Wednesday night, Indiana coach Tom Crean gave his annual "State of the Hoosier Nation" address to an assembled crowd of about 500 people at the IU Auditorium. During the speech, he spoke in depth about this season's roster, and selected thoughts about each player are gathered below: Will Sheehey "Will Sheehey has had an up-and-down offseason because he has had a couple different injuries. He's still coming back, but he had his first full practice yesterday. He's still trying to come back from a groin injury and put himself in position. Today was a Will Sheehey level practice. The leadership was strong. He was very active. Will Sheehey is one of the most gifted, smartest players that I've ever been around in my entire life. Will Sheehey is the kind of person that he understands what it takes. He understands how to win. He understands what's going on on the floor. He's a tremendous teacher for somebody that's his age of helping his teammates." Evan Gordon "He's got to come in here and he's got to see his game go to another level. He's got to see his game rise on both sides of the court — offensively and defensively — and see that leadership rise. He's got to get out of whatever comfort zone has been acceptable for him — because he works hard, now — and step above and beyond that. He's got to bring a pitbull, junkyard dog mentality daily. He's got to take people with him. And that's one of the biggest things that will show: is he going to have that kind of year? Here's a guy that's a great young man. He works hard, comes from a great family, spends a lot of time at the game. But he can do more."
Tonight during halftime of an ESPNU college football broadcast Indiana, Ohio State and UNLV will learn where class of 2014 forward Goodluck Okonoboh will play next season. Okonoboh, a senior at Wilbraham and Monson Academy in Massachusetts, will announce his intentions a little after 9:00 p.m. ET (assuming the first half of the Louisiana-Monroe and Western Kentucky first half doesn't run long) from a studio in Bristol, Connecticut. Here’s our primer for the announcement with everything you need to know: The Essentials Forward/Center, 6-9, 220-pounds, Wilbraham & Monson Academy (MA), Mass Rivals 247Composite: 4-star (24); ESPN: 5-star (21); Rivals: 4-star (32); Scout: 4-star (37) Schools: Duke, Florida, Indiana, Ohio State, UNLV Official visits: Indiana, Ohio State, UNLV
With the start of college basketball season on the horizon, we’ll be taking a long look at the conference at large as well as Indiana’s roster over the next month. Today, we look at freshman Noah Vonleh. For the third ...
Wednesday night, Indiana coach Tom Crean spoke for more than an hour to an assembled crowd at the IU Auditorium for his annual “State of the Hoosier Nation” address. Below is audio from Crean’s entire speech, including his thoughts on ...
With the start of college basketball season on the horizon, we’ll be taking a long look at the conference at large as well as Indiana’s roster over the next month. Today, we look at freshman Devin Davis. Friday’s Hoosier Hysteria ...
The Inside the Hall Mailbag is a collection of questions tweeted to us via Twitter (@insidethehall) and sent to us via our Facebook page. Submit your questions and we’ll answer as many as we can. Aaron Miller writes: Hey guys, love the site and appreciate all your hard work. I wanted to get your take on the attitude of this year's team compared to last year's. I absolutely loved Hulls, Watford, Zeller and Oladipo leading last year's team and they will all be revered as all-time great Hoosiers, but did you ever get the feeling that they were almost too nice? All four were very stoic during games, and it occurred to me that the more aggressive and outspoken attitudes of this year's leaders, Sheehey and Yogi, could bring a beneficial edge to the entire unit. Thoughts? Thanks for the question. I don't agree that the four players you mentioned were stoic, but maybe some perceived it that way because of on court personalities. All four were intense competitors who really helped transform the program's culture back into one of winning. Their body language might have been different from a guy like Will Sheehey, but it's not fair to say that Cody Zeller was stoic just because he was quiet at times on the court. That's just his personality. I just don't buy the narrative that any of the four guys you mentioned could be considered "too nice."
