As always, Jerod, Ryan, and Andy will be here with another episode of The Assembly Call as soon as the game ends with instant analysis and fan reaction.

IU-Iowa Gameday Info

• Date: Sunday, January 29th
• Time: 6:00 ET, 5:00 CT
• TV: BTN
• Announcers: Eric Collins and Dan Bonner
• Point Spread: Indiana by 11.5
• Over-Under: 151
• KenPom Prediction: Indiana 89-70 with 92% chance of winning
• Peegs: IU Gameday
• Inside the Hall: What to Expect – Iowa
• IU-Penn State live tweet coverage: @AssemblyCall
• Assembly Call IU Postgame Show: http://assemblycall.com/live

IU-Iowa Preview

Iowa Hawkeyes

It’s been an up-and-down year for the Hawkeyes, who didn’t beat anyone of note in the non-conference and even lost to Campbell at home by 15 points.  However, their three Big Ten wins have come at Wisconsin, at Minnesota, and home against Michigan, who they beat by 16 points.  They’ve also been swept by Purdue and lost to Ohio State and Michigan State by a combined 63 points.  Most recently, the Hawkeyes fell to Nebraska at home by a 79-73 score after allowing the Huskers to score 48 points in the second half.

Iowa comes in with the worst defensive efficiency in the Big Ten, an honor (or maybe a dishonor) the Hoosiers held until recently.  Interestingly enough, they have allowed opponents to shoot just 29.0 percent from behind the arc, but they are allowing 56.5 percent shooting on two-pointers, which ranks dead last in the conference.

The Hawkeyes don’t force many turnovers and have been victimized on the offense glass, leaving their relatively low opponents’ free throw rate as one of their only positives on the defensive end.  Consequently, it’s reasonable to expect the Hoosiers to employ a similar gameplan as they did versus Wisconsin when they shot just eight three-pointers and attacked more off the dribble.

On offense, Iowa wants to push the tempo and plays at the second-fastest pace in league play.  They have been effective at drawing fouls and getting to the line, and they’ve done a nice job on the offensive glass, thanks in large part to the efforts of Aaron White and Zach McCabe.  Outside of that, the Hawkeyes rank seventh or worse in the conference in shooting percentage on two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws, and their turnover rate is in the middle of the pack.

Eight Iowa players scored at least 6.0 points per game, led by Matt Gatens and Roy Devyn Marble with 13.2 and 11.3 points, respectively.  Gatens has at least 11 points in 10 of the last 12 games, and he also leads the Hawkeyes in steals.  Marble has stepped up his scoring of late with 58 points in the last four games, and while his shooting percentages aren’t great, he’s second on the team in assists and steals.  He also has a low turnover rate and has been adept at getting to the line.

The aforementioned White and McCabe team with sophomore Melsahn Basabe give the Hawkeyes some solid options in the frontcourt.  White, a 6-foot-8 freshman, has consistently given the team a lift off the bench and averages 9.7 points and 4.9 boards in just under 20 minutes per game. His rebounding percentages are good on both ends of the floor, and he’s drawing nearly six fouls per 40 minutes.  McCabe is coming off of back-to-back 20-point efforts where he has gone a combined 16-of-24 from the field.  Meanwhile, Basabe’s numbers have fallen off in his second season, but he’s still a solid rebounder and inside threat.

Indiana Hoosiers

The Hoosiers are coming off of a disappointing loss to Wisconsin, but it was also their best defensive performance of the conference season.  While Iowa isn’t particularly explosive offensively, IU can’t afford a relapse into their defensive funk from earlier Big Ten games, and they have to get back in transition to prevent easy baskets.

Given Iowa’s struggles to defend two-pointers, a heavy dose of Cody Zeller is a given, but the freshman needs to stay out of foul trouble and do a better job of establishing post position.  He was plagued by foul trouble against Wisconsin and managed just seven points and three rebounds.

The Hoosiers got 12 big points from Verdell Jones III in the first half of the Wisconsin game, but he struggled after the break.  They need him to attack the basket as he did during the first 20 minutes of that game against a struggling Iowa defense.

Other key players to watch for IU are Victor Oladipo and Will Sheehey, who combined for just four points on 2-of-10 shooting.  Oladipo hasn’t been playing with as much confidence of late, and his offensive struggles are starting to impact his defense as well.  Sheehey, on the other hand, did a terrific job defending Jordan Taylor in the Wisconsin game but couldn’t get anything rolling offensively despite playing 25 minutes, his second-highest total of the season.

Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls have each had big games against the Hawkeyes during their careers, with Watford hanging 30 on them in the first matchup last season while Hulls went for 24 in the second.

Final Thought

Ultimately this is a solid matchup for the Hoosiers.  On defense, Iowa consistently allows a lot of points and doesn’t force many turnovers, and on offense, they aren’t overly explosive thanks to their relatively poor shooting percentages.  The Hoosiers need to make sure they protect the defensive glass for 40 minutes and avoid making silly fouls to keep Iowa’s offense from getting easy points.

As I said before the Penn State game, this is one the Hoosiers simply have to win, not only to get back to .500 in league play but also to exercise the demons of the last few games against Iowa.  They need to jump on a relatively young Hawkeye team early and show some killer instinct, which would give the Hoosiers a dose of confidence heading into a pair of key road games against Michigan and Purdue.

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Listen to Andy Sunday on The Assembly Call. Follow him on Twitter at @AndyBottoms.

As always, Jerod, Ryan, and Andy will be here with another episode of The Assembly Call as soon as the game ends with instant analysis and fan reaction.

