IU vs. Northwestern State

     This is one of those "money games" that should be absolute guarantees in the win column.  Problem is, the Indiana Hoosiers are not a good enough team to be guaranteed a win against anyone and the opponents know it.  The Northwestern State Demons, and anyone else who plays IU this season, will feel like they can come into Assembly Hall and get a victory.  The only way to change that is to play with passion and focus and make sure the underdogs know early that there will be no upset.  The Northwestern State Demons are 2-1 with wins over East Texas Baptist and Houston Baptist and a 94-75 loss to Texas Tech.  NSU has an athletic center that loves to block shots and they will attempt to get up and down the court very quickly.  They are expected to contend for the Southland Conference title this season.  

Three Keys to the Game

3.  Quick Start

I don't think IU's confidence is going to be very high.  They lost all three games in Puerto Rico and they have had a week to think about it.  Northwestern State is a decent opponent and their athleticism could present some issues if IU lets them hang around.  It will very important for the Hoosiers to get off to a good start, feel good about themselves and get the crowd behind them.  That means hitting some early shots, finishing around the basket, forcing a few turnovers.  It will be difficult for the Demons to come from behind in Assembly Hall.

2.  Don't Beat Yourself

Indiana has struggled with missed layups, dumb turnovers and a lack of focus on the free throw line.  Big picture, they can't keep beating themselves.  If you watched the Butler-Minnesota game last night you saw a prime example of this.  Butler had a lot of turnovers and did not shoot the ball well.  However, their free throw shooting kept them in the game.  They lost because of the turnovers, rare for a Butler team.  If IU can't stop hurting themselves with self-inflicted wounds, they will struggle to beat anyone.  

1.  Veteran Leadership

IU's newcomers have played pretty well.  I have been really impressed with Jeremiah Rivers and Maurice Creek.  The rest of the newcomers have had their moments as well.  However, the majority of the returning players have been absolutely dreadful.  Tijan Jobe has shown improvement and Verdell Jones has been one of the team's only consistent offensive threats.  Everyone else has really had a hard time.  Tom Pritchard is still getting in foul trouble and missing bunnies.  Devan Dumes looks lost on the floor.  The Hoosiers were counting on instant offense off the bench from him but he hasn't given them anything.  Tom Crean is looking to shorten the rotation and these two guys need to prove they deserve to be a part of it.  

Prediction

Indiana wins 89-78.  I think both teams want to play at a quick pace and they should get their wish.  The Hoosiers will get off to a decent start and build a double-digit lead.  However, they won't be able to completely put away the Demons and NSU will hang around.  IU won't be threatened but they probably won't blow them out either.  The player of the game will be Maurice Creek but look for Derek Elston to have a nice game as well.  

I will recap the game on Sunday and look ahead to the Hoosiers battle against Maryland in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.  Until then, as Christmas season rolls in, remember why we celebrate.  "And unto them, a baby was born, and his name was Jesus."  God Bless.

 

What a Weekend

This was one of the worst weekends in recent memory for the Indiana Hoosiers football and basketball teams. The football team lost to Purdue in fairly convincing fashion (38-21) and Tom Crean's squad lost all three games in Puerto Rico. The past year and a half has been the lowest combined period of time for the Hoosiers marquee programs. I will recap the Indiana football season and the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic in this post.

Kicking the Bucket

Ben Chappell was hit from behind on the third play from scrimmage. He fumbled and the ball was picked up by the Boilermakers. At that point, I think everyone in the stadium was thinking the same thing: "Here we go again." Purdue capitalized on poor play from the Hoosiers and jumped out to a 21-0 lead. That stretch included two missed field goals (one was blocked). IU was able to score at the end of the first half to cut the lead to 21-7. However, the Boilers returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown and never looked back. The final was 38-21. On the positive side, Indiana ran the ball for nearly 200 yards. Darius Willis was the difference maker and he should be a force next season. The offense is going to be very good next season. Nine starters return and the offensive line has the depth to replace the two guys they will lose from that unit. Willis, Tandon Doss, Damarlo Belcher and Mitchell Evans will be joined by redshirt freshman Duwyce Wilson to give IU a lot of weapons. The bad news is that IU's defense is going to be dreadful.

There was a lot of progress made this season. They were very competitive in most of their Big Ten games. The next step is to turn competitive games and close losses into wins. They need to capitalize on the chances they have to pull off upsets and make plays at the end of games. It is way too early to start projecting what will happen next season. Bill Lynch will be coaching again and I look for more positive strides from the football program.

0-For-3

I'll be honest, I did not expect Indiana to go 0-3 in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic. I was not surprised by the Ole Miss game but I thought they could beat Boston University. The game was not televised but I listened to it on the radio as the Hoosiers continually shot themselves in the foot. I cannot stand missed free throws and turnovers. Indiana got drilled on the glass and were absolutely horrendous from the foul line. Maurice Creek had 17 points in the first half but completely disappeared in the second. IU proved that they haven't learned how to win games yet and they were beaten by an experienced team. That loss really hurt and it was another reminder of the long winter that lies ahead.

The Hoosiers were then matched up against George Mason, a team that had played Villanova and Georgia Tech to the wire. I didn't expect much of a game here. GMU had played two good games and Indiana hadn't even put together a quality half of basketball on the island. IU played well and hung tough. Jordan Hulls played his best game. Bobby Capobianco showed what he was capable of by pulling in 10 rebounds and scoring seven points in 17 minutes. Indiana had one fewer turnover, out-rebounded the Patriots and shot 75% from the foul line. However, a banked three with five seconds left gave George Mason a 69-66.

