Column: IU aces first test

This was supposed to be IU’s first real test.

After Evansville defeated national runner-up Butler at home Saturday, the Purple Aces no longer seemed like such a cupcake matchup.

The odds makers in Las Vegas agreed and did not favor IU by more than 6.5 points.

Furthermore, the mere fact that this contest was a true road game did not put the Hoosiers at favorable odds, as IU Coach Tom Crean had won only one game in an opponent’s arena in three years at the helm.

Well, Hoosiers, the results of your first exam are in, and I gotta say, I think you exceeded everybody’s expectations.

A 21-point pounding of Evansville in its second game at the new Ford Center, which could have been much worse had the starters stayed in, is quite a way to snap a 15-game regular season road-losing skid.

The first portion of your exam was pretty straightforward but challenging, nonetheless: Stop Evansville junior guard Colt Ryan.

With a name that sounds straight out of a John Wayne Western, you knew this gunslinger would be able to shoot the ball.

Ryan was Evansville’s leading scorer last year, contributing 15.7 points per game, a trend that continued against Butler when he scored a game-high 23.

I thought for sure the Aces’ go-to man, who graced the cover of the game’s brochure, would again lead Evansville as he did when the two teams played each other last season.

Sophomore guard Victor Oladipo earned the gold star here, shutting down Ryan in the first half.

The reliable defender limited Ryan to just four points in the first half on 1-of-6 shooting.
As Crean put in his substitutions in the second half, Ryan had an easier time scoring, ending the game with 17 points.

The second part of the test this season was to play smart.

Evansville shot an astonishing 43 foul shots against Butler, 32 of which they made. Fourteen of Ryan’s 23 points that game came from the charity stripe.

Lo and behold, you passed this, too, playing smart defense that forced the Purple Aces into undesirable shots and sending them to the line for a total of 27 foul shots.

Ryan was still efficient from the free-throw line, but instead of making 14-of-23, he shot 6-of-9.

For extra credit, I could not be prouder of the team play.

Twenty-four of the 33 baskets IU made were from assists. This led to a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, as five Hoosiers scored in double figures.

Everyone was getting into the act, as senior Verdell Jones and junior Christian Watford, whose performance thus far had been a question mark, exploded for 17 and 15 points, respectively.

Jones added seven assists, and Watford had eight rebounds.

All right, guys, you passed with flying colors this time.

But make no mistake, this is far from your last test.

In 14 days, you travel to N.C. State for a much more raucous crowd that will not be in an arena nearly half-full of Hoosier fans.

Dec. 10 is second-ranked Kentucky, and then comes Big Ten play,
beginning Dec. 28.

For now, though, congratulations, Hoosiers. You ‘aced’ your first test.

­— azaleon@indiana.edu