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-Illinois Gameday Info

• Date: Thursday, February 9th
• Time: 8:00 ET, 7:00 CT
• TV: BTN
• Announcers: Gus Johnson and Jimmy Jackson
• Point Spread: Indiana by 4.5
• Over-Under: 134
• KenPom Prediction: Indiana 74-63 with a 83% chance of winning
• Peegs: IU Gameday
• Inside the Hall: What to Expect – Illinois
• IU-Penn State live tweet coverage: @AssemblyCall
• Assembly Call IU Postgame Show: http://assemblycall.com/live

IU-Illinois Preview

Illinois

The Illini come in losers of four of their last five games after falling to Northwestern at home on Sunday.  Brandon Paul poured in 22 points, while Meyers Leonard added 21, but once again the Illini got no scoring from their bench.  In fact, four players logged 39 or more minutes against the Wildcats, and only six guys played more than one minute.

Illinois’ lone win during that five-game stretch was a 42-41 victory over Michigan State in one of the ugliest games I have watched all season.  As that point total would indicate, the Illini have struggled offensively most of the season.  They have been held under 1.00 points per possession in seven of their last nine contests.

In conference play, the Illini rank 10th in adjusted offensive efficiency.  Their best attribute is their 51.3 percent shooting from two-point range, but they don’t shoot it nearly as well from beyond the arc.  They rank eighth in offensive rebounding percentage and free throw rate, and they are next to last in turnover rate.  That’s good news for an IU team coming off of its best defensive performance in weeks.

That said, the Hoosiers can’t allow Brandon Paul to get clean looks.  Despite the fact that his efficiency numbers aren’t particularly impressive, he did explode for 43 points against Ohio State and has three 20-point efforts since then.  Paul has taken at least 11 shots in 11 straight games, so it will be important for the Hoosiers to make him work for his points.

The other main offensive threat on the Illinois roster is sophomore big man Meyers Leonard.  In many ways, he and Cody Zeller are similar in the sense that each team recognizes their talent but often struggles to get them the basketball.  Against Northwestern he finished 10-of-12 from the field, so the Hoosiers need to limit his touches inside and push him off the block.  They also need to keep him off the offensive glass, which is an area that plagued them early on in conference play.  On the defensive end, Leonard is a tremendous shot-blocker, and I am really looking forward to the matchup with Zeller.

Guard D.J. Richardson also averages in double figures, but he has scored more than nine points just twice in the last eight games.  He’s really struggled with his shot since sustaining a wrist injury early in Big Ten play.  Joseph Bertrand started to emerge near the end of the non-conference slate and has shown flashes as well.  Again, their is limited depth on the Illini roster, so these four players are likely to score most (if not all) of Illinois’ points.

The Illini defense ranks fourth in defensive efficiency in Big Ten play.  Thanks in part to Leonard’s shot-blocking prowess, opponents are shooting just 46.9 percent on two-pointers.  They also do a nice job of forcing turnovers, but they rank in the middle of the pack in defensive rebounding percentage, opponents’ free throw rate, and three-point defense.  Opponents are also shooting a league worst 66.7 percent from the line, so some luck has also played a factor in their solid defensive numbers.  Three of their last four opponents have scored at least 1.02 points per possession, with the 1.25 ppp allowed against Northwestern establishing a new season high.

Indiana

The Hoosiers should come into the game with plenty of confidence after a 17-point win at Purdue on Saturday.  Victor Oladipo played the best game of his career and scored 23 points to go with eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.  He was relentlessly aggressive, which paid huge dividends on both ends of the floor.  Indiana also got a lift from Remy Abell, who came off the bench to score 13 points in just 19 minutes.  Cody Zeller attempted 11 of IU’s 35 free throws in the game and finished with 16 points and eight boards.

Against the Boilers, the team showed more toughness than they have in recent weeks and put together a complete performance.  They will need to carry that over to Thursday night’s game and jump on the Illini early.  If the Hoosiers can get Illinois in foul trouble, get out to an early lead, or both, Illinois’ offensive struggles and lack of depth will be magnified.

The Hoosiers are likely to play without Verdell Jones once again, but Oladipo did a nice job of handling the ball more and allowing Jordan Hulls to spend time playing off the ball.  Limiting turnovers will be important for IU, because they don’t want to give a team that struggles offensively any easy baskets off of miscues.  Otherwise, the Hoosiers match up pretty well with Illinois, particularly if they stay aggressive by attacking the offensive glass and getting the ball inside.

Indiana has gotten great play from the bench in recent games, and their depth is a real advantage in this one.  It’s unclear whether Crean will stick with Derek Elston in the starting lineup given Illinois’ relative lack of size, but no matter what, he will have multiple contributors available off the bench like Will Sheehey and the aforementioned Abell.

Final Thought

The Hoosiers finally got a key road win in Big Ten play against Purdue, and it will be important for them to remember how they earned that victory.  If they come out with the same intensity and toughness from the opening tip, this is a game IU should win at home.

