Buy or Sell

[JaybobHoosier]

At this point I would sell, but I think this team is built more for Crean's system. While I think the Hulls squad was a better team, but this current squad fits Crean's system better.

Great question that needs to be asked at the end of the regular season, and we can compare it to this one.

Love this topic!

[HoosierTrav]

I think the point is that it's sorta an unknown.

I'm buying. Senior led PG vs. Freshmen led PG

I'm buying as well. Not only is Yogi a SR now, but our backcourt is bigger, deeper, more athletic, and shoots the 3 ball as well or better collectively. Both teams possessed a good big man but Thomas Bryant has more of a fire in his belly, which both

 

Very similar. Both lack depth.
Sr. Yogi >>>>Fr. Yogi
JB >>> Hulls
Vic > Troy
Watford >>>> Max
Zeller >> TB

Rob = Sheehey
OG = Hanner
Hartman >>> Ethrington
Elston >> Morgan
Ziesloft = Abell
Hollowell = Priller LOL. No >>>

My math puts 2013 as a +2 ranking. Very similar.

I put Zeller as = to Bryant....

 

Passing ability        (=)

 

Offensive polish around the rim    (+ Zeller)

 

Running the floor       (=)

 

Defending the rim        (+ Bryant)

 

Defending the perimeter  (+Zeller)

 

Pick and Roll          (+ Bryant)  *Slight edge to Bryant due to the fact that Zeller refused to shoot from the perimeter and constantly telegraphed drives to the basket that ended in him shooting from his hip and getting blocked. Bryant will shoot and hit 3's. 

 

Outward Energy         (++ Bryant) This was where Zeller fell far short. Often needed to demand the ball and hold his teammates responsible. Tucked his tail in situations where we needed our best player to lead vocally and emotionally. Before someone's feels get damaged: I'm not saying that he never had moments where he didnt respond. I'm saying there were plenty of moments where we needed to see fire out of him and we didn't.

 

Impact Winning  (=)  Both came in and took the previous years roster and made it exponentially better.

 

Both guys are tremendous guys/players and we are privileged that they decided to play their ball in Bloom.

[HoosierTrav]

This team has so many things I like more than 2012-13 but the same could be said vice versa. You can't replace Vic's D that year. That D was the best I saw since DJ White where we had a shutdown defender. On the flip side as much as I love Cody and he does so many things better than TB he had a tendency to play small. TB is a dog. I love that. I love our potential.

Due to the level of immaturity on my part, I request you edit your post to read "Vic's defense", rather than "Vic's D."   I had my Butthead laugh going on each time I read it.

[mdn82]

Due to the level of immaturity on my part, I request you edit your post to read "Vic's defense", rather than "Vic's D." I had my Butthead laugh going on each time I read it.

Lol will do.

[Str8Hoosiers]

We had a better 1-2 punch in the frontcourt with Zeller/Watford than we do now I think, especially offensively. 

 

Depth overall is probably better now but individually no one can match Zeller or Oladipo.

 

I think we might struggle too much against bigger teams like Purdue to be a big threat this year.

 

For now, I'd give an edge to 12-13.

I agree with points 1 & 2....

 

On point #3 it all comes down to path... in 12-13 we struggled against a zone (more specifically a Syracuse style zone) and we fell right on that path... this year if we end up struggling against bigger teams (although I actually think we will hold our own very well against them), we could be in a situation in which we play no bigger teams on our entire tourney path.

 

To me this is a very tough buy or sell because at the beginning of the 12-13 season I would have said that team for sure, however knowing where that team ended up I want to hope this team exceeds that.

Also the wording of better built for the NCAAT.... I like the depth of this team more, if not for a few late season injuries that team could have went farther, if this team has a few we could potentially overcome (depending on who - Not Bryant, and prolly not Yogi).

 

Overall I say we are better built this year, hopefully it plays out that way.

[Alford Bailey]

I will say this. This current squad has a chance to do something no other team at IU has done under Crean. Peak at the end of the season. Deosn't matter how good we are if we go into post season gassed and uninterested again.

[HoosierTrav]

I will say this. This current squad has a chance to do something no other team at IU has done under Crean. Peak at the end of the season. Deosn't matter how good we are if we go into post season gassed and uninterested again.

I agree. BUT the 2011-2012 team absolutely peaked at the right time. Just ran into a buzz saw in Kentucky, yet still had a chance to win that game, if it wasn't for the INSANE disparity in FT attempts between the two teams..... we make that ending much closer to a similar ending than the ending of the one in Bloomington  That one still irks me. Us and UK were playing at a level beyond any other team in the nation at the time. We met in the Sweet 16. Bummer.