IU-Wisconsin Gameday Info

• Date: Thursday, January 26th
• Time: 9:00 ET, 8:00 CT
• TV: ESPN2
• Announcers: Dave O’Brien and Stephen Bardo
• Point Spread: Wisconsin by 6.5
• Over-Under: 125
• KenPom Prediction: Wisconsin 66-58 with 78% chance of winning
• Peegs: IU Gameday
• Inside the Hall: What to Expect – Wisconsin
• IU-Penn State live tweet coverage: @AssemblyCall
• Assembly Call IU Postgame Show: http://assemblycall.com/live

IU-Wisconsin Preview

After starting out just 1-3 in the Big Ten, the Badgers have bounced back to win four straight heading into Thursday’s game.  On Sunday, Wisconsin picked up their third road victory in league play, winning at Illinois behind 19 points, nine rebounds, and five assists from Jordan Taylor.  Big man Jared Berggren chipped in 18 points, and the Badgers shot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc.

This season’s Wisconsin offense is reliant on a couple things: hitting three-pointers and limiting turnovers.  The Badgers take nearly 40 percent of their field goal attempts from long range (and nearly 42 percent in league play), where they are hitting 37.5 percent for the season.  While Taylor has struggled with his outside shot, guys like Berggren (37.0%), Mike Bruesewitz (38.0%), Ben Brust (39.0%), and Josh Gasser (52.0%) have all had big games throughout the season.  Limiting open looks will be critical for the Hoosiers, who have struggled defensively in conference play.

Led by Taylor, the Badgers have the second-lowest turnover rate in the country with a miniscule 15.2 percent mark, so don’t expect the Hoosiers to force a lot of turnovers.  They will also need to improve their defense on ball screens, which is an area that has plagued them recently and something that Taylor and Wisconsin use frequently.

Wisconsin has a relatively low offensive rebounding percentage, so they don’t seem likely to take advantage of IU’s weakness on the defensive glass.  They also have one of the lowest free throw rates in the country, which is not unexpected for a team that shoots so many three-pointers.

Taylor’s scoring and shooting percentages are down, but keep in mind that he lit up the Hoosiers for 67 points in two games last season.  Still, he leads the team with 14.1 points per game to go with 4.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds, and he’s been scoring more of late with 53 points in the last three games.  Five other Badgers average at least 6.5 points, but they have struggled with consistent production throughout the year.

Defensively the Badgers are as impressive as ever and allow just 0.83 points per possession for the year.  In fact, they have allowed just three teams to score over 1.00 ppp this season.  Wisconsin is first in the nation in defensive effective field goal percentage, and they rank 17th in both defensive rebounding percentage and opponents’ free throw rate.  They don’t force many turnovers, but nothing will come easy for Indiana on the offensive end.

The Hoosiers are coming off of a much-needed win over Penn State on Sunday where they blitzed the Nittany Lions for 46 points in the second half and won by 19.  Cody Zeller led the way for IU with 18 points, and he now has 75 points over the last four games.  As always, the Hoosiers need to get him involved early and often.

Indiana also got 18 bench points in the win over Penn State, and the team will need guys like Matt Roth and Will Sheehey to come in and make shots against the stingy Wisconsin defense.  Jordan Hulls posted 14 points against the Nittany Lions, and he enjoyed some success against Wisconsin last season with 31 points in the teams’ two matchups.

The game will also be a battle of tempos, as the Badgers play at one of the slowest paces in the country, while Indiana would like to get out and push the pace.  They will certainly find it challenging to score in the half court against the Badgers, but if they can find ways to involve Zeller and create open threes, they should be able to score enough points to win.

Once again, it will come down to defense for IU.  The Badgers aren’t particularly explosive offensively, but the Hoosiers have made lesser teams look like offensive forces in conference play.  Their defense on ball screens and three-pointers will go a long way toward deciding the outcome of the game.

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Listen to Andy Thursday on The Assembly Call. Follow him on Twitter at @AndyBottoms.

As always, Jerod and Andy will be here with another episode of The Assembly Call as soon as the game ends with instant analysis and fan reaction.

IU-Penn State Gameday Info

• Date: Sunday, January 22nd
• Time: 12:00 ET, 11:00 CT
• TV: BTN
• Announcers: Tom Hart and Dan Bonner
• Point Spread: Indiana by 14.5
• Over-Under: 141
• KenPom Prediction: Indiana 80-61 with 94% chance of winning
• Peegs: IU Gameday
• Inside the Hall: What to Expect – Penn State
• IU-Penn State live tweet coverage: @AssemblyCall
• Assembly Call IU Postgame Show: http://assemblycall.com/live

IU-Penn State Preview

Despite Penn State’s record, the Nittany Lions should come into this one with some confidence after playing well in the first matchup between these two teams and upsetting Illinois at home this week.  Cammeron Woodyard came up big against the Illini with 17 points, while star guard Tim Frazier had 12 points and nine assists.

These teams met in Happy Valley just two weeks ago with the Hoosiers using a barrage of three-pointers to squeak out a six-point victory.  That was actually the last time the Hoosiers won, and some of the contributing factors to their recent swoon were on display even in a winning effort.  IU allowed Penn State to grab 42.4 percent of their own misses, forced just nine turnovers, and had 17 turnovers of their own.  Gaudy 16-of-24 shooting from beyond the arc ultimately save the day for the Hoosiers with Jordan Hulls and Matt Roth combining for 12 triples and 50 total points.

For Penn State in that game, Tim Frazier led the way with 21 points, although he needed 23 shots to get them.  Jermaine Marshall scored 20 points for the Nittany Lions, and four other players had at least eight points.

