Hoosiers need Abell to make sophomore jump

This season, much will be made about the “sophomore jump” center Cody Zeller, but make sure to keep your eyes on the progression of his fellow sophomore, guard Remy Abell.

Last year, Abell played in 32 of IU’s 36 games and averaged 8.3 minutes a game. While last year’s numbers don’t jump off the page (3.0 points per game, 0.9 rebounds, 6-of-15 from three-point range), what Abell excelled at were the statistically immeasurable intangibles.

After Verdell Jones III went down during the first game of the Big Ten tournament last year, Abell gained valuable game experience by averaging 15.5 minutes during the final four games of the season.

In Jones’ absence, Abell stepped up on the defensive side of the ball to help solidify the Hoosiers’ defense in the NCAA tournament.

The 6-foot-4-inch Louisville native said the playing time he got in the final four games was a huge confidence booster heading into his second season in Bloomington.

“On a big stage like that, it’s real big to get some playing time, and that’s definitely going to help me this season,” Abell said. “You never know when your name is going to be called, and you never know when you are going to have to step in, so that’s why you work hard in practice for times when you need to step in.”

This year Abell is competing every day against two guys that made the biggest jumps last year in their sophomore seasons – guard Victor Oladipo and forward Will Sheehey.

With Oladipo and Sheehey, Abell completes a solid trifecta of wingmen by playing the best defense out of the three, which will allow IU Coach Tom Crean to mix-and-match his rotation without having a drop-off in talent.

Earlier this month, Abell said the high level of competition at practices has elevated the play of everyone on the roster.

“We all can handle the ball, and we all can do the same things,” he said. “Whoever gets the ball can push it while the other guards or wings run the floor to get out and get easy buckets.”

With so many playmakers on the roster, Abell said he has worked in the offseason to become a more consistent scorer as another threat to opposing defenses.
“This offseason, I’ve really worked on shooting the ball,” Abell said. “I want to hit that consistent jump shot, that 15-foot mid-range shot. I know if I can hit that, I can open up shots for my teammates.”

Even if Abell’s offense doesn’t take the big step forward he is hoping for, his biggest contribution to the team will be defensive toughness.

Last month, Crean said Abell came into the program as a freshman with the strongest lower body of anyone on the team and that he has only gotten stronger since becoming a Hoosier.

When IU plays teams with a dynamic scoring threat like Michigan’s Trey Burke or Penn State’s Tim Frazier, Abell’s defensive strength will make him the best candidate to shut down the other team’s best scorer in crunch time.

As the Hoosiers look to improve upon giving up the third most points per game in the Big Ten, 69.6, Abell said the team, as a whole, is ready step up the defensive intensity.

“As they always say, defense wins championships, and offense sells tickets, but as far as people saying we can’t play defense, we won’t let that bother us,” Abell said. “We will continue to work hard and show up on game day.”

If IU is going to hang another banner at the end of the season, the progression of Abell could be the X-factor that pushes the Hoosiers over the top.

­— mdnorman@indiana.edu