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.

For the first time, both leagues have the same number of teams, so there are 12 games on this year’s slate.  (In the event of a 6-6 tie, the Big Ten will retain the Commissioner’s Cup in case you were wondering.  Spoiler alert: That shouldn’t be an issue.)

Here’s a look at the schedule for the two-day event.  I also wrote a preview for Run The Floor, which focuses more on advanced metrics and is a bit snarkier since the Managing Editor there is an ACC guy.

ACC/Big Ten Challenge Games on Tuesday, Nov 29th

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#15 Michigan at Virginia – 7:00 EST (ESPN2)

Expect this one to be played at a painfully slow pace, but the tip time is early enough that it shouldn’t put you to sleep. Virginia is among the most efficient teams on the defense end, while Michigan is just outside the Top 25 in offensive efficiency, so something has to give.

The Wolverines have played better competition thanks to their time in Maui, while the Cavaliers recently returned from the Paradise Jam where they rebounded to win two games after a disappointing loss to TCU in the tournament opener.  UVA big man Mike Scott could give Michigan some trouble inside, but both teams are largely perimeter-oriented in terms of their personnel.

Tim Hardaway Jr. will be the best player on the floor, but I also like the contributions Michigan is getting from veterans Zach Novak and Stu Douglass as well as freshman point guard Trey Burke.  Still, the Wolverines have struggled to defend the three-point shot, and Virginia excelled from long range last season.

The other red flag has been Michigan’s propensity to put their opponents on the free throw line, and their 13th-ranked free throw rate suggests the Cavaliers will be able to take advantage of that deficiency.  I expect a close game, with Virginia having the slight edge based on concerns about Michigan’s defense.

• Prediction: Virginia

Northwestern at Georgia Tech – 7:15 EST (ESPNU)

Both of these teams participated in the Charleston Classic with Northwestern winning the tournament and the Jackets finishing 1-2.  It’s worth noting they played one of those games without leading scorer Glen Rice Jr., who was wrapping up a three-game suspension.  At 17.7 points per game, Rice leads five Georgia Tech players averaging over 8.0 points, but they aren’t getting much outside of those five guys.

Defense has been the Yellow Jackets’ calling card so far, but they will be tested by the duo of John Shurna and Drew Crawford, who have combined to score better than 40 points per game so far.  Keep an eye on how freshman point guard Dave Sobolewski handles Georgia Tech’s defense, as that will go a long way toward deciding the outcome.

The other area to monitor is Northwestern’s ability to limit second shots.  The Jackets have posted a strong offensive rebounding percentage and could give the Wildcats trouble on the glass.

• Prediction: Northwestern

Illinois at Maryland – 7:30 EST (ESPN)

For a number of reasons, the Terps are forced to play mostly young and/or inexperienced players, which has them off to a 3-2 start.  They lost two of their three games in Puerto Rico, to Alabama by 20 and to Iona by 26.

Maryland Sophomore Terrell Stoglin is emerging as a star with 20.2 points per game.  His shooting percentages have dropped across the board, but he’s the clear focal point of the offense with nearly twice as many field goal attempts as any of his teammates.  Maryland’s efficiency numbers have been absolutely brutal on both ends of the floor, leaving little reason for optimism there.

The Illini are also young, so neither team has a clear advantage in that regard.  Junior guard D.J. Richardson is off to a good start with 13.5 points per game to go with 40.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc.  Inside, soph big man Meyers Leonard is posting 12.3 points, 6.8 boards, and an impressive 3.2 blocks per game.  In a game with two relatively inexperienced teams, Illinois’ defense and inside play should be the difference.

• Prediction: Illinois

Miami (FL) at Purdue – 9:00 EST (ESPN2)

Had injuries not ravaged the Miami frontcourt, this would be a tougher matchup for Purdue given the composition of their team.

As it stands, the Canes are 4-1 while relying heavily on their talented backcourt of Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott, who combine to average 30.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists.  Miami is shooting just 40 percent from the field, which is not a good sign against a Purdue defense ranked in the Top 15 for defensive efficiency.

The Boilers picked up solid wins over Iona and Temple in Puerto Rico before falling to Alabama in the championship, but the best news is that Robbie Hummel looks healthy after missing last season with a knee injury.  He is pacing the team with 19.3 points per game while hitting 46.7 percent from deep.  Sharpshooter Ryne Smith has been red hot for most of the season, and Lewis Jackson has been terrific at the point.