On the defensive end, they need to limit Leonard’s touches inside and force Paul into contested jumpers.  Offensively, the Hoosiers have to continue to attack off the dribble or through Zeller in the post, both of which give them a chance to get Leonard in foul trouble or kick the ball out to open shooters.  Look for IU’s depth and what should be a raucous home crowd to be the difference in this one.

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Listen to Andy Thursday 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-Purdue Gameday Info

• Date: Saturday, February 4th
• Time: 7:00 ET, 6:00 CT
• TV: BTN
• Announcers: Dave Revsine and Jimmy Jackson
• Point Spread: Purdue by 4.5
• Over-Under: 144
• KenPom Prediction: Indiana 73-72 with a 53% chance of winning
• Peegs: IU Gameday
• Inside the Hall: What to Expect – Purdue
• IU-Penn State live tweet coverage: @AssemblyCall
• Assembly Call IU Postgame Show: http://assemblycall.com/live

IU-Purdue Preview

Purdue

The Boilers come in losers of four of their last seven games, including a pair of home losses, but they have been idle since last Saturday when they picked up a nice road win at Northwestern.  Robbie Hummel hit the game winner and tallied 11 points, while Terone Johnson came up big with 14 points for Purdue.

Without E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, this Purdue team has a significantly different look than in years past on a number of fronts.  Offensively, the team has very limited production in the post and relies heavily on Robbie Hummel and Lewis Jackson.  Hummel leads the team with 15.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, but he’s hitting just 39.5 percent from the field.  He can step out and knock down three-pointers but has struggled from long range in conference play.

Jackson is the kind of quick point guard that has given Indiana trouble off the dribble.  He has battled back injuries of late, but he comes in averaging 10.2 points and a team-high 3.9 assists.  IU needs to keep him out of the lane where he can be dangerous at either finishing or kicking it out to open teammates.

Ryne Smith is the team’s designated sharpshooter and is hitting 41.8 percent from beyond the arc this season.  The Hoosiers allowed a number of Michigan players to get open looks from three-point range, and they cannot afford to lose track of Smith.  The aforementioned Terone Johnson has shown flashes this season, while veteran D.J. Byrd has been a solid contributor off the bench.

The Boilers have struggled with their shooting in conference play, hitting 33.9 percent of their three-pointers, 47.6 percent of their two-pointers, and a league-worst 64.3 percent from the line.  They rank eighth in free throw rate in league play and 10th in offensive rebounding percentage, but they do boast the lowest turnover rate in the nation.  As a result, the Hoosiers can’t afford to gamble on defense and get themselves out of position.  They also need to do a better job of stopping dribble penetration and not allowing uncontested layups, as they did on multiple occasions against the Wolverines.

As has not been customary in recent years, Purdue has struggled defensively this season.  They are in the middle of the pack for overall efficiency, but they rank 11th in league play in effective field goal percentage defense.  They are dead last in three-point defense, which the Hoosiers should look to exploit with Jordan Hulls and Matt Roth outside.  The Boilers are eighth in defensive rebounding percentage and ninth in opponents’ free throw rate, so Indiana needs to remain aggressive at driving to the basket and crashing the glass.  Purdue does have a solid turnover rate, which is an area that has plagued the Hoosiers at times this year.

Indiana

Once again, the Hoosiers got off to a slow start on Wednesday night, falling in 13-0 hole against the Wolverines and trying to dig their way out over the remaining 35 minutes.  They got as close as two points but allowed a pair of clutch three-pointers and faltered down the stretch.  Tom Crean called his starting lineup “a joke” after the game, so it will be interesting to see if any changes are made.

One change that may be made for him is related to Verdell Jones, who hurt his shoulder late in the first half against Michigan and sat out the second half.  Jones is expected to be a game-time decision, but if he can’t go, it might free up more playing time for Matt Roth and freshman Remy Abell, who has played well in recent games.

As always, it will be important for Indiana to pound the ball inside to Cody Zeller given Purdue’s lack of quality big men.  Zeller posted his second career double-double against Michigan but certainly didn’t play one of his best games.  He seems to still be struggling with the physicality of Big Ten play but needs to be more aggressive in carving out position for himself and attacking the basket.  Given Purdue’s three-point defense, it would again be wise for the Hoosiers to play from the inside-out.

Jordan Hulls is coming off of a terrific game against Michigan.  He scored 18 points and dished out five assists, but more than that his leadership helped the team claw its way back into the game.  It will be important for him to carry over his hot shooting, as the Indiana native looks for his first win over the Boilers.

The Hoosiers also need a more consistent effort from Christian Watford.  He played poorly in the first half against the Wolverines and started the second half on the bench.  Watford responded to the benching with some inspired basketball on both ends of the floor, but he needs to bring that effort from the opening tip.  Otherwise, he may continue to cede playing time to Derek Elston, who has been a spark off the bench in recent games.

