THE GOOD: IU WAS IN THE GAME, FOR 35 MINUTES.

For as much as Indiana struggled, and boy did they ever, the Hoosiers were in a conference road game with under six minutes to play. This, if my memory serves me correctly, was not the case last week in Columbus against Ohio State. Had you not watched the game and only looked at the final score, you would be shocked to learn Indiana was down just 48-43 at the 5:54 mark.

In a season that’s clearly headed in the direction of more losses than wins, progress must be measured in baby steps. And tonight, if Tom Crean and company need something to hang their hat on, it’s that they competed on the road for 35 minutes, as ugly as it was.

Also deserving of a mention in this space: Christian Watford. The freshman forward came to play and led IU in scoring with 16 points and also pulled down eight rebounds. Watford has a long way to go, but he continues to show flashes of talent that could make him an all-conference type of player down the road.

THE BAD AND UGLY: COHESION ON OFFENSIVE/SCORELESS STRETCHES, 3-POINT SHOOTING, TURNOVERS.

For as awful as Michigan played in the opening 20 minutes, Indiana was equally dreadful. Consider these facts: The Hoosiers had a scoreless stretch of five minutes and 13 seconds. Their first free throw was not attempted until the 6:50 mark. And they missed eight of nine 3-point attempts. (This did not improve in the second half as the Hoosiers missed all six attempts from behind the arc.) But none of these numbers are going to win games in the Big Ten, especially on the road.

But beyond the poor output on offense, even more concerning was the difficultly in which IU struggled to find any cohesion in its half court offense. IU scored just two points — two! — in the final 6:32. A night like tonight magnified how much this team lacks a player that can create offense. Maurice Creek was developing into that guy, but with his injury, the Hoosiers are now struggling to find that go-to-guy.

Turnovers. 19 of them. Most of the unforced variety. It’s a little bit easier to understand turnovers from the guard position, but a combined nine turnovers from Watford, Tom Pritchard and Derek Elston is head scratching. Elston, the recent subject of a playing time debate amongst fans, had three turnovers in just 10 minutes. And Pritchard, who had a couple of nice moves in the post but committed three turnovers as well, only saw 21 minutes due to foul trouble (and failed to record a rebound).

Finally, free throws continue to be a problem. Although IU only got to the line 12 times, they missed half of their attempts. The bottom line is that with their small margin for error, this is an area in which the Hoosiers must improve if they hope to win more than two or three conference games.

I mean, there’s pretty basketball, there’s good basketball, there’s plain basketball, and then there’s this. Michigan leads 27-21 at the half here inside Crisler Arena, and the two teams combined for 21 turnovers compared to 16 made shots.

Michigan’s edge is thanks largely to an 11-of-13 mark at the free-throw line, while surely someone will soon be pitching the Ollie Underhand to Jeremiah Rivers. I know, I wish I were funny, too.

All joking aside, Indiana can consider itself lucky to be this close after what was a miserable offensive half. The Hoosiers actually have more made field goals and offensive rebounds and as many assists as Michigan, but turnovers have again robbed this team of the chance to establish any offensive rhythm.

Indiana did a pretty good job moving the ball around early against Michigan’s 1-3-1 zone, particularly thanks to Devan Dumes and Jordan Hulls. But driving the baseline, among other things, has gotten the visitors into too much trouble tonight.

We’ll be back after the game with a full wrap, and of course, Good, Bad and Ugly, while I will be reveling in my freedom from print deadlines for this 9 p.m. start. Until then …

Oh baby, what a win. With Mo Creek out for the season, and Indiana fans a bit down, a bit defeated, IU proved this afternoon inside Assembly Hall that your leading scorer does not an entire team make. Sure, Michigan isn’t that great a squad right now, and some dumb fouling kept Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims off the court for some time, but when Harris was in the game, Jeremiah Rivers did a good job keeping him in check.

Devan Dumes filled in great for Creek in the first half, hitting 3-of-5 threes for nine points, and flashing some defense as well. He was a big reason IU lead at half. Jay Bilas had the line of the afternoon when giving Dumes props for his first-half performance: “Sometimes a kid just needs to be needed.” Incredibly fitting for a player like Dumes.

And then there was everyone else filling in their roles as well: Verdell Jones continues to be a rock, and hit some big shots in both halves when IU needed them. He finished the game with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting. He played with purpose. He wanted this game. Bad. And Watford was right there with him, as he went 7-for-12 for 19 points this afternoon. If those two, along with Dumes can continue to lead the way on offense with guys like Jordan Hulls, Derek Elston and Rivers picking their spots and contributing as well, IU might be OK.

