Coming off a great victory on Friday against Stony Brook, the Hoosiers have a quick turnaround and will face Chattanooga tonight at 5pm. Here is the breakdown of what to watch during tonight’s contest.
Derek Elston
While much attention has been focused on Zeller, Oladipo and Sheehey, Derek Elston had also made considerable strides over the offseason. Elston said he lost considerable weight over the summer and has become much quicker, which showed in Friday’s matchup. With the addition of Zeller to the roster, Elston has relief inside the paint on both ends of the court, allowing him to have a more versatile role than just playing on the post. After a tremendous game against Stony Brook finishing with 11 points and 3 rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench, I suspect Elston will continue to be a tremendous contributor for the Hoosiers and earn a starting spot for multiple games this season.
Chattanooga’s Veteran Squad
Chattanooga has four returning starters this season and will prove no easy match for the Hoosiers. The last time the two teams met was in 2007 when Eric Gordon made his Indiana debut. Although the Hoosiers went on to win 99-79, Chattanooga proved to be tough competitors leading at the half 50-46.
One player to watch out for is Chattanooga guard Keegan Bell, who was ranked 24th nationally last season in assists and was on the Bob Cousy Award Watch List. The Hoosiers will need to step up their defense tonight against this veteran team to pull out a win.
