Immediate Reaction: Michigan Edition

Rapid Reactions:
By: Brian Hall

Man that first half was fun to watch! Victor Oladipo got off to a fast start behind his great defense and quick transitions. I had a feeling before the tip-off that Victor was going to have a big game. He did not let me down!

Indiana built an early lead behind Christian Watford's shooting and Michigan's inability to hit a three pointer. Watford looked like a man determined to prove to Calipari and all of the Kentucky fans that there was nothing lucky about the game winning shot!

Cody Zeller played some quality defense along with a very efficient offensive showing. Matt Roth did what Matt Roth does. Jordan Hulls looked a little out of sorts at times and Verdell Jones III flashed back to his freshman year by trying to drive and create everything. It's 2012 Verdell, not 2008...

With all that being said, IU lead 39-32 at halftime.

Michigan took immediate control of the game during the first six minutes of the second half. That run quieted the crowd as it became tied up. Quickly after, Hulls picked up his second foul and Coach Crean went to his bench for Roth. The direction of the team seemed lost while searching to find a leader. Who would step up and lead this team? Of course the answer is Watford and Zeller!

Zeller has been hitting everything inside lately and IU rode his hot hand with Hulls on the bench. I know Hulls was struggling, but why ride him on the bench with two fouls in a close game when Jones III is struggling? Hulls came back into the game with Jones III and IU calmed down and took back the lead. The Hoosiers extended the lead to ten points on a “Lucky” Watford three and a Victor Oladipo dunk. Indiana went into the flag timeout ahead by 8.

Michigan was able to hang around while Hulls continued to struggle. I'm not sure Coach Crean would leave Jones III in the game when he continued to turn the ball over. Jones III respond by hitting two free throws to take a two points lead with 2:20 to go in the game.

Fast forward a couple of series and Jones III hits the big pull up with 24 seconds to go! Jones followed up those heroics with another miss on the front end of a one-and-one. Michigan quickly came down and launched a three from Kirkwood to close the lead to one with 2.9 seconds left. Indiana go the ball to Watford who hit one of two free throws to put IU up by 2. Michigan got Watford's miss and dribbled to half court for a game winning buzzer beater... that missed it's mark.

Indiana ESCAPED.

Every time IU would pull ahead, I thought it was over. Give Michigan credit as they kept on coming back. You can see Sheehey's value during games like this where Crean would probably substitute him in for Jones III. The positive to take away tonight: We won without Sheehey, a struggling Hulls and struggling Jones.

Hoo’s Next: @ PSU 1/8 12:00 pm

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Hoo's Next: Michigan

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.

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Happy Hoo Year!

What better way to bring in the new year than another top ten list?  It would be my pleasure, Hoosier Nation.

Top Ten New Year's Resolutions for Hoosiers Basketball

10. Feed Cody. Literally, feed the boy!  Understand that he's only a freshman, and still growing, but just imagine if he put on another 25 pounds.  He'd be around 245, still getting taller than the 6'11" he already is, plus a year of experience in the always tough and physical Big Ten.  It's the recipe for domination in his future.  Along with putting on weight, he needs to be fed the rock more often.  He's shooting nearly 75% from the free-throw line, so pass the ball inside and allow him to get his chances at the charity stripe.  Stack the fouls up on the opponents' starting centers, like done in the game against Kentucky, and get the studs on the bench and let Zeller go to work against smaller, less talented players.

9. Schedule more top ranked teams to play at home.  After the number one and number two teams in the nation were beaten in Assembly Hall it appears it is a place to be feared and reckoned with.  Indiana plays basketball.  Assembly Hall is a basketball atmosphere, mecca if you will.  Schedule them and they will be beat. Who else wants some?!!

8. More seating at Assembly Hall. Sure, 17,472 fans screaming and rushing the court is a lot, and one hell of a beautiful sight, but there's something that would make it even better: 17,473 Hoosiers fans swarming the court.  Besides, who wouldn't like more friends?

