Inside the Hall | An Indiana Hoosiers basketball blog » Recaps

Hoosiers drop second straight in Puerto Rico, 71-67

Alex Bozich — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:35:26 +0000

Boston University entered Friday’s game against Indiana coming off of losses to Iona, George Washington and Kansas State.

And for most of consolation bracket contest in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Tip-Off Classic, it appeared Boston and first-year coach Patrick Chambers would drop their fourth straight.

But after trailing the entire second half, a pair of free throws from Jake O’Brien gave Boston a 67-65 lead with 2:19 remaining and the Terriers (1-3) held on to beat Indiana, 71-67.

John Holland scored 21 points off the bench to lead Boston and O’Brien added 14 points and 13 rebounds.

The Terriers out-rebounded IU 52-32, had 19 second chance points and scored 15 more points from the foul line.

The Hoosiers (2-2) had a chance to tie the game in the final thirty seconds, but Maurice Creek and Verdell Jones both missed three-point attempts in the final 21 seconds and Corey Lowe hit a free throw to ice it for Boston.

“We tried to go to the best play possible,” Creek said. “Coach brought it up and it just didn’t work out.”

Creek paced the Hoosiers with 17 points, all in the first half. Jones added 14 points and six assists and Jeremiah Rivers chipped in 13 points, six rebounds and four assists.

“I thought we played a very aggressive 35 minutes,” Jones said. “But once again we didn’t play a full 40 minutes like we needed to and the result is a loss.”

Pick to Click: Verdell Jones

Up next: George Mason at 10:30 am ET on Sunday. The game will be televised by ESPNU.

Rebuilding effort: Crean shared the following via Twitter shortly after the game: “Nights like tonight make us all remember we are in a full scale rebuilding mode. The level of effort it requires is incredible but worth it.”

Box score

Turnovers, pour foul shooting sink Hoosiers in Puerto Rico

Alex Bozich — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:37:21 +0000

For seven minutes in Puerto Rico, Indiana looked capable of hanging with Ole Miss.

And just like that, the Rebels reeled off a 28-5 run en route to a comfortable 89-71 win in the opening round of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Tip-Off Classic.

“I thought our guys responded to Indiana coming out and being aggressive, which you would hope an experienced team would do,” Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said. “We have some experienced guards and made some adjustments.”

Indiana had no answer on the inside for Ole Miss (3-0), which blocked 12 shots, out-rebounded IU 46-43 and shot 51.5 percent from the field.

Murphy Holloway scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Rebels and Chris Warren had 16.

“We tried to get Murph behind the zone, because they got so extended on the perimeter,” Kennedy said of Holloway. “It opened up some opportunities behind the zone.”

The Hoosiers (2-1) committed 21 turnovers, 14 in the first half, and shot just 12 of 27 from the foul line.

“We made too many mistakes to win the game,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said. “They were more physical and we didn’t do a great job of playing through that.”

After trailing by as many as 15 in the second half, Indiana had a chance to cut the lead to six with 5:40 remaining. But an errant pass from Devan Dumes to Jeremiah Rivers on a 3-on-1 fast break ended IU’s 9-2 run.

Maurice Creek led three Indiana players in double figures with 18 points. Verdell Jones added 17 and Rivers had 14. The bench, however, contributed just nine points.

“A loss is a loss,” Jones said. “We just have to come back and improve and get tougher.”

Pick to Click: Jeremiah Rivers

Up next: Boston University at 6:00 ET on Friday.

Tough game for Watford: The freshman from Birmingham (AL) hit just 2 of 10 shots and scored five points. Watford was averaging a double-double in his first two games.

Off the mark from outside: The Hoosiers shot just 3 of 15 from behind the three-point line.

Box score

Winning ugly: Hoosiers beat USC Upstate, 69-61

Alex Bozich — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:01:46 +0000

It wasn’t pretty, but Tom Crean and the Indiana Hoosiers won for the second time in four days, laboring past USC-Upstate 69-61 Monday night in Assembly Hall.

IU committed 18 turnovers and hit just 16 of 30 free throws, but Christian Watford’s 17 points and 10 rebounds pushed the Hoosiers (2-0) past the Spartans. It was the second straight double-double for the freshman from Birmingham, Alabama.

“The first thing I would say is welcome to the wacky world of freshmen and sophomore predominant basketball,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said. “That’s where we are at and we have a lot of learning to do.”

Three Hoosiers — Maurice Creek (14), Verdell Jones (13) and Derek Elston (10) — joined Watford in double figures. Jeremiah Rivers added two points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Indiana led 60-40 with 7:57 remaining, but USC Upstate (0-2) closed the game with a 21-9 run.