[Alford Bailey]

I agree. BUT the 2011-2012 team absolutely peaked at the right time. Just ran into a buzz saw in Kentucky, yet still had a chance to win that game, if it wasn't for the INSANE disparity in FT attempts between the two teams..... we make that ending much closer to a similar ending than the ending of the one in Bloomington  That one still irks me. Us and UK were playing at a level beyond any other team in the nation at the time. We met in the Sweet 16. Bummer.

2011-2012 was the closest to peaking right. I sat and watched us play pretty crappy in the BTT and lose to Wisky but yea we matched up with UK pretty good that year.

[maxwell]

I'm a buyer here.

 

     1) Great team chemistry.  Look & listen to both James & Thomas as they took the spotlight and shinned it on other teammates when they were complimented last night during the post game presser.  There was nothing wrong prior with team chemistry.  I just feel we are looking at a whole new level.

     2) Two years of forced small ball gives this team many options when Bryant is out resting.  ie The movement of our perimeter players W/O the ball is tremendous right now.  The options CTC [HoosierTravs new avatar after the F4] has this team running off the horizontal cuts is becoming very interesting.

     3) I realize that people have not seen from our freshman in the last few days the production that we had from them in the exhibition.  I'm convinced they will take hugh strides by the end of January.

 

This will all be easier to judge after this next tournament.

[Miller'sTheMan]

I don't know if i'm ready to say for sure, but I think we could be. I mean just look at our wings. JBJ, Yogi, Troy, Rojo, Zeisloft etc. We are absolutely stacked there and Bryant looks like a load in the middle. 

[Bobman1]

I think this team is better suited for a March run, although the 2012 team was better in Big Ten play than I think this team will be. I'm not really sure, it's tough. We better get past the Sweet 16 this year though.

[Old Friend]

Too early, but I'd sell that.  We have athletes and play at a very quick tempo and can be extremely dangerous when we make shots, but that team had a lot more time together and generally players who valued the ball more than this one, and played with a higher basketball IQ.   Both teams are very vulnerable to foul trouble with the wrong players; however because of the 2013 team's experience, I think they were better equipped to overcome that.  This team can grow a lot between now and then, but overall, I think the 2013 team was slightly better suited for post-season success.

[Uwe Robb]

It's all semantics. We can say this player is better than that player, but you also have to compare the competition. Is this years B10 better or worse than the B10 competition the 12-13 team or overall schedule for that matter?

 

If all these factors are fairly even and we get a #1 seed in tournament I would like our odds of going further than the S16.

 

I also know that Michigan St. Maryland Vandy and Duke (possibly Kansas) are really good teams this year. So a 4 loss (reg season record correct me if I'm wrong in 13') and a #1 ranking could be out of the question.

 

Also the dreaded tournament draw. God forbid we draw a Syracuse team or someone like Vandy, Purdue or UK that can run multiple bigs at us. not saying we can't win a one game scenario just saying I would rather play a Witchita St or any 15 or 16 seed.

[mdn82]

It's all semantics. We can say this player is better than that player, but you also have to compare the competition. Is this years B10 better or worse than the B10 competition the 12-13 team or overall schedule for that matter?

If all these factors are fairly even and we get a #1 seed in tournament I would like our odds of going further than the S16.

I also know that Michigan St. Maryland Vandy and Duke (possibly Kansas) are really good teams this year. So a 4 loss (reg season record correct me if I'm wrong in 13') and a #1 ranking could be out of the question.

Also the dreaded tournament draw. God forbid we draw a Syracuse team or someone like Vandy, Purdue or UK that can run multiple bigs at us. not saying we can't win a one game scenario just saying I would rather play a Witchita St or any 15 or 16 seed.

5 loss regular season. We finished 29-7.

[Brass Cannon]

I'm going to sell, that was the number 1 offensive team in the country and the 26th ranked defense IIRC.  Defense is more important for tourney success anyway and that team was definitely better than our current team. 

[Defenserocks28]

I should add my number 1 concern for this team is Thomas Bryant wearing down by March due to Crean's practices.

This is a much more serious issue than most people realize.  

[Stuhoo]

This is a much more serious issue than most people realize.

Thomas Bryant might also wear down because of the apparently extraordinary effort that Thomas Bryant puts into everything he does, including practice.

The coaching staff needs to do a good job of imposing restrictions on his practice time, because he will go all out whenever they let him.

[OliviaPope40]

Too early to tell I'm still loyal to the 12-13 team. 

[rebelhoosier848891]

Too early to tell I'm still loyal to the 12-13 team. 

 

Same here.  If I had to make a stock trade right this minute--I would say SELL!

 

But by mid-season and a better sample size---I think I will be saying BUY!

[Magnanimous]

Well deserved bump considering both teams were conference champions.