Sheehey looks to lead Hoosiers vs. Michigan

Forced to play the past three games without sophomore forward Christian Watford due to a left hand injury, IU has needed players to step into his role.

Enter freshman forward Will Sheehey.

Though he is not the complete player that Watford is — Watford was leading the team in scoring with 17 points per game — Sheehey has recently shown why he was so highly regarded entering the season.

IU coach Tom Crean, whose team faces Michigan at 4 p.m. Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich., said Sheehey’s recent contributions have been crucial. 

“He’s playing like a starter in the Big Ten, and he’s gaining confidence by the bushel,” Crean said. “He’s being aggressive, and he’s got an excellent feel for the game. I don’t even think he is scratching the surface yet in the way that he can pass the ball.

“His shooting has improved tremendously. One of the key reasons we signed him is because of his pull-up jumper. You guys are starting to see more of that.”

Sheehey has started the last six games for the Hoosiers and has made the most of his increased time on the court. He has averaged eight points per game during that span, including 12 against Iowa and a season-high 14 against Purdue. 

The energy Sheehey provides is a major reason why Crean has played him more recently.

Against the Boilermakers on Tuesday night in West Lafayette, Sheehey played tight defense on potential All-America forward JaJuan Johnson. In IU’s 64-63 loss to Iowa last week, he threw down a one-handed dunk on Melsahn Basabe that caused the Assembly Hall crowd to go wild.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries this season, and with that, it gives us more time to get in and show what we can do,” Sheehey said. “You want to have guys healthy, but when they are not, you have to come and play.”

One aspect of Sheehey’s game that has steadily improved since the beginning of the season is his aggressiveness. 

He’s attacking the rim at will and has found a knack for getting tough rebounds in traffic. 

Sheehey said that part of his game has really come around as of late.

“Taking the ball to the basket I did a lot in high school,” Sheehey said. “But I’m definitely feeling more comfortable now, so I’m going to keep doing it.” 

Sheehey’s contributions to the Hoosiers, though, have not gone unnoticed by his
teammates.

IU junior guard Verdell Jones said Sheehey and fellow freshman Victor Oladipo have both stepped up this past week in the absence of Watford.

“They’ve both grown so fast,” Jones said. “They aren’t playing like freshmen right now. Will’s athletic and long ... he gets a lot of buckets. He’s brought a great thing to our team.”