The Spartans, playing just their third season in Division I, were led by Mezie Uzochukwu’s 14 points.

Pick to click: Watford

Crean on Puerto Rico: “We are getting ready to play some high level guys when we get to Puerto Rico. It’s going to be a really good test for us to see where we stand. If we don’t match-up and play with that will and that fire and we are not as physical as them, we will get embarrassed.”

Pritchard struggles: Plagued by foul trouble, the 6-9 sophomore scored four points and didn’t record a rebound in just 10 minutes.

Dumes struggles, too: Indiana’s leading scorer last season logged 20 minutes, but hit just 1 of 6 shots and committed four turnovers. Dumes finished with two points and five rebounds.

Up next: Ole Miss in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Box score

Freshmen hit the ground running in Indiana opener

Alex Bozich — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:25:31 +0000

In front of a near capacity crowd Friday night at Assembly Hall, a trio of Indiana freshmen each turned in a debut to remember.

Leading just 20-18 with 7:03 remaining in the first half, Maurice Creek and Derek Elston sparked a 9-0 run that put Indiana in the drivers seat on their way to a 83-60 win over Howard.

Creek led all scorers with 17 points and Elston and Christian Watford added 14 each for the Hoosiers, who shot nearly 56 percent from the field and had 20 assists.

“We really, really shared the basketball,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said. “Anytime you have 20 assists, that’s a real benchmark that your offense is really moving and it’s crisp.”

Sixteen different players saw the floor for Indiana and no one amassed more than 26 minutes. With a brand of basketball that is expected to be far more up-tempo than a season ago, Crean is focusing on getting maximum effort from each Hoosier at all times.

“I want them to understand it’s the quality of the minutes, not the quantity,” Crean said.

Creek’s 17 came on 7 of 11 shooting from the field. Watford (4 of 6) and Elston (6 of 7) were equally efficient.

“I just thought they played together,” Howard coach Gil Jackson said. “They looked to get easy shots. You didn’t see anybody playing selfishly.”

Free throw differential: Indiana shot just 13 free throws in the game and Howard shot 18 of 30.

Double-double: Watford had 11 rebounds to go along with his 14 points.

Rivers debut: Jeremiah Rivers finished with six points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal in 26 minutes. “I think what’s going on right now is that it’s extremely hard for our team to keep up with him. I’d rather have them try to speed up than to slow him down,” Crean said of Rivers.

Bison struggle from outside: Howard connected on just four of 22 three-point attempts.

Pick to Click: Watford.

Up next: USC-Upstate, November 16, 8:30 ET, Assembly Hall

Hoosiers cruise past St. Joe’s in final tune-up, 95-67

Alex Bozich — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:50:55 +0000

Maurice Creek led four players in double figures with 16 points as Indiana won an exhibition, 95-67, over Division II St. Joseph’s Monday night in Assembly Hall.

Jeremiah Rivers and Verdell Jones added 15 points each and Christian Watford had 13 for the Hoosiers.

Thoughts from Indiana’s second exhibition game:

Creek looked more comfortable and was much more effective than he was against Grace. He was active on the glass, hit 4 of 5 attempts from the field, 7 of 8 from the foul line and didn’t commit a turnover. That’s efficiency.

Jones shot the ball well, but once again struggled with turnovers (5).

Jordan Hulls was uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball and committed five turnovers. Don’t expect many games like that from Hulls.

Rivers showed that he can be more than just a presence on defense. The Georgetown transfer had five assists and four rebounds to go with his 15 points. He had a couple of explosive moves to the basket and knocked down a couple of off-balance jump shots.

Watford, coming off a 19-point performance against Grace, turned in another solid effort. He always seems to be around the ball and he’s knocked down 16 of 17 free throws in the two exhibition games.

Bawa Muniru saw his first action in an IU uniform and scored seven points, grabbed two rebounds and had three blocks in eight minutes. He’s still a work in progress, but Bawa showed signs he’s capable of contributing down the road — if not sooner.

Derek Elston quietly worked his way to an eight point, eight rebound effort. Much like Watford, Elston has a nose for the ball and loves to compete.

Devan Dumes saw nine minutes of action — all in the second half — and didn’t appear to be 100%.

Indiana allowed 38 points in the paint, which is far too many against an undersized opponent like St. Joseph’s. Tom Crean won’t be happy with the uncontested shots IU allowed underneath the basket when he reviews the tape.

Indiana hit 32 of 46 free throws and out-rebounded St. Joe’s 45-39. However, the Hoosiers allowed 21 offensive rebounds.

Pick to Click winner: Maurice Creek (h09sier and jaywiz). Jeremiah Rivers was runner-up and Verdell Jones was third.