With the start of college basketball season on the horizon, we’ll be taking a long look at the conference at large as well as Indiana’s roster over the next month. Today, we look at freshman Stanford Robinson. Following the departures of Victor Oladipo, Remy Abell and Maurice Creek this past offseason, Indiana has been left thin at shooting guard. Along with it, 77 percent of the Hoosiers' 3-point production from 2012-2013 is gone. Enter freshman Stanford Robinson, a 6-foot-4 Landover, Md., native, who is the Hoosiers' only scholarship player at the position this year. What that means is that Robinson could get on the court early as an Indiana Hoosier, filling a void left by those multiple departures.
While fellow freshman Noah Vonleh possesses the most basketball talent out of the freshman class, it's Troy Williams high-flying, energetic style of play that might endear him most to Indiana fans. There is a youthful exuberance to Williams' game; he makes it all look so fun. (This is a kid, after all, who has proclaimed he's still trying to give the dunk contest a go despite a right hand injury.) Williams' pedigree and accolades are well-known at this point. The Virginia native played AAU ball for his uncle, Boo Williams. He was named Gatorade Player of the Year in Virginia and spent his senior season playing for Oak Hill Academy, a program that's pumped out NBA talent like Carmelo Anthony and Rajon Rondo. A stat stuffer, he averaged 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 blocks during the regular season. More recently, Williams picked up MVP honors at the Derby Festival Basketball Classic.
Late Friday afternoon, Indiana released more details for next Friday’s Hoosier Hysteria. Starting at 2 p.m. on the south side of Assembly Hall, IU will provide a D.J., concessions and a video board showing highlights and games from last season. ...
With the start of college basketball season on the horizon, we’ll be taking a long look at the conference at large as well as Indiana’s roster over the next month. Today, we start our look at Indiana’s roster with Collin ...
Before its first official practice on Friday, Indiana’s men’s basketball team hosted its annual Media Day on Thursday at Assembly Hall. Inside the Hall got the chance to speak to several players, including freshman Collin Hartman and sophomores Yogi Ferrell ...
Nine and a half months ago, Austin Etherington’s season ended when he suffered a broken left kneecap in the first half of a game against Central Connecticut State. Thursday afternoon, speaking to the media only one day before Indiana’s first ...
6-foot-11 freshman center Luke Fischer is out for the next few weeks with a left shoulder sprain, Indiana announced via a press release Thursday afternoon. Fischer suffered the sprain during a scrimmage earlier this week. Also noted is that Peter Jurkin ...
On Thursday morning at his high school, Sunrise Christian Academy, class of 2014 Bel Aire (Kan.) point guard Lourawls Nairn committed to play for Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans. Nairn also considered Minnesota, Oklahoma and Indiana. The point ...
One thing's for certain in John Groce's early Illini tenure: He's never short on histrionics. In a sport where coaches strut the sideline like a runway, Groce's facial contortions stand out. But a more important, less superficial analysis of Groce's first full season in Champaign reveals a season in which he didn't let the program slip. The team started out 12-0, which included a win over Butler for the 2012 Maui Invitational Championship. Illinois climbed as high as No. 10 in week seven of the Associated Press Top 25 poll. While the Big Ten season (8-10, tied-7th) was nothing more than average, the Illini did nip then-No. 1 Indiana at the other Assembly Hall. The team also made the NCAA tournament as a No. 7 seed after missing out in Bruce Weber's last season at the helm. It beat Colorado in the second round before falling to No. 2 Miami in a close game, 63-59. And Groce's returns with recruits should give the Illini faithful some hope. It's been a super September. Class of 2014 standouts Quentin Snider (No. 37), a former Louisville verbal, and Leron Black (No. 39) both gave pledges to Groce this month. Both were also targets of the Indiana staff.
With the start of college basketball season on the horizon, we’ll be taking a long look at the conference at large as well as Indiana’s roster over the next month. Today, we continue our look at the Big Ten with the Michigan State Spartans. When Michigan State coach Tom Izzo says his future team reminds him of his 2000 National Champion squad, watch out. He said just that in July to MSU's student newspaper, The State News. In fact, heading into the 2013-2014 season, Izzo might have his best squad in East Lansing since that legendary team more than 13 years ago. There's Gary Harris, Keith Appling and Adreian Payne, who return to comprise the Spartans' core. All three were recognized as all-Big Ten last season. Harris and Payne gave up potential first round NBA draft selections to make a run at a national championship in 2014.