Hoosier Hoops

[BRM]

Just read this on ITH. I agree with him completely. This was the first time in quite awhile where I was actually emotionally into the game. For some reason, I felt like the Hoosiers really had a shot to win this game.

I have put little emotional investment into this Big Ten season. As the losses piled up, it was hard to. With so many turnovers and so much frustration, there came a point where you had to cut your losses and just ride this season out. Even when IU was able to get a win against Iowa, I wasn’t really that charged about it.

It’s not that I didn’t still watch, or didn’t still hope IU would win, it’s just that I didn’t find myself cursing out the TV every game, didn’t find myself hooting and hollering like I’d done so many times before.

Tonight was different. Tonight I cursed. Tonight I slapped my hands together and clapped. Tonight my heart skipped a few beats. This is what it’s supposed to be like; I had almost forgotten.

After Tom Izzo picked up that technical foul and MSU went on that ridiculous scoring drought, I believed. Believed IU had a legitimate shot at winning this game. We’ve been close countless times this season and I’ve thought the opposite. IU is bound to lose, IU will blow this, the Hoosiers are doing the same thing they always do: play hard and then watch it come crumbling down late in the game.

I’m not sure why I thought different tonight. Perhaps it was the dulcet tones of Steve Lavin and Brent Musburger. Perhaps it’s because I’m mentally to next season already, and an effort like this made me think the Hoosiers were already there.

Whatever it was, I was hooked, enraptured for the last ten minutes of this ballgame. It felt good, felt right. But as soon as Raymar Morgan did this with 27 seconds to go, that was just about it:



Sure, IU still had a legit shot to win, as the Hoosiers were only down four points. It was far from insurmountable. But this year’s feelings starting to creep in again. If they’d only shot better than 64 percent from the free-throw line, they’d be right in this still, or winning. If they only didn’t turn the ball over 22 times, they might be winning. If they only didn’t blow all those chances when MSU was missing shots and turning the ball over the last few minutes, they would certainly be winning this game.

But, as always with the 2008-09 incarnation of the Indiana Hoosiers, all the hustle, scrap and effort in the world can’t win you a basketball game if other components aren’t working in conjunction with all that.

But that will come next year. And I’ll be cursing at my TV right along with it. I can’t wait.

[Playadlc]

I loved the game last night. When Williams hit that three to cut the lead to two I was going nuts.

Next year is going to be very interesting. The fact that Crean brought in a Top 7 class given the circumstances is downright amazing. Lots of guys will be battling for spots next year. No one is safe. I can't wait.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by Playadlc

I loved the game last night. When Williams hit that three to cut the lead to two I was going nuts.

Next year is going to be very interesting. The fact that Crean brought in a Top 7 class given the circumstances is downright amazing. Lots of guys will be battling for spots next year. No one is safe. I can't wait.

It's funny, two months ago, I would have said Pritchard was the only guy from this team that would start next year.

Now, I'm hoping they've found two guys better than him for the frontcourt. It's not a knock on him, but if Capobianco and Elston can beat him out next year, it would be a pretty solid front court.

[BRM]

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

It's funny, two months ago, I would have said Pritchard was the only guy from this team that would start next year.

Now, I'm hoping they've found two guys better than him for the frontcourt. It's not a knock on him, but if Capobianco and Elston can beat him out next year, it would be a pretty solid front court.

The interesting battle will be at PG. Jones, Hulls and Rivers all fighting for time.

[Playadlc]

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

It's funny, two months ago, I would have said Pritchard was the only guy from this team that would start next year.

Now, I'm hoping they've found two guys better than him for the frontcourt. It's not a knock on him, but if Capobianco and Elston can beat him out next year, it would be a pretty solid front court.

Muniru could be in the mix as well. I saw some video's of him over at Peegs and this guy is a beast. 7'0" tall and 240 pounds and can get up and down the court.

I am curious to see if Crean will go with an 8 or 10 man rotation next season. I have no idea how Indiana plans to spread out the minutes next year. I am willing to bet Crean doesn't know right now, either.

[BRM]

Originally Posted by Playadlc

Muniru could be in the mix as well. I saw some video's of him over at Peegs and this guy is a beast. 7'0" tall and 240 pounds and can get up and down the court.

From what I've read, he'll be a bit of a work in progress. Lots of upside but needs some work.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by BRM

From what I've read, he'll be a bit of a work in progress. Lots of upside but needs some work.

Nobody has any stats on him because his prep school doesn't distribute them, but I think people think he's a project because he has an African name so they assume he's the next Tijan Jobe.

[BRM]

I know I read something a couple of weeks about him. Someone saw him play apparently but now I can't find it. All I can scrounge up is this piece from Inside The Hall from a few weeks ago.

What is the deal with Bawa? I have not seen any video or stats.
The deal with Bawa is that he’s a 7-footer with tremendous upside, but at this point, he’s extremely limited offensively. He’s not Tijan Jobe limited, but he’s got some work to do and with the help of Roshown McLeod, I’d expect him to improve immensely in that aspect of his game. As far as video goes, this clip, which basically shows him throwing down a couple of thunderous dunks is all I’ve been able to scrounge up. The reason his stats haven’t been reported is that very few, if any, newspapers cover Mt. Zion Academy’s basketball team and the school’s Web site doesn’t report stats.