While other players have stepped up at times for Penn State, Tim Frazier is essentially the offense.  He comes in averaging 17.9 points, 6.7 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.4 steals, all of which lead the team.  He doesn’t shoot particularly well from deep, instead relying on his quickness to get into the lane to score, find open teammates, or draw fouls.  Frazier ranks first in the nation in assist rate and draws 6.8 fouls per 40 minutes, which he has converted into 146 free throws.  The Hoosiers have struggled to stop dribble penetration recently, so the defensive effort on Frazier will be critical.

The other player who has been hot lately is Woodyard, who has scored 39 points in his last two games.

Through Thursday’s games, Penn State has the lowest effective field goal percentage in conference play, ranking 10th in three-point shooting and 12th on two-pointers.  With so many missed shots though, they continue to excel on the offensive glass, ranking third in league games with a 35.1 offensive rebounding percentage.  The Hoosiers have had issues with cleaning the defensive glass in recent games, and it’s an area they need to be particularly concerned about against the Nittany Lions.

Defensively, Penn State ranks 12th in effective field goal percentage and free throw rate.  They have consistently allowed opponents to get clean looks from beyond the arc, which IU was able to exploit in the first matchup.  However, PSU also is second in league play in turnover rate, which should be a concern for IU given how careless they have been with the basketball of late.

For Indiana, one of the lone bright spots during the losing streak has been the play of Cody Zeller, who has averaged 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds during that stretch.  The Hoosiers need to continue to find ways to get him the ball and run the offense through him.

The Hoosiers definitely needs Christian Watford to get back on track.  Since hanging 25 on Michigan, Watford is just 10-of-38 (26.3%) from the field with 12 turnovers in four games.  Verdell Jones and Jordan Hulls have also struggled during the three-game losing streak, with Jones going 5-of-18 (27.8%) from the field and Hulls hitting just 4-of-17 (23.5%) from long range.  This is definitely a game where the Hoosiers will need their veterans to step up.

With a number of players struggling, keep an eye on Will Sheehey’s playing time.  He’s averaging just 16 minutes since returning from an ankle injury, but he has posted 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in those three contests.

Quite frankly, this is a must-win game for the Hoosiers who gave away the game against Nebraksa with a flurry of second half turnovers and poor defensive rebounding.  Not only is this a huge game for IU in terms of stopping their losing streak, but it’s also critical for a team that has allowed losing streaks to snowball over the last few seasons.  Right now, the team looks fragile mentally and is missing the aggressiveness that became their calling card earlier in the season.

The keys to the game will be containing Frazier off the dribble, protecting the defensive glass, and limiting turnovers.  If the Hoosiers can do those things, they should be able to get back on track and gain some confidence heading into a tough road game in Madison on Thursday.

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Listen to Andy Sunday on The Assembly Call. Follow him on Twitter at @AndyBottoms.

Indiana lost tonight 70-69 to Nebraska after leading by 13 at one point in the second half. There is a lot that can be said about tonight’s game, and we said most of it during tonight’s postgame show, but I think this collapse – and it was a collapse, an utter f’ing collapse – can be summed up with accuracy thusly: WTF?

Just a bad, bad loss for the Hoosiers. But thanks to Ryan and Andy, friends of the show like Chronic Hoosier, Ari, and Nick, I thought we put together a strong, emotional show filled with tough love and astute analysis.

You can be the judge. It’s there for your listening “pleasure” below.

We did our best. Sadly, that’s more than I think we can say of Indiana tonight. This was not the Hoosiers’ best, not close; and it would an insult to this team’s ability and potential to suggest otherwise.

If you missed it, here you go:

• Click here to find, listen, and subscribe on iTunes
• Click to download the mp3 (or open in new tab to listen in browser)
• Listen using the player at the bottom of the page.

Time to step it up on Sunday. The Hoosiers need something good to happen…and fast. The abyss is right around the corner, and this team’s leadership has to find a way to avoid it.

I haven’t read it yet, but it’ll be apt: Zach Osterman’s postgame recap.

Quick Recap of the show opening:

Banner Moment – In tonight’s “Banner Moment,” Jerod’s moment of the game was all in credit to Cody Zeller. Zeller finished with 18 pts and 7 rebounds. His continuous performance and consistent pounding of the defense gave Zeller the Banner Moment.

Bottoms Line – Tonight, Andy’s Bottoms Line is that horrible passing and horrible recognition, as well as failing to extend the lead, is what cost the Hoosiers. With Nebraska not shooting the 3 well, Andy thought IU should have easily made their shots and knocked off the Cornhuskers. Nebraska shot 33% from the 3-point line and just 38% from the field yet still knocked off the Hoosiers.

Ryan’s Rant – In Ryan’s Rant, he focuses on the lack of the composure the Hoosiers showed in the last 10 minutes of the game. Whether it was using some clock or waiting for the last shot, the better option was to not force up a shot. Ryan also expresses disappointment in Christian Watford, who put up 8 points and 11 rebounds, but still delivered an overall weak performance.

As always, Jerod, Andy, and Ryan will be here with another episode of The Assembly Call as soon as the game ends with instant analysis and fan reaction.

IU-Nebraska Gameday Info

• Date: Wednesday, January 18th
• Time: 7:00 ET, 6:00 CT
• TV: BTN
• Announcers: Gus Johnson and Eddie Johnson
• Point Spread: Indiana by 4.5
• Over-Under: 131
• KenPom Prediction: Indiana 71-61 with 82% chance of winning
• Peegs: IU Gameday
• Inside the Hall: What to Expect – Nebraska

IU-Nebraska Preview

After losing to both Minnesota and Ohio State last week, the Hoosiers are trying to get back on track, particularly on the defensive end.  A matchup with the Huskers gives them a great chance to do just that with Nebraska scoring a league-worst 0.84 points per possession in conference play.  That said, the schedule-makers certainly didn’t do the Huskers any favors in their first Big Ten campaign with their first eight games coming against Ohio State and Wisconsin twice plus matchups with Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan State.

