory on Friday against Michigan. The bigger question for Hoosier fans, though, is whether Indiana can continue to play the way it has in the final five games of the season when it beat Nebraska, Purdue, Illinois, Iowa and Maryland to close out the season? And IU will need to play well in a conference tournament that has not been a friend over the years. Indiana will be looking to advance beyond the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2006. That year, IU beat Wisconsin in the quarterfinals only to lose 52-51 to in the tournament semifinals in Indianapolis. The last time Indiana advanced to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament was 2001 when the Hoosiers dropped a 63-61 decision to Iowa. IU’s all-time record as the No. 1 seed in the tournament is 1-1. The Hoosiers’ all-time record in the Big Ten Tournament is 11-18. Tom Crean is 3-7 in B1G Tournament play. Here’s something to chew on: Two of the teams that defeated Indiana in Big Ten play lost on Thursday in the second round: Penn State and Wisconsin. In fact, the Hoosiers are 8-1 this season against the teams still remaining in the conference tournament field. The one loss was to Michigan State, a team that IU couldn’t play until the Sunday tournament championship game. But first things first. First up is Michigan, a team that Indiana beat 80-67 back on Feb. 2 at the Crisler Center. That was the game where the Hoosiers had that crazy 27-0 run and blew the game open. Yogi Ferrell had 17 in that game and Robert Johnson had 16. It’s not certain if Johnson will play this time around and the Hoosiers may be holding him out until the NCAA Tournament. OG Anunoby had 11 the first time the teams played, Troy Williams had nine and Nick Zeisloft had eight. Zak Irvin led Michigan with 16 and Duncan Robinson had 14. One number that jumped off the statistics page was IU’s ability to control the boards. The Hoosiers outrebounded Michigan 44-30 and had 14 offensive rebounds. IU scored 44 points in the paint and had a 13-6 edge in second chance points. Thomas Bryant was limited to seven points in 21 minutes the first time the teams played. This will be a big game for Indiana in that if the Hoosiers can win one would think that they could likely hang on to a No. 3 seed when Selection Sunday comes around this weekend. A quarterfinal loss to Michigan, however, could see IU slip to a No. 4 seed. What do you think will happen? My guess is that Indiana will prevail by 10-12 points. We’ll see soon enough.

The Big Ten Tournament has never been a friendly place for Indiana basketball. The last time IU advanced out of the quarterfinals was 2006. Indiana will hope to do that on Friday when it faces Michigan at Noon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Here is my take (and prediction) on what's to come. Iowa looked flat and disinterested Thursday afternoon in a 68-66 loss to Illinois.   Wisconsin couldn’t shoot straight against Nebraska, hitting just 30.2 percent of its shots in a 70-58 loss to the Cornhuskers.   Ohio State was lucky to get away with a victory over Penn State, and Michigan needed overtime to beat Northwestern.   Bottom line: It wasn’t a great day for the favorites Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.   Now, with that as a backdrop, No. 1 seed Indiana will open quarterfinal action on Friday against Michigan. The Wolverines could be playing like a desperate team as Michigan likely needs a victory to have a shot at qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.   Indiana fans are hoping for a rare semifinal appearance in the conference tournament with a victory on Friday against Michigan.   The bigger question for Hoosier fans, though, is whether Indiana can continue to play the way it has in the final five games of the season when it beat Nebraska, Purdue, Illinois, Iowa and Maryland to close out the season?   And IU will need to play well in a conference tournament that has not been a friend over the years.   Indiana will be looking to advance beyond the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2006. That year, IU beat Wisconsin in the quarterfinals only to lose 52-51 to in the tournament semifinals in Indianapolis.   The last time Indiana advanced to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament was 2001 when the Hoosiers dropped a 63-61 decision to Iowa.   IU’s all-time record as the No. 1 seed in the tournament is 1-1. The Hoosiers’ all-time record in the Big Ten Tournament is 11-18. Tom Crean is 3-7 in B1G Tournament play.   Here’s something to chew on: Two of the teams that defeated Indiana in Big Ten play lost on Thursday in the second round: Penn State and Wisconsin.   In fact, the Hoosiers are 8-1 this season against the teams still remaining in the conference tournament field. The one loss was to Michigan State, a team that IU couldn’t play until the Sunday tournament championship game.   