Indiana coach Tom Crean took the podium today at the Crown Plaza O’Hare in Chicago at the Big Ten’s annual media day. The video of Crean’s presser is above or you can listen to the complete audio of Crean’s comments in the embedded media player below:
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A full transcript is available after the jump.
It’s time for Inside the Hall’s player-by-player breakdown of the 2011-2012 Indiana Hoosiers. Today, we conclude the series with Derek Elston.
X-factor.
It’s the first title that comes to mind for Derek Elston in his rapidly-approaching junior campaign.
After a disappointing 2010-11 season — one riddled with injuries, as Elston revealed to the media in August — the Tipton native coming into his own this year could be a key component in just how successful the Hoosiers will be.
Last season, Elston was a part of Indiana’s fouling problem. He finished third on the team in fouls committed per 40 minutes (5.7) behind the departed Bobby Capobianco (10.7) and Tom Pritchard (6.5). Beyond his heavy foul rate, he, like many of his teammates, also struggled to stay in proper position on defense, though some of that may be attributed to injuries which limited his lateral quickness.
On the offensive end, he improved his effective field-goal percentage year over year (50.0 to 52.4 percent) by being efficient inside the arc (61-of-108, 56.5 percent). Outside of the arc, however, Elston struggled (3-of-17, 17.6 percent). He was also the top defensive rebounder on the team among regulars (defensive rebounding percentage of 21.3).
If he’s able to move past his injuries of last season and find the missing spring in his game, Elston figures to benefit from dump-offs and open looks around Cody Zeller. And if he can find a 3-point stroke again to couple with his strong two-point shooting, there’s no reason he couldn’t find himself as a low double-digit average scorer, more than doubling his 4.9 points per game mark from last season.
Columbus Dispatch Hoops & Scoops: The poll that ranks every Big Ten team
Before the start of Big Ten basketball media day Thursday morning, the Big Ten will release the results of its preseason poll of selected media (me included), who last week voted on the best teams and players in the conference.
Ostensibly so it doesn’t make the also-rans feel badly, the conference will, as it always has, release only the top three vote-getters among teams. So, a number of years ago, some of the teams’ beat writers, many of whom vote in the “official” poll, created their own “unofficial poll,” which is all-inclusive.
In other words, we rank them 1 through 12. We don’t care if their feelings are hurt. They’re big boys.
With signing day just two weeks away, we continue our photo gallery series looking at Indiana’s class of 2012. Check out 24 photos by Jamie Owens of Lawrence Central senior wing Jeremy Hollowell in the embedded gallery after the jump. (Previously: Ron Patterson)
It’s time for Inside the Hall’s player-by-player breakdown of the 2011-2012 Indiana Hoosiers. Today: Austin Etherington.
Is it possible “The Movement” started with Austin Etherington?
When the Hamilton Heights product gave his verbal pledge in August of 2009, he was just the second Indiana native to commit to the Hoosiers in the Tom Crean era. And over the 15 months following his decision, Etherington made it a point to recruit others to join him in Bloomington.
I remember standing courtside after a pool play game at the 2010 adidas Invitational listening to Etherington talk about his goals for the summer. Rather than bringing up the back injury he had just returned from or individual accolades, he simply uttered four words with a smile: “Get Cody. Get Cody.”
It was Etherington who spent time with Zeller and Hanner Perea behind the IU bench at last year’s “Night of the Living Red.” Yogi Ferrell joined them in Bloomington the following day.
Less than a month later, Zeller’s Letter of Intent was signed and Ferrell and Perea were verbal commitments in the 2012 class.
On the court, Etherington built a reputation in high school as one of the state’s best shooters. At 6-foot-6, he’s big enough to get his shot over most backcourt defenders and when given an opening, he’ll connect from all over the perimeter.
Defense, lateral quickness and ball handling are probably his three biggest areas for improvement as he begins his career.
CBSSports.com: Crean’s success dictates potential IU-Stevens marriage
Indiana will be improved this season. No, they won’t win 20 games and I’d be shocked if the Hoosiers make the NCAA tournament. They’ll probably make an appearance in one of those irrelevant postseason events such as the CBI or CollegeInsider.com, maybe even the NIT.
But Crean and his staff are taking steps — both on and off the court. Indiana should win 16 or so games, which will be enough to keep the rabid Hoosiers fans in check for another year.
That’s when IU basketball should return to the national landscape, possibly even a mainstay in the Top 25.
Then everyone will forget about the potential marriage of Stevens and Indiana that many whisper about in these parts.
