After watching the football team getting beat badly on homecoming against Northwestern, some basketball was a bit of fresh air. The Indiana men’s basketball team held their fourth-annual Haunted Hall of Hoops, a tradition started by head coach Tom Crean four years ago.
Below is my player-by-play breakdown:
Cody Zeller – he is all that was advertised. He runs the floor extremely well for a big man. He fought inside for position and worked hard to get the ball. Crean has stressed the importance of Cody touching the ball each possession.
Zeller scored 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting, 4-of-6 on free throws, and had four rebounds, two assists and one steal.
On offense he posted up, set picks and ran a nice pick and roll. His defense slacked a bit and got him in a bit of trouble.
Zeller was whistled for five fouls in the first half but he wasn’t too worried. “I think I’ll be alright…I wasn’t moving my feet real well and I had my hands in there a few plays. It’s just little things and I’ll get it fixed.”
Christian Watford – he looked a bit winded and afterwards he admitted that it was just his 3rd or 4th practice back. He had been taking it easy in a walking boot for a sore Achilles.
He will benefit from having Zeller on the court and will move to his more comfortable forward position. Watford can be one of the best players in the conference at full strength. It was fun to watch him work with the likes of Zeller and Elston but his impact depends on if can stay healthy.
Jordan Hulls – his added weight was obvious. He was stronger with the ball, battled when defending the bigger guards and his shot of course is still there. He has one of the sweetest shots on the team and will have more chances after working inside-out with Zeller and Watford.
Victor Oladipo – he was extremely explosive, active, tenacious . He caused the defense havoc and forced the opponent to always follow him. Vic had a couple big dunks and a reverse layup. He looked more confident, decisive and edgy. Oladipo will be one of IU’s best this season.
Oladipo scored 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting and tallied seven rebounds, two steals and one assist.
Will Sheehey – no question, he has made the most strides. He is very versatile, with the ability to take it strong to the basket or hit an open jump shot. Sheehey has earned a spot in the starting lineup and will be a difference maker. With Sheehey and Oladipo, Crean got himself a strong, under-rated sophomore class. He provides a big play ability and loved to run in transition.
Sheehey finished with 14 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Verdell Jones III – set the tone well. He got his team organized, moved well off the ball and attacked the glass. Even though he is a senior, he still looks small and lean on the court. Indiana needs him to not turn the ball over and make shots but not force them.
Austin Etherington – was a big unknown with many fans. He had a strong scrimmage and easily gave the most surprising performance. Austin was not shy about shooting as a freshman and fit in on the court. He was very aggressive, going after every rebound…he even blocked a fast break layup. I expect him to come off the bench, hit some shots and defend bigger players.
“I know people thought that I could only just shoot. I just got out and try to prove to everyone that I can play defense, and that I can cut to the basket and create shots for everyone else too. That’s one thing I try to show people.”
Remy Abell – he was the most disappointing player. I expected him to play lock-down defense and be a serviceable offense threat. In today’s scrimmage, he was neither. He got beat, turned the ball over and missed the handful of shots he threw up. It’s important to realize he’s just a freshman and still may be nervous to play in front of a large crowd. Today hopefully is just a fabrication.
Matt Roth – Roth proved he could still shooting. He led all players with 17 points, drilling 5-of-7 from long range. After just averaging 3 points a game last year in a limited role, Roth could play a big role off the bench. He looked happy being back on the court and maybe we’ll see the same Roth that buried nine 3-pointers against Ohio State.
Derek Elston – looked big and bulky. IU needs him to take up space, block out and hit shots when left open. That will be most critical. When the likes of Zeller or Watford are double-teamed, that leaves Elston open. He struggled from the field today but he was not afraid to take the shot.
Daniel Moore – is still the spark on the bench. He sat low in a stance and pressured the other guards. His role may be limited this season but I expect him to be feisty and give the team a boost. Moore did injure his right foot when playing defense in transition. The severity is unknown.
Jeff Howard – did okay, battled Elston and Zeller. Could sub for those two if they’re in foul trouble or need a quick breather.
Tom Pritchard – sat out after a minor injury.
Maurice Creek – out for the season, torn ACL.
This year, there is a clear emphasis on defense. At one point during the second half, Crean stopped the scrimmage and yelled at the cream team saying, “get down and guard. Let’s go!” This drew a loud applause from the crowd.
Watford: “Our intensity has definitely gone up. Our competitive has gone up since last year. Everybody wants to play and so we come in and get after each other.”
The Hoosiers have strong shooters in Roth, Etherington and Hulls. There will be more opportunities from 3-pt due to double teams of Watford and Zeller. Both the cream and crimson teams looked a lot more assured of what they were doing and the offenses were moving. It didn’t seem to get held up like so often in the past.
Indiana is having a *closed* scrimmage Sunday at Conseco Fieldhouse again Indiana State before their only exhibition contest Saturday at home against the University of Indianapolis. I will have that broadcast on BTN.com.
After the scrimmage, Matt Roth, Cody Zeller, Austin Etherington, and Christian Watford talked with the media about the night (Courtesy of Inside the Hall).