Look for Kelsey Barlow to lock down either Grant or Scott and for the Boilers to emerge victorious.

• Prediction: Purdue

Clemson at Iowa – 9:15 EST (ESPNU)

I won’t blame you if you don’t go out of your way to watch this one.  Clemson has losses to College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina, while Iowa just lost at home by 15 to Campbell.

The Tigers have four players averaging at least 9.8 points, led by guard Andre Young with 14.4 points per contest.  Clemson has been solid defensively, but they haven’t been impressive on offense, particularly in terms of getting to the free throw line.  Of course, they’re only making 64.5 percent once they get there, so maybe it’s by design.

Meanwhile, Iowa has eight players scoring at least 7.2 points per game, and as a team they are hitting over 39 percent from deep.  Like Clemson, they have struggled to get to the stripe, but they have really struggled defensively, and their opponents have routinely shot a high percentage from the field.

• Prediction: Clemson

#4 Duke at #2 Ohio State – 9:30 EST (ESPN)

This is easily the marquee matchup of the event’s first day.

The Blue Devils should have plenty of confidence coming off of their win in Maui.  Duke is hitting a ridiculous 45.9 percent from beyond the arc so far, led by Seth Curry at 57.1 percent and Andre Dawkins at 44.7.  They are two of the five Blue Devils scoring in double figures, but there hasn’t been a ton of production from others with the notable exception of Tyler Thornton’s two huge three-pointers to seal the win over Kansas.  Duke has been adept at getting to the free throw line, and they have been better than I expected on defense.

As for the Buckeyes, they have been outstanding on both ends of the floor, as evidenced by Pomeroy Ratings in the Top Five for both offensive and defensive efficiency. Jared Sullinger has picked up right where he left off with 18.8 points and 10.7 rebounds along with 63.3 percent shooting from the field.

Like most teams in college basketball, Duke will have a hard time containing him on the inside.  William Buford complements Sullinger outside where he’s averaging 17.7 points and hitting 50 percent from deep.  Throw in point guard Aaron Craft, who is one of my favorites guys to watch, and you have a really intriguing backcourt matchup between these two squads.

Ohio State has struggled with its long-range shooting, but its defense should be enough to disrupt Duke on offense.

• Prediction: Ohio State

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ACC/Big Ten Challenge Games on Wednesday, Nov 30th

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Indiana at North Carolina State – 7:15 EST (ESPN2)

While many predicted a rebuilding year for Mark Gottfried and the Wolfpack, they have played fairly well so far and came back from a healthy second half deficit to knock off Texas on a neutral floor.  After serving a three-game suspension to start the season, C.J. Leslie has been impressive with 16.7 points, 5.7 boards, 2.3 steals, and 2.3 blocks while hitting 63.0 percent from the field.  He leads six players scoring in double figures, including point guard Lorenzo Brown who is dishing out 6.5 assists per game as well.  While N.C. State has done a nice job taking care of the ball, they have struggled to hit and defend shots from beyond the arc.

The Hoosiers are off to their best start in years, thanks in large part to their hot shooting both inside and outside the arc.  Seven players are averaging at least 7.0 points, led by freshman phenom Cody Zeller with 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest. The biggest difference for IU has come on the defensive end where they have seen a sharp increase in their turnover rate.  They have also done a much better of job of not putting opponents on the line while getting there with much more regularity on offense.

This will be another solid road test for the Hoosiers but one they seem poised to pass based on their defense and outside shooting.

• Prediction: Indiana

Penn State at Boston College – 7:15 EST (ESPNU)

Unless you attended one of these schools or both of the other games are at commercial breaks, you probably aren’t tuning in for this one.

Both teams lost virtually everyone from last season’s rosters and are in full blown rebuilding mode this year.  Both teams have also been woefully inefficient offensively, with Boston College being the worse of the two on the defensive end.

With 19.1 points per game, Penn State guard Tim Frazier is the only Nittany Lion scoring in double figures, and he’s also pacing the team with 7.1 assists.  Freshman Patrick Heckmann leads BC with 13.8 points per game, but tons of questions remain on the roster, particularly once you get past their top four scorers.

