Official 2016-17 IUBB Preseason Thread

[Hovadipo]

Rutgers!!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

Some people have been wanting to take the S off and call them Rutger. I think I'm going to start going with Rut.


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

[Hovadipo]

TAKE (with a sincerely small amount of bias): IU wins the B1G again this year.


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

[FortWayneHoosier]

TAKE (with a sincerely small amount of bias): IU wins the B1G again this year.


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

Same here man, I like others have said just don't buy Wisconsin being what they are predicted to be


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

[Dalton26]

1 week until our first exhibition and 17 days until Kansas. The season cant get here soon enough.

[GloryDays]

Same here man, I like others have said just don't buy Wisconsin being what they are predicted to be


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

I think a lot of it is a bias created by the fact they have been really good for a while and have pretty much owned us.Things change and with a new coach who knows.We should be very good but until proven otherwise Wisconsin seems an obstacle CTC needs to overcome.

[Chips&Dipo]

7 minutes ago, Woodson1980 said:

I think a lot of it is a bias created by the fact they have been really good for a while and have pretty much owned us.Things change and with a new coach who knows.We should be very good but until proven otherwise Wisconsin seems an obstacle CTC needs to overcome.


 

I think you are right, but IU was pretty close to sweeping them last year. I listened to the road game, but wasn't there a missed call at the end?

[Brass Cannon]

1 minute ago, Andowen1990IU said:

I think you are right, but IU was pretty close to sweeping them last year. I listened to the road game, but wasn't there a missed call at the end?

I think your right. Can't recall for sure though

[BGleas]

18 minutes ago, Woodson1980 said:

I think a lot of it is a bias created by the fact they have been really good for a while and have pretty much owned us.Things change and with a new coach who knows.We should be very good but until proven otherwise Wisconsin seems an obstacle CTC needs to overcome.


 

For me it's not bias or anything to do with CTC, it's because Wisconsin returns every single rotation player from a team that improved as last season went on, including their Sweet Sixteen run. While Hayes had his struggles last season, a core trio of Hayes, Koening and Happ is as experienced a trio as there is in the league. Their role players are also proven, in guys like Showalter, Vitto Brown, etc. 

I think the top 4 or so of the league is kind of a crap shoot as we enter the season, but Wisconsin is getting most of the picks simply because they have the fewest question marks entering the season. 

[Dalton26]

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/790524972028559360

 

[FortWayneHoosier]

39 minutes ago, Dalton26 said:

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/790524972028559360

 

Awesome, He is gonna be huge for us this year

[HoosierCoop]

1 hour ago, Andowen1990IU said:

I think you are right, but IU was pretty close to sweeping them last year. I listened to the road game, but wasn't there a missed call at the end?

I think Hayes fouled out our entire starting 5 that game.  Our guys couldn't pass gas around him without getting a foul called on us.

It was a typical frustrating game against Wiscy

[ccgeneral]

Sports Illustrated B1G Preview

All-Conference First Team & Sixth Man

PG: Melo Trimble, Maryland
SG: Malcolm Hill, Illinois
SG: Peter Jok, Iowa
SF: Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin
PF: Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
6th man: SG: James Blackmon Jr., Indiana

(Second team: PG: Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin; WG: Zak Irvin, Michigan; SF: Vince Edwards, Purdue; PF: Ethan Happ, Wisconsin; C: Thomas Bryant, Indiana)

Conference Rank     Proj. Conf. Record  
1    Wisconsin                    14–4    
2    Purdue                         12–6    
3    Indiana                         12–6    
4    Michigan                      10–8    
5    Michigan State            10-8
6    Maryland                     10–8    
7    Ohio State                   10–8  
8    Northwestern                9–9    
9    Illinois                           8–10    
10    Iowa                           8–10    
11    Penn State                7–11    
12    Nebraska                  7–11    
13    Minnesota                 6–12    
14    Rutgers                     3–15    

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

2016-2017 Player Profile: Freddie McSwain

A surprise late edition to Indiana’s 2016 class, Freddie McSwain is this season’s X-factor.

The junior college signee from Neosho County Community College (Kansas) has plenty of upside with his springy athleticism, good hands and strong instincts around the rim. Couple these skills with a 6-6 muscular, broad frame, one Tom Crean compared to an NFL tight end’s earlier this month and his potential is easy to see.

But for now, McSwain remains a work in progress. Despite his talents, the Georgia native came to campus this summer as a late-blooming basketball talent who will need time in Crean’s proven player development system to get up to Big Ten speed. And his later than expected arrival to Bloomington coupled with knee surgery earlier this fall has taken away valuable on-court learning and development hours.

“It’s hard to tell,” Crean said about McSwain’s recovery timeline from knee surgery earlier this month at Big Ten media day in Washington, D.C. “But being able to be in the full speed mode, it’s going to be some time in November I think.”

With some uncertainty about McSwain’s return to action and Indiana’s first exhibition game just one week from today, it could be a while before his impact as part of the Hoosiers’ lineup is felt.

Defensively, his physical profile is the cherry on top to perhaps the most intimidating frontcourt of the Crean era, and his coach is bullish on his contributions on that side of the ball.

“He comes in and he makes our defense better,” Crean said. ” … came in here and set the squat record. Freddie is really strong. He’s active and athletic, like he’s going to make our defense better.”

