Crean's team brings high intensity, high effort to every situation

Sophomore guard Verdell Jones emerged from the hallway sporting a bright red scratch on his neck.

While talking to the media, sophomore forward Tom Pritchard said he leaves practice with a battle wound daily.

As was evident from the scars worn by players, the IU men’s basketball team hasn’t deviated much from the staple of last season in its first week of practices. The Hoosiers began 2008 without an identity and ended with a reputation as a still learning, but hard-working, team.

“Every day I come home with a new bruise, a new scratch, a new something,” Pritchard said. “It’s tough out there, guys have been really fighting. And that’s something that’s really going to help us in the games.”  

It was thought that Pritchard either became passive or wore down from hitting a freshman wall a year ago.

He said Tuesday that he is more confident after a preseason workout that put him on pace to gain better position when seeking rebounds or setting up in the post.

Pritchard wasn’t the only player to face challenges last season.

IU fell by a small margin in many games, and seemed to come out on the bottom of even the closest contests. Applause still came for the team after losses.

Thus far, IU coach Tom Crean and his team have done everything they can to see that they continue to receive the same applause – and to ensure more wins.

“If we hit people first, they’re going to back down, and we can finally get some teams on the back of their heels and finish them,” Pritchard said.

Jones, the slimmest player on the team, was another freshman who led IU.

He was hurt on more than one occasion after the physical Big Ten season began. In the summer he gained more than 10 pounds, and said his days on the court have been filled with competition.  

“It’s like a war field out there – tackling each other, scratching, biting,” Jones said. “We get hurt every day, but we’re working hard trying to build that mental toughness.”

IU has progressed from a season ago, with players to take the reins who were learning not long ago. Crean said his team is more intense than ever.

“We’ve had some great battles,” he said. “They are working extremely hard and we are working in a competitive mode right now.”