But first things first. First up is Michigan, a team that Indiana beat 80-67 back on Feb. 2 at the Crisler Center. That was the game where the Hoosiers had that crazy 27-0 run and blew the game open.   Yogi Ferrell had 17 in that game and Robert Johnson had 16. It’s not certain if Johnson will play this time around and the Hoosiers may be holding him out until the NCAA Tournament. OG Anunoby had 11 the first time the teams played, Troy Williams had nine and Nick Zeisloft had eight.   Zak Irvin led Michigan with 16 and Duncan Robinson had 14.   One number that jumped off the statistics page was IU’s ability to control the boards. The Hoosiers outrebounded Michigan 44-30 and had 14 offensive rebounds. IU scored 44 points in the paint and had a 13-6 edge in second chance points.   Thomas Bryant was limited to seven points in 21 minutes the first time the teams played.   This will be a big game for Indiana in that if the Hoosiers can win one would think that they could likely hang on to a No. 3 seed when Selection Sunday comes around this weekend. A quarterfinal loss to Michigan, however, could see IU slip to a No. 4 seed.   What do you think will happen? My guess is that Indiana will prevail by 10-12 points. We’ll see soon enough. [url=https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/basketball/analysis-setting-the-table-for-iu-in-the-b1g-t-r317]Click here to view the article[/url]

Fifteen wins in the Big Ten. Think about that for a moment. Let it sink in. Now think about the names on this list: Guys like A.J Guyton, Jason Collier, Luke Recker, Kirk Haston and Michael Lewis. Throw in Jared Jeffries, Tom Coverdale, Dane Fife, Jarrad Odle and Kyle Hornsby. There’s also Bracey Wright, Marshall Strickland, Marco Killingsworth, Rod Wilmont and D.J. White. Here’s a few more: Eric Gordon, Verdell Jones III, Maurice Creek, Christian Watford, Jordan Hulls, Victor Oladipo, Cody Zeller, Will Sheehey and Noah Vonleh. What do all of those names have in common? None of them ever won 15 Big Ten games in a single season in their IU career. That’s what makes 15 wins such an impressive accomplishment. No. 12 Indiana’s 15-3 Big Ten outright title accomplishment, capped off by Sunday’s 80-62 victory over No. 14 Maryland on Senior Day at Assembly Hall, puts this team at an elite level in Indiana lore. The last time an Indiana basketball team won 15 Big Ten games was the 1992-93 season when the Hoosiers with Calbert Cheaney, Greg Graham, Damon Bailey and Alan Henderson went 17-1 in conference play. That was the team where Henderson tore his ACL after IU had gotten off to a 13-0 Big Ten start. He tore it in practice the week before the Purdue game going up to catch a long outlet pass. That team was 31-4, which makes it also the last team in IU history to win more than 30 games. The 2013 Hoosiers came close with 29 wins. So it has been 23 seasons since an Indiana basketball team has won 15 or more games in conference. In Indiana history, it has only happened eight times. Along with ’93, IU has won 15 or more Big Ten games in a season in 1953, 1975, 1976, 1987, 1989 and 1991. Three of those seasons Indiana won the national championship. I’m not saying that this team will do that, but just trying to paint a picture here of rarified air. This team is in elite company. The most refreshing thing about this year’s Indiana team, however, is you get the feel as if Indiana is playing its best basketball of the season at exactly the right time. All the naysayers were waiting for Indiana to fold. Great start to the season against a questionable Big Ten schedule, but let’s see how Indiana fares in the second half of the year? After going 8-1 in the first nine games, IU went 7-2 in the second nine. Along the way it beat ranked foes like Iowa (twice), Purdue and Maryland. So we turn our attention toward the Big Ten Tournament which begins Friday with Indiana as the No. 1 seed playing the winner of Thursday night’s Michigan-Northwestern game. The Big Ten Tournament has never been a happy place for Indiana basketball. Perhaps that changes this season. Regardless of what happens this weekend, however, I must say that I think most IU fans will be in an optimistic place heading into Selection Sunday. I think Indiana will either get a 3 seed or possibly a 2 if it really makes some noise at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this weekend. As I’ve said before, it’s all a far cry from where we were Dec. 2 following the Duke loss and sitting at 5-3 for the year. No one could have possibly believed on that day that someday we would be sitting here trumpeting the fact that Indiana had won 15 Big Ten games. Fifteen B1G wins. Just stop and let that sink in for a moment.