From an efficiency standpoint, there aren’t many positives when you look at Nebraska’s tempo-free stats.  They rank 177th in effective field goal percentage, 241st in turnover rate, 272nd in offensive rebound percentage, and 274th in free throw rate.  They make just 32.4 percent from beyond the arc, and their low free throw rate doesn’t allow them to take advantage of how well they shoot from the stripe.

The Huskers are slightly better on defense, allowing 1.02 points per possession in league play.  While their defensive rebounding percentage looks decent for the season, Nebraska is second-worst in the league during conference play.  They do defend the three-point line well, which might make it difficult for the Hoosiers to get back on track from beyond the arc after hitting just 11-of-39 (28.2%) in their last two games.

LSU transfer Bo Spencer leads Nebraska in scoring with 14.8 points and 3.7 assists per game.  While the scoring numbers look nice, Spencer isn’t particularly efficient.  He’s taken 96 three-pointers despite hitting just 31.3 percent from deep, and his eFG% is a pedestrian 45.5%.  He does have a solid assist rate and is a factor on the defensive end.

Nebraska has six other players scoring between 6.4 and 10.4 points per contest.  Guard Toney McCray (10.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg) is the team’s top three-point threat and had a string of seven straight double-digit scoring efforts snapped against Wisconsin on Sunday.  The other perimeter player to watch is Dylan Talley (9.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.0 apg).  He has six double figure games to his credit and will be playing his fourth game since returning from a thigh injury.

Inside, the Huskers rely on Jorge Brian Diaz and Brandon Ubel.  Diaz (9.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.3 bpg) also recently returned from a foot injury, but he scored at least eight points in his first 10 games this year.  The 6-foot-11 junior is also adept at blocking shots, as evidenced by his 9.4 block percentage.  Ubel (6.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg) is the team’s best offensive rebounder, and given IU’s struggles there in recent games, they need to find him when shots go up.

Tempo will be something to watch given the contrast in styles with IU wanting to get up and down while the Huskers want to grind it out.  At the same time, the Hoosiers have to take better care of the basketball.  They are 10th in turnover rate in league play, while that is one area where the Huskers have played well on the defensive end.  Consequently, the play and decision-making of Jordan Hulls and Verdell Jones will be critical for Indiana.

While Nebraska has excelled at defending the three-point line, they have allowed a high percentage from two-point range, so the Hoosiers would be well-served to attack inside through Cody Zeller, who posted 39 points and 14 rebounds in two games last week.  They also need Christian Watford to get back on track after going just 5-of-20 in the two losses.

Regardless of the individual matchups, it is imperative for IU to come out with the same aggressiveness and intensity that propelled them to a 15-1 start.  They have not been getting nearly as many deflections on the defensive end and have failed to consistently show toughness in competing on the glass and for loose balls.  Their level of effort and awareness will go a long way toward determining the outcome of this game.

As we have seen in the early going, the Big Ten offers very few opportunities to pick up road wins, but if the Hoosiers want to contend for a conference title, this is one they have to win.  After a dismal first half in Columbus, IU showed fight in the second half against the Buckeyes, which has to carry over in the early going against Nebraska.  The Huskers don’t come in with much confidence offensively, but if the Hoosiers don’t tighten up their defense and allow them to hang around, things could get interesting in Lincoln.

Listen to Andy tonight on The Assembly Call. Follow him on Twitter at @AndyBottoms.

IU-Nebraska Postgame Show

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IU-Nebraska Postgame Chat

The Hoosiers were down 35-14 at halftime, and all hope of a victory was gone. But the Hoosiers did scrap and claw for a 4-point victory in the second half, ultimately losing 80-63.

Tom Crean kept the team in the locker room for an hour after the game, showing up abnormally late for his postgame press conference. We can only hope that Crean was stressing to the team what Andy, Ryan, and myself stressed on the postgame show.

If you missed it, here you go:

• Click here to find, listen, and subscribe on iTunes
• Click to download the mp3 (or open in new tab to listen in browser)
• Listen using the player below:

Next up is Nebraska on Wednesday. We’ll be here with a preview Wednesday morning.

We broke it all down, including Indiana’s lack of focus and energy, Cody Zeller’s strong performance, and some disappointing behavior from IU’s fans, on the latest edition of The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.

Here is the mp3 of the IU-Minnesota postgame show. Download it to your computer, or click here to subscribe to The Assembly Hall on iTunes.

You can also use the player below to listen:

Here is a link to Zach Osterman’s recap of the game. I haven’t even read it yet. About to as soon as I publish this. But I’m sure it’s spot-on. Always is.

Hat tip to Jeff Rabjohns for the image of the night, which is IU senior Verdell Jones out on the Assembly Hall floor shooting after an 0-6 performance.

Image source: Here

At one point in the game, smatterings of boos could be heard after Verdell missed a shot, which everyone associated with The Assembly Call things was totally unnecessary. Critique his play, of course. But respect his effort and commitment to this program. Verdell Jones, nor any other IU player, does not deserve to be booed by his home fans. Ever. Shame on anyone who did so.

Let’s bounce back against Ohio State boys. Big game. Compete with defense first. Don’t forget what got us back in the top 25, otherwise we’ll right back out of it before we know it.

If you have followed college basketball even tangentially this season, you have heard this refrain. It was being whispered as a possibility even before the Kentucky game, and it’s been stated with certainty ever since that Kentucky upset was followed by another one over Ohio State.