7. Rebound the basketball.  IU is ranked 158th in the nation in rebounding.  I can't help but think of how much less stress I would be under if IU would carry double digit leads into the last two minutes of games versus teams like Ohio State and Kentucky.  Cody Zeller is averaging about 15 points per game, and that number would be 20+ if he'd get more second chances.  Add another few points to Watford's average of 13 and we'll see those double digit leads against solid opponents more often.  Develop a presence inside and get up there and bring the ball down! 

6. Road wins.  Assembly Hall is Heaven on Earth, but it's only fair to go to others' houses and play ball too.  But road wins against teams like NC State won't cut it, especially when the tournament comes around.  The Hoosiers saw a semi-harsh atmosphere at Michigan State, and that was without the students in town.  Let's see how Indiana fares on the road when they go play a Buckeye team that's seeking revenge, and in their house no less.  If this Hoosiers team can start coming back to Bloomington with big wins under their belts they will develop the confidence they'll need when March rolls around.

5. More cowbell.  Not literally, because there is no room for the cowbell in college basketball outside of Purdue, and that's only when the Homecoming queen is entering the gym.  But the student section at Indiana has been ranked in the top five, and with a little more spirit those crazies in Cameron might get a bit of competition.  I want to hear, "Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!" from my couch here in South Carolina.

4. Transition.  Countless times IU has had numbers on a fast break and for whatever reason the ball handler slows down and waits for everyone to catch up.  Oladipo isn't the only one on the team who can posterize a man.  If nothing else, drive in and draw a foul. Get the other team's starters on the bench and take advantage of the opponent while their second string is having to carry the load.  Patience is good, but the basketball court is one place where it's okay to kick a man while he's down.   In fact, I find it quite enjoyable to watch.

3. Help others.  With 15.1 assists per game, the Hoosiers rank 49th in the nation, which means that there are plenty of teams better than the Hoosiers at finding the open man.  It's better to give than to receive.  Rather than settling for rushed jump shots and trying to force the ball into the basket, find a shooter that has separated himself from his defender and get him the ball.  Assists mean points, and points mean wins, and wins make me and all of the other Hoosiers fans, players and coaches happy.  

2. Take back the state.  With wins this season over Butler and Notre Dame, there's only one school left on the hit list.  Purdue, we're coming, and afterward you, too, will know that Indiana is back.  Jordan and Cody came to Indiana to play for the state that fed them in their youth, and it's time for other star players to stay and get some of mom's cookin' while playing for the Crimson and Cream.

1. Six. If you have to ask then you'll never know.

Happy New Year Hoosiers!  

-Kenneth Languell

@AskTheWho

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New Commit Luke Fischer Highlights

Indiana's big win over Ohio State is already paying dividends for the Hoosiers. IU picked up Luke Fischer a 6'9" big man from Wisconsin. Check out some highlights of Luke below.
Video via InsideIndiana


Video via Mwballers

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Coach Crean Discusses Ohio State (Video)

See what Coach Crean has to say about upcoming opponent #2 Ohio State.

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Christmas Comes in Crean

It's time, Hoosiers Nation, to turn the page. It's time to take down the posters from the 70's, 80's and 90's. It's a new era in our great basketball history, and we should celebrate it. 11-0 is nothing to get too hyped about, especially looking forward at the schedule. But seeing our team this year perform the way they have, and to listen to the buzz about how well practices are going day in and day out I am petitioning my fellow Indiana fans to finally let go of the past, and look forward to the now and what is to come in the future.

His name will be forever linked to Indiana, and it still echoes in the walls of Assembly Hall. His voice I'm sure is still heard loud and clear in the locker room. Even Dick Vitale, being a member of the "non-partisan" media, can't call an Indiana game without endorsing his name for the court inside the Hall. But it's time; after eleven years since his departure from Bloomington, it's time to let him go.

