Ole Miss to test Hoosiers

After IU began last season 1-0, the team survived a scare from IUPUI, who had them on the brink of defeat before the Hoosiers prevailed 60-57.

Like last season, the Hoosiers coasted in their season opener, but again things weren’t as easy in their second game. While IU defeated USC Upstate by a more comfortable eight points, the team’s win on Monday should have served as another wake-up call.

The 2-0 Hoosiers of last year traveled to Hawaii for the EA Sports Maui Invitational, where they were pasted by Notre Dame and then less-than-stellar St. Joseph’s, by 38 and 26 points, respectively. IU had its back against the wall in the tournament’s seventh-place game, and escaped from Division II Chaminade 81-79.  

Although this isn’t your 2008-09 Hoosiers, the 2009 O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tipoff field will still make wins very hard to come by this week.

Ole Miss, the team’s opening-round opponent, is not ranked but could be the sleeper coming out of the SEC. On Friday, IU will face either Kansas State, a likely NCAA Tournament team, or Boston University, the America East Conference’s unanimous preseason favorite.  

Add in No. 5 Villanova, No. 18 Dayton and No. 21 Georgia Tech, as well as George Mason on the other side of the bracket, and there are really no guaranteed victories.
Not to take anything away from the Hoosiers, but Ole Miss is very talented and seems to be flying under the radar. The Rebels are among the nation’s 50 best teams based on poll votes and will unquestionably be a solid test for IU.

After Monday’s game, IU coach Tom Crean said there is “no way” IU is presently as strong or physical as Ole Miss.

“If we don’t match up and play with that will and that fire, even though we’re not as physical as them, we’ll get embarrassed,” he said.

The Rebels, picked to finish second in the SEC West, have what many consider the SEC’s top back court, and maybe one of the nation’s best.

Sophomore Terrico White, a preseason first-team all-SEC selection and candidate for the Naismith and Wooden Awards, is joined by preseason second-team all-SEC junior guard Chris Warren and sophomore Eniel Polynice. Warren played in 11 games last year, while Polynice and sophomore Trevor Gaskins were both redshirted a year ago because of knee injuries. In 2007-08, Gaskins was an all-SEC freshman.

In the front court, sophomore forward Murphy Holloway has the potential to go for a double-double on any night, while senior DeAundre Cranston could give IU trouble with his 6-foot-9, 260-pound frame.

Not to be forgotten is freshman Reginald Buckner, Tennessee’s all-time high school leader in blocks. Buckner, who Rivals.com rated the No. 29 recruit in the nation a year ago, blocked nine shots in the team’s first two games while coming off the bench.  

Even with such a talented back court, the Rebels could wreak some havoc in the post if they can find a way to limit IU freshman Christian Watford’s production.
This could be a great win for the Hoosiers, but a loss, meanwhile, would be a reality check.

Three key questions:



1. Who will start?

Tom Crean insists on playing the five best players. Derek Elston and Devan Dumes started the second half last game instead of Tom Pritchard and Maurice Creek. Elston seems like a legitimate option as the second forward in the front court, but with the big DeAundre Cranston starting for Ole Miss, they might need Pritchard’s size. Creek, meanwhile, is tied with Christian Watford as the team’s leading scorer and it will be hard to keep him out of the starting five.



2. Which Jeremiah Rivers will come to play?

Will IU fans see the Jeremiah Rivers who posted 15 points and a 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the team’s second exhibition game, or the sloppy Rivers who is averaging four turnovers and 17 percent shooting in the two regular season games? The Hoosiers will struggle this year if Rivers can’t find his rhythm and doesn’t play quality minutes.



3. Can the Hoosiers contain the Rebels’ back court?

Rivers has a 7-inch height advantage on Ole Miss’ Chris Warren. It will be an interesting battle between the lockdown defender and the speedy Warren. IU has struggled some with transition defense and they might be a bit overmatched on the perimeter. For IU to have a solid chance to win, they will need to contain the Rebels’ back court, which won’t be easy. The Ole Miss trio is averaging about 14 points per game each.

Prediction:

Earlier this year, ESPN’s Andy Katz said this tournament will give Crean a “good barometer on where his team stands.” The first game, in particular, will likely reveal whether IU is capable of competing with top-level talent. Ole Miss should have the edge in the back court and is definitely more experienced. This is certainly a winnable game for the Hoosiers, but it might be premature to expect them to come away with this one. Maybe they will prove me wrong. That’s why they play the game.

IU 64, Ole Miss 77