And how about Hulls? Kid wanted to be on the line at the end of the game when it counted. He’s been there before. He’s a winner. IU had an advantage because they went into the bonus with around 15 minutes to go, but after Rivers missed two straight free throws with just over two minutes to go and a chance to extend the lead to five — and Hulls fouling Zach Novak on a three and him making all three free throws (why is IU always doing this?) to tie the game — the Hoosiers turned their hopes over to Hulls on the line in the final minutes of the game, and he hit all four of the crucial ones. Those other two he hit at the end were just an added bonus with the game all but decided. I don’t want to pick on Rivers too bad, because he was otherwise great, with no play more important than when he saw an opening in the middle of the lane, slashed through, hit the athletic layup, was fouled and made the free throw — finally! — to put IU up three with 1:12 to go. That should not go unnoticed; it was huge play at a crucial time in the game.

Even more crucial was the way these Hoosiers took care of the ball this afternoon. In the second half, they only had one — one! — turnover, and it was from Tom Pritchard. No ballhandler turned the ball over. They only had nine for the game. Impressive stuff.

Simply put: the Hoosiers executed at the right times late in the game. They showed poise. It just looked like they wanted it more. And with the home crowd behind them, they pulled through for the win. This was the first game I found myself really feeling like the outcome was life or death; I hung on every play. That’s what Big Ten season will do to you. It seemed like the crowd raised their intensity level up a bit today, too.

Great day to be a fan of the Hoosiers, eh?

THE BAD AND UGLY: EMPTY.

It’s New Year’s Eve, the Hoosiers just picked up a nice win, and I’m feeling lazy. No bad or ugly today inside Assembly Hall, just a feel good win all around. Happy New Year’s everyone.

Michigan was ranked No. 15 in the preseason in both the AP and Coaches’ Poll. Looking back on that, was the ranking too high or has this team just not lived up to its capabilities?

It sounds like a cop out, but it’s almost certainly a mix of both. Michigan wasn’t the 15th best team in the country. They were a 2nd round NCAA tournament team that finished .500 in conference play and snuck into the NCAA tournament. However, their youth last year coupled with John Beilein’s coaching pedigree gave folks reason to overestimate their abilities.

That being said, this team wasn’t supposed to be this bad. The biggest problem is that they just can’t hit shots. They are shooting 28.3 percent from three-point range which ranks last among all major-conference teams. It’s tough to win with any offense when you can’t hit shots but when you are undersized and running John Beilein’s offense, it’s almost impossible.

Statistically speaking, Michigan is relying heavily on Manny Harris and DeShawn SIms to carry the load. Tell us a little bit about how each of these guys has performed this season to-date. What is each doing well? And what could they improve upon?

Manny Harris is simply phenomenal. He does it all. His 20.1 points per game ranks first in the conference but he is also second in assists (5.1 per game) and third in rebounding (7.5 per game). It’s unlikely that his 20,7, and 5 stat line will keep up over conference play but there is no doubt that he is a complete player.

For DeShawn Sims the struggle has always been consistency. Half of the time DeShawn Sims looks like the best player on the court while the rest of the time he is nearly invisible. Michigan’s problem is that they need DeShawn Sims to round out their offense on the inside. Sims averages 20 points and 9 rebounds in Michigan victories compared to only 11.4 points and 5 rebounds in losses. This year it has become apparent that Michigan goes as DeShawn Sims goes.

Beyond Harris and Sims, it’s obvious John Beilien is going to need more production from the supporting cast. Who emerges are Michigan’s third option from this group: Laval Lucas-Perry, Zack Novak, Stu Douglass and Zack Gibson? Pomeroy’s numbers seem to suggest that Gibson’s play warrants more minutes.

This is the magic question. Zack Novak, Stu Douglass, and Laval Lucas-Perry all gave Michigan a huge lift at one time or another last year but no one has developed into a consistent scoring option.

Indiana fans probably remember Laval Lucas-Perry’s three-point barrage that sent last year’s game into overtime but at this point he appears to be a streaky shooter at best. Despite his size, Laval is more of an off-guard due to his shaky handle, but he has proven capable of getting hot from three-point range.

Indiana native Zack Novak plays the four position for Michigan despite his 6-foot-5 listed height. His problem is that he simply hasn’t been able to put the ball in the hoop. Novak is shooting 15 percent from three-point range in the month of December and has only made one of his last 18 three-point attempts.

Stu Douglass is really the guy that Michigan needs to step up. He has emerged as the starting point guard and he finally put together a hot shooting performance versus Coppin State (6-10 three-point shooting for 20 points). He is sound with the ball and understands the offense well. If he is able to get hot it could be a huge boost for Michigan.

Finally there is Zack Gibson. Gibson played so well in limited playing time early on that I was calling for him to get more minutes. Since then he has done his best to prove me wrong, shooting 2 of 10 from the field over the last four games. Gibson has his moments but it is a stretch to expect him to become a major contributor.