Bobby Knight is a LEGEND, don't get me wrong. I was recently asked by a friend, if I could drink with any three men, who would they be? Bobby Knight was on that list. My family has had a dog named after him, and in our house that is the highest compliment. When I met my soon to be wife, to get her to have a better understanding of me and who I am I showed her clips of Knight's great and not-so-great moments. I can say as a man I have love for Bobby Knight and for what he did at Indiana, and for what he did for me as a kid watching those great teams. I still shoot free throws the way he taught those at his basketball camps: look at the basket, dribble three times, fluid motion... and release. Agree or disagree with his methods Bobby Knight will forever be a big part of what Indiana Hoosiers basketball was, is, and what it will be.

But we have a new coach at Indiana who is the face of Hoosiers basketball, and it's time to celebrate him and his efforts and the success he's had so far. Tom Crean came to coach at Indiana for the right reason, "It's Indiana." And he came to do it the right way- the Hoosier way: fair recruiting, high expectations of winning, and even higher expectations off the court. He recruits boys who love their mothers, and he proudly wears Indiana on his sleeve. He's coaching Indiana the way that we as fans want our team coached- with enthusiasm and dedication to the continuous development of the program. He knows that there is no higher goal than banner number six.

I'm done hearing podcast hosts say, "There's just something I don't like about him." They use the word 'arrogant' when describing him. Folks, let us not confuse arrogance for confidence. Look at what he did at Marquette. He took them from nothing all the way to the Final Four and near the top of the national rankings. And then he had the guts to come to Indiana; a program forced into the hollows where a previous coach left us. Tom Crean came to Indiana to rebuild this program, and through strong recruiting of great young men, Indiana, and I love to say it out loud to whoever is listening, Indiana is back! Young men out of high school need a confident man to lead them. Tom Crean is that man.

Even from the state of South Carolina where I now live, with plenty of filter and buffer from the local Indiana media via Kentucky and North Carolina, I run into people who will see the IU on my hat or shirt and they say about Tom Crean, "He's no Bobby Knight." Well who is? And in today's game who wants a coach like that? In the age of Twitter, strong NCAA punishments, and 24 hour news coverage, who wants a coach who is always in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons? Not this guy. I want Hoosiers basketball to be associated with morals and values and all the other good things about sports, and, of course, winning. If we keep dwelling on the closure that we as fans never had after Bobby Knight's firing at Indiana we're going to miss out on one hell of a good coach, and a good man. This man Tom Crean came to us and we're lucky to have him. It's a new era at Indiana, and as heavy as the page is, muster up the energy Hoosier Nation and turn the page to the Crean Era. If we don't we just might see this coach somewhere we don't want to see him, and we might be left out in the cold, again. Let me paint a picture...

There is a program in college basketball that is easily the envy of all programs. It has a coach that we would all love to have associated with our basketball team, and with whom any one of us would be proud to send our own son to play for. Coach Krzewski, or Coach K., of Duke University is one of the greatest coaches in the history of sports. His record speaks for itself. He doesn't always go after the best talent; rather the best kid who he believes can fit into his program. He develops that talent and gets the best out of every single player. He is a direct descendant of Bobby Knight. There is an irony here that can only happen in sports.

Here's the harsh reality folks: Coach K. won't be around forever. And what sort of individual would be best suited to take over for a legend like that? Brad Stevens? Maybe, but I don't think he's the coach yet that Duke would be looking for. You need a coach who has maybe been in the position of being in the shadow of a legend before, and one who knows how to make and cast his own shadow. You need a man who takes pride in the development of boys into confident young men. Among other things you need a proven winner. Now fast forward three years, five years, ten years from now. After Tom Crean does what is shaping out to be done in Bloomington, and takes Indiana back to where it once was, don't you think he would be a strong nomination for that job in Durham? I can hear it now, "It's Duke. It's Duke." It would break my heart if that were to happen.

I miss our former coach, but I don't wish we could have him back. Recently in Bloomington there was a reunion of the 1987 championship team, but there was one key figure not in attendance. It's not like Coach Knight isn't around the game anymore, because I hear him break down games all the time as part of ESPN. But there is one team I have yet to even hear him mention, and it's a team that has fans that still yearn for him to come back and give us closure. The fans did not make the decision to fire him, and therefore should not be associated with his bitterness towards the greatness that is Indiana Hoosiers basketball. And if he doesn't want to give back what us fans gave, than let us focus on what we now have, and what we want for the future of Indiana basketball. I want to see Tom Crean with grey hair, wearing that nice suit with that crimson tie, pacing along the sideline for a long time to come. Maybe one day Knight will come back to Indiana to say hello again, or to say good-bye. But if he doesn't let us hope that we as fans can embrace another name for that court. Crean Court sounds pretty damn good to this Hoosier. In the meantime, we're 11-0, back in the top 25, and headed for greener pastures...Creaner pastures.

-Kenneth Languell
@AskTheWho

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"We're Back" T-Shirt Winner

 

Thanks to everyone for playing! The winner of the "We're Back" t-shirt give away is.....

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Crossroads Classic: A Photo Story

A Crossroads Classic photo story by Brent Boles ( @Slumpbusting)

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Post-game reaction: IU vs. Notre Dame

Rapid Reactions
This game started slowly for IU as they struggled for the first part of the first half against Notre Dame. I was half expecting a slow start coming after a week off following the win versus #1 Kentucky, but this was a little much. They could have also been a little excited about Purdue blowing yet another double digit lead in the second half against a team that IU previously beat by sixteen.

Whatever the reason #TGFC (Thank God for Cody) in the first half. At one point, Cody Zeller had 10 of the team’s 12 points. If it wasn’t for him, I am not sure that IU sticks close enough to be in it at half. At one point I was thinking that Coach Crean should put Daniel Moore in the game for a spark! I am still curious about what in the world Elston was doing at the end of the half with five seconds left on the clock and launching a half court shot, but thanks to Remy he was bailed out.

I never was nervous about this game in the second half. Notre Dame kept it close but they never scared the Hoosiers.  Even though Indiana had several key members in foul trouble, the bench filled in nicely and we expanded our lead to mid-teens and held on, unlike Purdue. I was proud of all the members of the Indiana basketball team and I cannot wait until the Big Ten season starts!

I grew up ten miles outside Notre Dame’s campus and currently live in Lafayette, so today was a good day for me being an IU fan!

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Top 10 Things To Do Between IU Games

BtownBanners.com is excited to announce a great addition to our site! You've read his guest posts before, but now Kenneth Languell is a featured writer for BtownBanners.com. Welcome Kenneth!

After a win like the Hoosiers had last Saturday, over the top ranked team in the country, it can be hard for Hoosiers fans to adjust getting back into the swing of things, and to get through the long days in between games. I've compiled a list of ten things to do to bridge the gap and get you through the week. Don't let the hangover last too long Hoosiers, it's a long season and there is still plenty of work to do for all; the players and coaches, and us fans as well. Without further delay, and for your benefit, the list:

10. Recap. Go to BtownBanners.com and check out the analysis of all Hoosiers games thus far. Let's face it fans, the only cure for Hoosiers basketball withdraw is... MORE HOOSIERS!

9. Sleep. The experts say the human body and mind need an average of 8-10 hours of sleep per night. If you think about it, dreaming about Hoosiers basketball is almost just as good as watching the real thing.

8. Do your Christmas shopping. Have you bought that special someone their special gift yet? Diamonds are a girls best friend, but nothing says "I love you" like a brand new IU shirt. In case you haven't looked around,BtownBanners Team Shop has plenty of new shirts for sale, and links to other great classics.

7. Get some exercise. Peel yourself off of your couch, grab a basketball, go to the gym, and escape into the fantasy land in your head where you yourself are Christian Watford, and as time expires you launch up and sink a three to win the game. I suggest bringing 17,000 of your closest friends to rush the court and mob you after the shot goes in.

6. Do some chores. If your home is anything like mine, then it has beer spilled onto the walls from all of the arms and legs flying around in celebration after Watford's shot got nothing but the bottom of the net last Saturday. Go ahead and clean that up, and get a head start on this weekends chores. There's another game coming up, and what kind of a fan would you be if you were scrubbing toilets while the rest of us watch Tom Crean coach those boys against Notre Dame? If nothing else, whistle the Indiana fight song as you knock out your Honey Do list.

5. Eat. It's winter time, and it's the holidays, so don't act like you don't have a surplus of food in your kitchen. It's cold outside, and it's time to insulate yourself to stay warm. Plus, you've got to keep your strength up to cheer on the Hoosiers!

4. Go to work. A mortgage to pay, kids to feed and other necessities, sure, those are important reasons to go to work. Want another important reason? Because I'm sure you work with other people who are possibly Notre Dame fans, or Purdue fans, or even Duke, North Carolina or Kentucky fans, and we need to do our community a service by reminding them of the event that occurred last Saturday. After that reminder, be sure to inform them that Hoosiers basketball is back!

3. Spend time with your family. We as Hoosiers fans are a loving people, and that love doesn't stop when time expires. Do your family a service and play some family games, or go outside and shoot some hoops with the kids. I mean, someone has to dish you the pass before you can take The Shot, right? Too cold to play outside with the kids? Play Hangman. Two words, first word two letters, second word eight letters... that's right, GO HOOSIERS!

2. Do some charity work. Go down to the soup kitchen and give some time. Go the the recreation center and volunteer to teach some kids the wonderful game of basketball. Drive to Kentucky and spray some air freshener around the nearest trailer park. Do what you can do, and do it like a Hoosiers fan does it and give it 100%.

And the number one thing to do to bridge the gap in between Hoosiers games is...

1. Watch a replay of last Saturday's game!Trust me, after watching it over and over and over again myself, it's the best fix you need to get through these six days.

Not too much longer!

Kenneth Languell
@AskTheWho

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Gm 9: +/- Player Analysis - Kentucky Edition

Welcome back to another addition of the +/- Player Analysis for your 2011-2012 Indiana Hoosiers! It's going to be hard to say anything about this game that Hoosier fans don't already know.  IU basketball is officially back to the National Stage!  I have re watched the game twice now and have picked up on things you don't notice during the actual flow of the game.  For instance, Christian Watford practiced his Buzzer Beater shot EXACTLY earlier in the second half.  This game was one for the ages, an Instant Classic.

Key Players:

• Christian Watford - Did he step up or what?  Watford was a man amongst boys in this game.  He scored, he completely shut down Terrence Jones (although Jones appeared to shut down himself), and Watford played Hero for the night.  This was one of Watford's best games of his IU career.  Christian came up big for IU hitting 4 of 6 from behind the arc.
• Cody Zeller - A lot can be said about Dick Vitale's comments about the Hoosiers lack of effort in feeding Zeller all night.  From listening to Vitale, IU shouldn't have won that game since we didn't feed Zeller every trip down the court.  I do however agree with Vitale, IU has struggled at times this year to get Cody the ball down low.  Our future success will depend greatly on our ability to get Cody involved on the low blocks.
• The Fans - That was deafening.  From 90 minutes before the game, to 90 minutes after the game, Assembly Hall was jumping.  If you don't think a crowd can influence a game, ask Kentucky's freshman what they thought.  This was a great crowd and hopefully we will continue to see the early arrival from all fans.

With that being said, let's jump into the +/- Player Analysis

+/- Player Analysis vs Stetson
*Just in case you forgot, here is a quick breakdown as to what the +/- Player Analysis is looking at.
Example: Here is a quick example of how the +/- stat is determined. Zeller, Watford, VJIII, Hulls and Sheehey start the game for IU. Therefore the score is 0-0. Coach Crean makes his first substitution at 15:00 with the score IU up 15-10. Oladipo comes into the game for Sheehey. For this stint in time, Sheehey would earn a +5 (while Sheehey was in, IU increased their lead by 5 points). The Lineup of Zeller, Watford, VJIII, Hulls and Sheehey also earned a +5. This will continue throughout the game.

Game Overall   

 Key Takeaways:

• Close Game - This was the first single digit game the Hoosiers have been involved in.  It's interesting to see that 4 starters remained positive and the one starter in the negative was Cody Zeller.
• Cody played a game high 37 minutes so he was on both sides of the big runs.  This would be expected.  The interesting thing of note with Cody is, during the 3 minutes he was on the bench, IU outscored Kentucky by +4.
• Coach Crean didn't go very deep on his bench at all.  Only 7 players saw significant time.  Coach Crean did say in his post game press conference that Derek Elston was cleared to play medically, but he decided not to use him.  Hopefully Derek will be okay and can continue playing at the high level he was in the early season.
• I cannot stress this enough, anything in the GREEN, means the player had a positive impact on the game and helped IU get to their blowout win.

Lineups of the Night:  

Key Takeaways: 

• Here you can see the game flow throughout the night. The chart reads from the beginning of the game to the end from top to bottom.
• This is where the analysis gets interesting.  IU had two stints in the game (+8, +10) where they dominated the Wildcats for a short period of time.  It was really only those two stints that won them this game.  They got beat during the rest of the game.
• I'll discuss the stints in more detail below.
• Overall, Coach Crean used 13 different combinations of players in the game (the fewest amount to date).  Of his 13 combinations,  5 were positive, 2 were neutral (0) and the remaining 6 were negative.
• Of all the stints in this game (19), there were 6 positive, 4 neutral and 9 negative.
• Only two units played multiple times tonight.

Best Lineup of the Night:
The best lineup of the night (+5) belongs to Hulls, Oladipo, Sheehey, VJIII, and Zeller. They only played together once Saturday night. They did their damage at the 8:13 minute mark of the first half where they went +5 in 1 minute 30 seconds. This was actually the 8th time all year Crean has used this lineup.  Only 3 other lineups are used more often.

Worst Lineup of the Night:
The worst lineup of the night (-4) consisted of Hulls, Sheehey, Jones, Pritchard and Zeller.  This lineup played in the first half immediately before the Best Lineup of the Night came in.  This game was back and forth, and judging from the chart above, there were plenty of groups who had some negative splits.

Season to Date:
As many people like to point out, looking at the +/- for one specific game is not entirely telling. Tracking this over the course of the year, will give a much clearer picture as to what each player brings to the team. Below is the updated season to date +/- for each player.

• In a close game like this, there isn't going to be many huge misses.  This game was extremely close and you can see that from the plus/minus data.  
• Every player in this games' Pts/Min decreased, which is expect able.

Lineup Combinations
Here are some quick stats related to the Lineups Tom Crean has used through the three regular season games:

• Coach has used 131 different lineups this year.
• Of those 131, only 41 are negative year to date. (Increased by 3 this game)
• Best lineup is +45 (went -1 vs Kentucky;Crean's favorite unit (19 times) of Hulls, Oladipo, VJ3, Watford, Zeller)
• 2nd Best Lineup is +22 (went -2 vs Kentucky: Consists of Hulls, Oladipo, Sheehey, Watford and Zeller)
• Worst lineup is -6. (Consists of Hulls, Watford, VJIII, Sheehey and Pritchard)
• 34 lineups have been used multiple times this year.
• The top 4 used lineups contain these players: Hulls, Oladipo, Sheehey, Jones, Watford and Zeller.  Only Hulls and Zeller are in all 4 lineups together.

Lineup Creator!
Here is your chance to play Coach Crean!
What you can do is go to this link, "+/- Lineup Generator" and it will open an Excel file for you. Using the filters already on the page, you can filter the lineups for the year to see how all the different combinations of players play together.

For instance, if you wanted to see how the team does when Oladipo and Sheehey are in the game together, filter both their columns. This will return all lineups for the year that Oladipo and Sheehey have been on the floor together!

Overall
What an outstanding game this was.  I apologize for getting the +/- Player Analysis out late, but Kirkwood was calling my name Saturday night.  The hall was rocking, IU is back into the top 25, and Kentucky went home a loser.... What a great night!

+/- Player Analysis for Every Game!

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Bangtime with Victor Oladipo (Kentucky Edition)

Victor Oladipo yet again threw down a thunderous dunk vs Kentucky which helped ignite the fan base. Victor's dunk was #6 on the Sports Center Top 10 that night. He can thank his teammate Christian Watford for keeping him out of the top 5! Check out the video here!

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The Shot Heard 'round B-Town and the World

The Shot Heard 'round B-Town

Hoosier fans rush the court in celebration.

Where does a Hoosiers fan begin when they try and describe the events and feelings that occurred last Saturday night? Does the entire experience begin at 5:25 when the ball was tipped off? Does it begin when we as Hoosiers fans woke up Saturday morning to do all of our chores early, just to be sure we were on our couch, or in the bar, or, for those lucky enough, in our seat in Assembly Hall? If you were one of the 17,000 plus fans with a ticket to the game, I’m sure that at 5:25 you weren’t sitting. And as I’m sure that my blood bleeds crimson, I’m sure wherever you were, you were not sitting down as Christian Watford released one of the most beautiful shots in Indiana Hoosiers basketball history. But for this fan, the experience of Saturday night’s victory over the then top ranked Kentucky Wildcats began long before Saturday.

I often repeat in my head two words that Tom Crean said when he got hired on as Indiana’s basketball coach, “It’s Indiana.” To those who question why I’m a Hoosiers fan, to those who don’t know why a coach would leave a Final Four team in Marquette to take a job for a program that is suffering, to those who don’t truly know why I often times schedule my social life around IU basketball games, I just tell them what Coach Crean told so many: It’s Indiana. It’s Indiana.

Saturday night was what I needed in my life when it comes to sports, and as conflicted as it makes me feel, it’s what I needed in my life to move on as an Indiana born man. When Watford’s shot went in, and Indiana “upset” Kentucky, I felt a rush of emotion come over me that I thought I would save for the next time IU won a national championship. Some may think that all of that emotion stems from watching IU do so poorly the past three years. Those people are correct, to a certain extent. I can’t lie and say that the past three years have been easy to watch, but as a true Indiana fan I knew that it was just a part of the process. I had to stick by my team, and their coach, and one day it would all come back. One day Indiana would be Indiana again.

But the emotion I felt as that three point shot went through the net, and the emotion I felt after pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, and the emotion I felt as I hugged my wife-to-be (proud to say a new Hoosier fan herself), that emotion stems from my bedroom closet when I was seven years old. When I was a kid (born in 1982, too young to remember the ’87 championship), I admit I was a bit of a trouble maker. More often than not I spent my time confined to my room for doing things I knew I shouldn’t be doing; hiding my report card from my parents, getting into trouble at school for taking the fish out of the tank and causing it to die, not doing my chores, etc. But even though I was told to go to my room after dinner, and not allowed to watch the Hoosiers play, I always had my radio that I would take into my big closet to set up shop with and listen to WOWO radio broadcast the game. In that closet is where I fell into a deep, never abandoning, never doubted love for Indiana basketball. In that closet is where Saturday night’s emotion stems from. That beautiful closet where my blankets where all laid out, where my stuffed animals kept me company and where my IU basketball calendar hung will forever be etched in my memory, right alongside a new memory I now have- the greatest shot I’ve ever seen taken by a Hoosier. Some say I’m living in the moment, and that’s fine. But I say, “No. I’m living in The Movement.”

 

-Kenneth Languell
@AskTheWho

 

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Don Fischer's Call of Watford's Buzzer Beater (Video)

Don Fischer says it best!