Are we excited about this guy?
There’s a lot to like about Bawa other than the fact that he’s fluent in six languages. Right off the top, he’s seven feet tall or pretty darn close to it. IU desperately needs interior size and rebounding. As we’ve seen, Tom Pritchard can’t go it alone, especially in the Big Ten. Muniru has made strides on the defensive end and is more than capable of blocking shots and contributing on the glass. I don’t necessarily see him morphing into Hasheem Thabeet down the road, but with the right work ethic and a willingness to be coached up, he should be a solid addition to the IU program. And speaking of work ethic and attitude, all reports are that he’s a great kid, so there shouldn’t be any problems.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by BRM

I know I read something a couple of weeks about him. Someone saw him play apparently but now I can't find it. All I can scrounge up is this piece from Inside The Hall from a few weeks ago.

To paraphrase from the Sports Guy's dad; "Well as long as the opposition puts two folding chairs in for defense, we're golden."

Seriously, I've had trouble finding much in the way of stats on the guy, but I've read the limited offensively piece. But no one really knows where he's at either offensively or defensively.

[BRM]

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

Seriously, I've had trouble finding much in the way of stats on the guy, but I've read the limited offensively piece. But no one really knows where he's at either offensively or defensively.

I agree. We'll just have to wait and see obviously. Either way, I'm very excited about the future in Bloomington.

[Hoosier Red]

What has been most encouraging is the improvement you've seen in just about every player on the team.(Maybe with the exception of Pritchard.)

Going into Big 11 season, I had my guys that will probably transfer list starting at VJ III and Nick Williams. Now they may still transfer, but they've at least shown they can be contributors if they stay.

Next year there's going to be a 10 strong rotation that can match up talent wise with most anyone in the country.

PG: Rivers/Hulls
SG: Dumes/Creek/Story
SF: Watford/Williams
PF: Capobianco/Elston
C: Pritchard/Maniru

Gone/out of rotation: VJ III, Moore, Jobe(not that he was in it this year) Taber, Roth(who if he stays will be the 3 pt specialist)

[Playadlc]

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

What has been most encouraging is the improvement you've seen in just about every player on the team.(Maybe with the exception of Pritchard.)

Going into Big 11 season, I had my guys that will probably transfer list starting at VJ III and Nick Williams. Now they may still transfer, but they've at least shown they can be contributors if they stay.

Next year there's going to be a 10 strong rotation that can match up talent wise with most anyone in the country.

PG: Rivers/Hulls
SG: Dumes/Creek/Story
SF: Watford/Williams
PF: Capobianco/Elston
C: Pritchard/Maniru

Gone/out of rotation: VJ III, Moore, Jobe(not that he was in it this year) Taber, Roth(who if he stays will be the 3 pt specialist)

What is interesting about this is IU's highest rated recruits play spots that we have the least need. I think Rivers and Hulls are locks to play the PG spot. Capb (not going to try to spell his full name) will probably take Taber's spot and obviously Pritchard will be in the mix down low. That leaves Creek, Watford, Elston, Dumes, Jones, Williams and Story fighting for the wing spots. Talk about competition. If you wanna win a spot in this rotation you better bring it every single day.

Also, I found this quote by Hulls:

"Purdue had been recruiting me for about two years already. Indiana and Coach Crean recruited me for only two weeks. So, I mean, that was all I needed to hear to know I wanted to go there."

How can you not love this kid?

[Hoosier Red]

Some recruits may be reconsidering, including Dominique Ferguson who's apparantly pretty stellar.

http://www.idsnews.com/basketblog/?p=2239

As I mentioned in the previous post (under comments), five-star junior Dominique Ferguson is likely to re-open his recruitment, according to his father, Deon. The elder Ferguson told the Louisivlle Courier-Journal that his son, a Kentucky commit and Indy Lawrence North star, “has a lot on his mind right now” and there is “a strong possibility” that he will open things back up. Ferguson, a 6-foot-9 forward, committed to UK just weeks after Tom Crean took the IU job, so he likely does not have much of a relationship with Crean. We will try to track down Dominique and his father should he decommit.
Coach Crean was spotted at the Class 2A state finals game this afternoon, according to InsideTheHall, a game in which Fort Wayne Bishop Luers came away with their second straight championship. What makes this interesting is that Luers is led by five-star junior and Ohio State commit DeShaun Thomas. Thomas, who had 34 points and 15 rebounds this afternoon, has long been committed to Ohio State, but multiple times has been rumored to be re-opening his commitment. Each rumor has been met with either no comment, or affirmation of being committed to Ohio State. Thomas is ranked No. 8 in the nation according to Rivals.com. Check out this report former IDS basketball beat reporter and current EIC Michael Sanserino had on him from a January 2008 IU-Illinois game.

[WVRed]

This is speculation on my part, but...

If rumors hold up and Tom Izzo is Mitch Barnhardt's first choice, that would likely leave an opening in East Lansing.

Being that Tom Izzo and Tom Crean are close friends and Izzo being Crean's mentor, is there any possibility Michigan State would pursue Crean if the job came open?

[BRM]

Originally Posted by WVRed

This is speculation on my part, but...

If rumors hold up and Tom Izzo is Mitch Barnhardt's first choice, that would likely leave an opening in East Lansing.

Being that Tom Izzo and Tom Crean are close friends and Izzo being Crean's mentor, is there any possibility Michigan State would pursue Crean if the job came open?

For one, I don't think Izzo is going anywhere. However, if he did leave I don't think MSU would approach Crean after only one season at IU.