Via the IUAthletics Channel on YouTube:
2011-12 ITH Season Preview: Iowa Hawkeyes
by Alex Bozich in Commentary | September 30th, 2011
With the college basketball season inching closer, we’ll be taking a long look at the conference at large as well as Indiana’s roster over the next few weeks. Today, we continue our team previews with a look at the Iowa Hawkeyes.
A new era began last winter in Iowa City as Fran McCaffery was tasked with turning around a program run into the Big Ten cellar by Todd Lickliter.
As most pundits predicted, it was a tough debut season for McCaffery and the Hawkeyes: Iowa finished 11-20 overall and 4-14 in the conference.
But even in the midst of a major rebuilding overhaul, there were positive signs in year one of the McCaffery era. Iowa avoided finishing last in the league by beating Indiana twice and Michigan State and Purdue at home. Three of their conference losses were by just three points, including two in overtime. And guard Bryce Cartwright and big man Melsahn Basabe quietly put together stellar seasons.
Add it all up and the Hawkeyes could be a surprise in a league with plenty of question marks outside of the top three teams.
Iowa returns four of five starters, but will miss the departed Jarryd Cole, who ranked in the top 10 in the league in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage. Basabe, who landed on the conference All-Freshman team, was also in the top 10 in both of the aforementioned categories. A quick glance at the comparables for his 2011-2012 season brings back a couple of first round NBA Draft picks in Derrick Favors and B.J. Mullens.
The 6-foot-1 Cartwright, who ranked second in the Big Ten in assist rate, will anchor the backcourt. Matt Gatens, who led the team in scoring at 12.6 points per game, also led the conference in free throw percentage (87.4). Other returnees in the backcourt include Eric May (7.8 ppg), Zach McCabe (5.8 ppg) and Devyn Marble (5.7). Newcomer Josh Oglesby, a Top 150 shooting guard, should also enter the rotation.
QuickLink
MSUSpartans.com: Knee Pain Forces Delvon Roe to Retire
MSU senior forward Delvon Roe has decided to end his career as an active member of the Spartan basketball team due to degenerative knee pain. Roe will remain on scholarship and is on track to graduate in May 2012.
Quote from Delvon Roe:
“This is the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. It feels that I’ve been playing through pain throughout my career at MSU, but the daily grind of basketball – the running, cutting, jumping – has finally taken its toll given the intensity required to play at our level. I started playing basketball because I loved the game, but the pain has taken that away and forced me to always think about just getting through the next few minutes or the next game. I don’t want to just `get through’ anymore. I’ve played on a leg and a half for most of my career, and that’s not fair to my teammates as they go through the daily grind.”
2011-12 ITH Season Preview: Nebraska Cornhuskers
by Ryan Corazza in Commentary | September 29th, 2011
With the college basketball season inching closer, we’ll be taking a long look at the conference at large as well as Indiana’s roster over the next few weeks. Today, we continue our team previews with a look at the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Nebraska.
Yup.
Get used to it.
The Cornhuskers are now a part of the expanded Big Ten.
In 2010-11, Nebraska finished a respectable 19-13 (7-9) — wrapping its season with a 76-49 beatdown at the hands of Wichita State in the first round of the NIT. According to KenPom, the Cornhuskers were one of the better defensive teams in the country. Nebraska finished 24th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency (91.5), 27th in the nation in defensive effective field-goal percentage (45.7 percent) and sixth in the nation in defensive two-point percentage (42.4 percent.) The team also had an adjusted tempo of 63.6 possessions, a slower pace that’s kept pretty consistent in the Doc Sadler era.
Strong defense? Slow pace? Sounds like a stereotypical Big Ten team.
Departed senior point guard Lance Jeter led the squad — averaging the most points (11.7) and minutes (30.2). He was also one of their more efficient shooters (53.1 effective field-goal percentage) and racked up more assists (279) than any other two-year player in school history. Eshaunte Jones, a reserve guard and one-time IU recruit, has transferred to Northern Kentucky. Despite losing both, the Cornhuskers still boast plenty of experienced upperclassmen talent from last year’s squad. Junior center Jorge Brian Diaz will anchor the middle. Diaz sported a block percentage of 5.7 last season – good for 146th in the nation – so he’s a solid rim protector. He was also second in scoring (10.5) and minutes (26.3) for the Cornhuskers.
QuickVideo
Video: 2014 Louisville Central guard D’Angelo Russell
Thanks to our friends at CityLeagueHoopsTV for this video of 2014 Louisville Central guard D’Angelo Russell who has early offers from Indiana, Louisville and Xavier and interest from several other high major schools:
Notebook: Kentucky offer for Harris, Zeigler visit, more
by Alex Bozich in Recruiting | September 28th, 2011
The first of three official visits scheduled for 2012 target Gary Harris takes place this weekend at Purdue. The Boilermakers host Notre Dame in football Saturday night on ESPN which should make for an interesting atmosphere. Harris will spend Friday evening at Noblesville as the Hamilton Southeastern football team looks to move to 6-1.
There’s still been no word on plans for an official visit to Kentucky, but the Wildcats have offered a scholarship according to GoldandBlack.com. After the Purdue visit, Indiana will get Harris next for Hoosier Hysteria on October 15 and then Michigan State will host him on the weekend of November 5. The early signing period begins on Wednesday, November 9.
Crean in Indianapolis
Brian Snow of Scout.com reported that Tom Crean was at North Central for open gym on Wednesday to watch 2014 forward Perry Poindexter. The 6-foot-7 Poindexter has interest from Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Xavier. Crean was also at Indianapolis Tech on Wednesday watching 2014 commitment Trey Lyles according to Trevor Andershock. Lyles’ high school coach, Jason Delaney, also confirmed Crean’s presence at Tech.
