Who: Michigan Wolverines
Where: Assembly Hall, Bloomington Indiana When: Thursday January 5, 2012 @ 9:00pm ET TV: ESPN 2
By: Aaron Maisel
As I put my blazer, my new Sperry’s and corduroy pants on three hours before embracing the new year, I did it with a smile. Not just because I was looking fresh and knew that I would find some random girl for that immaculate New Years “interaction” that I have been banking on, but because somehow that team who no one was willing to give a chance until 2012-13 season pulled it off again, except this time, with no students.
Miraculous? No. Anything is possible in college basketball.
Unimaginable? Yes.
Unimaginable for a team which won only 12 games last season, and now to have won 13 only in the beginning of conference play.
Unimaginable for a team to win at home, without one of the most passionate student sections in the country, against arguably the best team in the nation.
Unimaginable for a team that has been the laughing stock of Big 10 basketball to now be the only team in college hoops that has a lock to be dancing in March as long as they don’t lose the rest of their games.
And somehow, the Hoosiers are making the unimaginable a reality, but still have a long way until March and a few powerhouses from the Midwest left on their schedule.
Indiana (13-1) faces off against the Michigan Wolverines (12-2) at Assembly Hall on Thursday, January 5. The Maize and Blue are led by guards Tim Hardaway Jr (15.6 ppg), Trey Burke (14.0 ppg) and 6’9 big man Evan Smotrycz (10.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg). The Wolverines only two losses have come against Duke and Virginia, but are currently on a seven game winning streak. Although the Wolverines, similar to the Hoosiers are new to the top 25 attention, they have played in competitive games, including a last second loss to Duke last year in the NCAA tournament.
Even though the Hoosiers are no stranger to playing in the spotlight, it’s still a game that shouldn’t be viewed as “just another conference game.” “We will be dealing with the best transition attack we have seen all year on Thursday with Michigan,” said Tom Crean via Twitter. “They fly up the court.”
That they do!
Alright, relax. Crean is just giving credit where credit is due. Don’t get me wrong, this is a solid Michigan team which over the years has pulled off some jaw-dropping upsets, but this is also a Michigan team that is trying to make a new name for themselves. Just because Michigan is a run n’ gun team, doesn’t make the game plan similar to the strategy against Kentucky. The Wildcats played the Hoosiers tough, but were missing arguably their best player (Terrance Jones) who took lift off to Moron Mountain to kick it with the Monstars from Space Jam. Either that or one of the waitresses at the hotel probably slipped a Xanax into his water before game time.
In order for Indiana to find success, they have to play to their strengths which happen to be the Wolverines weakness—the big man.
One of the main issues that Indiana has been facing this season is that they have been relying thoroughly on the outsite shot. For now, it appears to have been working, but it will only work until those shots don’t fall. The Hoosiers haven’t been utilizing Cody Zeller enough, especially when playing a smaller and weaker opponent. Against Kentucky, Anthony Davis was in foul trouble and Jones left his game in Lexington, yet Zeller did not get the ball. Against Michigan State, a much more aggressive Derrick Nix took Zeller out of the game mentally and physically and made him look like Apollo Creed when he fought Ivan Drago in Rocky IV.
However, against Ohio State, Jared Sullinger got into early foul trouble and Zeller played a tough 21 minutes due to foul trouble, yet still managed to drop 14 points in the game. It’s pretty simple; Zeller will show the country that the guy who is guarding him is softer than a dude taking shots of Smirnoff Mango at the bar, as long as he gets the ball and has the desire to play. Against an undersized Wolverine club, Zeller should be able to get plenty of attempts if given the opportunity.
ESPN college basketball analysts have given a one-word adjective describing both the Hoosiers and Wolverines. The Hoosiers are surging and the Wolverines are undecided. The Hoosiers have been shocking the nation while winning in upset form and the Wolverines have yet to prove to the nation that they are a force to be reckoned with, despite their #13 ranking. They still haven’t gotten that one win which paints a picture saying that they are for real. What better way then to get that win against a team that has beaten a #1 and #2 ranked team this season?
That is the Hoosiers motivation against the Victors from Ann Arbor.