Penn State’s offensive rebounding could be the difference in this one, but in the end, I simply can’t write any more about this game.

• Prediction: Penn State

Florida State at Michigan State – 7:30 EST (ESPN)

Like the previous matchup, these two teams are pretty similar.  The difference is that they both aren’t terrible, at least not on both ends of the floor.  These squads are built around defense and rebounding, while both struggle to put points on the board.

Seven Noles are scoring at least 7.0 points per game, but the team is shooting just 31.7 percent from beyond the arc.  The Spartans are actually worse, hitting just 23.8 percent of their triples.  They have also been unable to find a true point guard, which has led to an ugly turnover rate.  Draymond Green is averaging a double-double with 12.7 points and 11.2 rebounds, but his shooting has been poor and he’s trying to do too much on offense.

Aside from the battle on the glass, keep an eye on Florida State’s ability to get to the free throw line.  The Noles have a decent free throw rate, while Michigan State is putting opponents on the line with regularity.  Ultimately it’s hard to see Sparty solving their shooting woes against a team ranked 10th in effective field goal percentage defense.

I’m pretty sure it’s ok to plagiarize yourself, so as I said in my Run The Floor piece: In short, these two teams are mirror images of one another, which is ironic since watching either one play offense will make you want to break a mirror and start cutting yourself with the shattered pieces.  This one is a toss-up, so give me the home team!

• Prediction: Michigan State

Virginia Tech at Minnesota – 9:15 EST (ESPN2)

The Hokies gave Syracuse a scare in the NIT semi-finals before squeaking out a two-point win over Oklahoma State in the consolation game.  Their strength lies in the backcourt with Erick Green and Dorenzo Hudson leading the way with over 29 points per game between them.  Freshman wing Dorian Finney-Smith has impressed early in his career and is averaging 10.3 rebounds through six games.  On offense, the Hokies have struggled with turnovers but have done a nice job of getting to the stripe.

For Minnesota, the recent loss of forward Trevor Mbakwe is devastating in every possible way, as everything they did well on offense resulted from his relentlessness inside.  The Gophers are still searching for answers in the backcourt, but juco transfer Julian Welch played well in the Old Spice Classic.

Since the Hokies have struggled to force turnovers, it seems unlikely they will be able to take advantage of Minnesota’s biggest weakness, and without Mbakwe the Gophers will struggle to exploit Va Tech’s weakness on the offensive glass.  Instead, they will end up shooting more from the perimeter, where the Hokies are at their best on defense.

• Prediction: Virginia Tech

Wake Forest at Nebraska – 9:15 EST (ESPNU)

On the surface, this would appear to be another matchup of two teams picked to finish in the bottom of each league.

OK, that’s actually what it is, but I do think Nebraska could surprise a few teams in the Big Ten.  They have a pair of talented guards in Bo Spencer and Dylan Talley, who are averaging a combined 28.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists, to go with Jorge Brian Diaz inside.  Outside of solid shooting, their offensive efficiency numbers aren’t impressive, as they struggle to get to the line or grab offensive boards.  The Huskers also don’t force many turnovers, but otherwise they’ve been solid defensively.

The Demon Deacons are coming off of a 8-24 season and just went 1-2 in the Old Spice Classic.  C.J. Harris and Travis McKie each score better than 19 points per game and pace the offense.  Outside of the 6-foot-7 McKie, Wake isn’t getting much from its frontcourt.  They are doing a woeful job on the offensive glass and an equally poor job on the defensive boards, while their opponents are routinely shooting a high percentage from the field.

Look for the Huskers to take advantage of Wake’s poor defense to pick up the victory.

• Prediction: Nebraska

#7 Wisconsin at #5 North Carolina – 9:30 (ESPN)

This will be an interesting contrast in styles to close things out. The Badgers play at one of the slower paces in all of college hoops, while North Carolina wants to get up and down the floor.

Wisconsin is the top team in terms of limiting opponents’ effective field goal percentage and offensive rebounding, while the Heels have struggled to defend the three-point shot over their last few games.  The Badgers have Jordan Taylor (11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.8 apg) and a bunch of guys no one has heard of, while UNC’s roster is full of McDonald’s All-Americans and lottery picks, led by Harrison Barnes (17.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg), John Henson (15.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.0 bpg), and Tyler Zeller (13.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg).

