IU opens season with exhibition victory

Fans flocked to Assembly Hall Saturday night to see the emergence of the IU men’s basketball team’s freshmen class in the team’s first exhibition matchup against the University of Southern Indiana.

After a quick opening bucket by the Screaming Eagles, two of IU’s freshmen stars, Troy Williams and Noah Vonleh, gave the Hoosiers a quick burst with six straight points. But it was the team’s lone returning starter who ended up stealing the show and leading the Hoosiers to a 83-68 victory in the exhibition.

Sophomore guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell scored a career-high 20 points on a 6-of-10 shooting night from beyond the arc to go along with two free throws.

With losing trusty shooters like Jordan Hulls, Christian Watford and Victor Oladipo after last season, Ferrell said he knew it was his time to step up his scoring skills beyond driving in the paint.

“That just shows what I’ve done in the offseason, especially shooting with guys like (sophomore forward) Jeremy (Hollowell), (freshman guard) Stan (Robinson) and even Noah,” Ferrell said. “We’re always shooting after practice, getting shots up, so I’m gonna continue to do that.”

Outside of Ferrell, the Hoosiers shot less than 36 percent from the field during the first half. No one else could connect from long-range, and IU made just 4-of-12 shots from the charity stripe outside of its starting point guard in the half.

Williams had almost as strong a half scoring, showing off his athletic prowess by closing the half with a breakaway dunk.

Some wondered how effective he would be coming off his right hand injury, but Williams said having to use a single hand during practices leading up to Saturday improved his control in the lane.

“I’m considered the athletic one of the team,” Williams said. “I just have to work hard on it. Coach told me at halftime, he said, ‘Use your athleticism to your advantage,’ and I thought about that and just went out on the court and just played.”

USI scored five straight points out of the gate to start the second half before Vonleh knocked down a 3-point field goal for IU.

USI crept back within two points again with 15:47 left in the game. Five minutes later, Ferrell’s final long bomb of the game brought the lead to 13 points — IU’s largest lead of the game at that point.

In the closing minutes, IU Coach Tom Crean tried to ensure all his players — minus the injured Robinson and freshman forward Devin Davis, whom Crean held out for undisclosed health reasons — saw minutes.

Hollowell followed Ferrell with 13 points, just a point away from tying a career-high. Both Williams and Vonleh added 10, and Williams finished with 10 rebounds for the team’s only double-double of the night.

Crean said he liked how his team improved from its shooting woes in the first half, finishing with a 41.8 percent night from the floor.

He said he could tell the freshmen — Vonleh and Williams especially — showed moments of brilliance he’s seen throughout practice during the preseason, but his crew has a ways to go to reach the consistency he feels they need.

“I think the fans are really going to enjoy this team, but I think they’re going to be like me,” Crean said. “They’re going to pull their hair out once in a while, but they’re trying to do everything they can do to hold Indiana to the standard we’re at.”

Follow reporter Nathan Brown on Twitter @nathan_brown10.