Official 2016-17 IUBB Preseason Thread

[Class of '66 Old Fart 93,631]

CTC and son in Cleveland for game 2.

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 93,631]

Ryan Corazza -

2016-2017 Player Profile: James Blackmon Jr.

James Blackmon Jr. enters his junior campaign with a clean bill of health and a chip on his shoulder.

“When you hear stuff like that, you want to show your best and I feel like I will do that this season,” Blackmon Jr. said at Big Ten media day about his response to the criticism he received for his defense in 2015-2016.

That criticism was valid. Before a late December season-ending knee injury cut Blackmon Jr.’s sophomore campaign short, he struggled with positioning and awareness.

Indiana’s overall defense was rough in the non-conference and Blackmon Jr. was one but one piece of its larger puzzle. And his exit from the lineup wasn’t the sole factor for Indiana’s turnaround on the defensive end of the court once the Hoosiers hit the thick of their Big Ten season. Still, Blackmon Jr. has something to prove. But he definitely seems aware of this and is up for the challenge.

Where Blackmon Jr. doesn’t need to show marked improvement? His shooting.

In the 13 games he played in last season, he made 50 percent of his 2s (36-of-72), 46.3 percent of his 3-pointers (37-of-80) and 85.2 percent of his free throws (23-of-27). Those high efficiency numbers on his 2s and 3s were good for an effective field goal percentage of 60.2, nearly 10 percent better than his freshman campaign (51.2). Blackmon Jr. came to Bloomington as a prolific scorer and he’s made good on that in his one and a half seasons of play.

But with Yogi Ferrell gone and Indiana entering 2016-2017 looking for a playmaker by committee backcourt, Blackmon Jr. is going to be relied upon to evolve his offense game. He’ll need to make plays for others and himself, play on and off the ball and be a threat to score in transition both at the basket and beyond the 3-point line. And perhaps most importantly, when the shot clock is winding down and Indiana hasn’t found an advantage over the defense, can Blackmon Jr. create his own shot and bail the Hoosiers out,?

Bottom Line: The keys for Blackmon Jr.’s junior campaign: make good on improving his defense and staying healthy. The offense should be there. After testing the NBA draft waters earlier this year, it’s possible this will be his last season in Bloomington—no matter what the draft boards say about his potential to get selected or not.

Quotable: “Making the game simple, him getting better at moving without the ball, him being ready to shoot. Not everybody coming out and trying to show how much better they are at the things that they’ve worked at because they are. I mean, we have added some real skill. I have no doubt. But now we’ve got to transfer it to live, right, and the best way to do that is to make it as simple as possible.” – Tom Crean on Sept. 30.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 93,631]

NBCSports - College Basketball's Best Wings Forwards:  http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2016/10/27/554157/

6. O.G. Anunoby, Indiana: Anunoby is a tough player to rank on a list like this for a couple reasons. He’s a potential breakout star that didn’t post great numbers last season. His value lies in his ability to play a role more than his ability to score 20 in the Big Ten. He may be a better NBA prospect than a college player. But he’s also a 6-foot-8 defensive menace that can guard four positions, hit threes, get to the offensive glass and beat people off the dribble.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 93,631]

Zach Osterman - Indianapolis Star    IU's Collin Hartman 'doing everything possible' to play senior year

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2016/10/27/ius-collin-hartman-doing-everything-possible-play-senior-year/92825860/

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 93,631]

http://indiana.247sports.com/Article/Freshman-forward-DeRon-Davis-having-to-adjust-quickly-at-Indiana-48545391

Alex McCarthy - Davis Having To Adjust Quickly

As the case usually is with incoming freshmen, the transition to being his team’s go-to player to being just one of the guys was a bit jarring at first for De’Ron Davis.

“I’ve never had a team like this before,” Davis said. “I’ve always been the man, so coming here and playing with all these highly talented players, it’s a blessing, first off. It’s a great opportunity for me to get better.”

Davis, the highest rated player in this recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite, has even more to get used to than the usual incoming freshman. Davis missed summer workouts when he was back home in Colorado finishing up academic requirements.

He arrived just the day before classes began, and is doing what he can to catch up. He said he talks every day with strength and conditioning coach Lyonel Anderson and spends extra time doing conditioning drills whenever he can. He dealt with a bit of Achilles soreness (after an injury this summer) when he first arrived, but said he’s back to feeling 100 percent.

Not only were the workouts immediately challenging, but his daily matchup in practice got much tougher. Davis, who stands 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, goes up against sophomore center Thomas Bryant in practices. Davis said the daily challenge of facing one of the top big men in the Big Ten has been fun so far.