After being outplayed by UNLV on Saturday night, I will be interested to see how North Carolina responds.  They forced shots and got dominated on the glass by the Rebels, and they were unable to prevent penetration on defense, which led to a number of kick-outs for three-pointers.  That could be bad news against a Wisconsin team hitting better than 47 percent from downtown.

The Badgers were tested by BYU on Saturday before going on a second half run to win by 17 points, but going into the Dean Dome and winning is a pretty tall order.  Their defense will keep it close, but they will need big shooting days from Ben Brust and Josh Gasser to spring the upset. Given UNC’s defense so far, that isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem.

• Prediction: North Carolina

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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.

Hawkeyes…Hawkeyes…

And yes, this is apparently very real. (hat tip: Deadspin)

The 2010 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament preview post is live.

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We are now firmly in the heart of the conference schedule as the 2008-2009 college basketball season sprints towards the glory of March Madness. Earlier today, we offered up a quick preview of the 2009 NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament, and now we will get a little more granular and preview the 2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament.

I have to admit that doing this preview is a little bittersweet for me as an IU fan. This season’s Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament will most likely mark the first (and hopefully only) time that Indiana comes in as the #11 seed. As IU fans, we all understand that It is the price we have to pay for the era of the lying-cheating-bastard-who-shall-not-be-named, but it does not make it any easier to handle.

Still, there will be a twinge of excitement come March 12th when the Hoosiers tip off against whoever the #5 seed winds up being in this topsy-turvy season of Big Ten basketball. Maybe Devan Dumes and Matt Roth can get hot from the outside and the Hoosiers can pull off an upset. Not likely, I know. Still, the Hoosiers will have a definite home-court advantage playing in front of their fans in Indianapolis, and after last season’s heartbreaking loss to Minnesota on a wild last-second shot, the Big Ten Tournament owes us one.

Anyway, enough pipe-dreaming from me. Onto the particulars of the 2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament:

• Dates: March 12-15
• Location: Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana
• TV: Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS Sports (see below)
• StubHub Tickets: Buy Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Tickets
• StubHub Tickets:2009 NCAA Tournament Tickets

And let’s take a quick trip down memory lane and count down the past Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champions: 1998 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #4 seed Michigan defeated #3 seed Purdue 76-67
• Chicago, IL

1999 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Michigan State defeated #11 seed Illinois 67-50
• Chicago, IL

2000 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Michigan State defeated #4 seed Illinois 76-61
• Chicago, IL

2001 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #6 seed Iowa defeated #4 seed Indiana 63-61
• Chicago, IL

2002 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Ohio State defeated #9 seed Iowa 81-64
• Indianapolis, IN

2003 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Illinois defeated #8 seed Ohio State 72-59
• Chicago, IL

2004 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Wisconsin defeated #1 seed Illinois 70-53
• Indianapolis, IN

2005 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Illinois defeated #3 seed Wisconsin 54-43
• Chicago, IL

2006 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #2 seed Iowa defeated #1 seed Ohio State 67-60
• Indianapolis, IN

2007 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Ohio State defeated #2 seed Wisconsin 66-49
• Chicago, IL

2008 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #1 seed Wisconsin defeated #10 seed Illinois 61-48
• Indianapolis, IN

2009 Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament Champion:

• #3 seed Purdue defeated #5 seed Ohio State 65-61
• Indianapolis, IN

Who will this year’s Big Ten Mens Basketball Tournament? At this point, it looks like a major toss-up. Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Illinois, Ohio State, Minnesota, and Penn State have looked capable of winning it at different points this season. And if history is any indicator, a dark horse may emerge once the balls get rolled out on March 12. Four times in the brief ten-year history of the Big Ten Tournament, a team seeded #8 or lower has played in the championship game. The lowest seeded team to ever win the Big Ten tournament, however, is #6 seed Iowa in 2001. So the smart money would go on one of the teams listed above.

Either way, I’m sure it will be an exciting weekend — and the only chance for Indiana to crack this year’s field of 64. No, it isn’t likely. But you better believe Hoosier Nation will be out in droves on March 12th hoping their undermanned Hoosiers can pull off an unlikely first round upset.