+ Box score

+ Crean quotes

Indiana struggles early, rolls past Grace in second half

Alex Bozich — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:56:34 +0000

After leading by just six at halftime, Indiana used a strong second half to win its exhibition debut 96-73 over NAIA opponent Grace College Wednesday night at Assembly Hall.

Six Indiana players scored in double figures, led by 19 points from Christian Watford and 14 from Jordan Hulls.

A couple of thoughts from Indiana’s exhibition opener:

Watford was very effective after he settled down. He looked a bit anxious early, which is to be expected for a freshman, but his athleticism around the basket made an instant impact. He got to the line nine times and connected on all of his attempts. Impressive debut.

The basketball IQ of Hulls will make him a fan favorite in Bloomington. He has a knack for setting up teammates and when left open, he was able to knock down some shots. And he didn’t register a turnover.

Verdell Jones picked up where he left off at the end of last season. Jones is still lanky, but he’s added some weight and is stronger in his upper body. He was a bit sloppy with the ball at times, but he turned in solid effort with 10 points and eight assists.

Jeremiah Rivers could be the defensive presence that Indiana desperately needs to win in the Big Ten. The Georgetown transfer was solid on both ends of the floor, but was especially effective with his on the ball defense.

Tom Pritchard had a couple of crafty moves around the bucket, but he still needs to do a better job at finishing point-blank opportunities. The good news for Pritchard is that Watford, Derek Elston and Bobby Capobianco should all help take pressure off of him in the post.

Elston and Capobianco both hit the glass hard. Elston had a nice reverse lay-up and is the more athletic option of the two. Capobianco brought intensity, but struggled with picking up unnecessary fouls.

Maurice Creek had an unspectacular debut, totaling just five points and five turnovers. Creek should bounce back with a stronger game Monday and will be an impact guy.

All in all, about what most of us expected from an exhibition debut with six new faces, right? Tom Crean probably won’t be thrilled with several easy baskets the Hoosiers allowed down low and in transition, but that’s what the pre-season is for. Indiana will return to action on Monday against St. Joseph’s at Assembly Hall. That game will also be broadcast on BigTenNetwork.com.

Pick to Click winner: Christian Watford (Phillip, StuHoo, favreDollarfootlong, ariufan, hoosier07, JerryCT, hoosierwhodey, CrimsonLaw1L, NMHoosier, Martin34, Kelin Blab)

+ Box score

+ Tom Crean postgame audio (The Hoosier Scoop)

That’s a wrap: Hoosiers fall in opening round of Big Ten Tournament

Alex Bozich — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 23:21:41 +0000

Predictably, there will be no March Madness for Tom Crean and the Indiana Hoosiers.

Indiana (6-25) concluded the 2008-2009 campaign with a 66-51 loss to Penn State in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The loss was the 10th straight for Indiana.

The result was never really in doubt as the Nittany Lions (22-10) opened the game with a 26-8 run and IU was never able to draw closer than nine the rest of the way.

“They’re a good team, ” Crean said. “Very well coached, as is the rest of this league. And I hope they get in the NCAA.”

Verdell Jones continued his late season breakout and was the only IU player in double figures with 23 points. Jones shot 7 of 11 from the field and hit 5 of 5 free throws.

“This season is definitely a learning experience,” Jones said. “But I think the most we got out of this season is if you work hard and listen to what the coaches say you can improve by leaps and bounds.”

Kyle Taber, Nick Williams and Daniel Moore added five points each. Taber, a former walk-on who played for four coaches at IU, reflected on his career after the loss.

“I’m sad to see it end, ” Taber said. “I mean, it was so much fun playing here at Indiana, and I was just glad to be a part of it for five years.”

Penn State advances to a quarterfinal game on Friday night at 9PM ET against Purdue. Jamelle Cornley led three Nittany Lion players in double figures with 22 points. Stanley Pringle added 16 points and David Jackson had 10.

Talor Battle, the Big Ten’s leading scorer with 17.3 points per game, was held to three points on just three shot attempts, but dished out six assists and had four steals.

Big Ten Tournament not so kind to Hoosiers: The loss against Penn State drops IU to 8-12 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament. IU is now 13-6 in games played at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Dumes misses finale: Junior guard Devan Dumes did not dress and missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. Dumes finished the season as IU’s leading scorer at 12.7 ppg.

Box score

IU-Wisconsin: Postgame Open Thread

Alex Bozich — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:53:40 +0000

FINAL SCORE: Wisconsin 85, Indiana 61

There’s not a lot to write about this game that hasn’t been written already this season. The regular season is over. IU finishes up the Big Ten season with a 1-17 record.