“It’s crazy,” Davis said, his eyes widening. “I’ve never played against a highly talented big man like that every day. On the circuit you do, but not every day in practice. He’s pushing me and I’m pushing him, hopefully.”

Bryant and other teammates such as sophomore forward OG Anunoby have been impressed thus far with the incoming players. Davis, along with incoming freshmen Grant Gelon, Devonte Green and Curtis Jones have apparently been asking numerous questions to coaches and players throughout practice, and junior college transfer Freddie McSwain has been doing the same.

Anunoby said he spends more time with Jones and Davis than anyone else, and that he’s always willing to talk to them about issues on or off the court. His one message to them has been to play hard on the court, and they’ve apparently taken to that.

“They’ve come along really well,” Anunoby said. “They all listen really well and work hard, so that helps.”

Davis, the all-time Colorado leader in blocked shots, immediately made an impact in the scrimmage at Hoosier Hysteria this past weekend. Fellow newcomer Zach McRoberts drove to the basket on the first possession of the game, and Davis shifted over and blocked his shot. He kept the ball in bounds as well, allowing for his teammate to grab the loose ball and get the offense moving.

Apart from that, Davis was mostly quiet in the scrimmage, especially on offense. Davis has had very little time to adjust to IU head coach Tom Crean’s offense and the speed of the players around him.

Throughout his senior season at Aurora (Colorado) Overland High School, Davis was working to expand his game away from the basket. Ball-handling and perimeter shooting were large focuses for him. Now, those skills are becoming even more important, as Crean likes his players to be able to play any position, regardless of height.

“Guards play the bigs’ positions, bigs play the guards’ positions,” Davis said. “Coach has it so we’re all interchangeable. Wherever coach wants me to be, I’m going to do it and do it to the best of my ability.”

[Alford Bailey 13,233]

35 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

http://indiana.247sports.com/Article/Freshman-forward-DeRon-Davis-having-to-adjust-quickly-at-Indiana-48545391

Alex McCarthy - Davis Having To Adjust Quickly

As the case usually is with incoming freshmen, the transition to being his team’s go-to player to being just one of the guys was a bit jarring at first for De’Ron Davis.

“I’ve never had a team like this before,” Davis said. “I’ve always been the man, so coming here and playing with all these highly talented players, it’s a blessing, first off. It’s a great opportunity for me to get better.”

Davis, the highest rated player in this recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite, has even more to get used to than the usual incoming freshman. Davis missed summer workouts when he was back home in Colorado finishing up academic requirements.

He arrived just the day before classes began, and is doing what he can to catch up. He said he talks every day with strength and conditioning coach Lyonel Anderson and spends extra time doing conditioning drills whenever he can. He dealt with a bit of Achilles soreness (after an injury this summer) when he first arrived, but said he’s back to feeling 100 percent.

Not only were the workouts immediately challenging, but his daily matchup in practice got much tougher. Davis, who stands 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, goes up against sophomore center Thomas Bryant in practices. Davis said the daily challenge of facing one of the top big men in the Big Ten has been fun so far.

“It’s crazy,” Davis said, his eyes widening. “I’ve never played against a highly talented big man like that every day. On the circuit you do, but not every day in practice. He’s pushing me and I’m pushing him, hopefully.”

Bryant and other teammates such as sophomore forward OG Anunoby have been impressed thus far with the incoming players. Davis, along with incoming freshmen Grant Gelon, Devonte Green and Curtis Jones have apparently been asking numerous questions to coaches and players throughout practice, and junior college transfer Freddie McSwain has been doing the same.

Anunoby said he spends more time with Jones and Davis than anyone else, and that he’s always willing to talk to them about issues on or off the court. His one message to them has been to play hard on the court, and they’ve apparently taken to that.

“They’ve come along really well,” Anunoby said. “They all listen really well and work hard, so that helps.”

Davis, the all-time Colorado leader in blocked shots, immediately made an impact in the scrimmage at Hoosier Hysteria this past weekend. Fellow newcomer Zach McRoberts drove to the basket on the first possession of the game, and Davis shifted over and blocked his shot. He kept the ball in bounds as well, allowing for his teammate to grab the loose ball and get the offense moving.

Apart from that, Davis was mostly quiet in the scrimmage, especially on offense. Davis has had very little time to adjust to IU head coach Tom Crean’s offense and the speed of the players around him.

Throughout his senior season at Aurora (Colorado) Overland High School, Davis was working to expand his game away from the basket. Ball-handling and perimeter shooting were large focuses for him. Now, those skills are becoming even more important, as Crean likes his players to be able to play any position, regardless of height.

“Guards play the bigs’ positions, bigs play the guards’ positions,” Davis said. “Coach has it so we’re all interchangeable. Wherever coach wants me to be, I’m going to do it and do it to the best of my ability.”