It has been 23 years since the last Indiana University basketball team finished the Big Ten season with at least 15 wins. Here is my take on the significance of that accomplishment. Fifteen wins in the Big Ten.   Think about that for a moment. Let it sink in.   Now think about the names on this list: Guys like A.J Guyton, Jason Collier, Luke Recker, Kirk Haston and Michael Lewis. Throw in Jared Jeffries, Tom Coverdale, Dane Fife, Jarrad Odle and Kyle Hornsby. There’s also Bracey Wright, Marshall Strickland, Marco Killingsworth, Rod Wilmont and D.J. White.   Here’s a few more: Eric Gordon, Verdell Jones III, Maurice Creek, Christian Watford, Jordan Hulls, Victor Oladipo, Cody Zeller, Will Sheehey and Noah Vonleh.   What do all of those names have in common? None of them ever won 15 Big Ten games in a single season in their IU career.   That’s what makes 15 wins such an impressive accomplishment. No. 12 Indiana’s 15-3 Big Ten outright title accomplishment, capped off by Sunday’s 80-62 victory over No. 14 Maryland on Senior Day at Assembly Hall, puts this team at an elite level in Indiana lore.   The last time an Indiana basketball team won 15 Big Ten games was the 1992-93 season when the Hoosiers with Calbert Cheaney, Greg Graham, Damon Bailey and Alan Henderson went 17-1 in conference play.   That was the team where Henderson tore his ACL after IU had gotten off to a 13-0 Big Ten start. He tore it in practice the week before the Purdue game going up to catch a long outlet pass. That team was 31-4, which makes it also the last team in IU history to win more than 30 games. The 2013 Hoosiers came close with 29 wins.   So it has been 23 seasons since an Indiana basketball team has won 15 or more games in conference.   In Indiana history, it has only happened eight times. Along with ’93, IU has won 15 or more Big Ten games in a season in 1953, 1975, 1976, 1987, 1989 and 1991. Three of those seasons Indiana won the national championship. I’m not saying that this team will do that, but just trying to paint a picture here of rarified air.   This team is in elite company.   The most refreshing thing about this year’s Indiana team, however, is you get the feel as if Indiana is playing its best basketball of the season at exactly the right time.   All the naysayers were waiting for Indiana to fold. Great start to the season against a questionable Big Ten schedule, but let’s see how Indiana fares in the second half of the year? After going 8-1 in the first nine games, IU went 7-2 in the second nine. Along the way it beat ranked foes like Iowa (twice), Purdue and Maryland.   So we turn our attention toward the Big Ten Tournament which begins Friday with Indiana as the No. 1 seed playing the winner of Thursday night’s Michigan-Northwestern game.   The Big Ten Tournament has never been a happy place for Indiana basketball. Perhaps that changes this season.   Regardless of what happens this weekend, however, I must say that I think most IU fans will be in an optimistic place heading into Selection Sunday. I think Indiana will either get a 3 seed or possibly a 2 if it really makes some noise at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this weekend.   As I’ve said before, it’s all a far cry from where we were Dec. 2 following the Duke loss and sitting at 5-3 for the year.   No one could have possibly believed on that day that someday we would be sitting here trumpeting the fact that Indiana had won 15 Big Ten games.   Fifteen B1G wins.   Just stop and let that sink in for a moment. [url=https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/basketball/analysis-fifteen-big-ten-wins-an-incredibl-r316]Click here to view the article[/url]