The Hoosiers shot relatively well from the field in Madison (54 percent), but committed 16 turnovers, missed nine free throws and were out-rebounded 28-19. That’s not exactly a recipe for winning basketball games.

The Badgers, on the other hand, hit 52 percent from the field, hit 7 of 14 from 3-point range and knocked down 26 of 32 free throws.

Verdell Jones set a career high with 23 points as did Nick Williams with 19 points.

With that, we’ll leave it in your hands. Thoughts about this game, the regular season as a whole and your predictions heading into a 5PM ET matchup on Thursday with Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament are welcome in the comments.

Upset bid foiled: Hoosiers fall 64-59

Alex Bozich — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:52:08 +0000

The script was set perfectly for Kyle Taber’s final game in Assembly Hall.

Family and friends ascended upon Bloomington to say farewell to the senior captain. Chants of ‘Ky-le Ta-ber’ were heard throughout Assembly Hall. And in a game in which IU was a heavy underdog, the Hoosiers had a chance to knock off a legitimate top ten opponent.

But alas, as has been the case throughout most of this season of transition for Indiana basketball, the Hoosiers couldn’t come up with a big play down the stretch. The final result: A hard fought 64-59 loss to Michigan State.

“Unfortunately, it didn’t come out right,” Taber said. “We battled and it was a great game. It was fun to be apart of something like that.”

Despite going 8:43 without a field goal in the second half, the Spartans (24-5, 14-3 Big Ten) clinched the Big Ten title outright for the first time since 1999.

Kalin Lucas scored 15 points to lead Michigan State and Raymar Morgan added 14 points, including a thunderous put back dunk with 27 seconds remaining to give MSU a four-point cushion.

The Hoosiers (6-23, 1-16) cut the lead to two on a pair of Nick Williams free throws with just under 16 seconds remaining, but Lucas answered with a pair of free throws to wrap up the victory.

“It was a great game. Our guys were in it the entire way, to the very end,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said.

Indiana missed eight free throws and several opportunities to tie the game after cutting Michigan State’s lead to two with 3:31 remaining.

Verdell Jones led four Hoosier scorers in double figures with 15 points. Malik Story and Williams added 11 each and Matt Roth had 10.

Taber finished with three points, five rebounds and two assists in his final home game.

“We went down with a fight,” IU’s lone senior added. “I’m proud of what my teammates were able to do for me.”

Up next: Indiana concludes the regular season with a 7PM ET matchup on Sunday at Wisconsin. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Bawa sighting: 7-0 signee Bawa Muniru was in attendance and Jared Poertner of the H-T/Hoosier Scoop talked to the big man.

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Moore’s 26 leads Boilermakers past Hoosiers, 81-67

Alex Bozich — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:38:15 +0000

Tom Crean and the Indiana Hoosiers (most of them, anyway) got their first taste of the IU-Purdue rivalry Saturday afternoon in Mackey Arena.

And despite a spirit and toughness Crean felt his team exhibited throughout the contest, the Hoosiers dropped their fifth straight game in a 81-67 loss to Purdue.

“We came to play,” Crean said. “They’ve got a lot of pride and I’m glad they came out here and showed it that way today.”

Indiana trailed by nine at halftime, but cut the Boilermaker lead to six at 41-35 on a Devan Dumes 3-pointer with 17:59 remaining. Purdue responded with four straight points and the Hoosiers never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.

E’twaun Moore scored 26 points to lead the Boilermakers (21-6, 10-4) on 10-of-14 shooting. The sophomore from East Chicago scored nine points in the opening seven minutes as Purdue built an early eight-point lead.

Matt Painter’s club had its highest scoring output in Big Ten play despite shooting just 18 of 33 from the foul line.

Verdell Jones led three Indiana scorers in double figures with 16 points. It’s the second straight game he’s led the Hoosiers in scoring.

“He’s really got a nice pull-up. He’s doing an excellent job with that,” Crean said. “He’s seeing the floor. He’s in very good shape and there’s a lot of potential for his development.”

Tom Pritchard added 12 and Kyle Taber scored 10 for Indiana.

Up next: IU returns to Assembly Hall on Wednesday for a 6:30 EST meeting on the Big Ten Network with Northwestern.

Hummel plays: Despite a report that he was out for the season, Big Ten preseason player of the year Robbie Hummel played 16 minutes and scored three points. The 6-8 forward left late in the second half after suffering a head injury on a screen set by Pritchard.

McCarthy addresses Hoosiers: Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, a friend of Crean, talked to the team before and after Saturday’s game. John Harbaugh, the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens and Crean’s brother-in-law and former IU football coach Cam Cameron were also at the game.