So, what do we take from the tournament? Indiana played a good game against George Mason and still lost. I think the Patriots are an NCAA team but this slaps us in the face again with how far this program has fallen. The Boston game was horrible. Ole Miss is a much deeper and more athletic team. The good news is that the newcomers are proving their worth. Christian Watford struggled at times but Creek, Rivers, Hulls, Elston and Capobianco all have showed us what they can do. The bad news is that Verdell Jones is the only returning player who has played well. Devan Dumes has been absolutely worthless and Tom Pritchard gets in foul trouble every game. Tom Crean is going to shorten his bench and set some rotations soon. Right now, Pritchard and Dumes don't belong in the mix. IU needs to rebound with a good week of practice and a win over Northwestern State on Saturday. After that, tough tests against Maryland and Pittsburgh.

Coming up, I will preview the Indiana-Northwestern State game and take a look at the college basketball season as we head into Feast Week. Until then, Happy Thanksgiving!

IU Falls to Ole Miss

Indiana lost to Mississippi 89-71 in the first round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament. IU started off very well. In fact, they led 20-11 after the first six minutes. I know Hoosiers fans were all pumped up about the offensive firepower IU was showing. Unfortunately, the bottom fell out and Ole Miss quickly took control and never looked back. Indiana made a run to cut the lead to eight points but a turnover on a fast break by Devan Dumes doomed them to a loss.

Quickly, the positives, negatives and a look at today's game against Boston University.

Transition Game
The Hoosiers were able to get a jump on the Rebels because of their transition game. They were forcing turnovers and scoring off of them. They were scoring off of quick outlet passes on defensive rebounds. I was really impressed by Rivers, Jones and Creek for most of the game. Rivers ended up with 14 points, Jones had 17 and Creek had 18 to lead Indiana. A lot of these points came when they attacked the basket early in possessions. Unfortunately, the half court offense looked pretty awful.

Rebounding
I would not have put this in the positive category if I had not looked at the box score. Indiana managed to come very close in the rebounding department (43 to 46) against a good rebounding squad. Pritchard led the way with eight and Rivers grabbed seven.

Turnovers
This is clearly a negative. Indiana turned the ball over 21 times. Eight of these came in a very ugly stretch of possessions that turned a nine point lead into a deficit. I think some of the turnovers were issues of indecision. These guys did not look very confident about what they were going to do. If you hesitate on a pass, it is probably not going to work out. Creek and Rivers both had four turnovers to "lead" Indiana.

Miserable Free Throw Shooting
Holy schnikes. There are a couple of things that really get under my skin. One is a lack of effort and the other is poor free throw shooting. Free throw shooting can be fixed through practice and concentration. The opponent can't do anything to make you miss a free throw, you are in complete control. Indiana shot an absolutely pathetic 12-27 (44%) from the line in this game. I am a firm believer that this team needs to shoot at least 70% to be competitive in the Big Ten. Fix it before it loses us a game!

Next Up
The Hoosiers now play Boston University. The Terriers lost to Kansas State 80-70. ESPNU was supposed to televise this 6 o'clock but they are going to show a Bowling Green vs. Miami (OH) football game, nice. Jeremy Gray and Todd Leary have the call on 97.1 FM. I am going to predict a Hoosiers victory but it will be close. Boston has lost to Iona, George Washington and Kansas State by 9, 10 and 10 respectively. They are expected to contend for the America East title (good Mid-Major league). BU has a very good backcourt and a solid frontcourt. They don't have much depth, particularly down low, so getting them in foul trouble would be helpful. This is a 50-50 game for IU, sorry that's just where this program is for now.

Roth Update
Matt Roth injured his ankle in the practice before the Ole Miss game. Tom Crean isn't saying definitive but it sounds like Roth will be out for an extended period of time. I don't want to sound cruel but I hope he doesn't redshirt. I just don't see him ever being a major difference maker at IU and a redshirt would take up a scholarship from a recruiting class down the line. I hope he gets better quickly and can return to provide more depth at the guard spot.

The Puerto Rico Tip-Off

For the second straight season, the Indiana Hoosiers are headed to a tournament in an island setting with a 2-0 record. Last season, IU went to Maui and got blasted by Notre Dame and St. Joseph's before surviving for a two-point win over Chaminade. They aren't playing a ranked team in the first game (barely) and this team is much more equipped than last season's. Still, this is going to be a huge test for a very young team. First up, the Ole Miss Rebels.

The Rebels were 16-15 last season. Don't let the record fool you, they were ravaged by injuries and coach Andy Kennedy (yes, he of bad taxi incident last year in Cincinnati) did a great job to keep them over .500. This season, they return two of the injured starters plus Terrico White, an explosive shooting guard who averaged nearly 14 points a game as a freshman last season. Chris Warren is a very good scoring point guard that is back after a knee injury. Watch for an intriguing matchup between two talented freshman forwards when Reginald Buckner battles the Hoosiers Christian Watford. Bottom line, Ole Miss is a skilled and experienced borderline Top-25 squad.

Three Keys to Victory
1. Off On the Right Foot
This is the first time the freshmen have played away from Assembly Hall. The crowd will probably have more Hoosiers fans than anyone else but it is still a game away from home. Ole Miss is the better team and Indiana cannot afford to fall behind early. If they can build a little lead, Indiana might be able to get some confidence and stay with the Rebels throughout.

