Jimmy Cavanaugh and Tony Adragna are back with another edition of the Hoosier Hotline.  The duo talks everything IU Basketball, including the Northwestern game, Verdell Jones, and Cody Zeller.

The Hoosier Hotline - 2/16/2012 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (332)

Final Score:
Indiana:   103
Iowa:          89

Defense is overrated. All kidding aside, this game was defined by the outrageous offensive outputs these two teams put together. They combined to make 71 of the 121 (59%) shots they took. Iowa went on to shoot 63% for the game; 79% in the second half! That is some 1950s’ basketball shooting numbers. The more shocking thing was that although Iowa shot so well, this game never seemed that close.

The cause of this can be attributed to numerous things. The Hoosiers set up the perfect formula to drop 100 points on a Big Ten team for the first time since March of ’95. Good penetration + great interior passing = The Big Handsome destroying rims. Zeller finished shooting 11-12 from the night with seven dunks. Oladipo and Pritchard joined in the dunk party with a couple nasty put-back jams.

The Hoosiers didn’t shoot that well from the perimeter but it seemed like every shot that missed was rebounded by an Indiana player. IU had just as many OFFENSIVE rebounds (18) as Iowa had total rebounds to lead to 23 second-chance points. They had 20 assists (9 from Verdell) and forced Iowa into 17 turnovers. You win the rebounding battle, play unselfishly, and force turnovers, you are going to win.

Jordan Hulls and Matt Roth, I heard he had been sick, didn’t have the nights they hoped but Derek Elston and Tom Pritchard were there to pick them up. Elston fueled the crowd with 8 points and a block in about a minute. Pritchard got a standing ovation for his play.

This was a much needed win. Tom Crean changed the starting line-up for the first time all year and it looked like the Hoosiers got their swagger back. The key for them is to bring that same edge when they are away from Assembly Hall. Until then, this team will be stuck in the middle of the pack.

Team Grade: B+

Looking Forward- The Hoosiers can’t celebrate this victory too long as they have a tough week ahead of them. Two road games at Michigan and Purdue is a huge test for Indiana but provides an opportunity they can choose to either excel in or falter.

*Also- I will be trying out something new during the Michigan game called Tinychat. It is a free video chat room for all you Hoosier fans to go and get out your rants during the game. More details to come later. See ya Wednesday.

(Photo credit: AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Final Score:
Wisconsin:   57
Indiana:        50

This game played out like many expected it would. Low possessions, low scoring, and few turnovers is exactly the type of game Wisconsin plays for. Bo Ryan’s teams have always done three things extremely well:

1. They play true “team” defense.
2. They take care of the ball.
3. They have huge white dudes.

Everybody knew coming into the game that, although IU was the top scoring team in the conference, they wouldn’t be given any easy looks at the rim. That didn’t stop Verdell Jones from taking it right at the Badgers in the first half. He was super-impressive in the first half, to the point where I was screaming at Crean to get him back in the game. For the record, I have never done that in my life. If Oladipo can’t get out of his funk he has been in as of late, Verdell provides the Hoosiers’ only liable penetrator. Verdell played like a senior and was able to turn a lot of his haters to lovers for a brief period. He was shut down in the second half and could easily have been a vital reason for why the Hoosiers came up short Thursday night.

Cody Zeller never got going due to some, quite frankly, horrible calls by the joke they call Big Ten officiating. You could tell he was in no groove and it was never more evident than the air-ball he threw up in the biggest play of the game. After watching this game, Chad Ford may be rethinking about putting Cody so high on his draft board. The Wisconsin bigs, especially Jared Berrgren, stood strong and denied Cody on multiple lay-ups and dunk attempts.

The most impressive thing I found from this game was IU’s defense. Despite some breakdowns late in the game, this was the best team defense I have seen this team play against a team like Wisconsin. The Badgers don’t have the most elite offense, by far, but the Hoosiers showed so much improvement in this game from the Minnesota and Nebraska games. They were rotating so well and made Jordan Taylor’s night one to forget. However, all the positives can be overlooked because of the breakdowns late in the game, like giving Brust open threes or giving up crucial offensive rebounds late in the game.

