The Creighton men’s basketball team hits the road for the first time this season when they take on the storied program of Indiana. This will be a big litmus test for the Bluejays to see how quickly they have come along with all the new faces this season.
This game is the first of a new series with the Big 10 conference called the Gavitt Games that will be played during the first full week of the regular season over the next 8 seasons. It is another great opportunity for the Big East to schedule high quality games. The bad part this year is that the new look Jays have to go on the road against a top 25 team.
Indiana has high expectations with the high ranking, but it is still early in the season to see how it will turn out. Since we may not be up to speed on the Hoosiers for this season, we reached out to a popular Indiana site, Inside the Hall, to give us a little more perspective on the Hoosiers. Here is what they had to say.
White & Blue Review: What are the expectations for Indiana this season and is there pressure from the fanbase to have a big year?
Inside the Hall: “Realistic expectations are for Indiana to compete for one of the top spots in the Big Ten and also advance to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament, if not further. There’s always pressure in Bloomington to have success. Two years ago was a disappointment because Indiana missed the postseason altogether and then last season was a bit of a mixed bag because IU started out so well in conference play and then really struggled down the stretch.”
WBR: Can you tell us about the love/hate relationship that Indiana fans have with head coach Tom Crean and his time there? Is he the right guy for this program and are they headed in the right direction?
ItH: “I wouldn’t call it love/hate, like some of the national media likes to peddle out there. Indiana fans certainly want the program to have success and when there are struggles, they are going to be vocal. That’s true in any fanbase. Crean has done a lot of very good things in Bloomington and he’s also had things he’s been criticized for. This season is key because since the 2012-2013 campaign when Indiana was a No. 1 seed in the tournament, they’ve gone just 37-29. Indiana needs to win this season and win big to show that things are clearly going in the right direction.”
WBR: With some of the off the court problems the Hoosiers have had the past couple of years and even this summer, is this a product of the type of player Indiana is recruiting or other things within the program related to these issues?
ItH: “For the most part, it’s been college kids making mistakes, but not necessarily reflective of bad character in my opinion. At some point, when mistakes happen more than once, there has to be a harsher punishment and that’s exactly what happened with the offseason dismissals. In retrospect, Crean has said that he wishes he would have come out with harsher punishment when the first issue occurred, but he’s also said that he believes in trying to help his players rather than just getting rid of them immediately upon making a mistake.”
WBR: For those fans who do not follow Indiana basketball, who are the players that are leading this team this season and what are their strengths.
ItH: “IU has three players on the Wooden Award preseason top 50 list – Yogi Ferrell, James Blackmon Jr. and Troy Williams. Each guy brings a different dimension, but this is easily one of the nation’s best perimeter units. Ferrell can score or distribute and he’s made a 3-pointer in 67 straight games, which leads the NCAA. Blackmon Jr. was born to score, but isn’t a great defender. And Williams is a freak athlete who is the best playmaker on the team in terms of finishing plays at the rim. He’s one of the best in the country at finishing, period. Freshman McDonald’s All-American Thomas Bryant is starting at the five and gives Indiana what they didn’t have last season – a legitimate post presence who plays with incredible energy.”
WBR: Who is a player that is flying under the radar that Creighton needs to look out for?
ItH: “Robert Johnson or Nick Zeisloft. Johnson started last season, but now comes off the bench and has really stepped things up defensively. Zeisloft, meanwhile, finished last season with the second best offensive rating in the country according to KenPom and is an elite shooter.”
WBR: What weaknesses do the Hoosiers have that Creighton might be able to exploit?
ItH: “Indiana is still very much a work in progress defensively, so there are open looks to be had if Creighton doesn’t let the environment overwhelm them if the Hoosiers get off to a hot start. IU is also a bit thin in terms of frontcourt depth, so attempting to get Bryant or Max Bielfeldt into early foul trouble could also be a factor in this game.”
WBR: What are your thoughts about having this Gavitt Games challenge with the Big East and is it beneficial for both conferences?
ItH: “It’s a good idea, I just wish the matchups were given more thought. Did anybody really want to see Nebraska at Villanova? With the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, the leagues try to match the teams according to expectations and while I realize it’s not always possible to do that with other scheduling conflicts, I hope that improves in future seasons. That said, I think Indiana-Creighton will be entertaining to watch and I know fans are excited to see a formidable opponent in Assembly Hall.”
WBR:What is your final prediction? What does Indiana need to do to keep Creighton from upsetting the Hoosiers?
ItH: “Indiana is tough at home and is coming off its best shooting performance ever under Crean (80% effective field goal percentage against Austin Peay). If the Hoosiers are clicking offensively, it’s going to be tough for Creighton to come into Bloomington and win. Indiana will likely be favored by double figures and that’s probably a realistic spread heading into this one.”