Watch the senior night speeches of Kory Barnett, Verdell Jones, Daniel Moore, Tom Pritchard and Matt Roth in the embedded media players below. Tom Crean’s speech is also available. Video provided by IU Athletics on YouTube:
Moore’s defense sparks Hoosiers
by Justin Albers in Media | December 5th, 2011
Daniel Moore is used to playing just a couple minutes at a time.
He knows his role for Indiana is to provide energy off the bench and make the starters better in practice.
So when coach Tom Crean inserted Moore into the starting lineup to begin the second half against Stetson Sunday afternoon, Moore simply did what he does best.
The senior guard had two steals and two assists early in the second half, sparking an Indiana team that led just 33-29 at the break. Moore didn’t score, but finished the game with three steals, three assists and, according to Crean, a career-high 10 deflections.
“It’s not really anything you can practice,” Moore said after the Hoosiers’ 84-50 win. “I just know I’m only going to get a couple minutes at a time, so I’ve got to make them count. If it’s two minutes, then I can’t really waste 30 seconds or a minute kind of getting myself loose. I’ve got to be ready from the first play I get in.”
Crean said Moore was a big reason the Hoosiers opened the second half on a 7-0 run and outscored the Hatters 51-21 in the final 20 minutes. Moore pressured his man all over the court and took Stetson out of its comfort zone.
“I’m really pleased with how he ran the team,” Crean said. “He played under control but, at the same time, he played very fast, which is what we needed.
“Spark with a capital ‘S’ to start the second half.”
Moore, a former walk-on, has seen his minutes diminish as Crean has brought in more talent. He played only three minutes against Butler on Nov. 27 and didn’t see the court Wednesday night against N.C. State.
But that hasn’t fazed Moore.
The Minute After: Stetson
by Ryan Corazza in The Minute After | December 4th, 2011
Thoughts on an 84-50 win over the Hatters:
Lethargic.
Alex described Indiana’s first half in such fashion, and it was spot on.
The reasons were tossed out on Twitter during the first half: A sleepy Sunday with a sparse student section, a bit of a hangover after an important road win against N.C. State, an overlooking of the opponent with Kentucky looming in less than a week.
Whatever the reason, the Hoosiers only found themselves up 33-29 at the break. And Tom Crean apparently didn’t like the effort he was getting from some of his players, as starters Jordan Hulls, Christian Watford and Victor Oladipo began the second half on the bench.
Derek Elston, Daniel Moore and Will Sheehey started in favor of them. That was about all that was needed. That group started the half strong, and it continued no matter who was in the lineup in the second half. The Hoosiers outscored the Hatters by 30 (51-21) over the final 20 minutes of the contest. It was strong defense (some turing into offense), alley-oops (one for Oladipo and Zeller; one and a half for Tom Pritchard) and solid ball movement.
It was, quite simply, what was expected out of this Hoosier team against an opponent like this.
HD Video: Jones, Moore and Oladipo on Stetson win
by Alex Bozich in Video | December 4th, 2011
Watch and listen to Daniel Moore, Verdell Jones and Victor Oladipo react to Indiana’s 84-50 win over Stetson on Sunday at Assembly Hall in high-definition video in the embedded media player below:
HD Video: Indiana players on win over Chattanooga
Watch and listen to what Daniel Moore, Jordan Hulls and Victor Oladipo had to say following IU’s 78-53 win over Chattanooga on Sunday night at Assembly Hall in high definition quality in the embedded media player below:
The Minute After: Franklin College
by Ryan Corazza in The Minute After | November 3rd, 2010
A few scattered thoughts on IU’s 89-37 win over Franklin College in their first exhibition game of the 2010-11 season:
No Guy for you.
After all the positive chatter surrounding Guy after Night of the Living Red, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one curious to get a peek at IU’s new big man. But it wasn’t meant to be.
The NCAA has come calling, and until there’s a resolution in the investigation, Guy’s game will remain in a holding pattern with nowhere to land.
(Thanks to our friend James Brosher for the photo.)
Watford on the rise.
He flashed some polish from downtown. He mixed it up around the basket. He stepped back and nailed a mid-range jumper; he drove to the hoop and scored. Watford’s offensive arsenal was on point from several spots on the court tonight, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say this is what we’re going to see out of the sophomore all season long.
It won’t always come this easy for him. He won’t always score over a point per minute (25 points in 24 minutes).
Remember: The competition was not anywhere near Big 10 level this evening. But Watford’s game stood out the most tonight as one that’s taken that next step.
He’s going to shoot better than the 37.5 percent from the floor a season ago. And with Mo Creek on the floor at the same time, defenses won’t be able to key on one or the other without suffering the consequences.
Just one of many reasons why this team can be better this season if things play to form.
Threes alive.
Just a thought, but if Watford is knocking down threes, Matt Roth and Maurice Creek are back in the fold, and Hulls and Elston improve their 3-point shooting in their second season as Hoosiers, it could prove to be a strong asset for them this season.
If Guy can draw some attention down low, IU could even run a little one in, four out — similar to the sets the Orlando Magic run with Dwight Howard and their gaggle of 3-point shooters.