Davis is gonna be a good one. Im just concerned it may take awhile for him to adjust.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 93,631]

Zach Osterman - Indianapolis Star

Insider: OG Anunoby certainly doesn't look like one-March wonder

BLOOMINGTON — OG Anunoby has popped up on All-America teams, best-100-players-in-America rankings and preseason watch lists, lending the distinct impression that this is all coming a bit too fast for IU's sophomore forward.

But what if it isn’t?

Anunoby was one of the stars — if we’re allowed to use that term after a preseason scrimmage — of Indiana’s annual Haunted Hall of Hoops on Friday night.

IU doesn’t typically keep official stats for the event, but unofficially, Anunoby finished with 16 points, as well as a not-insignificant number of offensive rebounds and plenty of good defense.

The way the points came was more important than the points themselves, because it reflected the best parts of his offensive game.

As a freshman, Anunoby's efficiency from the bench proved critical to IU's Big Ten title run. He shot 60.9 percent on 2-pointers and 44.8 percent from behind the 3-point line. Beyond a need to improve at the free-throw line, Anunoby wasted little offensively.

Friday night, he shot 6-of-7, missing one 3-pointer but hitting three more. The rest of his points came on dunks and free throws.

“I think it keeps defenders and defenses honest,” assistant coach Chuck Martin said. “If we can get OG to shoot the 3-ball at a very high rate, clearly, it opens up driving lanes.”

He’s gotten stronger with the ball, as illustrated by a ball fake and drive around Tim Priller that prompted coach Tom Crean to shout that "a cone could have guarded (Anunoby) better."

Turnovers were a problem for Anunoby as a freshman — his turnover rate last season hit 19.7 percent, though it’s important to remember that number fell to 13 percent in conference games alone.

“That’s one improvement he’s really made from last year, that handle on a lane-line drive,” Judson said. “When he drives it, he draws the pre-bonus foul. The sooner you can get to the bonus, the better it is for your team.”

And his defense is still daunting. Even James Blackmon Jr., who also finished with 16 points unofficially, struggled to deal with Anunoby on Friday night.

That preseason attention is probably still a little bit overblown (though what preseason attention isn’t?). Famously soft-spoken, Anunoby has at no point looked particularly affected by any of it during the preseason.

Anunoby’s ceiling this year will probably be determined by the extent of that efficiency. It will be more important for him to be smart offensively and sturdy defensively than to hunt shots. His worst moment Friday came on his lone miss, a contested, bad-decision 3-pointer.

Crean stepped out onto the floor, reminding Anunoby not to fall away as he shot. Anunoby nodded as he jogged back down the floor.

He didn’t do it again.

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 93,631]

Jon Rothstein tweets: 

Indiana's Juwan Morgan (shoulder) has been fully cleared for all basketball related activities, per Tom Crean.

Indiana's Freddie McSwain (knee) is hoping to be fully cleared for all basketball activities by next week, per Tom Crean.

Subsequent article on both:  http://www.todaysu.com/u-news/indiana-juwan-morgan-cleared-for-basketball-freddie-mcswain-hopeful/

Edited October 31, 2016 by Class of '66 Old Fart
New Info

[ccgeneral 38,084]

Replay of the Hope exhibition is on BTN 11/2 @ 3:30 pm ET. Set the DVR.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 93,631]

        HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

[Hovadipo 62,278]

Bellarmine exhibition is being replayed Monday, 11/7 on BTN at 8:30ET.


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[Class of '66 Old Fart 93,631]

Jon Rothstein piece talking about several programs including IU:  http://www.todaysu.com/rothstein-files/john-calipari-kentuckys-next-defensive-stopper/

3. People need to be patient with Indiana’s offense

The Hoosiers averaged 83.0 points last season en route to the Big Ten regular season title and a trip to the Sweet 16.

Don’t expect the same thing to happen this year.

With Collin Hartman’s status unknown for 2016-17 due to a non-contact knee injury, Indiana is now starting a new year without five players — Yogi Ferrell, Troy Williams, Nick Zeisloft, Max Biefeldt, and Hartman — that combined to make 228 three-point shots last season.

The Hoosiers made 345 shots from deep in total a year ago.

Indiana has the pieces to again be an upper echelon Big Ten team, but expecting to see the type of spacing, continuity, and efficiency that last year’s Hoosiers played with out of the gate would be nothing other than false expectations.

It’s going to take Tom Crean some time to mold the clay on the offensive side of the floor just as Indiana’s defense was far from a finished product last year during the first two months of the season.

 

 

[HoosierTrav 8,339]

http://www.idsnews.com/article/2016/10/iu-looks-to-its-defense-to-compete-once-again-in-conference

 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C.— IU believes its defense could be the strength of the team.