2. Limit White and Warren
Chris Warren and Terrico White are an explosive backcourt duo that can score a lot of ways. Indiana's defense is going to have be focused and locked in if they want to limit these two. I think the goal is to hold them to a combined 25 points. Ole Miss is capable of producing points from other places but these two are the biggest pieces of their offense. Look for Rivers, Dumes, Creek and Jones to rotate on these two guards all afternoon.

3. Limit Turnovers
Turnovers were a problem for Indiana all last season. Things looked better in game one but digressed in game two. The Hoosiers need to keep their turnovers down and maximize their possessions to be in this one. I would like to say "limit it to ten or less" but that is unrealistic at this point in the season. How about "limit it to under 15 turnovers." That's realistic and it would give Indiana a good chance to challenge Ole Miss.

Prediction
Indiana is not going to get embarrassed like they were by Notre Dame. However, it would be unrealistic to expect Indiana to beat this team right now. I think Ole Miss is going to win their division in the SEC and make the NCAA tournament. The Hoosiers are not quite ready for a test like this. Ole Miss wins by 15. I hope I am wrong!

College Football Thoughts
It has been a little while since I have written about college football. So, some quick thoughts from the past few weeks.

-There are still six undefeated teams (Florida, Alabama, Texas, TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State). Wow! There can only be five at the end of the season because of the showdown between the Gators and the Tide. I don't see Texas, TCU or Boise State losing. The Bearcats might fall against Pittsburgh next Friday night. So, at the very least, I think there will be four unbeatens.

-Does anyone really think Charlie Weis is the right man for the Notre Dame job?

-Rich Rodriguez is already under immense pressure at Michigan. The Wolverines are suffering through their second straight terrible season and Rich Rod's honeymoon was over a long time ago. A blowout loss to Ohio State (that is happening) could send him packing after two seasons. I know it sounds ridiculous but the alumni don't like him and Michigan has the NCAA investigation as an excuse to get rid of him.

-My top three Heisman candidates are not quarterbacks. Colt McCoy doesn't deserve it, Tim Tebow doesn't deserve it, Case Keenum has lost one too many games. My list: Toby Gerhart (Stanford RB), Mark Ingram (Alabama RB), CJ Spiller (Clemson RB).

-If Oregon wins the PAC-10 and gets invited to the Rose Bowl, they will be playing Ohio State. I guarantee one thing, they will smoke the Buckeyes and embarrass the Big Ten again. Oregon is a terrible matchup for Ohio State (see mobile quarterbacks and speedy running backs against OSU in the past five years).

An IU loss will likely pit them against Boston University. A win would match them up against Kansas State. Either way, two wins in this tournament would be awesome, one (with no blowouts) would be fine, and no wins would signal another very long season. Go get 'em Hoosiers!

Hoosiers are 2-0

The Indiana Hoosiers are off to a 2-0 start. They haven't looked good at times but they are 2-0 and that's what counts. In my opinion, they have played about 30 minutes of pretty good basketball. The other 50 minutes reminds us that this program is still a long way from contending for Big Ten titles again. I am going to list my positives and negatives through two games. This list is going to be things that I think will be long-term positives or long-term negatives. Big picture folks!!!

"Cornerstone" Players
I think Christian Watford, Maurice Creek and Derek Elston have shown they are ready to be long-term stars for the Indiana Hoosiers. Watford has had two double-doubles. He is showing athleticism, confidence, solid fundamentals and a very nice touch around the basket. Watford is showing that he can score in a variety of ways and his effectiveness on the glass has been a very nice surprise. Maurice Creek is the best scoring guard on this team. He can shoot the three, hit the mid-range jumper or drive and finish pretty well. Finally, Derek Elston has shown he belongs on the floor. Inside the Hall (great site) has nicknamed him "Billy Bad Ass", how appropriate. Elston has surprised some with his effective jump shot and his athleticism. Everyone knew he would be a tough player but his offense is going to give him a lot of playing time during his career in Bloomington. Jordan Hulls is playing well and I think he will be a solid player throughout his career but the other three freshmen have truly impressed.

Pushing the Tempo
Tom Crean loves to play an uptempo style. Indiana fans still haven't seen this to its full effect because of personnel. However, I think we have seen enough of it to be legitimately excited about what it can do in the Big Ten. Indiana was able to pull away from Howard because of a lot of easy baskets caused by the uptempo play. IU also had a few transition baskets in the USC-Upstate game that were caused by pressuring the ball. The Hoosiers will continue to get more comfortable (and more effective at) this new style of play as the season progresses.

Options
Tom Crean has a lot of options and he is not afraid to use them. Crean went 11-deep in the first 12-minutes of the season! Capobianco and Bawa Muniru did not play much in the USC-Upstate game but they are options that will be used some during the season. I don't know how everything will shake down but this team is a lot more talented from roster spots 1-15.

Pritchard and Dumes: You Have to Wonder
Tom Pritchard played ten minutes last night. He scored four points and did not grab a rebound. Yes, he had some foul trouble and USC-Upstate a solid 7'3" center. Still, that is a bad game. Devan Dumes played 20 minutes, shot 1-6 from the field and had four turnovers. Bottom line, I don't know if Pritchard will be able to stay out of foul trouble and I don't know if Devan Dumes will ever stop dribbling himself into trouble. There are now other options for Crean if these guys don't play well.