Sitting at 6-5 entering the Big Ten schedule, what’s the outlook like for conference play? Is there still optimism Michigan could turn this around and make a run at the NCAA Tournament? Or are fans bracing themselves for the N.I.T.?

There is still a glimmer of hope. Michigan fans are hoping that Michigan can utilize their easier schedule to open Big Ten play (@ Indiana, Ohio State (sans Evan Turner),at Penn State, Northwestern, Indiana) to turn their season around a build momentum. The problem is that Michigan hasn’t beaten anyone this year (0-2 vs RPI Top 100) and on top of a hot start they probably need to beat UConn as well to even get back in the bubble picture. And if you are keeping score, Ken Pomeroy predicts that Michigan will lose four of those first four conference games.

Prediction for Thursday’s game?

I wasn’t confident in Michigan’s chances in Bloomington before Creek’s injury but now this is certainly a winnable game. That being said, as a Michigan fan I know that wins do not come easily at Assembly Hall no matter the situation. Last year one of Michigan’s best teams of the last decade barely escaped with an overtime win over one of Indiana’s worst. This year I would expect nothing but a close game but I think that Creek’s injury allows Michigan to sneak away with a five-point win.

5. Maryland (Assembly Hall, December 1, 7:30 PM, ESPN2): Senior guard Greivis Vasquez returns to lead a Terrapin team that went 21-14 a year ago, advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and should be among the top 25 teams in the country. The Venezuela native averaged 17.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 5.0 apg as a junior and tested the NBA Draft waters before deciding to return. Besides Vasquez, Gary Williams returns three other starters. It will be the first trip for Maryland to Assembly Hall.

4. Michigan (Crisler Arena, January 14, 9:00 PM, ESPN/ESPN2): Year three of the John Beilein era in Ann Arbor could find the Wolverines square in the middle of the Big Ten race with Michigan State and Purdue. After winning one game in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, Beilein has the pieces in place to make a run deeper into March. The one-two punch of guard Manny Harris and forward DeShawn Sims is arguably the best in the conference and the supporting cast is strong with guards Laval Lucas-Perry, Stu Douglass and Zack Novak all returning.

3. Michigan State (Assembly Hall, February 16, 7:00 PM, ESPN): The Spartans knocked off a pair of No. 1 seeds in Connecticut and Louisville a year ago before falling to North Carolina in the national championship. Forward Goran Suton and guard Travis Walton are both gone, but Kalin Lucas returns as the front runner for Big Ten Player of the Year. Sprinkle in a healthy Delvon Roe with wings Durrell Summers and Chris Allen and the Spartans could be looking at Tom Izzo’s sixth Final Four appearance.

2. Kentucky (Assembly Hall, December 12, 12:00 PM, CBS): The Billy Gillispie era was short lived in Lexington and the Wildcats swung for the fences by hiring former Memphis coach John Calipari. The move paid immediate dividends as Calipari brought in the nation’s top recruiting class, highlighted by point guard John Wall and forward DeMarcus Cousins. Jodie Meeks opted for the NBA Draft, but forward Patrick Patterson returns to anchor the front court with Cousins and freshman Daniel Orton. Kentucky will be a consensus top five team nationally, but are there enough basketball’s to keep everybody happy?

1. Purdue (Mackey Arena, March 2/3/4, TBA, TBA): The rivalry between Indiana and Purdue will only become more heated as Tom Crean and Matt Painter battle for in-state recruits to build their programs. The Boilermakers figure to be in the race for the Big Ten regular season title and this late season test on the road could be the toughest of all for a young Indiana team. E’Twaun Moore, Robbie Hummel and JuJuan Johnson should all compete for first team All-Big Ten honors and Chris Kramer returns for his final season in West Lafayette.

Just missed the cut: Ole Miss (Puerto Rico Coliseum, November 19, 5:00 PM, ESPN2); Pittsburgh (Madison Square Garden, December 8, 9:00 PM, ESPN); Ohio State (Value City Arena, January 6, 8:30 PM, BTN); Illinois (Assembly Hall, January 30, 2:00 PM, ESPN/ESPN2).

Haha, just kidding! That wasn’t fun at all! That was precisely as much fun as a rusty ballpeen hammer to the eye socket, only less violent, so long as you don’t count “throwing an empty can of whatever stupid health drink I’m swilling these days across the f–king room” as violence. The only thing that could have made last night’s second half less fun was if Tom Hamilton and Shon Morris were screaming and rattling off stupid one-liners, respectively, throughout the entire godforsaken telecast. Oh, wait. They were.

F–K.

