Hoosiers face winless Bryant tonight

The transition to Division I basketball has not been easy for Bryant University.

Following an eight-win season last year, Bryant has yet to win this year.

Bryant's losses include a 36-point loss against St. John's, a 43-point drubbing against Providence and a 26-point loss against Boston College. The Bulldogs (0-12) have come within 10 points of an opponent just three times.

But as IU prepares to play Bryant at 9 p.m. Monday at Assembly Hall, coach Tom Crean is not focused on a seemingly cupcake opponent.

"We prepare for Bryant by focusing on getting ourselves to play 40 minutes of defense with intensity and effort," Crean said. "We want to have better ball movement...and we constantly are focusing on building confidence which should help lead us to more consistency."

This game will be a final tuneup before the Hoosiers (5-6) begin Big Ten play against Michigan on New Year's Eve. The winter break games, so far, have not been as easy as they might have appeared on paper.

On Dec. 19, IU struggled in the first half against North Carolina Central (another team in transition to Division I basketball), but the Hoosiers pulled away for an 81-58 win.
Three days later, a .500 Loyola (MD) team jumped on the Hoosiers 15-0 and held on for a 72-67 win.

So "ready" might be the last word on Crean's mind when it comes to the Big Ten season. He feels the team is just getting back to form after Christmas.

"When you're coming off a three day break, you're still working to get your energy back," Crean said on a video interview he posted on his Twitter account this weekend.

Notebook

-Leadership-

Crean continues to emphasize leadership as a need on this year's squad. He specifically addressed floor leadership in his video interview.

"Floor leadership is not our strong suit," Crean said. "Our decision-making at the point guard spot is not our strong suit and it has to become that in a hurry. I think it really comes down to preparation. You have to understand what your job is and what your teammate's job is."

Through 10 games, IU has 163 assists and 176 turnovers.

-Devan Dumes-

Guard Devan Dumes' role has dramatically changed this season. Last season, he was the team's leading scorer. This year, he's playing off the bench and averaging just 4.8 points per game.

Crean said Dumes needs to take advantage of his opportunities on the court. He wants to see Dumes develop into a lockdown defender with a consistent 3-point threat on offense.

"He can have a number of high-quality minutes when he's locked into doing what we need to have done," Crean said.