Basketball season officially begins

The 104th season of IU basketball officially kicks off tonight at Assembly Hall with a contest against UNC-Greensboro. \nEven after two wins in their exhibition campaign, IU coach Mike Davis said they still have a lot to think about.\n"We just have to figure out who's going to score," Davis said. "I can't sit here and tell you what guys are going to be in double figures, because I don't know."\nHoping for double figures in this game is senior center George Leach. He opened last season against Massachusetts with 19 points and 16 rebounds. \n"This year, I'm focusing on rebounding and being at the right spot at the right time," Leach said. "I'm not concerned about scoring. I just want to help the team by playing defense."\nSophomore guard Marshall Strickland said he thinks the offense is coming along nicely, and the team is starting to get an identity and a rhythm. He said they are starting to see where guys can score from and are feeling more comfortable with their game.\n"Coach has really been on us," Strickland said of their practices. "He wants to get what he wants from us, and everybody has had to make some adjustments and contribute their part."\nStrickland has been trying hard to do his part -- filling the shoes of former IU guard Tom Coverdale. Davis said it puts a great deal of pressure on Strickland to follow the position of a great basketball player like Coverdale.\nDavis said he's hoped for a lot of different improvements from the team since their first exhibition game against Athletes in Action when IU won in overtime, 70-68. \nIU's second exhibition game against the Southeastern All-Stars was a different story. IU dominated the court in their 98-70 victory.\n"I think in the last game, we really got our rhythm offensively," Strickland said. "We got to run some of our plays that we didn't run before."\nLeach and Strickland both agree the improvements in plays during practice are coming along, but are not always consistent.\n"Our improvements come in spurts," Leach said. "We're trying to get where we're good every single day instead of up and down."\nLeach has already faced one obstacle this year, injuring his shoulder during practice. He said the rehab has been helping, but he has not fully recovered.\nThe 6-foot-11-inch center wore a shoulder harness during the last game and described it as "the most frustrating thing ever." He hopes wearing the harness won't continue for more than a few games.\nThis will mark the first meeting for IU and UNC-Greensboro. The Spartans finished the 2002-03 season with a 7-22 record overall, and were 3-13 in the Southern Conference.\nUNC-Greensboro coach Fran McCaffrey is in his fifth year at the school and is no stranger to the Hoosier state. McCaffrey spent 11 seasons as head coach and recruiting coordinator at Notre Dame. \nStrickland said the team has been looking forward to the start of the regular season, and they hope to start off on the right foot with a win.\n"Everybody is just anxious and excited to really get the ball rolling and start competing," Strickland said. "We're seeing some of the games on TV, and we can't wait to get out there."\n-- Contact staff writer Natalie A. Trout at natrout@indiana.edu