Who's tougher?: IU says it has one of the best defenses in the country. So does Oklahoma. IU figured out how to stop Duke's dynamic offense, holding the Blue Devils to 33 percent from the field in the second half, but the Sooners are more physical, stronger and have more depth. IU forwards Jared Jeffries, Jarrad Odle and Jeff Newton will have to go muscle-to-muscle with OU's Aaron McGhee and Jabahri Brown. IU needs to push back at OU's physical style, establish its defense and an interior presence by blocking shots and hitting the glass. A season in the rugged Big Ten should help. "I think our defense is going to have to be as good as it has all year with Oklahoma being so athletic and talented," Odle said.
Price is wrong: Sooner shooting guard Hollis Price is tough, and with junior Tom Coverdale limping on his sprained ankle, senior Dane Fife will have to carry the defensive load himself and stay out of foul trouble. Fife has guarded Duke's Mike Dunleavy (6-foot-9) and Kent State's Antonio Gates (6-foot-6, 220 pounds) in IU's last two games and done a solid job. Price (6-foot-1) is more Fife's size, but his quickness and shooting touch could give IU trouble. Without a healthy Coverdale, junior Kyle Hornsby and freshman Donald Perry will have to help keep Price, who shoots 39 percent from three-point range, from scoring at will like he did by pouring in 26 in OU's win over Arizona. IU has faced -- and held in check -- some talented guards this season, helping the cause.
Score sooner, not later: IU can't afford to fall behind early like it did against Duke. If that happens again, the Hoosiers will struggle mightily to come back against Oklahoma's strong defense. Kansas tried the same thing in the Big 12 Tournament championship game and couldn't get it done. IU's offensive firepower isn't super, and a slow start will likely rattle the Hoosiers, playing in the world spotlight for the first time in several seasons. The Hoosiers have jumped to fast starts in three of their four NCAA Tournament wins. IU's three-point shooting offers an avenue for a comeback, but with Coverdale's condition in question, IU's ability to score in spurts takes a hit. An early deficit could knock the Hoosiers out before they start. \nJared Jeffries: IU coach Mike Davis said he needed 25 to 30 points from Jeffries if IU hoped to beat Duke. Jeffries scored 24 and dominated the boards against Blue Devil forward Carlos Boozer, who has a similar build to OU's Aaron McGhee. Jeffries has been susceptible to slow starts, but he has the ability to carry the Hoosiers at any time. With IU's outside shooting back on track and Jeffries' ankle in better shape, the Hoosier offense is primed for another standout performance. OU will have to pick its poison on defense. If the Sooners double-team Jeffries, the guards are free to fire. If they play tight on the guards, Jeffries can score another 25 points. "Jared is the guy who we depend on to cause havoc for the other team, whether he's making baskets or making passes to our guards," Hornsby said.\nSlow down: OU can run and dunk with the best. The Sooners have scored 80 or more points 15 times this season, while the Hoosiers have cracked that mark only six times (four times when it hit 10 or more three pointers). OU uses its athleticism and speed to get up and down the floor. IU uses a half-court offense to control the game. Donald Perry likes to push the ball and penetrate, but he will have to remain calm and run the same offensive set that helped IU win low-scoring games this season under the direction of Coverdale. IU's chances improve greatly if it can play a drag-out game and eat the shot clock on each possession. "They try to get in the passing lanes and take things from you. We try to space you out and make you play defense," Davis said.
