Indiana Hoosiers
Big Ten (27-6, 14-4)
Coach Tom Crean took Indiana to the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament in 2012 and the expectations for 2013 are much higher. The Hoosiers have all the tools they need to be a major contender for the 2013 title and they have proven it all season long. The play of Victor Oladipo has catapulted IU to one of the best teams in the nation. The 6-5 junior can do it all. He averaged 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.2 steals per contest. Oladipo can score in a variety of ways and shoots over 44 percent from beyond the arc. Few players in the nation can match his versatility and he is extremely difficult for the opposition to deal with on both ends of the floor.
Big Wins: 11/20 vs Georgetown (82-72), 2/19 at Michigan State (72-68), 3/10 at Michigan (72-71)
Bad Losses: 12/15 vs Butler (86-88), 1/15 Wisconsin (59-64), 2/26 at Minnesota (73-77)
Coach: Tom Crean (5 seasons at Indiana)
Why They Can Surprise:
The play of Cody Zeller and the rest of the frontcourt has been amazingly efficient. Zeller is a threat to put up 20 points and grab ten rebounds every game. He shoots nearly 60 percent from the floor and is not too shabby on the defensive end either. Zeller is also very effective on the offensive glass and that is all the more impressive considering Indiana does not miss that many shots. Working through Zeller offensively opens up space for shooters like Jordan Hulls and Christian Watford. Watford, a 6-9 senior, will start beside Zeller and is a big player on both ends of the floor. Will Sheehey, a quality shooter, and Jeremy Hollowell, an emerging freshman, provide most of the depth in the frontcourt.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell is already a star, but he is still just a freshman and it remains to be seen how he handles the bright lights of the NCAA Tournament. This is a team that has national title aspirations and they will have to get strong play out of their point guard. Ferrell can commit a few too many turnovers on occasion and that could become an issue when the going gets tough. With Hulls able to handle the ball, Ferrell’s inexperience may not be an issue at all. Indiana’s defense has improved compared to the 2011-2012 campaign, but there is still room for improvement. With the Hoosiers efficiency on offense, Coach Crean can usually outscore his opponents, but he is still looking to improve the overall scoring defense.
Probable Starters:
Kevin Ferrell, Freshman, Guard, 7.8 ppg, 4.2 apg, 2.7 rpg
Jordan Hulls, Senior, Guard, 10.1 ppg, 3.1 apg, 2.4 rpg
Victor Oladipo, Junior, Guard, 13.6 ppg, 2.1 apg, 6.4 rpg, 2.2 spg
Christian Watford, Senior, Forward, 12.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg
Cody Zeller, Sophomore, Forward, 16.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.3 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
Remy Abell, Sophomore, Guard, 4.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg
Jeremy Hollowell, Freshman, Forward, 3.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Will Sheehey, Junior, Forward, 9.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 80.8 (3rd in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 62.2 (61, 5)
Field-Goal Percentage: 48.8 (6, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 38.8 (22, 2)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.5 (55, 5)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 41.8 (3, 1)
Free-Throw Percentage: 74.3 (34, 1)
Rebound Margin: 8.0 (9, 2)
Assists Per Game: 14.6 (61, 3)
Turnovers Per Game: 13.0 (146, 10)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
2012 NCAA Round of 64 win over New Mexico State
2012 NCAA Round of 32 win over VCU
2012 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Kentucky
2008 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Arkansas
2007 NCAA Round of 64 win over Gonzaga
2007 NCAA Round of 32 loss to UCLA
2006 NCAA Round of 64 win over San Diego State
2006 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Gonzaga
2005 NIT First Round loss to Vanderbilt
*all team stats through 3/10
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