Will Sheehey also needs to respond following a rough night against Michigan that saw him go scoreless with three turnovers and two fouls in just 10 minutes of action.  He played well in his first start against Iowa, but it’s unclear whether he will retain a starting role for the third straight game.  Meanwhile, Victor Oladipo seems to have embraced his role off the bench, scoring 18 points and grabbing 12 boards over the last two games.

Final Thought

To some extent I feel like a broken record here in saying that IU needs to stop dribble penetration and feed the ball to Zeller inside.  They also have to bring a consistent defensive effort throughout the game, something they have struggled to do in recent games.

And while those things will be critical, how Indiana plays at the start of the game will be even more important.

The team has fallen behind early in virtually every game they have lost.  Michigan State jumped out to a nine point lead in the first 6:30, Ohio State was up 11 in roughly the same amount of time, Wisconsin led by five before the first TV timeout, and Michigan was up 13-0 early in Wednesday’s game.  For a team still learning to win on the road, they simply can’t afford to get that “here we go again” feeling.  More than that, a quick early start might help quiet what is sure to be an electric atmosphere at Mackey Arena.

Indiana needs to win this game to get back to .500 in conference play and prove they can win on the road.  Purdue needs this win to protect their home court before a number of tough games down the stretch and to help preserve their spot in the NCAA field.  If the Hoosiers want to come away with what would be their best road win of the season, it will be imperative that they get off to a good start, play solid position defense, and cut back on unforced turnovers.

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Listen to Andy Saturday 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-Michigan Gameday Info

• Date: Wednesday, February 1st
• Time: 6:30 ET, 5:30 CT
• TV: BTN
• Announcers: Gus Johnson and Shon Morris
• Point Spread: Michigan -2.5
• Over-Under: 135
• KenPom Prediction: Michigan 71-70 with a 54% chance of winning
• Peegs: IU Gameday
• Inside the Hall: What to Expect – Michigan
• IU-Penn State live tweet coverage: @AssemblyCall
• Assembly Call IU Postgame Show: http://assemblycall.com/live

IU-Michigan Preview

Michigan

The Wolverines have alternated wins and losses over their last six games and are coming off of a three-game road trip where they went 1-2 with a win at Purdue sandwiched between losses at Arkansas and Ohio State.  Tim Hardaway Jr. has led the team in scoring in each of the last two games with 19 points against the Boilers and 15 versus the Buckeyes.  However, Michigan shot just four free throws against OSU and was crushed on the glass, allowing the Buckeyes to grab 14 offensive rebounds.

Offensively, the Wolverines have taken 43.0 percent of their shots from beyond the arc despite connecting on just over 30 percent from deep.  Interestingly, they are sixth in the nation in two-point shooting.  With freshman Trey Burke running the show, they have a low turnover rate, but they are last in free throw rate during league play.  Overall, their offensive efficiency is in the middle of the pack, but their 0.84 points per possession against OSU is dragging down what would otherwise be a solid average.

That isn’t particularly good news for Indiana given how poor their defense has been in league play.  The Hoosiers rank eighth or worse in all four factors and surrendered 1.08 ppp in the first meeting between these two teams.  They did show signs of improvement against Wisconsin, but they allowed 1.20 ppp against Iowa on Sunday.  The fact that Michigan plays at a much slower pace should help limit transition baskets, but it will be critical for the Hoosiers to keep Burke out of the lane.

Burke has been one of the best freshman in the nation and comes in averaging 14.1 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.6 rebounds.  The Wolverines have also gotten improved play from big man Jordan Morgan, who has 36 points and 18 rebounds over the last three games.  Indiana natives Zack Novak and Stu Douglass will also be looking to end their careers against the Hoosiers on a high note.

On defense, the Wolverines have allowed their last five opponents to score at least 1.04 ppp.  They rank first in opponents’ free throw rate and third in turnover rate in conference play.  However, they have allowed league foes to shoot 38.4 percent from beyond the arc and are last in block percentage.  Cody Zeller and Christian Watford combined for 43 points on 16-of-21 shooting in the first meeting, so expect the Hoosiers to attack from the inside out.

Michigan is in the middle of the pack in defensive rebounding percentage in league play but has allowed opponents to grab at least 36 percent of their misses in three of the last five games.  On Sunday the Hoosiers grabbed 18 of their 30 missed shots against Iowa, and it will be critical for them to maintain that level of aggressiveness on the boards.

Indiana

IU should come in with plenty of confidence offensively after scoring 103 points against Iowa, as six players reached double figures.  The Hoosiers changed their starting lineup for the first time in that game, inserting sophomore Will Sheehey in place of fellow soph Victor Oladipo.  Both players seemed to respond well, and it’s worth noting that Sheehey missed the first matchup between these teams with an ankle injury.  His ability to defend multiple positions should really help the Hoosiers against the perimeter-oriented Wolverines.