After losing so much offensive firepower from last year’s team, IU turns to its array of defensive weapons to help them win games this season.

“I don’t think there is a ceiling for this team on the defensive end because we keep improving each day,” sophomore center Thomas Bryant said. “We don’t take anything for granted, and we know that defense will win us games. We know last year, defense won us an outright Big Ten championship.”

    Defense helped IU advance to the Sweet 16 last season, but this group believes its defense can be even better than it was last year.

“I feel like we are a little more athletic than we were last year,” Bryant said. “Also, we are all in better condition than we were in last year.”

Conditioning is going to be to key for this defense, as it is instituting more ball pressures.

IU Coach Tom Crean said the Hoosiers are going to use their guards to pressure higher up on the court, hoping to turn teams over.

Depth and finding strength in numbers are the biggest keys to their defensive scheme, Crean said. Injuries have plagued the Hoosiers so far, and he says he wants to establish enough depth so they can start to wear down opposing teams.

“This is a team that should eventually be able to play different ways,” Crean said. “Pressure, half-court, trap, switch, all the different things. The more we can stay on a rotation because of how we can pressure the ball or how we can switch things, and the more we can bring fatigue to the game because of the way we can pressure the ball, the better we will be.”

The Hoosiers have experienced guards who are capable of pressuring the ball. Junior Robert Johnson has been known as a strong defender his entire career, and Crean said junior James Blackmon Jr. is improving defensively.

It goes beyond Blackmon Jr. and Johnson, however. Crean said junior guard Josh Newkirk has a pitbull mentality, and freshman Devonte Green is second on the team in deflections.

The team has a potential stable of guards that can pressure opposing offenses.

On the backline, a trio of sophomores — O.G. Anunoby, Juwan Morgan and Bryant, who all flashed their length and defensive potential last season — anchor the Hoosiers. All three of them can guard multiple positions, which provides the defense with flexibility.

Johnson believes having those three versatile forwards is going to help them create turnovers.

“I think that’s something we’re definitely going to be able to do,” Johnson said. “Especially with Thomas and O.G. having more experience and having those guys on the back line to protect. I think it’s going to allow us to pressure the ball more.”

Pressure leads to turnovers, which lead to easy baskets.

Last season, IU forced an average of 13.1 turnovers per game, up from 2015 when the Hoosiers forced an average of 10.7 turnovers per game. IU’s defense last season was ranked 59th in the nation, according to KenPom.com, a drastic improvement from the 2015 season, when the Hoosiers were ranked 201.

Crean knows turnovers will increasingly help this defense become even better than last season’s improved defense.

“For this team to take the next step, it has to bring fatigue to the game,” Crean said.

 

Hadn't seen this posted.  Gotta say I am ecstatic to hear these things about our D, with 5 quality guards and the ability to play a 3 forward line up if need be would like to use the guards to pressure more.  Stop letting teams set up in the half court.  Especially with Morgan and OGs ability to cover distance.  Get the guards to throw a bad pass then have OG and Morgan intercept it. 


And this style is perfect for tournament play.

[Alford Bailey 13,233]

24 minutes ago, HoosierTrav said:

Hadn't seen this posted.  Gotta say I am ecstatic to hear these things about our D, with 5 quality guards and the ability to play a 3 forward line up if need be would like to use the guards to pressure more.  Stop letting teams set up in the half court.  Especially with Morgan and OGs ability to cover distance.  Get the guards to throw a bad pass then have OG and Morgan intercept it. 


And this style is perfect for tournament play.

See Villanova.

[Hovadipo 62,278]

Unis for the Kansas game. Pretty cool for what it is.

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[IU Hoosier41 14,491]

Unis for the Kansas game. Pretty cool for what it is.

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Love how they include in the description why they are wearing them sonIU fans don't lose their collective sh*t lol


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[WayneFleekHoosier 51,876]

Ugh.

Tom Crean compared this year's team to his 2013-14 team, and urged patience heading into the exhibition: bit.ly/2eP0wjv #iubb


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[Brass Cannon 25,658]

Just now, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Ugh.

Tom Crean compared this year's team to his 2013-14 team, and urged patience heading into the exhibition: bit.ly/2eP0wjv #iubb


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Better get that Fire Tom Crean thread warmed up then. 

[VO5 8,340]

Our offense will be worse, but our defense will be better. Going to be an interesting year

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

15 minutes ago, VO5 said:

Our offense will be worse, but our defense will be better. Going to be an interesting year

Hard to imagine a team under Crean struggling to find a way to score. This all really just sounds like coach speak, especially with our first game being against the #3 team in the country.