The easy way today would be to pile on Troy Williams. It was way more Bad Troy than Good Troy in Michigan State’s 88-69 victory over Indiana Sunday afternoon at the Breslin Center. The Hoosiers are now 1-20 in their last 21 trips to East Lansing and IU has dropped into a second place tie with Maryland at 10-3, pending the outcome of tonight’s Iowa-Minnesota game. A few days after a great win against Iowa at home, the Hoosiers had a humbling defeat at the hands of No. 8 Michigan State. IU played good for about 16 minutes and then the final 24 was more along the lines of a train wreck. But the Twitter-universe has been up in arms about Williams. Why is he playing? What are the positives about his game? Is it time to start O.G. Anunoby in Williams’ place and have them basically switch roles? I’m not going to defend Williams’ play from Sunday. He missed all five of his shots, including three 3-pointers (a shot myself I would rather he stop shooting all together) and was held scoreless in 20 minutes of play. In his last 58 games, spanning the last two seasons, Williams has been held scoreless twice. Both games were in East Lansing against Michigan State. The last three times he has played Michigan State he has four points total on 2 of 11 shooting. But I don't wish to over react either. Is it just a bad matchup for Troy? Maybe. Myself, I think it’s more a case a lot of times of Troy trying to do too much. He needs to let the game come to him, not force shots, not force dribble penetration and then let his athleticism take over. When he does that I think he’s a pretty good player. I think he can really help this team. But when he plays like he did Sunday, he may as well have stayed in Bloomington. There was very little positive in terms of Williams impacting the game on Sunday. But is the Twitter reaction to Williams at this point justified? Myself, I think it's a lot of people making too big of a deal over one game. Williams normally contributes nearly 13 points and 6 rebounds per game. He makes some high-flying, acrobatic plays that his teammates feed off of. Sure, the Assembly Hall crowd has been known to gasp at time when Williams puts his head down and drives in the open floor, but he doesn't a lot of good things along with his bad moments. I guess I'm just not ready to abandon all of the good just yet. But what about Anunoby? Is it time to elevate his minutes? Sunday, he scored eight points and pulled down five rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench. He was 4 for 10 from the field and had a highlight film dunk in the first half. He had a sequence where he had an offensive rebound and a missed point blank put back , followed by another offensive rebound and a second missed opportunity. The bottom line for a freshman reserve like Anunoby right now, though, is that he needs to take advantage of all of his opportunities. And missing six shots doesn’t cut it. He looks as if he has tremendous upside and I believe he does, but his eight points today should have been 12-14 and then I think you could make a pretty good argument that his minutes should rival those of Williams on a consistent basis. This is going to be a big week ahead for Williams. Nebraska at home on Wednesday followed by Purdue at home on Saturday. Two big games in terms of IU continuing to challenge for a Big Ten title and two home opportunities for Williams to shine. And we all know that he tends he having bigger games at Assembly Hall. Williams has scored 20 points or more in three games this season – all at home. 20 against Kennesaw State, 23 against Ohio State and 21 against Illinois. In five of the last six road games, though, Williams has failed to reach double figures in scoring. So pile on Williams if you must but I think IU’s problems Sunday were bigger than just one player. IU didn’t finish around the basket at a point in the game where it needed buckets to keep within striking distance. The matador/standing turnstile defense returned for IU and it wasn’t pretty. I’m not taking anything away from Denzel Valentine or Matt Costello Sunday because I thought they were both terrific, but both got a lot of really easy looks, too. And once again, this Indiana team remains on a game-to-game basis in terms of what team you’re going to get from one game to the next. Iowa on Thursday was spectacular. Michigan State on Sunday not so much. Like I said though, a big week is ahead for not just Troy Williams but Indiana Basketball, too.