Just this week, IU cracked the top 10 in both polls, the team is profiled in Sports Illustrated, Dana O’Neill of ESPN wrote a wonderful profile of Cody Zeller, and Tom Crean is scheduled to make an appearance today on Pardon The Interruption.

Indeed, in terms of national relevancy, Indiana is back!

Image credit: Joe Eke

If you know me, if you listen to The Assembly Call, if you follow my constant Hoosier tweets, you know that no one is more overjoyed about Indiana’s 15-1 start than I am. I’m already on record saying that this year’s squad is well on its way to joining the ’92-’93 Hoosiers and the ’01-’02 Hoosiers as my personal favorite IU teams of all time (for context, I was born in 1981). That is why I hesitate to say what I’m about to say, but I’m going to say it anyway.

Yes, the Hoosiers are back, but even as we get caught up in the excitement of #TheMovement happening one year early, let’s not lose sight of just far this program still needs to go to really, truly, fully be back. Because for Hoosier fans who can still remember attending games during the Knight Era and older, “back” is a relative term. And its up to those of us who remember to pass this on to those who don’t, because while our place in the college basketball world has changed over the last decade the standard, the expectations have not.

Before I go any further, don’t start calling me some kind of Negative Nancy here, focusing on a negative in the midst of overwhelming positives. My purpose in writing this to post is not to be negative. At all. What is there to be negative about right now as it relates to IU basketball?

Rather, my point is to make sure than in the excitement about the special season unfolding right now in Bloomington that we do not forget two very important points:

• Just how far IU basketball had fallen before this season.
• Just how consistently great the expectations and accomplishments once were for this proud program.

So let’s take a quick look at both before I tie everything together.

How Far IU Fell

Here are a few facts about the recent history of IU basketball, before this season started:

• Indiana has not reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2003.
• Indiana has not reached the NCAA Tournament at all since 2008.
• Indiana has not finished in first place in the Big Ten since 2002.
• Indiana has not won an outright Big Ten championship since 1993.
• Indiana went 28-66 overall the last three seasons.
• Indiana went 8-46 in the Big Ten over the last three seasons.
• The last time we beat Purdue was February 19th, 2008

I could go on and on, but you get the idea; and you probably are wondering why I’m wasting time rehashing all of this awfulness when we seem to have turned a page and moved past it.

We’ll get to that in a moment.

Before do though, a quick recap of the good stuff.

How Great IU Was

• Indiana has won five national championships.
• Indiana has made the Elite 8 11 times and the Final 4 eight times.
• Before the 2004 NCAA Tournament, Indiana made 18 straight tourney appearances
• Between 1972 and 2008, Indiana played postseason basketball every season but two.
• Indiana has won 20 Big Ten championships.
• For the better part of its existence, Indiana has been renowned for being a successful basketball program that did not compromise recruiting integrity or academic excellence to win.

As you can see, and already knew, there is quite a large contrast from the first bulleted list to this second list. The reason why IU’s fall from grace seemed so epic is because it was so epic. Yes, there had been a slow erosion ever since the 1993 season ended, but the bottom totally fell out in 2008, followed by the crater that was the next three seasons, and only now have we finally started to show signs of digging out from underneath the rubble to resemble something like what we once were.

Already this year’s Hoosiers have:

• Beaten then-#1 Kentucky
• Beaten then-#2 Ohio State
• Made Assembly Hall a house of horrors again for opponents
• Made the top 25
• Made the top 10
• Re-entered the national discussion as a likely tournament team
• Secured a top 5 recruiting class for next year

There are a lot of good things happening in Bloomington right now, which is why the chants of Indiana is back! can be heard ringing throughout the nation, and with such good reason, from pretty much everyone expect boobs like the Doug Gottliebs of the world.

Yes, Indiana is back, but…

Okay, now that I’ve fully presented the context, allow me to make my point, which is really a directive to IU fans – especially myself: let’s not get too carried away proclaiming Indiana “back” and let’s not compromise at any point on our way back up the mountain, all the while enjoying every single step on the way up, especially the stuff we used to take for granted.

I don’t like the phrase Indiana is back because implicit in it, at least to me, is an inherent belittling of the history and tradition of this proud program. Yes, Indiana is back on the national radar screen, and it’s been a long time so that is definitely worth celebrating, but since when has that alone been satisfactory?

For Indiana to be back, Purdue needs to start suffering regular losses at our hands again. Selection Sunday needs to occur with Indiana’s name a given only what top 4 seed as the question mark. Big Ten championships need to be awarded with Indiana playing a major hand in their determination…and the Hoosiers taking them home at least semi-regularly. Opening weekend tournament losses need to be a cause of disappointment not for satisfaction.

When all of those things, and more, are happening on an annual basis, then Indiana will be back.

You may be thinking, well duh! Jerod, no one is saying that just because Indiana is 15-1 that Tom Crean’s rebuilding job is complete! Stop parsing words and creating semantics-based straw man arguments!

There is a level of truth in such an accusation; I admit it, even as I continue typing. But there is also a very good reason why I’m positing such an argument anyway, all while fully understanding its shortcomings: because I think taking a conservative, humble approach to Indiana’s resurgence makes it so much more worthwhile, enjoyable, and even sustainable.

Remember how you felt when Indiana beat Illinois at home last year? Sure, Hoosier Nation got ripped nationally for storming the court, but that was a real, cathartic outpouring of excitement after we finally beat a ranked team.

Remember how you felt when Indiana beat Kentucky this year? It is among the most jubilant sports moments I’ve ever experienced…and it was a regular season college basketball game in December.

Just this year, the road win over Evansville was thoroughly satisfying. The home win over Butler felt like a huge step (and was). Winning at NC State was cause for celebration. Beating Penn State in Happy Valley was ugly but still another big step.

