Indiana Basketball: Five reasons why the Hoosiers will win it all
Nov 30, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers coach Tom Crean coaches on the sidelines against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Assembly Hall. Indiana defeats North Carolina 76-67. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
What are five reasons why Indiana basketball can win the NCAA Tournament title?
Indiana came into the season ranked 11th in the Preseason AP Poll. Since then we have already seen the Hoosiers take a seat on the rollercoaster that is college basketball. After an impressive win over Kansas we saw IU rise to as high as 3rd nationally, and ESPN even ranked them as the number one team in their power rankings.
This high ranking had Bloomington rocking and IU fans across the country feeling like it was the 80s again. Unfortunately, just as fast as Indiana ascended, it fell, hard. The Hoosiers went on to lose to Fort Wayne, a loss that dropped them to 13th in the rankings this week.
We are only a few weeks into the season so honestly no one should be too worried about any losses at this point.
Case in point, Wednesday night. Less than a week after losing to Fort Wayne, 3rd ranked North Carolina traveled to Bloomington for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. IU found themselves matched up with a North Carolina team that many were calling the best team in the country. Indiana never trailed and won decisively, 76-67.
The Hoosiers have proved that they are loaded and poised to eventually make a deep NCAA Tournament run. IU returns a slew of role players and starters after losing notable veterans like point guard Yogi Ferrell and forward Troy Williams to the NBA.
Thomas Bryant and James Blackmon Jr. are Preseason First-Team All-Big Ten nominees, while sophomore OG Anunoby is projected to be the top player drafted from the Big Ten in next year’s NBA Draft.
Can Indiana really win a national title for the first time since 1987? Anything is possible in college basketball and the Hoosiers are destined to make some noise come March. Here is a list of five reasons why the Hoosiers could bring back the national championship trophy to Bloomington.
Nov 11, 2016; Honolulu, HI, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard James Blackmon Jr. (1) signals the three sign after making a three pointer against the Kansas Jayhawks at the Stan Sheriff Center. Indiana defeats Kansas 103-99 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
5. 3-point shooting
When IU shoots the three ball the way they are expected to, they are the best shooting team in the country. Unfortunately the phrase “live by the three, die by the three” defines the Hoosiers all too well.
In IU’s lone loss this year, they shot 7-of-24 (29.2 percent) from beyond the arc, which is well below their season average. To put this in perspective, when IU beat Kansas, they shot 15-of-31 (48.4 percent) from 3-point range.
@JBlackmon2 @giantssports @indsportstalk ???? James Blackmon Jr for 3 ???????? #iubb #GFND #indianahoosiers #tradition #scoringmachine ????⚪️ pic.twitter.com/HSQtZvFZW6
— Greg Keeton (@GregKeeton77) November 12, 2016
If IU shoots the ball the way they are capable of, they will make a deep tournament run. If they don’t, it could very well mean another Sweet 16 exit for the Hoosiers. In the end, the very reason that could help bring a championship home to Bloomington is the same reason that could prevent them from winning it all.
Nov 30, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard James Blackmon (1) leads the team onto the floor before the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Assembly Hall. Indiana defeats North Carolina 76-67. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
4. Passing
Watching IU pass the ball is a thing of beauty. The team is extremely unselfish and the chemistry seems to be in midseason form.
IU averages 16 assists per game and nine different players average at least one assist per game.
As Jon Rothstein puts it, every player for the Hoosiers is like a queen on a chess board.
Not sure there's a team in CBB that moves the ball as well as Indiana. Every player is like a queen on a chess board. Skilled. #iubb
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 10, 2016
The great passing from this team opens up clear looks for players and is a major reason why the Hoosiers are shooting almost 50 percent from the floor this year. As long as IU keeps this up and plays unselfish basketball, they can compete with any team in the country.
Nov 11, 2016; Honolulu, HI, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard James Blackmon Jr. (1) drives baseline against Kansas Jayhawks guard Josh Jackson (11) at the Stan Sheriff Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
3. The return of James Blackmon Jr.
James Blackmon Jr. has already made a statement in his return this season. Against then number three Kansas he went off for 26 points and six rebounds. Since then, he has performed well, averaging 19.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per night.
In order for IU to find success this season, they need Blackmon to do three main things.
The first is they need him to stay healthy. In a loss against Fort Wayne, Blackmon injured his knee and then missed a game against Mississippi Valley State.
Blackmon must also keep up his intensity and focus on defense. From the eye test alone, you can see that he has improved on the defensive side of the ball. He still gets beat every now and then, but overall he has shown great signs of improvement.
The final thing Blackmon must do is limit his turnovers. There has been times this year where he will drive the ball into the lane, get caught up in traffic and force a turnover. As of now, he is turning the ball over at a rate of three times a game. These statistics have come against rather inferior teams (aside from Kansas and North Carolina), so he needs to clean this up before IU opens up Big Ten play.
Nov 27, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers center Thomas Bryant (31) shoots the ball as Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils guard Isaac Williams (24) defends in the first half of the game at Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
2. Thomas Bryant
Thomas Bryant is Indiana’s heartbeat. He brings energy and passion that is contagious to everyone wearing candy stripes.
Bryant is more than just a spark though, as he was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team.
Last year, Bryant set Indiana basketball records by shooting a blistering 68.3 percent from the floor. This year, he is averaging 13.3 points and 8.0 rebounds, all while shooting 55.3 percent.
Bryant possesses the skills to play with any big man in the country. He’s extremely versatile as he can bang with any big down low and stretch the floor by hitting deep jump shots.
What separates him from others is his effort. He runs the floor incredibly well and never seems to give up on any play. His fiery energy makes him a fan favorite and someone IU could ride to postseason glory.
Nov 27, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward OG Anunoby (3) steals the ball from Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils guard Darrell Riley (3) in the first half of the game at Assembly Hall. Indiana defeated Mississippi Valley State 85-52. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
1. OG Anunoby
For anyone who is new to college basketball, OG Anunoby is the Hoosiers’ freak of nature, two-way stud sophomore forward. If you follow Indiana basketball, then you’re already aware of Anunoby and all that he can do. You’ve seen glimpses of what he is capable of, and you’ve been anticipating him to live up to the hype since last March.
For those of you who don’t know the name OG (pronounced ohh-gee), you will get to know it soon enough.
Anunoby is an athletically gifted 6-foot-8 wing from Jefferson City, Missouri. Anunoby was the least heralded recruit in IU’s 2015 class. He was ranked 261st in his 2015 class, and after he committed to IU, Scout’s Brian Snow was quoted as saying, “not only had I never seen him, I’d never even heard of him before July.”
Anunoby first jumped onto the national scene in the NCAA Tournament. In the first round, against Chattanooga, Anunoby finished with a stat line of 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting with one rebound, an assist and two steals. Oh and this 360 dunk.
The next round of the tournament was his national coming party, as we saw Anunoby shut down Kentucky’s Jamal Murray, holding him to 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting (1-of-9 from the 3-point line).
This season the sophomore has been named as the top NBA prospect in the Big Ten, as well as a member of the preseason Julius Erving Award watch list, which is given to the best small forward in college basketball.
He is currently averaging 12.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, all while shooting 57.4 percent from the floor. If he becomes what everyone thinks he can be, then the Hoosiers will find themselves playing deep into March.
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