Non-conference defeat a loss, not an indicator

The December woes crept back into the corridors of Assembly Hall on a night where IU’s 18-point, somewhat-inspiring win over North Carolina Central on Saturday seemed like it occurred years ago.

End of semester circumstances made IU’s underachieving first half performance on Saturday understandable; especially because it related to a team consisting of many players who experienced that type of scheduling transition for the first time.

After Saturday’s win, IU coach Tom Crean spoke of the constant, up-tempo energy a team competing at this level needs in order to be successful.

Needless to say, the message didn’t become reality as the Hoosiers fell 72-67 to Loyola (Md.) in front of a crowd of 11,321 at Assembly Hall Tuesday night.

The reasoning?

That’s the type of question where there’s no wrong answer.

Blame it on fatigue; a second game in four days and the end to stressed-packed examination week (a week in which, however, at least 10 men’s basketball players achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher).

Blame it on the missing energy factor.

Blame it on the absence of a true home-game environment for 40 minutes at Assembly Hall.

But whatever you blame it on, it doesn’t change the fact that while IU cannot continue to drop these types of games for its image’s sake, the loss to the Greyhounds cannot serve as an indicator towards what the Hoosiers can or will do in conference play and the Big Ten Tournament.

Basketball has possibly the most theories of any sport in terms of what the difference in a game can be.

It’s a game of runs, and Loyola made their spurts at the right time against an IU team who will finally have almost a full week off before playing Bryant in its final non-conference game. The Greyhounds jumped on IU from the start. The 24-7 gap they built in the first 9:30 was enough to make their final 10-2 run just enough to secure their first win against a Big Ten team in program history.

“It just didn’t go our way tonight,” freshman guard Maurice Creek said following his 9-point performance. “The ball fell into their hands at the crucial times and our shots didn’t fall.”

Games are won and lost at the foul line. Although Loyola didn’t make a great amount of their freebies, their 61.5% sufficed as IU shot just 68.8% from the line.

In short, Loyola found a way to win and a way to respond anytime IU thought it may have found its spark.

Two 4-point plays, successful loose-ball bouts and defending IU well in the post were enough to send the Hoosiers home for the holidays with a chip on their shoulders.

Too many times, Greyhounds senior Brett Harvey put the dagger in the Hoosiers’ hearts. Harvey tallied 25 points and four rebounds.

“He just kept his composure,” Loyola coach Jimmy Pastos said of his sole senior. “He can make shots.”

While the December woes have again made their mark on the 2009-’10 IU season, who is to say this IU team can’t bounce back and compete against the likes of Ohio State, Illinois and NCAA Runner-up Michigan State, just as they did last year under the same circumstances?

Bottom line: No way Crean accepts his team’s 21-7 run and taking the lead in the second half in and of itself. That was utterly clear in his post-game press conference.

“In no way am I going moral victory here,” he said. “We learned a hard lesson tonight, and they earned the victory.”

What this team needs now is a break heading into their final non-conference matchup and the Big Ten season. Getting away will physically and mentally serve IU well for the conference road that lies ahead; a road in which success is paved by energy, passion and fundamentals.