The reason why these wins individually and collectively have had such meaning is because no one associated with the program could take them for granted anymore. Every win was the next step up the mountain, and every step was so exciting and necessary and satisfying in its own right.

As a sports fan, there is a big difference between the relief you feel from winning a game you are “supposed” to win and the unexpected, hard-earned jolt you get from winning a game you are not supposed to win yet you cheer for and root for and desperately hold onto optimism during anyway. After three years of barely even competing at a Big Ten level, a fan base becomes conditioned to expect the worst in every situation. It’s a horrible feeling. But the flip side, the sliver lining, is that the elation of winning can often be that much better because of it.

Actually, maybe “better” isn’t the right word. Something tells me fans of ’76 Hoosiers were pretty damn satisfied every time those Hoosiers won. Dominance can be fun too – and that’s the ultimate goal again.

For longtime fans of Indiana basketball, I do believe that the burden of unyielding expectation sapped some of the joy out of the final Knight years and really every other year since 1993 besides that magical run in ’02. We had a standard to live up to, and we just have not lived up to it much since ’93. That can make for a joyless fan experience, even when you’re winning a lot more games than you’re losing, and especially when you are losing a lot more games than you are winning.

It’s important, however, to not change the standard for excellence. In fact, it’s having that standard so high that makes the journey back towards it after the fall so rewarding.

Here is the good news: we don’t have much more time, if we even have any at all, of going into any games not expecting victory. Consider tonight’s matchup against Minnesota. This is a game Indiana is supposed to win. Getting that victory will bring some sense of satisfaction, especially if certain areas of improvement are seen, but not anywhere near the devastation that losing would bring. Yet just last year, IU fans were elated to beat Minnesota at home.

Therein lies the difference a year can make, and it’s a great feeling for any Hoosier fan. But it doesn’t mean that Indiana is back. Not yet. We’re going to get there. And I think we’re going to stay there for a while, which means that there will only be one full journey up to experience. So let’s experience it.

What IU fans are experiencing this season, because of what we’ve been though, is unique. It’s fun. It’s exhilarating. We know where we were, we know where we want to be, and it’s one hell of a ride in between.

But if we forget either of the end points, or rush to claim the journey complete, we waste an experience that, while we hopefully never have again, is one that we’ll also never forget.

So to all IU fans, and really to myself as well, I just want to be one subtle voice in the midst of all the happiness and hysteria that is a reminder of the big picture. And the big picture is that in some ways Indiana is back all right, but don’t forget how far we still have to go. It’ll make the journey there that much more rewarding.

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Join us tonight and after every IU game for The Assembly Call IU Postgame Show.

As always, Jerod, Andy, and Ryan will be here with another episode of The Assembly Call as soon as the game ends with instant analysis and fan reaction.

IU-Minnesota Game Info

• Date: Thursday, January 12th
• Time: 8:00 ET, 7:00 CT
• TV: BTN
• Announcers: Gus Johnson and Jim Jackson
• Point Spread: Indiana -9.5
• Over-Under: 140
• KenPom Prediction: Indiana 78-64 with 89% chance of winning
• Peegs: IU Gameday
• Inside the Hall: What to Expect – Minnesota

IU-Minnesota Preview by Andy Bottoms

Tonight the Hoosiers will look to move to 4-1 in the Big Ten and 16-1 overall when Minnesota comes to Bloomington. The Gophers are currently 0-4 in conference play, but two of those losses were by five points or less and another came in double overtime.

Minnesota’s season completely changed when forward Trevor Mbakwe suffered a season-ending knee injury in the final game of the Old Spice Classic. Mbakwe was one of the best rebounders in the nation and was able to draw fouls and get to the line at a high rate. Minnesota’s free throw rate in the seven games he suited up was a gaudy 51.6, but it’s been just 32.2 in the 10 games he’s missed.

Consequently, the team has been forced to rely upon an inexperienced set of guards more than expected. Juco transfer and former UC Davis guard Julian Welch has stepped up recently, scoring in double figures in 11 of the last 13 games. He’s coming off of a four-point effort against Purdue but remains the team’s top outside threat, hitting over 41 percent from beyond the arc. Tubby Smith uses four other perimeter players, all of whom have been relatively inconsistent this year.

Even with Mbakwe gone, the frontcourt isn’t entirely bare with Rodney Williams and Ralph Sampon III. Williams is as athletic as they come and has scored in double figures eight times since Mbakwe went down. He comes in with double-doubles in two straight games, and the matchup between Williams and Christian Watford is one to watch. It seems like Sampson has been there forever, and the only thing consistent about him has been his inconsistency. He scored 22 points against Illinois but has just 20 points in the three games since. Both Williams and Sampson are terrific shot-blockers on the defensive end.

For the Hoosiers, they are coming off of a lights-out shooting display and enter the game as the nation’s top three-point shooting team at 47.6 percent. The fact that Minnesota has had issues defending the three-point line bodes well for the likes of Jordan Hulls and Matt Roth, who combined for 12 triples against Penn State.

Minnesota’s biggest strength on defense is their ability to force turnovers, so Hulls and Verdell Jones will need to take care of the basketball when the Gophers press.

As always, it will be important for IU to go inside to Cody Zeller, because if he can get Sampson in foul trouble, there aren’t many other options up front for Minnesota. Zeller is coming off of yet another Big Ten Freshman of the Week award. With just 15 rebounds over the last four games, the Hoosiers will need him to keep Minnesota off the offensive glass, which is something they struggled with against Penn State.

Outside of the Watford-Williams matchup, the other one to watch is Victor Oladipo and Julian Welch. You have to assume IU’s defensive stopper will get the assignment to slow up Minnesota’s most potent guard, and it will be important for the Hoosiers to make other players beat them from the perimeter.