A little background: back in the day, my dad had two season tickets and went to the games with my mom, until one fateful night when Bob Knight grabbed the jersey of then-IU freshman Delray Brooks and she vowed never to go to an IU game again. (Brooks, of course, later transferred to Providence and played on their Final Four team under Rick Pitino.) Her loss, however, was my gain. I slid into her seat and never missed a game until the year after my family moved from Bloomington in 1994. And I guess the timing of this move was fitting, considering the 1993 IU basketball team is my favorite sports team of all time, and IU basketball has never been as good since.

Well, in the more than 20 years that I have been following Indiana basketball, from both up close and afar, I would rank last night’s home victory over Iowa in my all-time Top 10 most rewarding and appreciated wins. Sure, scores of wins have meant more in the conference standings or for tournament seeding purposes. And it isn’t like IU knocked off a conference giant — quite the contrary, as Iowa is in 10th place and was playing without their best player. And the game was at home, in Assembly Hall, where victories used to be a given and not a cause for jubilant celebration.

But this is not a normal season, nor a normal team. And I do not feel one iota of shame or embarrasment or foolishness for feeling, at least for a split second, like IU had won some kind of championship. When you have 5 national championships, a history of consistent success, and are one of the winningest programs in the history of college basketball, you aren’t supposed to be excited about being 1-8 in the conference. Well, screw that. I am excited, and I am really proud of Tom Crean and the Hoosiers.

I would also be remiss if I did not dole out some well-deserved kudos to Devan Dumes. He has taken all kinds of flack — and deservedly so — for lacking poise late in games and making silly turnovers or taking unnecessary shots. Think back to the Michigan game. But last night, Devan Dumes literally put on a shooting performance that is among the best ever witnessed in Assembly Hall. For one night, Devan Dumes allowed IU fans to harken back to the days of Steve Alford, Greg Graham, Calbert Cheaney, Damon Bailey, AJ Guyton, and Tom Coverdale, among others. Look at his statline:

Devan Dumes versus Iowa:

• 27 points
• 8-9 FG
• 5-5 3 FG
• 6-8 FT
• 4 Reb
• 2 Assts
• 2 Stl
• 2 TO
• 35 minutes played

If you substituted Calbert’s name atop that statline and told me it was a game against Michigan and the Fab Five or Jim Jackson and Ohio State, I’d believe it. That’s how good Devan Dumes was last night. And he was certainly not the only one who brought it.

The entire team only committed 11 turnovers, which is how many the Hoosiers have by halftime a lot of games. Kyle Taber played very solidly inside, grabbing 8 boards and scoring 7 points. Nick Williams was his usual scrappy and AJ Moye-esque self, grabbing 9 rebounds (6 offensive) and scoring 14 points. And Malik Story came off the bench to score 9 points in 15 minutes, while being the confident and assertive player that we have seen emerge over the last few weeks.

And as Dumes said after the game, according to the Big Ten Network, the team is looking forward to more such victories over the next month:

“I’m just focused on the second half of the season, and coach told us we can make some magic things happen,” Dumes said. “It’s just really exciting to finally get that first win. There was a lot of smiles in the locker room and a lot of relief.”

Ah yes, the coach: Tom Crean. He is off to one of the worst starts, record-wise, in the long and storied history of IU basketball. Yet, I feel more confident about the direction of our program right now than I did at any time under Mike Davis or the jackass who shall not be referred to by name. Crean’s attitude and positivity and optimism just speak to what I have always wanted IU basketball to be about. And I have been so impressed by how hard we have played all season long despite the consistent losing.

IU fans remember the NCAA tourney flameouts during the final years of Knight’s tenure in Bloomington, and the often disinterested look that Mike Davis’ team gave, and the complete lack of discipline displayed under the lying snake of a man who shall not be referred to by name. Sure, Tom Crean is only in his first season and all of the players are fresh and new — but for a team that has been so consistently beaten down this year to just keep getting up and fighting, and to never give up, well it’s all I want to see out of my basketball team. Wins, no doubt, will follow.

After the game, Tom Crean and the Hoosiers stayed on the court for a little while and soaked in their first victory. The Hoosiers high-fived the fans and Tom Crean even took the microphone to personally thank the fans and tell us that this win was ours. Watch the highlight video from the Big Ten Network if you didn’t see it last night. For any IU fan who has suffered through the last 11 games, and who will probably suffer through more losses this season, last night was a great reprieve from a very frustrating season.

