Notebook: 4 things we learned from IU-Georgetown

1. Getting to the line wins games for IU
 
Coming into the game, the Hoosiers averaged 24.8 made free throws in their first four games. Against Georgetown, the Hoosiers made 26-of-36 free throws compared to only 9-of-10 for the Hoyas.
 
In overtime, IU’s ability to get to the line proved to be its biggest advantage over Georgetown as the Hoosiers drained 13-of-17 from the charity stripe to put the game on ice.
 
The fact that the Hoosiers attempted 26 more free throws than Georgetown shows the discrepancy, but it doesn’t quite show how one-side free throw attempts were.
 
In regulation, Georgetown only attempted two free throws, going 0-of-1 in the first half and 1-of-1 in the second half. If you threw out overtime, IU still would have attempted 17 more free throws than the Hoyas. That’s 17 more free attempts to cushion the lead with the clock stopped.
 
The more IU plays against high-end talent, the more the Hoosiers will have to exploit teams by getting to the foul line. If they have the same success that they had tonight with that strategy, the Crimson and Cream will be able to grind out any game.
 
2. Yogi Ferrell is ready for big time moments

After the game, Ferrell said he would rate IU’s overtime thriller against Georgetown as the number one game on his list in terms of atmosphere and excitement.
 
When his team needed him most, Ferrell, who finished the game with 14 points and four assists in 33 minutes of play, took over in overtime.
 
With the shot-clock running down and Ferrell being double teamed at the top of the key, Yogi proceeded to dribble out of trouble to his right to fire up a fade-away prayer from behind the arc. As the shot-clock expired, the prayer was answered and the ball hit nothing but net to effectively put the dagger into Georgetown with 58 seconds left in overtime.
 
“That is not the first time that he has hit a shot with the clock winding down,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “We have seen it in scrimmages and practice at different times. He just has something about him.”
 
After missing a free throw at the end of regulation that could have put the Hoyas away, Ferrell rebounded and went 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the extra period.
 
“Yogi has great body language,” Crean said. “When he gets distracted or frustrated he gets out of it fast and that’s what great players and definitely great point guards have, they have to be able to move on right now.”
 
3. Jordan Hulls is the heart and soul of the Hoosiers
 
With Yogi Ferrell coming into Bloomington, some people were unsure where senior Jordan Hulls would fit into the Hoosiers’ lineup.
 
After winning the MVP of the Progressive Legends Classic, it’s pretty easy to see how important Hulls to IU’s success.
 
Whether it is by hitting momentum changing threes or taking charges that bring the crowd to their feet. Hulls is the unquestioned floor general of this team and that’s not going to change until his days are over in Bloomington.
 
For the tournament, Hulls averaged 15.5 points, 3 assists and 2.5 steals per game, while hitting 7-of-12 shots from behind the arc.
 
Crean has said over and over that Hulls, a Bloomington-native, is the epitome of what an Indiana Hoosier is. At the Progressive Legends Classic, Hulls showed the nation what Crean has been talking about.
 
4. Georgetown will be talked about a lot come March

Most year’s Georgetown gets a lot of national publicity. Whether it is because they are a perennial Big East contender or their large media market craves coverage, the Hoyas are not usually overlooked.
 
I think it is safe to say that many fans and reporters that were drooling over a UCLA-IU matchup overlooked Georgetown.
 
Give credit to coach Crean and his staff for preparing the Hoosiers for a dogfight of a game because Georgetown gave IU its best shot.
 
“They are just going to get better and better because they are young, long and athletic and they don’t deviate from what John (Thompson III) wants,” Crean said. “They have a great system and a team of basketball players that are extremely athletic.”