On the injury front, Will Sheehey (ankle) has been practicing with the team, but his status for the game is uncertain. I wouldn’t expect his regular complement of minutes if he plays, but if the goal is to have him ready for Ohio State this weekend, it might be a good idea to let him knock some of the rust off.

In the end, this is a game the Hoosiers should win to keep their undefeated record at Assembly Hall intact. The students will be back, which should make the environment that much more raucous. So long as they aren’t looking ahead to Sunday’s date with the Buckeyes, expect IU to move 16-1.

Listen to Andy tonight on The Assembly Call. Follow him on Twitter at @AndyBottoms.

IU-Minnesota Postgame Show

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IU-Minnesota Postgame Chat

As always, Jerod, Andy, and Ryan will be here with another episode of The Assembly Call as soon as the game ends with instant analysis and fan reaction.

Indiana-Penn State Game Info:

• Date: Sunday, January 8th
• Time: 12:00 ET (11:00 CT)
• TV: BTN
• Location: Bryce Jordan Center in Happy Valley
• Point Spread: Indiana -6.5
• Over-Under: 130

Indiana-Penn State Postgame Show

Indiana-Penn State Postgame Chat

One of these two teams will take a big step forward in the Big Ten race tonight, and as always The Assembly Call will go live as soon as the final buzzer sounds to provide instant analysis and a forum for live fan reaction.

Indiana-Michigan Game Info

• Date: Thursday, January 5th
• Time: 9:00 ET (8:00 CT)
• TV: ESPN2
• Announcers: Dave O’Brien and Dan Dakich (hell yes)
• Point Spread: Indiana -8
• Over-Under: 141
• Twitter accounts to follow: @AssemblyCall, @InsideTheHall, @ZachOsterman
• KenPom prediction: 77-64 Indiana (87% chance of victory)
• Peegs: IU-Michigan Gameday
• Inside The Hall: What To Expect – Michigan
• Inside Indiana by Zach Osterman: The VIP Room on recruiting, Michigan

I’m surprised that the spread and KenPom prediction are what they are. I do think Indiana will win this game, but Michigan has a number of really talented players, including Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr., and I think they can certainly make this a competitive game. I look for it to be close throughout and for Indiana to ultimately grind out a solid 5-7 point victory. I will gladly take a 13-point win like KenPom predicts, but I’m setting myself up to be surprised if such an outcome happens.

What do you think will happen in tonight’s game? Comment below. We’ll see you back here after it’s over.

Indiana-Michigan Postgame Show

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Indiana-Michigan Postgame Chat

However, I would caution anyone against looking at such stats after just a couple games, because with such a small sample size, the numbers are ultimately dependent on who teams have played.

And if you read too much into them, you can draw some erroneous conclusions.

Case in point, Jerod forwarded me some early Big Ten numbers that he had received, which basically compared the efficiency margin of each team.  As it turns out, IU’s margin is actually negative, meaning they are giving up more points than they are scoring on a per possession basis.  Here’s the full picture through Wednesday night’s games:

A few noteworthy points about the Hoosiers:

• They have played two of the league’s top three teams (Michigan State and Ohio State) in terms of adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom.com.  The Hoosiers, themselves, are the top-rated team in the league.
• The 1.21 points per possession allowed against Michigan State was by far their highest total of the season.  The previous high was 1.04 ppp against Kentucky, which makes the MSU game look like a bit of an anomaly in that regard.
• They held the Buckeyes to an even 1.00 ppp, which was OSU’s second lowest output of the season.
• The Spartans and Buckeyes are also two of the league’s top three teams in adjusted defensive efficiency as well.  The Hoosiers scored 0.98 ppp against MSU, which is virtually the same number put up by North Carolina and Duke.  IU is also one of just four teams to score over 0.97 ppp against OSU with 1.06.

So come back in off the ledge IU fans, I really don’t see a reason for concern here.  Had they played even one of their games against a mid-tier team in the conference, these numbers would likely look drastically different.

Here’s a few other quick observations about the teams at the top of the list:

• Ohio State held Northwestern to 0.79 ppp and Nebraska to 0.61 ppp, which coupled with their stellar 1.28 ppp against the Wildcats led to their sizable overall margin.  Northwestern is unbelievably poor in terms of defensive efficiency…or defense in general.
• The bulk of Michigan’s margin came against Penn State, where they scored 1.18 ppp and held the Nittany Lions to just 0.88 ppp.  They also benefitted from playing a Mbakwe-less Minnesota team that has struggled in conference play so far.  Overall, Michigan’s defensive efficiency hasn’t been great this year, ranking 90th in Pomeroy’s adjusted efficiency ratings.
• The Spartans have allowed just two opponents to score more than 0.99 ppp this year and have held all three of their conference foes below that mark.  Their defense is 100% legit.  On offense, Sparty was held to 0.97 ppp against Wisconsin and was right on their average with 1.11 ppp against Nebraska.
• Purdue has been consistently solid in terms of their offensive efficiency.  On defense, they allowed Iowa to put up 1.09 ppp but held Illinois to 0.91 ppp in their other game.  The Illini offense ranks outside of the Top 100 in adjusted efficiency, so that isn’t particularly shocking.  The Boilers should improve on their margin thanks to a game against Penn State tonight.

As I mentioned above, these stats can be very telling but only once you have a large enough sample size.  For now, they make for good conversation, but beware of drawing firm conclusions at this point.

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Follow me on Twitter (@andybottoms) for more thoughts on college hoops, and check out the latest edition of the Bottoms Line podcast.