And Coach, while all IU fans appreciate your dedication of the victory to us, last night’s win was yours and the teams’. You guys have battled, and fought, and clawed your way to so many close losses against teams with a lot more talent. Last night, you earned a well deserved victory. We’ll take the next one, but last night was yours.

And the first of many, many, many memorable wins that will happen under Tom Crean at Assembly Hall.

When I left off yesterday, I mentioned that Browns owner Randy Lerner had interviewed Scott Pioli for the GM position. As of last night, a report out of Boston indicated that Lerner had placed a pretty immediate deadline on Scott Pioli to make a decision. However, as reported by Mary Kay Cabot in the Plain-Dealer this afternoon, sources close to the Browns say that no such deadline was placed on Scott Pioli.

So who knows what the real deal is with all of these unnamed sources floating around. All I know is that at this point no announcement has been made that Scott Pioli is or is not the next GM of the Cleveland Browns. So I shall continue hoping that eventually the announcement is made that he takes the job.

Over the past few days I have spent some time discussing many of the candidates for head coach that Randy Lerner has already scheduled interviews with, and others who are rumored to have a chance at Romeo Crennel’s former gig. One name that has been thrown out that I have not discussed much is Kirk Ferentz, the head coach at Iowa.

The rumors of Kirk Ferentz having a chance at the Browns job are based upon his close relationship with Scott Pioli. The two worked together with the Browns back in the mid-90s when Bill Belichick was in Cleveland. The conventional wisdom has been that, should Scott Pioli leave New England and become GM at another franchise, that he might bring his good friend in as head coach.

You may remember that back around the 2002-2004 seasons, Ferentz’s name was mentioned often for NFL jobs. During that three-year span, Ferentz’ Iowa Hawkeye teams compiled a 31-7 record. In the years since, however, a couple of factors have cooled the Ferentz-to-the-NFL talk:

1. The Hawkeyes have fallen off a bit. Before this season’s 9-4 record and Outback Bowl victory, Iowa was only 19-18 from 2005-2007.
2. Many of the high profile college-coach-to-NFL experiments have fizzled big time. Nick Saban left LSU for the Dolphins, and stayed only two years before bolting for Alabama and leaving lots of hard feelings in Miami. Bobby Petrino infamously walked out on the Atlanta Falcons mid-season to take the head job at Arkansas and not only left bad feelings, but forever became an icon of douchebaggery in the eyes of NFL fans everywhere. These are just two examples of many over the years.
3. The last few seasons have seen many incredible year-to-year turnarounds, in which an NFL team is pathetic one season and good the next. Just this season the Dolphins, Ravens, and Falcons completely defied preseason expectations to make the playoffs. All three teams had rookie head coaches who were assistants in the NFL the previous season. That is why names like Jim Schwartz, Josh McDaneisl, and Steve Spagnuolo, among others, have become such hot commodities this offseason.

With these three factors working against him, it is no wonder that Kirk Ferentz’s star has faded a bit with respect to his potential candidacy as an NFL coach. Plus, when many teams made overtures to Ferentz when he was hot in 2002-2004 (and even a few during 2006), he rebuffed them to stay at Iowa where he had been a coach under Hayden Fry in the 1980s. Ferentz signed a contract extension in 2004 to keep him at Iowa until 2012, and then restructured his deal in 2006 to become the highest paid coach in the Big Ten at $2.7 million annually. (All of this bio information is from his Wikipedia page, by the way.)

Earlier today, as reported by College Football Talk, after Iowa defeated South Carolina in the Outback Bowl, Kirk Ferentz addressed the renewed speculation that he could be a potential candidate to become head coach wherever Scott Pioli ends up.

Here as an excerpt from the CFT story on Ferentz:

Said Ferentz: “Scott’s a great friend of mine, and I think it’s a mutual thing. I think it’s presumptuous to think anybody knows what he’s doing right now, and he and I haven’t talked in three weeks. We’ve both been doing our jobs. I’ve got a great job at Iowa, I’ve said that many, many times. The people are fantastic, and I just feel very, very fortunate.”

Asked where the NFL fits on his “to do” list, Ferentz said, “I don’t have a ‘to do’ list. I never have. I just try to live every day and enjoy them, and I can’t think of a year I’ve enjoyed much more than this one.”

