(Photo via Peter Stevenson on TwitPic)
Welcome to “That’s A Wrap,” our attempt to make some sense of the 2010-11 season. Sit back. Relax. Grab some popcorn. Get your read on. Today: Tom Pritchard.
Final Stats (31 games): 2.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.7 apg, 59.0% FG, 34.8% FT in 18.2 minutes per game
So is it me, or was Tom Pritchard one of the most quietly impressive Hoosiers on the court this season?
Granted, his offensive game was just as stop-and-go (putting it lightly) as ever. But Pritchard was quite possibly Indiana’s most improved and most consistent defender, and a significant minority of fouls he committed this season were in covering for a teammate that had lost his mark.
We also started seeing some of the Pritchard that Tom Crean and other Hoosiers have talked about – the one with strong footwork, underrated athleticism and some actual swagger around the rim.
This rather emphatic, ridiculously surprising putback dunk not withstanding, when Pritchard was assertive and aggressive on the offensive end, his teammates fed off that energy more clearly and efficiently than perhaps anyone else on the team.
Looking back, it’s probably fair to say that, in a sense, Pritchard came out of his shell a little bit, and began to define the final product he’ll become. Though it’s hard to picture him becoming a scoring force in his senior season, it’s certainly not beyond even the adventurous imagination to see him put up nicely improved numbers next year. And as his strength has improved, so has his rebounding, a significant need for Indiana next season as well.
All of this swells up to create the potential for Pritchard to play a critical role on the 2011-12 Indiana basketball team: foil to Cody Zeller.
Tom Crean said on Monday night that he wouldn’t mind adding another recruit to the Hoosiers’ 2011 class “
Welcome to “That’s A Wrap,” our attempt to make some sense of the 2010-11 season. Sit back. Relax. Grab some popcorn. Get your read on. Today: Derek Elston.
Inside the Hall had a chance to catch up with 2014 Evansville Bosse freshman 
That’s A Wrap: Matt Roth
Welcome to “That’s A Wrap,” our attempt to make some sense of the 2010-11 season. Sit back. Relax. Grab some popcorn. Get your read on. Today: Matt Roth.
Final Stats (28 games): 3.4 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.3 apg, 38.5% FG, 88.9% FT in 8.2 minutes per game
After missing the majority of his sophomore season with a broken foot, Matt Roth returned for his junior season with hopes of returning to a regular role in the IU rotation.
But rather than cracking the rotation, Roth was relegated to mostly spot duty and cracked double digit minutes in just nine games. And while he showed the ability to take over a game from the perimeter as a freshman with 29 points against Ohio State, Roth doesn’t seem to be the same player physically after suffering the foot injury last season in Puerto Rico.
There’s no question Roth possesses the ability to contribute because of his prowess as a shooter, but the reality is that Indiana’s personnel struggled to bring his strength to the forefront this season.
The Hoosiers didn’t have a point guard that could consistently break down opponents off the dribble and help create openings for Roth. And they also lacked a post presence that could draw double teams and kick it out to the perimeter. When Kelvin Sampson recruited the Washington, Illinois native, it was with the understanding that he’d be surrounded with talent to help free him up for open looks. Three years later, that plan has yet to materialize with any regularity.
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