For Indiana, Zeller is coming off of a career-high 26 points against Iowa, most of which came on dunks.  Verdell Jones III has also played better of late with 26 points in the last two games.  He has been more aggressive in going to the basket, and many of his nine assists against the Hawkeyes were off of dribble penetration.  He needs to remain aggressive and put pressure on the Michigan defense while making good decisions with the ball in his hands.

The Hoosiers got 18 points and five offensive rebounds from the bench tandem of Derek Elston and Tom Pritchard against Iowa.  Elston has played much better over the last three games, and Tom Crean’s team has gotten a real spark from the bench in recent games.  Given Michigan’s struggles to defend the three-point line, sharpshooter Matt Roth could play a factor in the outcome.

Final Thought

For IU, the keys on defense will be containing Burke off the dribble and forcing Hardaway to settle for contested jumpers while controlling the defensive glass.  If they can rekindle the defensive energy they showed against Wisconsin, they should be able to slow up Michigan offensively.

On the other end of the floor, the team needs to maintain their aggressiveness by going inside to Zeller or penetrating off the dribble.  That should open things up at the three-point line for shooters like Jordan Hulls and Matt Roth.  They also need to attack the offensive glass, as Michigan has shown vulnerability there in recent games.

The Wolverines are undefeated at home this season, although victories over Minnesota, Northwestern, and Michigan State have come by a combined eight points.  Consequently, I expect a close game that won’t be decided until the final minutes.

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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-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.

*********

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

With that in mind, here are this week’s risers and fallers.

Bottoms Line: Stock Up

Cincinnati

After a huge road win at Connecticut on Wednesday, the Bearcats have now won an astonishing seven straight Big East road games.  In addition to the win over UConn, Cincinnati has also knocked off Pit and Georgetown in their buildings, and their only conference loss came on a last-second shot against St. John’s.  Outside of Syracuse, I’m not sure anyone in the Big East is playing better right now.

You have to give Mick Cronin and his team a ton of credit for how they have responded in the aftermath of the brawl with Xavier.

Image source: Ballin’ Is a Habit

Sean Kilpatrick, who drilled the game-winner against UConn, and Dion Dixon have stepped up and are averaging nearly 32 points combined in the 11 post-brawl games.  The Bearcats currently rank third in conference play with 1.07 points per possession thanks to a low 10.4 turnover rate, and they have also been effective at forcing their opponents into turnovers and keeping them off the line.

Cincinnati’s next two games – at West Virginia on Saturday and at home versus Syracuse on Monday – will be extremely tough, but rest of the remaining schedule is manageable.

Florida State

Somehow the Seminoles have gone from a team that can’t score to some kind of offensive juggernaut.  The Noles blew out North Carolina last weekend, scoring 1.20 points per possession in the process, and then followed that up with another strong offensive showing against a defensively challenged Maryland squad where they posted 1.27 ppp.  According to Run the Floor’s Managing Editor and FSU guru Michael Rogner, the offense has been sparked by the move to a three-guard lineup, which has allowed for better spacing and more dribble penetration.

The 32-point explosion from Deividas Dulkys against the Heels was well-publicized, but Michael Snaer also has 36 points over the last two games.  Sophomore forward Okaro White has put up 25 points off the bench in those victories, and the Noles enter Saturday’s showdown with Duke confidence on the offensive end.  That’s definitely not something you could have said about this team a few weeks ago.

Kansas

As if there was any doubt, the Jayhawks have made it clear that they won’t be relinquishing their stranglehold on the Big 12 without a fight.  They manhandled Baylor on the boards on Monday to take sole possession of first place in the league, with Thomas Robinson putting up 27 points and 14 boards to further his campaign for National Player of the Year.  Tyshawn Taylor has also been outstanding in the last two games with 56 points and 12 assists, and Travis Releford and Jeff Withey have both stepped up in significantly expanded roles.

Depth is still an issue for KU, but as long as Robinson can stay out of foul trouble, they can play with virtually anyone.  The Jayhawks have a couple upcoming road games, but they have a decent chance to be undefeated in the league before back-to-back road trips to Missouri and Baylor in early February.

San Diego State

The Aztecs lost their top four scorers from last season, and all they have done is go 16-2 and jump out to an early lead in the Mountain West.  Last Saturday, SDSU knocked off UNLV at home on a last-second shot by Jamaal Franklin, who led the team with 24 points and 10 boards.  They proceeded to go into The Pit and fall behind New Mexico 10-0 before storming back and picking up a huge road win.  The Aztecs turned the ball over just six times and got a career-high 22 points from Xavier Thames, who also leads the team in assists.

With so little height, it’s tough to predict how far this team might go in the post-season, but the fact that they’ll even be in the tournament is a real testament to Steve Fisher’s coaching.  At this point they have no bad losses, with the only blemishes on their profile a road loss against Baylor and a two-point home loss to Creighton.  With wins under their belt against their two biggest competitors for the MWC crown, the schedule gets a bit easier before facing the Rebels and Lobos again next month.

Wichita State

With so many teams struggling to win on the road, the Shockers deserve a ton of credit for already notching five road victories in the MVC.  Wichita State and Creighton have separated themselves from the rest of the pack with both currently at 7-1 in the league.

The Shockers lead the league in adjusted defensive efficiency in conference play, thanks in large part to a strong field goal percentage defense.  They rank second to Creighton in offensive efficiency and have a number of players with gaudy overall efficiency numbers.  Seven guys play at least 20 minutes per game, and six of them score at least 8.8 points per contest.

A pair of winnable home games are up next for the Shockers, who I would love to see face Murray State in the BracketBusters.

Bottoms Line: Stock Down

Alabama

Things can change quickly around here, as I had the Tide in the Stock Up section last week.  But they came up empty against both Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, and their offensive woes resurfaced.  They scored a total of 111 points in the two losses and hit just 7-of-33 from beyond the arc.

As was the case last season, this team is very talented defensively, but they can’t get out of their own way on the offensive end.  And while they don’t shoot it well from the field, they shoot a high percentage from the free throw line.  Unfortunately, they rarely make a concerted effort to get there regularly, as evidenced by their poor free throw rate.

The schedule also doesn’t get any easier with a trip to Rupp Arena coming up this weekend.  After that, they have a number of winnable games, but at this point, they could use a signature win or two since they haven’t beaten a tournament-caliber team since November.

BYU

The Cougars have been in the field 0f 68 in my first two bracket projections of the year, but that may change following a home loss to Loyola Marymount.  LMU is a decent team that is starting to get healthy, but BYU can’t really afford to lose at home to anyone not named Gonzaga or Saint Mary’s.  At this point, they have no Top 50 wins, and their best victories have come against Nevada, Oregon, and Weber State.

After Saturday’s trip to Pepperdine, BYU has a critical three-game stretch with an oddly-timed road game against Virginia Tech followed by back-to-back home games against Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga.  They certainly can’t afford to go winless during that stretch, and anything less than 2-1 probably puts them in serious jeopardy.

Indiana

The wheels are dangerously close to coming off for the Hoosiers after losing at Nebraska.  A 15-1 start has given way to a three-game losing streak, and a few ongoing concerns have emerged based on their recent play.  First, a defense that was generating plenty of deflections and turnovers early in the season is now allowing the most points per possession in league play.

Second, IU has struggled to clean the defensive glass.  In the first two losses, Minnesota and Ohio State both posted offensive rebounding percentages of at least 37.9, and the Hoosiers allowed Nebraska to grab eight offensive boards over the final 13 minutes of the game on Wednesday.

Finally, turnovers are killing the Hoosiers on offense, and their 21.6 turnover rate in league play is 11th in the Big Ten.  Against the Huskers, Indiana turned the ball over nine times during a nine minute stretch in the second half.  The team is playing too loosely with the ball, and players are making poor decisions and trying to do too much when the game gets tight.

Sunday’s game against Penn State is simply a must-win for Indiana, who desperately needs to stop the bleeding.

Seton Hall

The Pirates were riding high after knocking off West Virginia and Connecticut as they jumped out to a 4-1 Big East record.  Seton Hall has since lost back-to-back road games against South Florida and Villanova, neither of whom are tournament-caliber teams.

Against Villanova, the Pirates shot the ball very poorly and committed a ton of fouls, which led to an insane 80.4 free throw rate for the Wildcats.  At the same time, they rank 16th in free throw rate on offense, and in league games, their three-point shooting (40.0 percent) is nearly as good as their two-point shooting (43.5 percent).  They also need to do a better job of limiting offensive rebounds if they want to get back to winning games.

The good news is that their next two games are at home, where they have yet to lose this season.

Texas

I’m sure Joe Lunardi is a very nice man, but if he has the Longhorns in his next set of bracket projections, I will be left to believe it’s somehow tied in with ESPN’s affiliation with the Longhorn Network.  He had them in as a 10 seed last week, and I struggle to understand why.

Texas lost their only game against Kansas State this week, and they currently sit at 12-6.  However, eight of those wins have come against teams ranked 150th or lower in the RPI.  At the same time, they are just 1-5 against the Top 100, with their lone win coming at home against Temple.

Consequently, they need to start picking up some quality wins, and their upcoming schedule provides a number of chances to do just that.  Texas takes on Kansas this Saturday, gets a chance at revenge against Iowa State next week, head to Baylor for a road test, and then returns home to play Missouri.  The Longhorns would be well served to go .500 in those four matchups.

**********

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

This week the topic list is long and includes:

• IU’s recent struggles,
• Cincinnati’s post-brawl resurgence,
• Thoughts from Baylor-Kansas and a look at this weekend’s Baylor-Missouri game,
• UNC’s blowout loss,
• Alabama’s continued offensive struggles,
• Rob and Troy’s impressions after seeing Doug McDermott in person,
• Early thoughts from the Mountain West,
• A look at some A-10 teams beating each other up.
• Rob and Troy also provided more updates from their roadtrip which were pretty funny.

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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 middle of the list has proven to be a complete mess, but since road wins have been so tough to come by, there are some teams that actually stayed put or even moved up despite losing.

College Basketball Power Rankings

1. Syracuse (19-0, Previous Ranking: 1)

The Orange won their two games this week by a combined 36 points and are the only Big East team without a loss.  I am dying to see this team be challenged, but with games at home against a reeling Pitt squad and on the road at Notre Dame, I don’t see that happening this week.

2. Kentucky (17-1, Previous Ranking: 2)

With road victories against Auburn and Tennessee last week, the Wildcats have already equaled their SEC road win total from last season.  Freshmen Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist continue to lead the way for Kentucky, while fellow frosh Marquis Teague could stand to cut back on his shooting given his efficiency numbers.  Kentucky has home games against Arkansas and Alabama this week.

3. Baylor (17-0, Previous Ranking: 5)

The Bears picked up arguably the biggest road win in college hoops last week by knocking off K-State in the Octagon before dumptrucking Oklahoma State over the weekend.  Monday’s game with Kansas is the marquee matchup of the week, but win or lose, Baylor has proven they should be considered among the nation’s elite teams.  Saturday’s game against Missouri closes out a brutal week for the Bears.

4. Ohio State (16-3, Previous Ranking: 4)

Brandon Paul almost singlehandedly beat the Buckeyes on Tuesday with 43 points, but they returned to form against Indiana on Sunday and had the look of a Final Four team in that game.  Lenzelle Smith Jr. gave them a huge spark with 28 points against the Hoosiers, and if he can become a consistent contributor, it takes OSU to another level.  Their lone game this week is at Nebraska on Saturday.

5. Duke (15-2, Previous Ranking: 8)

The ACC doesn’t provide many chances for quality wins this year, but the Blue Devils picked up one on Thursday by knocking off Virginia at home.  They followed that up with a road win at Clemson and are currently the only team undefeated in ACC play.  A pair of home games await this week, with Wake Forest coming to Cameron on Thursday and surging Florida State visiting on Saturday.

6. Missouri (16-1, Previous Ranking: 9)

The Tigers rebounded from a loss to Kansas State to win by 10 points at Iowa State and by 11 at home versus Texas.  Flip Pressey tallied 30 points and 15 assists in the two victories, while Ricardo Ratliffe scored 21 against the Longhorns and is now shooting 77.4 percent from the field.  Mizzou has a winnable home game against A&M on Monday before a showdown at Baylor on Saturday.

7. Michigan State (15-3, Previous Ranking: 6)

It was an uneven week for the Spartans, who dismantled Iowa in their first game but lost at Northwestern on Saturday.  Draymond Green and Keith Appling continue to pace the MSU offensive attack, but turnovers were the team’s undoing against the Wildcats and their 1-3-1 zone.  An intra-state battle at Michigan awaits Sparty on Tuesday before they return home to take on Purdue next weekend.

8. North Carolina (15-3, Previous Ranking: 3)

It’s hard to put into words how disappointing UNC’s performance was on Sunday as they allowed Florida State to jump out to a large lead and eventually rolled over and got blown out.  As I mentioned with Duke, there aren’t many chance to pick up resume-enhancing wins in the ACC, which magnifies the importance of any unexpected losses.  UNC’s only game this week comes Thursday at Virginia Tech.

9. Kansas (14-3, Previous Ranking: 11)

Tyshawn Taylor had a fantastic game to lead the Jayhawks to a comeback win over Iowa State on Saturday, scoring 28 points and dishing out six assists.  Thomas Robinson posted two more double-doubles, and his play will be critical against Baylor’s talented frontline on Monday.  Kansas follows up that terrific matchup with a trip to Texas over the weekend.

10. Georgetown (14-3, Previous Ranking: 9)

Turnovers led to a disappointing home loss to Cincinnati, but the Hoyas bounced back to win at St. John’s on Sunday.  Senior Jason Clark had a solid all-around game against the Red Storm with 15 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.  With games against DePaul and Rutgers this week, Georgetown has a good chance to move to 16-3.

11. UNLV (16-3, Previous Ranking: 12)

The Rebels lost a hard-fought game against rival San Diego State on a last-second shot in their only game of the week.  Anthony Marshall paced the UNLV attack with 26 points while Chace Stanback, Mike Moser, and Oscar Bellfield combined to go 7-of-32 from the field.  They have a pair of home games this week, the second of which comes against a red hot New Mexico squad.

12. Creighton (16-2, Previous Ranking: 15)

While many teams had a hard time winning two games this week, the Bluejays won three MVC games, knocking off Northern Iowa, Illinois State, and Southern Illinois.  Player of the Year candidate Doug McDermott posted 59 points and 28 boards in the three games.  This week Creighton heads to Missouri State to try to avenge an earlier loss before hosting Indiana State over the weekend.

13. Indiana (15-3, Previous Ranking: 7)

It was a disappointing week for the Hoosiers, who dropped a winnable game at home against Minnesota on Thursday before losing by 17 at Ohio State on Sunday.  Defense continues to be a concern with IU allowing the most points per possession of any team in Big Ten play.  Games against Nebraska and Penn State give them the opportunity to get back on track.

14. Virginia (14-2, Previous Ranking: 16)

The Cavaliers had a pair of last-second shots that could have sent their game against Duke into overtime.  Mike Scott was fantastic once again with 23 points and nine rebounds in a losing effort.  The Cavs have established themselves as the clear-cut third best team in the ACC, which means they should be able to win at Georgia Tech and at home against Virginia Tech this week.

15. San Diego State (15-2, Previous Ranking: 22)

After beating UNLV at home, the Aztecs validated their hot start after having played virtually no one for a month.  Jamaal Franklin led the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds, including the game winner with just 0.3 seconds left.  James Rahon was also on fire and poured in 22 points for the Aztecs.  Another tough tests awaits when they head to The Pit this week to face New Mexico.

16. Michigan (14-4, Previous Ranking: 13)

The Wolverines needed overtime to take care of Northwestern and followed that up with a 16-point loss at Iowa.  Tim Hardaway Jr.’s inconsistent shooting continued, and Michigan made just 8-of-31 from three-point range against the Hawkeyes.  They need significantly more production from their frontline with Michigan State coming to town this week.  On Saturday, the Wolverines head to Arkansas for a non-conference matchup of contrasting styles.

17. Connecticut (14-3, Previous Ranking: 20)

The Huskies picked up a much-needed win against West Virginia and played one of their best games of the season at Notre Dame on Saturday.  Freshman Andre Drummond had two more double-doubles to extend his streak to three, but fellow frosh Ryan Boatright’s eligibility is in question again.  Wednesday’s game against Cincinnati is a big one for both teams, and a non-conference matchup at Tennessee will be challenging as well based on how the Vols are playing.

18. Mississippi State (15-3, Previous Ranking: 24)

After losing to Arkansas last weekend, Mississippi State bounced back to beat Tennessee and Alabama at home.  Arnett Moultrie had a huge night against the Tide with 25 points and 13 boards, while Dee Bost had 30 points in the two wins.  The Bulldogs, who are just 1-1 in true away games, hit the road this week to take on Mississippi and Vanderbilt.

19. Florida (14-4, Previous Ranking: 19)

The Gators won two games they should have won this week, with Kenny Boynton leading the way with 32 points in victories over Georgia and South Carolina.  Florida still doesn’t really have a signature win this year, although the 18-point drubbing of Florida State looks better now.  Their only game this week comes on Saturday when a struggling LSU squad comes to Gainesville.

20. Murray State (18-0, Previous Ranking: 23)

Things just keep on rolling for the Racers even with second-leading scorer Ivan Aska out with an injury.  Donte Poole had a huge week for Murray State, scoring 21 points against Jacksonville State before pouring in a career-high 28 versus Tennessee Tech.    A pair of road games await the Racers this week, but I don’t expect them to lose either one.

21. Kansas State (12-4, Previous Ranking: 14)

The Wildcats lost a hard-fought game to Baylor on Tuesday, so there’s no shame in that.  However, they played poorly in a road loss to an Oklahoma team that had struggled in conference play.  K-State’s first three league games were as tough as they come, so things should start to even out for them from a scheduling standpoint.  This week they welcome Texas to the Ocatgon before heading to Oklahoma State.

22. Marquette (14-4, Previous Ranking: 25)

The Golden Eagles took care of business at home against St. John’s and Pitt thanks to seniors Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder.  DJO scored 38 points in the two wins while Crowder went for 30.  This week they face Louisville at home on Monday before a winnable road game at Providence on Saturday.

23. Illinois (15-3, Previous Ranking: N/A)

Brandon Paul’s 43-point outburst against Ohio State was one of the best individual performances this season, particularly given his subpar efficiency numbers heading into that game.  The Illini are now 4-1 in Big Ten play, and after a lengthy layoff, they head to Happy Valley this week for a date with Penn State before hosting Wisconsin on Sunday.

24. Saint Mary’s (17-2, Previous Ranking: N/A)

The Gaels already had a handful of decent wins, but they played arguably their best game of the season in a 21-point blowout of Gonzaga on Thursday.  Matthew Dellavedova was fantastic against the Zags with 26 points and six assists and is one of the more underrated guards in the country.  Saint Mary’s has a pair of winnable games this week as they look to stay alone atop the WCC.

25. Seton Hall (14-2, Previous Ranking: 17)

Blowing a late lead and losing at South Florida on Friday night put an end to the Pirates’ win streak, but I’m not prepared to write off wins over West Virginia and UConn as a fluke just yet.  However, they need to avoid a road loss against a struggling Villanova team in their only game this week to stay in the Top 25.

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

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.

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-Ohio State Gameday Info

• Date: Sunday, January 15th
• Time: 4:30 ET, 3:30 CT
• TV: CBS
• Announcers: Verne Lundquist and Clark Kellogg
• Point Spread: Ohio State by 12.5
• Over-Under: 142.5
• KenPom Prediction: Ohio State 77-65 with 84% chance of winning
• Peegs: IU Gameday
• Inside the Hall: What to Expect – Ohio State

IU-Ohio State Preview

Both teams are looking to bounce back following tough losses this week.  Ohio State was on the receiving end of Brandon Paul’s 43-point explosion when they played the Illini on Tuesday, and the Hoosiers were outplayed by a scrappy and determined Minnesota team at home on Thursday.  In addition, OSU will be looking to avenge a New Year’s Eve loss in Bloomington.

Buckeye big man Jared Sullinger comes in on a roll after scoring 68 points and grabbing 25 boards in his last three games.  Foul trouble limited him in the first meeting between these two teams, but the Hoosiers will have to find a way to limit him inside, a tall task that will likely fall on Cody Zeller.  Given IU’s struggles to clean up the offensive glass of late, Sullinger’s rebounding is a huge factor to watch.

OSU forward DeShaun Thomas is coming off one of his better games of the season with 23 points against the Illini.  Like Sullinger, foul trouble hindered his production in the first game against IU where he was held to a season-low five points.  However, the Indiana native scored 22 points against the Hoosiers in Columbus last year.  The matchup between Thomas and Christian Watford is a critical one for both clubs.

Watford struggled through his worst game of the season against the Gophers, scoring just five points on 1-of-7 shooting and turning the ball over four times and grabbing only three rebounds.  It will be important for the Hoosiers to get him involved offensively in the early going if they want to spring the upset, and he has to be more physical on the defensive glass to prevent second-chance points.

The other two key players for the Buckeyes are guards William Buford and Aaron Craft.  Buford was also limited by foul trouble in the first meeting, scoring just eight points in one of three single-digit scoring efforts over his last seven games.  The dilemma for the Hoosiers will be figuring out whether to put defensive ace Victor Oladipo on Buford or Craft.  He picked up a couple key steals against Craft at the end of the first half in the team’s first meeting, but Verdell Jones spent a lot of time on Craft in the second half and played relatively well.

That ultimately speaks to the biggest key for IU, as their defense has allowed a Big Ten-worst 1.11 points per possession.  What once was thought to be just an anomaly is starting to look like a trend, and the Hoosier defense was carved up by a mediocre Minnesota offense on Thursday night.  Indiana needs to get back to forcing turnovers and rotating effectively on defense, in addition to keeping the Buckeyes off the offensive glass.  Otherwise, it could be a long afternoon.

On offense, the Hoosiers are coming off of one of their worst three-point shooting efforts of the season after making just 4-of-18 against the Gophers, two of which came in the closing minutes.  The ball movement has to improve after tallying just six assists on Thursday, which won’t be easy against the on-ball pressure of Craft and a stout OSU defense.  Consequently, the performances of Jordan Hulls and Verdell Jones will be critical.  Hulls got hot late against Minnesota, but Jones suffered through his worst game of the season, going scoreless with three turnovers in 23 minutes.  They combined for 31 points when they faced the Buckeyes in Bloomington and will need to come close to that total again while limiting their turnovers.

Cody Zeller played one of the best offensive games of his young career against Minnesota with 23 points and eight rebounds.  The Hoosiers need to continue to feed him the ball inside to put pressure on Sullinger defensively.  Zeller’s quickness and ability to run the floor could pay dividends if he can keep himself out of foul trouble.

Indiana also got a big boost with the return of Will Sheehey, who came off the bench to score 12 points and grab six rebounds in just 15 minutes against the Gophers.  He’s still working his way back from a conditioning standpoint but gives the Hoosiers another offensive weapon as well as a versatile defender.

The Hoosiers have been getting great play off the bench from Matt Roth, and his ability to knock down three-pointers has been a shot in the arm for the offense.  He hit nine three-pointers against Ohio State as a freshman.  The bench play from Tom Pritchard and Derek Elston will also be critical.  Both struggled against Minnesota but will be key in helping the IU defense slow down Sullinger.

The Buckeyes boast the top defense in the nation in terms of adjusted efficiency.  They allow the lowest offensive rebound percentage in the country and are in the Top 10 in turnover rate.  Their ability to slow IU down on offense puts that much more pressure on the Hoosier defense to keep this one close.

Ohio State is a perfect 13-0 at home this season, and they will be motivated for revenge against the Hoosiers on Sunday.  While IU faces a tall order on the road, their previous victory over the Buckeyes should provide some measure of confidence.  Win or lose, the Hoosiers need to show improvement on the defensive end and rekindle the hustle, toughness, and emotion that propelled them to a 15-1 start.

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

IU-Ohio State Postgame Show

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IU-Ohio State Postgame Chat

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.