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Scenes from Bloomington after IU's Big Win

What a night! We'll have more posted today about the game and reactions from fans!

Kirkwood Goes Crazy!




Nick's English Hut



View from Behind Kentucky's Bench


View from the Student Section


View from Student Section Behind Baskets

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Hoo's Next: Kentucky Wildcat Edition

Who: Kentucky Wildcats
Where: The Assembly Hall, Bloomington, IN
When: 12/10/11, 5:15pm
TV:  ESPN
Line:  IU opened at +3.5, has since risen to +6.5

Keys to the game:

• The Hoosiers need to keep the fans in this game to ensure a close game.
• Zeller needs to get touches early and get to the line.
• If IU shoots more free throws than Kentucky, our chances improve drastically.
• IU fans and players need to rattle Kentucky's star freshmen.
• The Hoosiers need to jump out with a killer mentality. 
• Attack the rim, get rebounds and limit turnovers.

Sorry for the rather short Hoo's Next this week.  I'm honestly shaking with excitement as I type this.  Here is the prediction.... IU wins 75-74 on a Cody Zeller tip in.  You heard it here FIRST!

Go Hoosiers!!!!!!

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Final thing, post your #IUpickem predictions in the comments section.  It'd help me out a lot!

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Tribute to the 1987 National Champions (Video)

As many of you know, this past Sunday's game was to honor the 1987 National Champion Indiana Hoosier squad. The athletic department did a great job in pulling this off. Click through for video of the event and a special tribute video to the 1987 team!

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Hoo's Next: Stetson Edition

Hoo's Next

Who: Stetson Hatters

When: 4:30pm ET – Sunday December 4, 2011

Where: Assembly Hall – Bloomington, IN

TV: BTN.com, FirstRowSports

How to watch the game:

There are different avenues to watch the Hoosiers. The first option (and most legal option), is to purchase a subscription from BTN.com to view the game. Another option, is to wait until the game is shown on the BTN Channel on TV. The final option, is utilizing a site like FirstRowSports.tv which broadcasts games. They appear to be broadcasting the Stetson vs IU game today so you can give that a shot!

The Scoop: Out of the Atlantic Sun conference, the Stetson Hatters will be in Bloomington this Sunday to face off with our Cream and Crimson. Stetson (4-3) comes off a recent win over East Tennessee State but has their work cut out for them in this one. The Hoosiers, now 7-0, are sitting at ninth in the nation in field goal percentage (.524). Overall, it is important for Indiana to not overlook the Hatters despite the hype surrounding next week's highly anticipated match-up with number one ranked Kentucky.

What to Expect:

•

Deflections – Although his description of them is quite confusing, Coach Crean's getting a lot of them. Expect the ball to be batted and swatted around often when Indiana is on defense as their intensity and defensive presence has been unquestionable as of late.

•

Scoring – The Hoosiers are averaging 85 points a game this season and have continued to shoot lights out. The Hatters could struggle to contain the many scoring threats of Indiana.

•

Rebounding – The Hoosiers have struggled on the boards and will need to improve in the area to have a decent shot at Kentucky next week. Look for Coach Crean to stress rebounding with his players and emphasizing boxing out.

Outcome: The Stetson Hatters have endured much adversity already this season; however, two of their three losses have come against ranked opponents in Florida and Florida State. The Hoosiers, though, should outmatch the opponents in this one and hopefully move to an impressive 8-0 start. Hoosiers over Hatters, 81-57.

Get some new Threads for The Holidays! BtownBanners.com has partnered with Slumpbusting.com to offer Hoosier fans great shirts! Ranging from the original "The Movement" shirt worn by IU's top recruits, to the classic "Kentucky Sucks" and "Purdouche" shirts! Check them out!

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Oladipo's Reverse ThunderDunk vs NC State (Video)

Man you've just got to love seeing him in the Cream and Crimson! Oladipo had a great game in his limited minutes due to foul trouble. Check out our FULL game analysis which is unlike anything you've seen before! -->HERE

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