Just a few weeks after beating #1 ranked Kentucky in Assembly Hall, the Hoosiers toppled #2 ranked Ohio State 74-70 tonight. Every starter was in double figures, led by Jordan Hulls’ 17, and the three guys I said needed to step up after the Michigan State game – Hulls, Cody Zeller, and Tom Crean – all did just that tonight.

As Ohio State superstar Jared Sullinger tweeted soon after the game ended, “Give credit when credit is due. IU basketball is back everybody…. Tough basketball team.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

If you missed the postgame show, it is embedded below. I thought Andy and Ryan really came through with some tremendous analysis tonight, and our buddy Nick was on point giving well-deserved plaudits to Coach Crean.

A few other relevant links:

• SCACC Hoops: Indiana-Ohio State advanced stats
• ESPN: Indiana-Ohio State box score
• Inside the Hall: Indiana-Ohio State ‘The Minute After’

And then a picture, taken from that Inside The Hall post, that absolutely sums up tonight’s game…and Indiana’s found-again prowess at home:

After Indiana’s second monumental home win, which legitimizes the Kentucky victory and truly signifies Indiana basketball being back, I don’t know about you…but celebrating the new year is going to be even more fun tonight.

Be safe everyone, and then listen to the latest episode whenever you get a moment, or go here to download it.

IU-Ohio State Postgame Show

IU-Ohio State Chat Recap

And if you want to see the chat recap too, here it is:

Immediately after, the Assembly Call crew will be here to provide instant analysis and a forum for fan reaction. So before you go out to ring in the new year, join us for one last (and hopefully victorious) Assembly Call before 2012 begins.

IU-Ohio State Game Info

• Date: Saturday, December, 31st
• Tip Time: 7:00 ET
• TV: ESPN2
• Announcers: Dave O’Brien and Dan Dakich (!!!)
• Point Spread: Ohio State -4
• Over Under: 139
• Other Gameday Info: Peegs.com
• KenPom: InstaGamePrep (subscriber only)
• First Postgame Show: The Assembly Call
• Second Postgame Show: Crimson Cast

IU-Ohio State Quick Preview

Simply put, we are going to learn a lot about our Hoosiers in this game. Coming off the first loss of the season, with one of the best teams in America invading the Assembly Hall, we will find out what kind of resolve and mental toughness, as well as talent, this year’s Hoosiers posses.

On that note, I was encouraged by these quotes from Verdell Jones, as tweeted just a few minutes ago by DustinDopirak:

We have the confidence to know that we can play with anybody.

We definitely got an edge. We’re hungrier more than ever. We really want to prove that the non-conference wasn’t a fluke.

If the team’s energy and focus match Verdell’s words we’ll be just fine. Now, let’s hope the team’s energy and focus does indeed match Verdell’s words.

As for Will Sheehey, there is no new news to report. Tom Crean continues to, smartly, play it close to the vest. Why give Ohio State any information to prepare with? Sheehey remains day-to-day, via Dopirak and InsideTheHall.

If you’re interested, here is Tom Crean’s press conference previewing the Ohio State game:

Saturday is a very big game for three people in particular.

First, it’s a huge game for Crean. This year’s Hoosiers have been riding high, higher than any of us expected. The Michigan State game was the first setback of the season, and in addition to poor performances from the next two people I’m about to discuss, I thought Crean made several strategic errors as well. He needs to bounce back with better judgment against Ohio State.

Second, it’s clearly a big game for Cody Zeller.

After breezing through the non-conference schedule (relatively speaking) and picking up multiple Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards, Zeller was exposed a bit by Michigan State as not quite being ready for the physical play of Big Ten basketball. It gets no easier against Ohio State. In fact, it gets much tougher.

Jared Sullinger is one of the best post players in the last 20-25 years of Big Ten basketball, and he was dominant as a freshman. If Zeller wants to prove he is an impact freshman anywhere close to Sullinger’s level, he needs to show it against Sullinger.

Third, Jordan Hulls needs to bounce back. No one will get upset at Hulls for having an off shooting night. It happens to even the best shooters, as Hulls proved against Michigan State. Missed shots can be forgiven, but poor decision-making in the halfcourt from your junior point guard cannot. I thought Hulls made a number of poor decisions directing the Hoosiers offense against Michigan State, and that can’t happen if we want to beat Ohio State. As for the shooting, we’re back at home. Hulls will shoot just fine.

Please don’t take me calling these three guys out as negatives. I think all three will step up to the challenge against Ohio State, and I foresee Indiana competing very well. I expect to win this game. I won’t be devastated if we don’t, considering the competition, but I will be very disappointed if we aren’t competitive for 40 minutes. That is what this team is capable of, and we should expect nothing less.

Let’s go Hoosiers. It feels damn good to have confidence again that we can defend The Hall against anyone. Now let’s do it.

IU-Ohio State Postgame Show

As soon as the final buzzer sounds, The Assembly Call begins. Listen here live on New Year’s Eve:

Call-in number: (858) 365-5571

Use this number to call in and provide your thoughts on-air or to listen on your phone.

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IU-Ohio State Chat

Indiana finally lost a basketball game tonight, falling 80-65 to Michigan State in what Chronic Hoosier aptly described as “the most schizophrenic” basketball game he’d ever seen.

Can’t argue with that.

A few links, then the complete postgame show with me, Ryan, and Andy, along with a very entertaining and engaging chat session with some of our loyal listeners.

• IU-Michigan State advanced stats via SCACCHoops.com
• IU-Michigan State box score via ESPN.com
• The Minute After via Inside The Hall
• Hulls, Oladipo, and Watford on tonight’s loss via Inside the Hall
• Hard Lessons Learned via Zach Osterman

And here is what you missed if you didn’t tune in after the game: