Let’s face it. Next season can’t come soon enough for Indiana basketball.
By then Maurice Creek might be fully healthy, the Hoosiers might finally figure out how to play consistent defense and Cody Zeller will be around to help ignite a program turnaround.
For now, though, we have to endure another train wreck of a season.
The Hoosiers lost to a bad Iowa team, 91-77 on Sunday, to move into a last-place tie with the Hawkeyes and Michigan. The defense reverted to its earlier why bother ways. Verdell Jones has an inflamed knee, missed the game and no one knows when he might return. Jordan Hulls was sick and throwing up before the game, which explains why a guy shooting 57 percent from the field and 51.4 percent from three-point range would go 1-for-8 and 1-for-5.
This drops Indiana to 10-10 overall and 1-6 in the Big Ten. It can’t win on the road (14 straight losses). It can’t make crunch-time plays.
Let’s not kid ourselves. This is a bad basketball team. It might win two more games the rest of the season, even if Jones returns along with his 12.9 scoring average.
It might.
You’d like to think that at least the Hoosiers would be showing improvement that would suggest a brighter future and there are signs of that. They did beat Michigan. They did push a very good Wisconsin team hard.
Even at Iowa, there were positives. Forward Christian Watford scored a career-high 30 points. It’s the most points scored by a Hoosier since Creek had 31 against Kentucky last season. Watford also was 7-for-7 from the line.
Coach Tom Crean wasn’t happy with Watford’s defense, but when your team gives up 91 points to one of the Big Ten’s poorest scoring teams, you’re not going to be happy about anything.
Forward Derek Elston had 10 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for his first career double-double.
Guard Matt Roth came off the bench for 14 points and three assists.
Still, it wasn’t nearly enough.
Now the schedule really gets brutal. It plays three top-25 teams in Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan State, hosts Iowa, and then travels to No. 12 Purdue.
Yeah, it could get ugly. Like we said, next season can’t come soon enough.
*****
Indiana is down to 15 football verball commitments now that four-star defensive back Raymon Taylor has dropped the Hoosiers and committed to Michigan and new coach Brady Hoke.
Taylor told the Detroit Nets that he was swayed while making an official visit that included standout quarterback Denard Robinson.
Taylor had originally committed to IU, then backed off when Bill Lynch was fired. He was set to go to Michigan, then backed off when Rich Rodriguez was fired.
At least the Hoosiers still have one four-star recruit holding firm on his commitment: linebacker Zach Shaw of Ohio.
In the meantime, new coach Kevin Wilson is pushing hard to complete a class he hopes is a mix of instant-impact guys plus players with big upsides. For instance, there’s 6-7, 275-pound offensive tackle Mike McQueen of Ohio. He played football as a freshman, skipped the new two years and then played last season. He’s big and athletic and has the kind of potential a staff can develop.
A staff like, say, Indiana’s.
Whoopie one 4 star recruit- that will guarantee that we are at the bottom of the Big 10 for years to come.
ReplyDelete"Can't wait till next season?" Is there something I missed? Do we get a new coach? IU has lost game after game to teams with much less talent, and three years into the multimillion dollar Crean experiment, we have this? It is time for some accountabilty by the coach rather than always blame the players.
ReplyDeleteIf a guy won't defend sit him down....if defense is the bottom line then demand it with playing. If Watford does not defend or a Pritchard does not talk sit them. If your going to lose then at demand the game be played the right way. Note: if Watford is our best big man we are in trouble...he is a poor rebounder, poor defender, poor finishing against decent big men inside....NBA you've got to be kidding.
ReplyDeleteWait til next year? C'mon. Has Indiana University Basketball stooped to a level on par with the Chicago Cubs? That's a joke! But with this current coach, I believe it has! Here's why:
ReplyDeletea) No improvement after 3 years. Say what you want, this team is no better than any of the previous two under Crean.
b) 1-20 on the road in the B10 under Crean. Unacceptable!
c) Don't blame it on talent! He has seven (7) Rivals Top 150 players on the roster. More than everyone in the league except OSU, MSU, Illinois, and Purdue. And we can't beat anyone?
d) His arrogance in post game media interviews (after losses) is getting very, very tiresome. Who does he think he is? He has accomplished NOTHING!
What a total embarrassment this guy is!!!
I agree and I'm not watching again until next year. I think that this loss is more embarrassing than PSU. No improvement is putting it nicely...we are regressing. Size-wise we matched up really well with Iowa and they just went through a recruiting meltdown this off-season with decommitts and transfers but they still managed to CRUSH us.
ReplyDeleteNext year is not going to be any different. Zeller is the only impact player coming in next year and we lose Rivers's defense. We will be terrible again and mark my words other successful programs are going to start picking off our "verbally" committed recruits in 2012-14. Sooner or later they are going to look at our pathetic record and say what was I thinking. It's going to happen.
Honestly I think this program is toast. I see no indication that IU and Crean can turn this thing around. My optimism is shot.
Interesting how all of you who bash on Crean and the program are posting un Anonymous...Must I remind you that 3 years ago he came into a program with 1 player who avg. 2.2 minutes a game and a walk on...Basically the equvilant to the SMU football program in the 80's (death penalty) and they have yet to recover...He then had to recruit guys who are basically mid-major level talent...So before you go bashing Crean think of that...Find me a coach who could do more with less and keep the HIGH STANDARDS we expect...So until you can do that, support the team and coach we have...its easy to coach from your couch.
ReplyDeleteI am also tired of Crean's rah-rah sideline style when a team is performing poorly. He needs to get angry sometimes to demand better and consistent performance from kids who appear to have given up.
ReplyDeleteporous cow! put it in perspective. it is the only way to sort through this mess. we beat michigan because michigan was flat. i saw what happen to northwestern when they played flat against wisconsin. was iu flat playing iowa? maybe? iu played wisconsin tough except for the last 2 or 3 min. and then they began to go flat. so what are the visible problems? maybe coach dale needs a tech. so shooter can build some confidence? is coach dale letting the town folks get in his ear so much he quit coaching? is no one reviewing and analyzing sooters scouting report? it looks like the sun is shining on the same dogs behind for several days but not all. Tom if you really build it, they will win.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I have become a disgruntled Crean supporter. Injuries aside, I felt it was reasonable to expect a near .500 record and a consistent effort every night this season. Since neither is happening, I think it's time to ask Crean what he plans to do to change things now and not next year, since Hoosier fans aren't buying into his excuses any longer.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of whiny babies you are. Obviously none of you have ever coached or you would have some idea of what is like to beaten by teams with more talent, yes talent, then you have. If your jumping off the bandwagon now, don't climb back on in a few years when IU is on top!
ReplyDelete