I don’t know about you, but I certainly do not read anything in there that leads me to believe that Kirk Ferentz is 100% committed to staying at Iowa. And I’m certainly not saying that to be negative in any way — it’s much better than Nick Saban chastising reporters for asking him if he is interested in Alabama, and then lying and saying no, only to leave shortly thereafter.

What I am saying is that it certainly appears that if Scott Pioli gets a GM gig in Cleveland, Kansas City, or anywhere else, that Kirk Ferentz will be right at the top of the list of candidates to be head coach. Add up the success that Ferentz has had at Iowa, his close relationship with Scott Pioli, a realization that he may be running out of chances to jump to the NFL if that is one of his goals, and the obvious bump in pay he would receive, and I think it is actually presumptuous to not consider Kirk Ferentz as a possibility to be the next coach of the Cleveland Browns. Scott Pioli is the #1 choice of Randy Lerner to be GM, and until Pioli is ruled out, you have to assume the possibility that Kirk Ferentz could follow if Pioli takes the job.

How do you feel about that?

My position has always been that I do not want one of my teams reaching into the college ranks for its head coach. Just look at the litany of failed experiments bringing college coaches to the NFL. Lou Holtz, Steve Spurrier, Butch Davis, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino, and I could go on and on.

(As a quick aside, look at the picture of Bobby Petrino to the right, and notice how uncomfortable he looks holding the Falcons helmet. This is a perfect metaphor of what happens to college coaches in the NFL. They are out of their element, out of their comfort zone, and it leads to problems.)

Now try to list off the successful examples of college coaches jumping to the NFL. I can come up with Jimmy Johnson, and that’s it. Please, if I’m leaving someone out, tell me in the comments section.

The fact remains that there have been far more failures that successes. And when you look at the history of the Cleveland Browns since they returned to the NFL, the franchise itself has had far, far more failures than successes. So how would it possibly make sense to take a strategy that fails more than it succeeds, add it to a franchise that fails more than it succeeds, and expect success? Sounds like a pretty ill-advised strategy if you ask me.

Look, I have gone on record saying that I want Scott Pioli to be the next GM of the Browns, understanding all the way that he very well might tap Kirk Ferentz to be the head coach. So my endorsement of Pioli and my criticism of the idea of Ferentz-to-the-Browns certainly seems contradictory, even to me. And if a Pioli-Ferentz combination is what we get, Kirk Ferentz will certainly have my support as I take a leap of faith that Scott Pioli knows much more about what he is doing than I do.

But boy would I be skeptical and a little nervous.

NFL teams keep trying to make college coaches into NFL coaches, and it keeps failing. Perhaps Kirk Ferentz is different though. Nick Saban and Butch Davis, for instance, failed because they were control freaks whose coaching style is much more suiting to dominating college boys that working with and motivating professional men in the NFL. They also tried to handle personnel responsibilities as well. Kirk Ferentz obviously would just be coaching, while Scott Pioli would be handling GM/personnel duties. So that right there is one advantage over some of the other college-coach-to-NFL scenarios we’ve seen in the past. And Kirk Ferentz does, at least, have some NFL experience having coached with the Browns and Ravens.

Can you tell that I am trying to talk myself into a potential Kirk Ferentz era of Browns football?

I suppose I could be wasting my time. I have heard no rumor of Kirk Ferentz to the Browns that does not involved Scott Pioli being named the GM. And there is a very real possibility that I could post this and immediately find out that Scott Pioli has said no — rendering this post useless and making me want to bang my head against the wall for wasting my time, at least from a Browns perspective.

But I still think that Scott Pioli will end up in Cleveland. And after reading the post on CFT about Ferentz’s statements, it sure as hell sounds like he would be interested if Scott Pioli came calling. So as a Browns fan, I feel it is only prudent to prepare myself for an outcome that goes against my own personal philosophy for how to build an NFL winner — never choose a college coach for an NFL team.

Luckily, my #1 philosophy for building an NFL winner is to have a proven winner in place at the top, and trust him to make sound decisions. Scott Pioli is as proven a winner as there is available to the Browns right now for GM, and obviously has infinitely more qualifications than I do to choose a head coach. So I trust that if he is the Browns GM, he will make the right choice.

Even if it is…*gulp*…Kirk Ferentz.