Turnovers Still an Issue
The turnover problem is not going to be near as bad as it was last season. However, I think it will still be a season-long struggle. They turned the ball over 18 times on Monday night against an Atlantic Sun team. Dumes and Rivers both had four turnovers. They need to keep the turnovers at 15 per game or lower if they want to have a chance against the better opponents that are coming up.

Overall, a positive start. They beat Howard by 23 points (didn't beat anyone by 20+ last season) and had a 20 point lead against USC-Upstate. Now things get tough. They take off for Puerto Rico to play Ole Miss, a borderline Top 25 team. They could potentially meet up with Kansas State and Dayton as well. I will preview the Puerto Rico Tipoff Classic and the Old Oaken Bucket game later this week. Until then, God Bless.

The Hoosiers host Howard

The time has finally come. The 2009-2010 IU basketball season tips off tonight at 8 o'clock as the Indiana Hoosiers welcome the Howard Bison to Assembly Hall. Howard is in the MEAC. This conference is traditionally a low-major conference that usually lands a team as a 16 seed or in the play-in game. The Bison were 8-23 (6-10) last season but did have a surprising upset of the Oregon State Beavers. They lost a couple of key players including top-scorer Eugene Myatt (15 points a game, 1st team MEAC) and Randy Hampton.

Key Players for Howard
-Adam Walker- The junior forward is expected to fill some of the scoring void left by Myatt's departure.

-Curtis White- White is a senior from Pike High School. He has had to play out of position at Howard but is expected to move back out to the perimeter this season. He is a very capable three-point shooter and IU can't let him get into a comfortable groove.

The Keys for the Hoosiers
-Set The Tone Early
When you are favored and playing against an over-matched opponent, it is critical to play like the better team immediately. This is the season opener and Howard is going to feel like they can win. IU needs to get out to a quick lead and let the Bison know that they have no shot in Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers need to establish the quick tempo they want to play with before the first media timeout. Get ahead early, get the crowd into the game and let Howard know there will be no upset.

-Control the Paint
Howard has a little bit of size. Three freshmen plus Adam Walker and Paul Kirkpatrick will be playing down low. None of them are over 6'8" and they are all more long and lean than they are big and physical. The Hoosiers need to win the rebounding battle and the points in the paint. Christian Watford should be a force. I think Tom Pritchard could have a nice game. Expect Derek Elston and a couple of the guards (Creek in particular) to contribute on the glass as well.

Limit Turnovers
Indiana was one of the most turnover-prone teams in all of college basketball last season. That has to be remedied this year if IU is going to up their win total. Jeremiah Rivers and Jordan Hulls are going to help that and another year of maturity for Devan Dumes and Verdell Jones should help as well. Indiana has to value possession, beginning tonight.

Prediction
Howard was not a good basketball team last season and they don't appear to have gotten any better. They have seven freshmen on the squad. These freshmen could be a real surprise and help Howard stay in the game. Early season games tend to be sloppy and I would expect that tonight. I don't think IU will play consistently well. However, they should have two or three stretches of good play that puts the game out of reach. Indiana wins by 10-15 points and Christian Watford is the player of the game.

A quick college football note, three Tennessee football players were arrested and face charges of armed robbery. The three players allegedly robbed a man outside of a gas station. The chain is owned by one of Tennessee's biggest boosters. Two of the players were the highest ranked recruits in Lane Kiffin's first recruiting class. As expected, it looks like Kiffin is going to run a high-class program in Knoxville.

Big Ten in for a Big Year

I have made my feelings on the Big Ten as a football conference abundantly clear. I believe it is the worst it has ever been. The Big East is probably better, the ACC is probably better, even the Mountain West is probably better. Things on the hardwood are just a little bit different. Everyone on the All Big Ten team returns. Ten of the 11 teams return three or more starters. The league is loaded with experience, talent and great coaching. This has all the makings of a special year in the Big Ten.

Predictions
I will get more in-depth on these over the next month but I want to get my predictions out before most of the teams begin play.

1. Purdue Boilermakers (15-3)
Believe me, this pick was not an easy one to make. The Boilers shared the title last season and they return a fantastic nucleus. Robbie Hummel is healthy and all indications are that his back is 100%. E'Twaun Moore is their best scorer and Jajuan Johnson can be a force inside. I can sense a real sense of urgency from Purdue fans. They know their is a distinct possibility that this group won't be together after this season. Hummel, Moore and Johnson could all leave early (I expect two of the three to go if things go well this year) and Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant are seniors. Matt Painter has done a brilliant job with this program.

2. Michigan State Spartans (13-5)
Kalin Lucas is the best point guard in the conference, perhaps in the country. I recognize how important that position is. I also know the Spartans are very well coached and they have a lot of talent at every position. The only problem I have with them is that they have two key players who appear to be very injury prone. Raymar Morgan is never 100% (currently has an ankle sprain) and Delvon Roe had a leg injury last year (currently battling a concussion). Michigan State will miss the all-around game of Goran Suton and I don't see these injury problems going away. They will contend for the title but come up short.

3. Michigan Wolverines (12-6)
The Wolverines return the top five scorers from a 21-win team. Deshawn Sims and Manny Harris are probably the best one-two punch in the league and they both could compete for POY. Throw in another year of experience under coach John Beilein's system and Michigan is in for a very good year.

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-6)
Evan Turner had an excellent season on an average team last season. Thad Matta now has his first experienced team in quite a while. It will be interesting to see how he does as a coach, not just a recruiter. Turner will be aided by the return of John Diebler, Dallas Lauderdale and a healthy David Lighty.

5. Illinois Fighting Illini (11-7)
Gag me. I cannot stand Bruce Weber. He is a whiny punk whose voice drives me up the wall. However, he will have a pretty good team. Demetri McCamey and Mike Davis are both very talented but need to be more consistent. D.J. Richardson may be the best freshman in the Big Ten. The big question is who replaces Chester Frazier as a leader and defensive stopper on the perimeter. Western Kentucky cut them up in the NCAA tournament when Frazier couldn't go.

6. Wisconsin Badgers (9-9)
There is not much reason to believe the Badgers will finish this high. However, I stopped doubting Bo Ryan a long time ago. He has never missed the tournament at Wisconsin. They lost Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft. Jon Leuer may be the most talented big white guy he has had and Jason Bohannon is a terrific shooter. The system doesn't fail.

7. Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-10)
Most experts have the Golden Gophers higher than seventh. However, I don't like the news that has been streaming out of Minneapolis. Freshman Royce White (expected to compete for Freshman of the Year) has been arrested for theft, and transfer Trevor Mbakwe is suspended until December and is awaiting trial on assault charges. I don't know why Tubby Smith is recruiting these questionable characters, his teams have never been like that. I think the Gophers will have some struggles.

8. Northwestern Wildcats (7-11)
The Wildcats return four of their five starters and have a couple of people that look ready to step in to the fifth spot (centers Rowley and Mirkovich). Kevin Coble is a very good player with sneaky athleticism and a deadly jumper. Michael Thompson needs to take the next step as a point guard. If he can do that and they can get adequate play inside, the Wildcats may surprise some people.

9. Indiana Hoosiers (6-12)
The Hoosiers are going to be much better than they were last season. However, IU fans need to temper their expectations. The league has improved with them and they will have a hard time even getting the six wins I have predicted. I love the newcomers, Creek, Watford and Rivers will all start. Hulls, Elston, Capobianco and Muniru will all contribute. Most of the teams in the conference will be taking a step back after this season while IU will be ready to take a step forward.

10. Penn State Nittany Lions (5-13)
I know this seems very low for a team that won the NIT last year. However, they lost two of their top three scorers (Stanley Pringle and Jamelle Cornley). Cornley was their leader on and off the floor and I don't think they can replace him. Talor Battle is a good player but he won't be able to carry this team in this year's Big Ten by himself.

11. Iowa Hawkeyes (1-17)
The Hawkeyes are going to be bad, very bad. Todd Lickliter has struggled to implement his style in Iowa City. They lost two of their top three scorers and several players transferred out of the program. The only bright spot I see is Matt Gatens but he can't win you many games by himself. Iowa will be less competitive this season than IU was last year.

First Team
G-Kalin Lucas
G-Manny Harris
G-Evan Turner
F-Robbie Hummel
F-Jajuan Johnson
Player of the Year- Robbie Hummel
Coach of the Year- Matt Painter
Freshman of the Year- Maurice Creek

Indiana tips off the 2009-2010 season tomorrow at 8 against Howard. I will preview the game and take a look at this weekend's college football action in my next post. Until then, be vigilant and God Bless America.

The Post Game

I am combining the recap of the football and basketball games in this post. First up, another close loss for the Hoosiers. I never really had the feeling that Indiana was going to win the game. They played pretty well and kept some pressure on Wisconsin. However, I think everyone knew that the defense would not be able to get the Badgers off the field when they had to. Make no mistake, this football team has improved a ton since opening night. They have been painfully close to three or four additional victories in Big Ten play. The only two games this season where they have not been competitive have been the Ohio State and Virginia games. Unfortunately, being competitive isn't going to get you to a bowl game.

Badgers Run Wild
Wisconsin ran the ball 52 times for 294 yards. It's not nearly 500 yards like Wisconsin had last year against IU, but it is still a lot of yards. I said the target for the Hoosiers defense was 250 yards. If they could have gotten the Badgers off the field on the final drive, it would have been right at 250 and IU would have had a chance to tie or win the game. I also predicted that the Hoosiers would be put in that position and wouldn't make the stop with the game on the line. In this case, it really sucks to be right. IU doesn't have the size or depth to stop a running game like Wisconsin's. Their offensive line averages around 315 pounds per lineman. The one puzzling thing was the Badgers play-calling around the endzone. There were two instances where UW had three chances to score inside the five and they opted to pass.

Passing Attack
I have been very impressed by Ben Chappell this season. There have been a few questionable decisions and some costly mistakes made in the red zone. For the most part though, Chappell has been sharp and the offense has looked good under his direction. He threw two interceptions on Saturday. Only one of them was his fault. However, Chappell also threw three touchdowns and was 25-32 for 323 yards. That included two TDs for Tandon Doss (92 yards on 6 catches), and a TD for Terrance Turner (68 yards on 6 catches). IU loses a couple of offensive linemen to graduation but the rest of the offense returns and should be very explosive next season.

Bowl Hopes
I think the flame is just barely flickering for the Hoosiers hopes of a bowl game. They need to win in Happy Valley over a pissed off Penn State team and then beat Purdue to get to six wins. I'll be honest, Purdue is extremely hard to figure out. They beat Ohio State and won at Michigan but lost to Northern Illinois and got beat 37-0 by Wisconsin. Wisconsin is a decent team but they are not 37-0 good. Indiana has never won in State College and I don't expect that to change this weekend. IU will feel like they let a ton of opportunities slip away this season, maybe that will fuel them in the offseason. I will say this, a lot of close losses is a heck of a lot better than a lot of blowouts.

Now, onto Monday night's final exhibition game for the Crean and Crimson. They took on the St.Joseph's Pumas, a team IUPUI beat 86-62 on Saturday. You can't compare the scores because every coach approaches these exhibitions differently. However, it could give a little reference point. Indiana played pretty well and I think improved on their first exhibition game in the 95-67 victory. There were several positives and two negatives that I took from the game.

Maurice Creek Leads the Way
Creek, a 6'5" freshman, struggled to find a rhythm in the first exhibition game and some fans questioned his readiness for a starring role on this team. However, Creek settled in on Monday night and found his rhythm. I thought he would lead this team in scoring and take over for Devan Dumes by the beginning of the Big Ten season and I am sticking to that prediction. Creek scored 16 points (4-5 and 7-8 on FTs) and grabbed 7 rebounds in only 19 minutes of action. It was very good to see him active and finishing around the rim.

Rivers Shows Off the Offense
There have been questions about how much Jeremiah Rivers can help elevate the Indiana offense this season. After all, he only averaged 3 points a game at Georgetown. Last night, showed what a difference a good fit can make. Rivers is clearly suited for the uptempo, attacking offense that Tom Crean has implemented at Indiana. He scored 15 points and did a very nice job of pushing the ball and attacking the basket. One of the thing Tom Crean loves about Rivers is that his eyes are always on the rim when he drives. Todd Leary commented that Rivers was one of the best finishers Indiana has had for quite some time. Verdell Jones also scored 15 points and appears poised to pick up where he left off last season. The only downside to the guard play last night was the turnovers. Jordan Hulls and Verdell Jones both had five turnovers.

Bawa the Beast is Unleashed
May the Lord have mercy on every opponent's soul. Bawa Muniru has been unleashed. Okay, slight exaggeration. Bawa is far from being a beast. However, I think he made some plays last night that show he is further along than we thought he would be. Muniru, playing his first exhibition game, played eight minutes, scored seven points, grabbed two boards and blocked three shots. Hey, anything we get out of him is gravy and I think he showed he was ready to contribute a little bit.

Cleaning the Glass
This was an uptempo game and Tom Crean there were some long shots that sent the ball flying everywhere. However, IU should not be giving up 21 offensive to anyone, let alone St.Joseph's. I can't analyze the block-outs or anything because I listened to the contest on the radio. Rest assured, this is a stat that will be hammered home before the opener this Friday night.

Free Throw Shooting
Indiana shot a lot of free throws on Monday night. That is a big positive. There has been a lot of talk about getting back to making more than the opponent attempts. However, IU only made 69% of their foul shots (32 of 46). The only concerning misses were Tom Pritchard's 0-4. He is going to get fouled and he will need to convert on at least 70% to not be a liability in the post. There are other options and he can no longer afford to have a major weakness in his game. Christian Watford shot 7-8 from the foul line for the second straight game (very positive) and Maurice Creek was 5-6. Again, I love the 46 attempts and 69% isn't horrible, but it could be a lot better.

Overall, the exhibition games were a success. I think Tom Crean had to be pleased with the tempo and with the freshmen. He got to see a lot of different rotations and nobody was injured in either game. IU opens the season with a game against Howard University on Friday night. I will continue my season preview with some predictions about the Hoosiers, the Big Ten and the rest of the country, later this week. Until then, be vigilant and God Bless America.

Badgers Invade Bloomington

The Wisconsin Badgers are typically a big, physical team that likes to run the ball. The last time these teams met, Wisconsin ran the ball for 441 yards and rolled to a 55-20 win. They are 10-2 versus the Hoosiers and have won by an average of 26 points per game. In short, this series has not been kind to Indiana. Wisconsin destroyed Purdue 37-0 last week behind a 200-yard rushing edge. I have to be honest, this doesn't look good.

The Battle in the Trenches
I don't know if Indiana can do anything to stop what Wisconsin has done to their opponents nearly every game this season. The Badgers have a huge offensive line that pushes the front seven around. John Clay, their big running back, leads the Big Ten with 839 rushing yards on the season and nearly five yards a carry. IU is going to need to keep the Badgers under 250 yards of rushing if they want to have a chance to pull off the upset. That means great tackling by the linebackers, defensive containment on the outside by Kirlew and Middleton, and penetration up the middle by the defensive tackles (Black, Mentzer and Replogle have all played well). It sounds easy. However, the Badgers have been able to run the ball on everyone except Iowa.

Controlling the Ball
The best way to prevent the Wisconsin offense from grinding down the defense is to keep the ball. Indiana needs to control the time of possession and keep the Wisconsin defense on the field. The Badgers don't have one of their best defensive units. I would call them decent but not great. They gave up 28 to Minnesota and 30 to Michigan State. However, they did shut out Purdue. IU will need to run the ball well (again, give it to Willis as much as possible) and convert on third down. If the Hoosiers can win the time of possession battle, the Wisconsin running game won't be able to pound IU into submission.