All-in-all Indiana showed some grit and toughness in a somewhat hostile environment but are still a long way from being a team that can successfully win on the road. The tough part of their conference season is in the rear-view mirror and the rest of the way looks a lot less tough. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to believe this team could win out the rest of their regular season games. Their biggest challenges are gonna be Michigan State at home and Purdue and Michigan on the road, but those are all winnable for this team. The Big Ten is never that giving though, and I don’t expect them to actually win out but the real possibility of it happening is still reassuring.

Team Grade- C+

Looking Forward- Indiana is home Sunday to face the Hawkeyes of Iowa in a game the Hoosiers can’t afford to give away or the wheels may be coming off for this once top-ten team. Iowa is coming off back-to-back close losses to Purdue and Nebraska and I guarantee Melsahn Basabe doesn’t forget the Shee-bagging he got last year.

Photo credit: (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

On this inaugural episode of Hoosier Hotline, Tony Adragna and Jimmy Cavanaugh address a number of issues relating to Indiana University basketball. Among the issues discussed are the current defensive approach to the games, the offensive lineup, and the team’s substitution patterns. Tony and Jimmy also discuss IU’s chances against Wisconsin, and what they have facing them in the remainder of the Big Ten season. Several callers join the show, including AskTheWho and Jason from BTownBanners, and ChronicHoosier.

Hoosier Hotline 1.25.12 [ 1:00:18 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (297)

Final Score:
Nebraska:   70
Indiana:       69

Indiana basketball is on the verge of a crisis. The team that won 15 of their first 16 games no longer looks fearless, confident, and assertive. They have transformed into the timid, sloppy, and passive team that Hoosier fans have become so accustomed to in the last 3 years. In the blink of an eye, IU is on a 3-game losing streak and what looked like a Year For the Ages type of season is well out the window.

So who is to blame? I have about 50 answers to that question but I am going to put my 3 most important reasons for their recent play.

1. Tom Crean. I have backed Crean throughout his whole career but I have to finally take my blinders off and it’s time for me to be critical of him. This team’s lack of adjustment before/during the game is aggravating beyond measure. It is so easy for a team to scout us because we aren’t going to change anything offensively. If teams are going to hedge our handoffs and ballscreens, how about game-planning a counter play for that hedge or simply try running a different offense. Jordan Hulls is an excellent shooter but he is not going to be able to dribble around the huge, athletic big men in the Big Ten.
2. The players. While it is Crean’s job to put the player’s in a position to succeed, it ultimately comes down to their execution. Crean can bark at Watford and Zeller to block out all he wants, but if they don’t have the hustle or determination to do so, it won’t get done. Communication can be hard in a college atmosphere, but the good teams get it done. IU should have watched Michigan against Michigan State to see how a real team can execute defensively down the stretch, even if it’s a broken play.
3. Lack of leadership. Compare our big wins to our big losses. UK- Verdell and Watford stay calm and connect to create what is known as “The Shot.” OSU- IU comes up with the clutch free throws and the big defensive stops  it needed. MICH- Verdell hits the most clutch shot of his career and Watford hits a free throw to make it a 3-point game. And the losses: MINN- IU almost makes a great comeback but when they need a three the most, they settle for a contested three by Watford, which he misses. NEB- Cody Zeller disappears and Jordan tries to play hero but can’t come through. Add on a ton of defensive breakdowns by many players and you deserved to get court rushed. Leadership doesn’t always have to be during clutch moments, but those are when it can have the biggest effect.

If I were coach what would I do?

• If I’m not getting anything valuable out of Verdell, or any other player for that matter, then I don’t play him and try someone else. Simple as that.
• If I have a timeout at the end of the game down by 1, I’m calling it every time.
• If you don’t want to box out or play defense, you are coming out.
• I put in designed plays to get my best offensive player the ball and continue to run them until they stop it.

