Best performances and moments of 2012

2013.
A new year that promises to bring some of the highest quality college basketball that Bloomington has seen in a long time.

It will be a year filled with highlight dunks, signature wins and multiple standing ovations — not to mention ESPN’s College Gameday on Feb. 2.

While 2013 will hopefully bring IU basketball fans plenty of new memories that should make this year special, let’s take one last look back at some of the best IUBB performances and moments 2012 produced.

Matt Roth and Jordan Hulls couldn’t miss (Jan. 8 at Penn State)

Roth and Hulls put on a three-point clinic in the Hoosiers’ 88-82 victory against Penn State that will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest shooting displays in IU basketball history.

Together, Roth and Hulls combined for 50 of IU’s 88 points, while combining to shoot an absurd 12-of-15 (80 percent) from behind the arc.

While posting a career-high in points, 28, Hulls shot 7-of-9 from downtown and 7-of-9 from the free throw line.

Meanwhile, Roth, who came off the bench, only missed one shot of the night en route to his 22 points — shooting 5-of-6 from the field, all from three-point land, and 7-of-7 from the free throw line.

Side note: This game is also noteworthy because it was the first Big Ten road victory of the Tom Crean era.

Cody Zeller’s 8-dunk night (Jan. 29 vs. Iowa)

In this game, then-freshman Cody Zeller set a career-high with 26 points, while recording eight dunks against the Hawkeyes.

Zeller also posted four rebounds, four assists and three steals in what still could be considered his best game as a Hoosier to date.

Sheehey’s shot sinks VCU (March 17)

With the score tied at 61 and time running out, Victor Oladipo stole the ball, ran the floor, drove the lane and was blocked at the rim by a VCU defender.

Luckily for the Hoosiers, forward Will Sheehey was in the right place at the right time as the blocked shot trickled to a wide-open Sheehey on the baseline, halfway between the basket and the three-point line.

IU’s most consistent and lethal mid-range shooter calmly collected the bouncing ball and connected on what would ultimately be the game-winning basket to advance IU to the Sweet 16 over VCU 63-61.

Victor Oladipo’s 2012

It’s hard to argue that any Hoosier grew as a player more than IU guard Victor Oladipo in 2012. So for the sake of this argument, let’s look at Oladipo’s entire 2012 as a whole.

Starting with the second conference game of the 2011-2012 season at home against Michigan on Jan. 5, Oladipo has been on a tear.

During 2012, Oladipo and the Hoosiers played 36 games, 18 conference games, 13 non-conference games, two Big Ten tournament games and three NCAA tournament games.

In those 36 games, Oladipo averaged 11.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.58 steals per game, while producing a number of signature moments.

Who could forget Oladipo’s 23-point, eight-rebound performance in West Lafayette back in February of 2012 to help the Hoosiers blow out the Boilermakers 78-61?

That February game against Purdue was unofficially Oladipo’s coming-out party.

To be fair, the 6-foot-5 guard from Upper Marlboro, Md., was already on the national radar after posterizing Kentucky’s Darius Miller, but Oladipo’s performance against a rival in a hostile environment opened the eyes of many who were waiting to see him turn his potential into domination.

This season, Oladipo has been nothing short of spectacular.

Through 14 games, the junior is leading the Big Ten in field goal percentage, 67.3 percent, and steals per game, 2.4, while averaging 13.6 points and 5.9 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game.

His efficient shooting, 74-of-110 from the floor, also ranks him third nationally in field goal percentage, behind only North Dakota State’s Marshall Bjorkland and North Carolina State’s T.J. Warren.

Maurice Creek’s return (Nov. 1 vs. Indiana Wesleyan)

In the Nov. 1 exhibition game against Indiana Wesleyan, Maurice Creek made an emotional return to the court after missing nearly two years due to injuries.

Upon entering the game, Creek was greeted with a standing ovation and one of the loudest cheers of the night from Hoosier Nation.

Certainly, Creek’s return wins the heart-warming moment of 2012 award.

Honorable mentions

Feb. 28: IU defeating No. 5 Michigan State 70-55 in what some have said was a more rambunctious environment than when IU beat Kentucky.

 Oct. 20: Hoosier Hysteria 2012 was sold out quickly and emceed by a proud Hoosier, Sage Steele, in front of a rowdy Assembly Hall crowd.

Nov. 20: IU wins the Legends Classic in Brooklyn by defeating Georgetown in overtime.

Nov. 27: IU embarrasses North Carolina 83-59 in the ACC-Big Ten challenge behind an onslaught of fast-break dunks.

Dec. 21: The Hoosiers shoot 26-of-27 (96.3 percent) from the free throw line to trounce Florida Atlantic 88-52.

Although you could make an argument for a number of different performances or moments from 2012 that should have made this list, I hope you enjoyed reliving some of the best 2012 had to offer.

As we bid a farewell to the year that brought us the glorious return of IU basketball, let us hope that 2013 will provide as many magnificent and memorable moments that will go down in IU basketball legend.

— mdnorman@indiana.edu