Football Games Last 60 Minutes!
Indiana has played some great football this season. They dominated Northwestern for about 28 minutes. They drilled #4 Iowa for 35 minutes. However, they don't seem to realize that you need to play 60 minutes to win. My theory, a losing mentality and a lack of depth combine to make a second-half collapse. It won't matter if IU jumps out to a 35-0 lead on Saturday, I won't believe they are going to hold on until the end of the game. The Hoosiers have been outscored 48-3 in the second half of the past two games. I don't see them blowing another huge lead because I don't see them getting another huge lead. They had their chance in the past two games to set themselves up for a 6, 7 or even 8 win season. Their hopes for a bowl game are down to winning two out of three (Wisconsin, at Penn State, Purdue) and that can't happen if they don't play 60 minutes every week. By the way, I think the team has their motto for the offseason training program (Play 60! or Finish Strong! something cheesy like that).

Prediction
I think the Hoosiers will be able to stay with Wisconsin for most of the game. However, the physicality and size of the Wisconsin offense will begin to wear down on the IU front. The Badgers will run the ball effectively and pull away late for a 34-21 victory.

Bawa Muniru Update
Bawa Muniru, 7'0" freshman for the Indiana Hoosiers, has finally been cleared by the NCAA to play. He is very raw but extremely big and chiseled. I think Muniru will probably take Tijan Jobe's place in the rotation and come off the bench for 5-8 minutes a game. Best case scenario for this year, he can provide some defense, rebounding and a dunk or two off the bench. In two years, he has developed into a 7'0" difference maker that can shut down the paint. Whatever the case, I am glad the glacial NCAA finally got around to doing their job.

Quick Preview
There are a couple of marquee matchups this weekend in college football. The first takes place in Happy Valley as Terrelle Pryor returns to Pennsylvania as a Buckeye. He nearly chose Penn State but publicly said he didn't like how boring the area was. Ohio State's offense hasn't scored on a decent defense all season. Penn State's defense is much better than decent now that Sean Lee and Navarro Bowman are both healthy at linebacker. I don't see the Buckeyes offensive problems ending this week. Penn State wins 24-10. The other big game is the hate fest in Tuscaloosa between Alabama and LSU. The Crimson Tide have had a week off to think about their poor play and near loss against Tennessee. LSU fans still "hate" Nick Saban (as in hate him for leaving us for the Dolphins because we wish he was still our coach) and the Tigers need a marquee victory to stay in the SEC title race. This is Alabama's last major hurdle to leap to reach the SEC title game and I think their bye week came at a perfect time. I guarantee an impressive performance from the Tide. Roll Tide, 27-13.

Successful Start

The Indiana Hoosiers got the 2009-2010 basketball season off to a solid start with a 96-73 victory over the Grace College Lancers on Wednesday night. There were several positives and some negatives that will need to be worked out but the upgrade in talent is obvious. Again, let me stress that you cannot look at the score or rely too much on stats in these exhibition games. Indiana beat a team by 40 in one of last year's exhibition games and look how the season turned out. These games are important but they won't give us any conclusions about this year's team.

Balanced Scoring
I loved to see six IU players reach double figures. Christian Watford led the way with 19, Jordan Hulls had 14, Tom Pritchard and Jeremiah Rivers both had 12, Verdell Jones and Derek Elston both had 10. IU didn't have this kind of balance at any point during last season. The balance is not something that won't be duplicated. I don't think anyone will be playing more than 30 minutes a game and the points will be spread out. It is very possible that four or five players could average double figures in this uptempo system.

Picking Up The Pace
Tom Crean has made it very clear, his teams are going to run. Last night was the first public display of what he wants his teams to do. They were able to get a lot of transition baskets by pushing the ball. However, the Hoosiers missed some easy chances that could have pushed them well over 100 points. Part of playing an uptempo style is giving yourself some easy baskets. If you generate them, you have to convert them into points. Another part of playing fast is getting back on defense quickly after scoring. Indiana gave up some easy layups to Grace because they don't quite grasp the "turn and sprint" mentality you need in college. That will come though. This style of play is entertaining for the fans and attractive to recruits. Most importantly, I think it can win big in the Big Ten.

Welcome Newcomers
Indiana played five of their six newcomers last night (Bawa Muniru still isn't cleared by the glacial NCAA) and four of them played well. Bobby Capobianco corralled nine rebounds and was a physical presence (maybe too physical, he had four fouls). Derek Elston exhibited a nice touch around the basket and a nose for the ball with 10 points and 7 rebounds. Jeremiah Rivers had 12 points and he was a force on defense. The biggest stars last night were Jordan Hulls and Christian Watford. Hulls had 14 points on 5-6 shooting and 2-2 from the foul line. He also added 3 assists, 3 steals and did not commit a turnover in 21 minutes. Anyone surprised by this never saw him play in high school. Hulls is a winner and he will do some very special things during his career at IU.
Christian Watford also played a starring role in the victory. He scored a game-high 19 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and had 3 steals in 22 minutes of action. The explosive Watford missed a couple of bunnies but his athleticism and size around the rim is a combination Indiana has not had in quite some time. The 6'9" freshman can shoot from the outside but he focused on his interior attack last night. Watford looks poised to lead this team in scoring.

There were plenty of negatives last night as well. The exhibition game was characteristically sloppy. IU had 17 turnovers (fewer than I thought they would) and they missed several layups. Tom Crean mentioned that they needed to be more aggressive around the rim. He wants them to finish by dunking the ball and attacking the rim. A quick rundown of the negative aspects of exhibition game #1.

Defensive Lapses
IU got beat down the court a few times after made baskets. Indiana is going to be a fast-paced and uptempo team for as long as Tom Crean is the coach (a long, long time!). That means they are going to get some transition and fast break buckets. When you score a fast break basket, the other team is going to have a chance to score quickly the other way. The Hoosiers were caught by this a few times and it needs to get corrected. IU was also burned by open three point shooters for the first 25 minutes of the game. They clamped down and began to turn up the defensive pressure as the game wore on though.