Offensively, that activity and athleticism could make McSwain a threat on the break to finish with authority at the rim, a nice counter balance to the ball handlers and trailing 3-point shooters. In the half court, McSwain probably won’t join the chorus of consistent 3-point shooters the Hoosiers have. Video of him at Neosho County shows a shot that needs improvement.

But he could flourish around the rim. He’s shown promise as a paint scorer on both sides of the basket. And his positioning, instincts and leaping ability make him a good offensive and defensive rebounder. It’s possible he could also fill the Troy Williams role in IU’s halfcourt offense: roaming the baseline and short corners, the defense one rotation away from him using the given space and converting at the basket with athleticism.

Bottom Line: By not participating in Indiana’s televised practice or at Hoosier Hysteria, Indiana fans have yet to give McSwain an eye test in the cream and crimson. Collin Hartman’s injury does create more minutes in the rotation, but McSwain faces competition against a frontcourt with depth featuring an emerging Juwan Morgan and freshman De’Ron Davis, who despite a late arrival as well, is getting in daily reps against NBA talent Thomas Bryant. All that said, McSwain could very well become a player Crean trusts and uses regularly once the thick of the Big Ten season hits and he gains more experience in the program. Time will tell.

Quotable: “What stands out to me about Indiana is the player development. I worked out with them and saw a lot of things that were new to me, that I hadn’t seen before. Coach (Tom) Crean saw a lot of things that I needed to work on in my game and I like that.” — McSwain in April

 

[Stuhoo]

7 minutes ago, ccgeneral said:

Sports Illustrated B1G Preview

All-Conference First Team & Sixth Man

PG: Melo Trimble, Maryland
SG: Malcolm Hill, Illinois
SG: Peter Jok, Iowa
SF: Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin
PF: Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
6th man: SG: James Blackmon Jr., Indiana

(Second team: PG: Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin; WG: Zak Irvin, Michigan; SF: Vince Edwards, Purdue; PF: Ethan Happ, Wisconsin; C: Thomas Bryant, Indiana)

Conference Rank     Proj. Conf. Record  
1    Wisconsin                    14–4    
2    Purdue                         12–6    
3    Indiana                         12–6    
4    Michigan                      10–8    
5    Michigan State            10-8
6    Maryland                     10–8    
7    Ohio State                   10–8  
8    Northwestern                9–9    
9    Illinois                           8–10    
10    Iowa                           8–10    
11    Penn State                7–11    
12    Nebraska                  7–11    
13    Minnesota                 6–12    
14    Rutgers                     3–15    

 

Well that's just a bunch of silliness. TB and Happ are far, far better players than at least two or three of their "top six". 

Also, if Nebraska wins seven B1G games, I will be absolutely shocked.

 

[The Ola Depot]

I think Hayes fouled out our entire starting 5 that game.  Our guys couldn't pass gas around him without getting a foul called on us.

It was a typical frustrating game against Wiscy

Oh yeah I remember that, I think I tweeted "I just fouled out with my 5th foul on Hayes" after the game or something like that. It was ridiculous.

[HoosierAloha]

 

Well that's just a bunch of silliness. TB and Happ are far, far better players than at least two or three of their "top six". 

Also, if Nebraska wins seven B1G games, I will be absolutely shocked.

 

If Rutgers wins 3 games I'll be shocked. Who will they beat?! Back to Rutger

[HoosierAloha]

Oh yeah I remember that, I think I tweeted "I just fouled out with my 5th foul on Hayes" after the game or something like that. It was ridiculous.

I believe he had almost FTA as our entire team.

Hayes made 17 of 22 compared to IU only attempting 18. Wiscy had a FTR of 77...

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

From NBCSports:  

College Basketball’s Top Frontcourts

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2016/10/25/college-basketballs-top-frontcourts/

5. Indiana (Thomas Bryant, OG Anunoby, Juwan Morgan, De’Ron Davis)

Sophomores dominate this frontcourt rotation as center Thomas Bryant has a chance to be one of the country’s best players this season. Bryant is a tenacious rebounder and also scored at a decent clip from time-to-time. OG Anunoby can defend nearly everyone on the floor and his upside is immense. There were times late last season when Anunoby looked like he was capable of being a star. Morgan could be a stretch option for Indiana as he made 5 of his 11 attempts last season and showed a good-looking shot. Freshman De’Ron Davis is physical ready to compete and he can provide backup minutes.

PUke #3; Wisky #7; Butler #14.

[VO5]

PU at 3? Lol. They have no1 besides Haas and Swanigan and I'll take Bryant and OG all day over either of those 2

[GloryDays]

For me it's not bias or anything to do with CTC, it's because Wisconsin returns every single rotation player from a team that improved as last season went on, including their Sweet Sixteen run. While Hayes had his struggles last season, a core trio of Hayes, Koening and Happ is as experienced a trio as there is in the league. Their role players are also proven, in guys like Showalter, Vitto Brown, etc. 

I think the top 4 or so of the league is kind of a crap shoot as we enter the season, but Wisconsin is getting most of the picks simply because they have the fewest question marks entering the season. 

I agree, they will be really good.Happ looks to be the best big in the league if not Thomas.I guess I was just speaking in terms of the problems their system has caused us.Totally agree with the top of the league but think Wisconsin and Hoosiers are a nod better than the rest , especially with the frontcourt woes at Mich St.