IU has essentially played better than anyone expected them to play at the beginning. Only to then, turn that on its self, and play worse than anyone could have expected. Is this team a top-caliber team? Or just middle of the pack? The next games will answer that for us, because right now I’m sure we are all confused who this team really is.

Looking Forward- IU is back home on Sunday for a noon tip-off game against Penn State. If IU loses this one, IU fans will be in complete panic-mode.

Final Score:
Ohio State:   80
Indiana:        63

The Hoosiers would have surprised a lot of people if they would have gone into Columbus and came out with a win. Well I guess you could call their performance “surprising.” Then again it’s not. Teams routinely walk onto the Value Center Arena and come away with their heads dropped and their bodies all sorts of beaten up. Just ask Duke.

So was losing to Ohio State this badly, surprising? No. Was it disappointing the way Indiana played? I thought so, and I’m sure many other fans thought so too. Two weeks ago this team beat that same Buckeye squad. Crazy what can change in two weeks. That team didn’t even have Will Sheehey. We are 0-2 since Will’s return, so I blame him (sarcasm).

You really can’t blame one guy for these last two losses. In my post-game write-up for Penn State I highlighted that one of the most dangerous parts about this team is that you never know who can step up in a game. All of sudden, that has turned on me the last two games and the opposite is happening. Now you don’t know who, for the Hoosiers, are going to have an off night. Against Minnesota it was Verdell and Watford. Today, I thought Hulls, Oladipo, and again, Verdell just weren’t ready for this angry Ohio State team.

Zeller looked like the only one in the first half to even try to assert himself offensively. I know Zeller is very soft-spoken and mature for his age, but if I am him, at some point I am yelling at my perimeter guys to “GIVE ME THE BALL!” This Indiana team struggles feeding the post almost every game even though that seems somewhat fundamental to me.

I think getting the ball to Cody could seriously fix all our offensive problems. If Cody is fed the rock either: A) He scores. B) He gets fouled. C) Both A and B. D) He misses or gets his shot blocked. E) He gets doubled and passes out of it to the open man which sets up the drive and kick. F) He turns it over.

Well “F” rarely happens. “D” happens but only like 35% of the time. All the other options will result in a good offensive possession. Now it would be dumb if we gave it to Cody every possession but he needs more touches before I pull all the hair off my body I have left.

I talked on all our defensive issues last game so I will leave them alone for now. The fact of the matter is IU has played lousy for two games in a row after winning 15 of their first 16 games. This team is still a top team in country, in my opinion, but their backs are up against the wall so far in conference and only time will tell how this year will end up.

Team Grade: F

Looking Forward- Finally, the Hoosiers can take a semi-breath as their next two games are Nebraska on Wednesday (Away) and Penn State (Home) next Sunday. Two winnable games by far but with the way this college basketball season is going, anything that can happen… probably will.

Final Score:
Minnesota   77
Indiana        74

The old idiom goes, “If you play with fire, you get burned.” Well, this team has played with that “fire” for a few games in a row and tonight, the Hoosiers soaked themselves in gasoline and Minnesota lit the match.

I will be the first to admit, although I felt IU wasn’t playing well in the B1G Ten, they were winning, so it was easy to shrug off. But the truth to the matter is, you’re not going to hit 16 threes every game. You have to play defense and hit timely buckets, if you want to win in this league. Coming into this game, IU’s Adjusted Defensive Efficiency in conference, based on KenPom’s formula, was  110.7. To put that in perspective, if that was their whole season’s number they would be ranked 323th in the nation, out of 345 teams. Those are Southeast Missouri State type numbers.

This same team that hung their hat on the defensive end during the non-conference, just isn’t getting it done in conference, to date anyways. Of the 12 non-conference games, IU gave up at least 60 points, just five times. In conference, every team has scored at least 70.

I’m not stupid. Obviously, IU’s competitors in conference are going to be much more difficult, as they should be. Teams basically know each and every play the other is going to throw at them before the tip. But if this is the case, why is Indiana giving up easy buckets two feet from the rim, that my grandma could hit, on a consistent basis? Is it lack of communication? No defensive discipline? An unprepared game plan? Whatever the case may be, we can all agree it needs to be fixed.