Rebounding Margin
The final margin looks good for IU (+13). However, IU and Grace College were nearly even in rebounds for the first 25 minutes of the contest. I was happy that Watford, Pritchard, Elston and Capobianco rebounded well but the guards need to chip in more on the glass. Rivers and Jones are both 6'5" or taller and they should be able to contribute 4 or 5 boards a game.

Overall, this was a solid start to the season. I know people wanted to see IU win by 40 or something but the score is truly irrelevant. Tom Crean was able to get his guys through a game, he has some film to study and no one got hurt. Devan Dumes should be ready for the season opener and Bawa Muniru should be cleared any day now. Basketball season is upon us!

By the way, Isiah Thomas made his debut as the coach at Florida International last night. The Panthers took on Northwood, an NAIA school coached by the legend Rollie Massimino. As has been the case for Isiah in the past five years, things did not go well. Northwood took down FIU 71-61. The Panthers play at #6 North Carolina on Monday to open the 2009-2010 season. Good luck with that!

Three Things to Look (or Listen) For

The Indiana Hoosiers tip-off the 2009-2010 basketball season on Wednesday night against Grace College. The opponent does not matter, this will be the first chance to see how much progress the Hoosiers have made in year two of the Tom Crean era. We will need to be careful about what to take from this game. I don't think it would be wise to look at the stats and make conclusions about what to expect for the season. However, it is Hoosier basketball and it's great to have them on the floor again.

3. The Guard Minutes
I think it is safe to assume that Jeremiah Rivers will be starting at the point. However, we don't really know who will start at the other two guard spots. I think it is safe to assume that Devan Dumes and Verdell Jones will occupy the other two spots for now. Don't be surprised to see Maurice Creek in for Dumes. Again, we can't say that the starting lineup against Grace College is going to be the starting lineup against Howard for the season opener. The lineup will probably change a lot during the season. I am looking forward to seeing how the minutes are distributed among the group of Rivers, Hulls, Creek, Dumes, Roth, Moore and Finkelmeier (throw in Watford because he could play the three).

2. The Tempo
Tom Crean wants his team to run. He wants to see pressure on the ball, turnovers converted to fast break points and quick outlets off of rebounds. IU did not have the personnel or personality to do that last year. Crean has said this team is going to be closer to his desired tempo but they won't reach the goal yet. Obviously, Grace should be easier to push the tempo against than a Big Ten team will be. Still, we will see if IU has made a decent amount of progress towards becoming the Hurryin' Hoosiers once again.

1. The Freshmen
This is the first time we get to see the highly-touted recruiting class against an opponent. Maurice Creek, Christian Watford, Jordan Hulls, Bawa Muniru, Derek Elston, and Bobby Capobianco are expected to contribute all season long. Wednesday night is their first game-action. Who is adjusting well? Is anyone struggling? Are they as good as we think they are? We won't get conclusive answers but the first step towards answers will be taken against Grace College.

Another Meltdown

Indiana dominated the fourth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday. Despite numerous officiating screw-ups and bamboozling review decisions, the Hoosiers looked like the much better team and Iowa was proven fraudulent. Then they played the fourth quarter. I'm not sure Indiana is aware that college football games last 60 minutes. IU has led at Michigan, at Iowa and at Northwestern heading into the fourth quarter. They have managed to blow all of those games. After the 42-24 loss, IU sits at 4-5 (1-4) and they must win two of their final three games to make it to a bowl game. I don't see it happening but this team has clearly improved. Depth is still an issue and the lack of it shows in the final stages of Big Ten games.

Why Do We Have Replay?
I don't want to sound like a homer but the officiating was absolutely awful. A conspiracy theorist could very easily connect the dots if they watched Saturday's game and knew what was on the line for the conference. Iowa is the only national title threat the Big Ten has left. A loss at home to lowly Indiana would be embarrassing. If there is even a chance we can help the Hawkeyes with this review, let's do it. I don't know if that's what happened but I am not going to say it didn't. IU lost three reviews that severely damaged their chances. The second touchdown that was overturned was the worst review call I have ever seen. Terrance Turner clearly had possession of the ball and one foot down. The ref was standing five feet away and had the best angle in the house. He was in better position than the camera! I have heard several "experts" call out the replay officials in the Big Ten. The conference will probably apologize for a mistake. Gee, thanks a lot.

Darius Willis Continues to Impress
IU has a feature running back. Redshirt freshman Darius Willis is not 100% but he is running very effectively. Willis has shown the ability to hit the big play but I have been really impressed with the three to four yard runs. Willis rarely gets stuffed behind the line and his legs are constantly driving him forward. He had 63 yards and a touchdown against a very good defense. He has a bright future ahead of him.

The Collapse
This is the second straight game that Indiana has looked like a great team in the first half and a horrible team in the second. I don't think this is a lack of adjustments, simply a lack of execution and depth. Indiana blew two coverages to allow a struggling Ricky Stanzi to get back into a rhythm. From there, you knew the landslide had begun. The bad calls, big plays (fluke interception for a TD was brutal), loud crowd and injuries (Fisher, Polk and Adkins out) all snowballed on the Hoosiers.

Improvement is there and I think Bill Lynch has this team going in the right direction. However, they are going to need to finish off these games if they want to change the losing culture that has settled into the IU football program.