It would be easy to pile on Troy Williams' play on Sunday as being a big reason why Indiana got humbled in the Breslin Center, 88-69. Williams did a disappearing act and was held scoreless for the first time this season. In his place, O.G. Anunoby put up decent numbers. But here's my take regarding Williams and the Hoosiers. The easy way today would be to pile on Troy Williams.   It was way more Bad Troy than Good Troy in Michigan State’s 88-69 victory over Indiana Sunday afternoon at the Breslin Center.   The Hoosiers are now 1-20 in their last 21 trips to East Lansing and IU has dropped into a second place tie with Maryland at 10-3, pending the outcome of tonight’s Iowa-Minnesota game.   A few days after a great win against Iowa at home, the Hoosiers had a humbling defeat at the hands of No. 8 Michigan State. IU played good for about 16 minutes and then the final 24 was more along the lines of a train wreck.   But the Twitter-universe has been up in arms about Williams. Why is he playing? What are the positives about his game? Is it time to start O.G. Anunoby in Williams’ place and have them basically switch roles?   I’m not going to defend Williams’ play from Sunday. He missed all five of his shots, including three 3-pointers (a shot myself I would rather he stop shooting all together) and was held scoreless in 20 minutes of play. In his last 58 games, spanning the last two seasons, Williams has been held scoreless twice. Both games were in East Lansing against Michigan State.   The last three times he has played Michigan State he has four points total on 2 of 11 shooting.   But I don't wish to over react either.   Is it just a bad matchup for Troy? Maybe. Myself, I think it’s more a case a lot of times of Troy trying to do too much. He needs to let the game come to him, not force shots, not force dribble penetration and then let his athleticism take over. When he does that I think he’s a pretty good player. I think he can really help this team. But when he plays like he did Sunday, he may as well have stayed in Bloomington. There was very little positive in terms of Williams impacting the game on Sunday.   But is the Twitter reaction to Williams at this point justified? Myself, I think it's a lot of people making too big of a deal over one game. Williams normally contributes nearly 13 points and 6 rebounds per game. He makes some high-flying, acrobatic plays that his teammates feed off of. Sure, the Assembly Hall crowd has been known to gasp at time when Williams puts his head down and drives in the open floor, but he doesn't a lot of good things along with his bad moments.   I guess I'm just not ready to abandon all of the good just yet.   But what about Anunoby? Is it time to elevate his minutes? Sunday, he scored eight points and pulled down five rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench. He was 4 for 10 from the field and had a highlight film dunk in the first half. He had a sequence where he had an offensive rebound and a missed point blank put back , followed by another offensive rebound and a second missed opportunity.   The bottom line for a freshman reserve like Anunoby right now, though, is that he needs to take advantage of all of his opportunities. And missing six shots doesn’t cut it. He looks as if he has tremendous upside and I believe he does, but his eight points today should have been 12-14 and then I think you could make a pretty good argument that his minutes should rival those of Williams on a consistent basis.   This is going to be a big week ahead for Williams. Nebraska at home on Wednesday followed by Purdue at home on Saturday. Two big games in terms of IU continuing to challenge for a Big Ten title and two home opportunities for Williams to shine. And we all know that he tends he having bigger games at Assembly Hall.   Williams has scored 20 points or more in three games this season – all at home. 20 against Kennesaw State, 23 against Ohio State and 21 against Illinois. In five of the last six road games, though, Williams has failed to reach double figures in scoring.   So pile on Williams if you must but I think IU’s problems Sunday were bigger than just one player.   IU didn’t finish around the basket at a point in the game where it needed buckets to keep within striking distance.   The matador/standing turnstile defense returned for IU and it wasn’t pretty. I’m not taking anything away from Denzel Valentine or Matt Costello Sunday because I thought they were both terrific, but both got a lot of really easy looks, too.   And once again, this Indiana team remains on a game-to-game basis in terms of what team you’re going to get from one game to the next. Iowa on Thursday was spectacular. Michigan State on Sunday not so much.   Like I said though, a big week is ahead for not just Troy Williams but Indiana Basketball, too. [url=https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/basketball/analysis-i-choose-not-to-pile-on-troy-williams-r311]Click here to view the article[/url]