I am not saying these guys don’t play hard. I watch a lot of college basketball and this team is easily one of the hardest working teams in the nation. But all that work is ineffective if you don’t have discipline. Also, it’s the coaches job to put the players in a position to succeed. In hindsight, Crean probably wouldn’t have went into the 2-3 zone, but I am not one to question Coach’s decisions. The man knows what he is doing and he had a good reason to try to switch something up because what they were doing wasn’t working. The decision backfired and Minnesota took advantage.

Minnesota really outplayed the Hoosiers in this one and deserved this win. Every time Indiana was making a charge, Minnesota stood strong and knocked down the key shots and free throws down the stretch.

Indiana helped them out as well. Verdell gave nothing. Watford, although playing on a bum ankle, looked sloppy. Somehow, Minnesota only had one more rebound than IU. At times, it felt like the Golden Gophers were doing that pre-game drill where the team lines up in a single file line and they all tip the ball off the glass until the last guy finishes the lay-up. And for an Indiana, a team who depends on 27% of its scoring to come from beyond the arc, it only hit four (half of those were Roth’s late ones).

As pessimistic as this write-up has been, I suppose I need to hit on the good things that came out of tonight’s game. First off, I was really glad Sheehey was back. His minutes were limited but he sure did put in good ones, 12 points in 15 minutes. Zeller was VERY good tonight, 23 points & 8 boards. I also was really impressed with Abell in that he has no fear and is able to hold his own on defense. I wouldn’t mind if Remy started stealing away some of Verdell’s minutes. Lastly, I loved Hull’s tenacity and how he played with a Roy Jones Jr. swag to him against the long Minnesota defenders.

This game will come back and haunt the Hoosiers in their chase for a B1G Ten title. The way this season is going, the B1G Ten Champions could finish with 6 losses (I’m kidding, but I’m not). This is a good learning experience and Assembly Hall showed off a little chink in its armor tonight (I’m killing it with these idioms).

Team Grade: D

-By the way, I did make a big head (more or less a big poster of Gus Johnson) and Gus was able to throw me some deuces my way to acknowledge the poster. In other words, I’m a G in his book.

Looking Forward- IU heads to Columbus on Sunday where Ohio State will be waiting to tear the Hoosiers heads off. The Buckeyes are coming off a loss to Illinois and are hungry to revenge their L in Bloomington. If you had any hope before the Minnesota game that has disappeared. 

The B-town crew is back, and we’re talking IU basketball once again. The monster week-long buildup to the Kentucky game takes center stage, as we break down the keys to the game for IU, the starting lineup situation, and the bench situation for this team. We also take Twitter questions, and then spend the last part of the pod talking about what a win would mean in the big scheme of things for IU fandom and the Hoosier program.

Be sure to subscribe to us on iTunes — Click here!

CrimsonCast 12-8-11 B-town Crew [ 1:04:36 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (742)

Scott & Galen are joined by their old friend John to discuss:

• The win over NC State this week
• Why did Remy Abell play in this game, but not in the 3 prior?
• Verdell continuing to do Verdell things
• Crean’s sub patterns?
• Answer twitter question from @SheltonDW & @tonyadragna
• Our one advantage over Kentucky
• Why our home court advantage will be important against Kentucky
• Preview some of our B1G games

Remember to subscribe to us on iTunes by clicking here & follow us on Twitter @CrimsonCast.

CrimsonCast 12.2.11 - N.C. State Review & Kentucky Preview [ 1:02:10 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (899)

Galen is joined by the regular B-town crew, and we take a rollicking journey through the travails of the football team, including some analysis of what really happened with this year’s roster and why a season with some promise never really took off. Then attention is paid to basketball, with a lot of focus on what type of lineup each of the panelists hopes to see on the floor for IU this season. We also discuss potential offensive changes, and why IU should (and may) be better than most people are giving them credit for this season. Finally, we finish off with some BCS Title Game early projections.

CrimsonCast 11-4-11 Btown Crew [ 1:21:35 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (373)