I mean, really, where to start? With IU’s brilliant, peerless, unbelievable and unlikely first half? With Michigan’s inversely horrible one? With the Hoosiers’ slow descent in the second half? With the way Michigan gradually edged their way back in the game — not at all once, but with the methodical surety of a team absolutely confident of their superiority?

Instead I’ll start (this is sort of a start I guess; the actual start, as you likely noticed, was the angry diatribe at the top of the post) with halftime. Right in the middle, before the flood. IU was winning by a margin I’d honestly rather not recount. A few seconds after the buzzer sounded for halftime, I found myself doing something peculiar: clapping. To myself. This isn’t exactly rare; it happens every time I get even marginally excited about beating some snotty Brit in FIFA 09. But I did catch myself, and stop for a second, and pay attention to my computer again, and think, and that’s when it hit me:

The Dread.

I knew — could feel — that at the very least, Michigan would come back. It wouldn’t last, this success. Michigan would start hitting shots and IU would start missing them and the weird little turnovers Michigan was making would stop, and John Beilein would ramp up the 1-3-1, and whether it happened slowly or quickly or sooner or later the 2008-09 Hoosiers would play like the 2008-09 Hoosiers and bad things would happen. And they did.

Such is life as an IU fan this year. No lead is safe. No success is unblemished by the potential of future failure. And when the Hoosiers do win a Big Ten game, it won’t change this season’s general trajectory. (It will be bloody fun, though.)

———–

I had a whole bunch of little stats and observations I was ready to share, as if to lend some insight, but really, what insight is there to lend? It’s not a marginal thing you can dissect. IU played really, really well in the first half. They made shots. They made so many shots they still turned the ball over a bunch and it didn’t really matter as much. They shot and passed and worked the ball and Michigan didn’t do any of those things, and that was awesome. And then in the second half, they didn’t entirely stop doing those things, but gradually so, and man, you watched the game, right? You saw it.

(I’ll just add, as a general observation, that I’m starting to love Tom Pritchard, and that Devan Dumes is by far the most frustrating player I’ve ever watched, let alone rooted for. You can see the talent there. You know it exists. And every time he does something good, whatever demon sits on Dumes’ shoulder that tells him, “hey, Devan, you know what would be cool is if you ran at the hoop with reckless abandon right now, or shot that stupid 25-foot three, yeah, do it Devan go GO GO DO IT WILL BE FUN,” and Dumes listens. Devan: Stop. Think. Take like one-eighth of a deep breath. Give the demon time to talk himself to death; trust me, he doesn’t need long. After that, do what you must. That’s all I ask.)
———–

No, instead, I’d like to say a few words about Big Ten Network broadcast partners Tom Hamilton and Shon Morris. First, Hamilton:

Tom, hi. Eamonn here. Can I ask you a favor? Just between you and me, and the people that read this blog? Cool. Stop shouting. Stop thinking everything is awesome. When Gus Johnson does it, it’s great; when you do it, it is quite possibly the most annoying thing in the world. Even in the first half, when my favorite college basketball team was playing better than they have played (or might play) all year, you were ruining my experience. A little turnaround jumper is not AN AMAZING SHOT. Michigan’s comeback was not INCREDIBLE. It was to be expected, at least in some regard, and if you didn’t expect it you were broadcasting a game featuring two teams you knew nothing about. Which is worse?

Shon. Hey, Shon. I’m not even going to make fun of your name, dude. I’d prefer to focus on the merits here, and I’ve got to be honest: You occasionally said some insightful things last night. Occasionally. Unfortunately, you liked to punctuate them with what seemed to be prerehearsed lines — and if they seem prerehearsed, they probably are — like “100 percent? I can’t even get 100 percent on a blood test!” Oh, man, the jokes to be made here, Shon. But look, I’m refraining! I assure you, it isn’t easy.

I’m holding back, because I want to be your friend, Shon, and that’s why I tell you this: Stop it with the shtick, and don’t say silly things. There are guys that pull of the college basketball shtick, and there are guys that don’t. Look at Jay Bilas. Dude has no real charisma to speak of, but he’s solid enough and so people don’t mind when he’s covering their games. You don’t need shtick (“Onions!” “Baybee!” etc.) to be a good color guy. Just talk hoops, and be good at it. (Hint: It doesn’t help to tell IU fans that IU will be a Top-3 home court team in the Big Ten this year. I like to remain optimistic, but c’mon, dude.)

Cool? Cool. With my advice, I have no doubt you guys’ll … still not be very good at broadcasting. But this is the Big Ten Network. “Not very good” would be a huge step in the right direction.

———–

Funny, but that last sentence goes for IU, too. Not very good. I’d take that. For a half, we were very good, and it gives me hope. But 20 minutes of “very good” does not a program make. As we found out last night, if you couple it with 20 minutes of “horrible,” it doesn’t even win you a Big Ten game.