Column: Narrow win a dose of reality for Hoosiers

The ball left Jason Brickman’s fingertips, a three-point attempt carrying the weight of a potentially transcendent result with it.

When the final field goal attempt of the game fell short of the rim, IU and its fans jubilantly celebrated the Hoosiers’ 73-72 victory against Brickman’s LIU Brooklyn squad as if it was a critical Big Ten Conference matchup.

But, no, this was a regional matchup of the 2K Sports Classic, a contest designed to be a tune up for the major programs slated to travel to New York City for the finals of the annual non-conference tournament at Madison Square Garden. But as the old saying goes, “Not everything goes as planned,” particularly with such a raw, inexperienced team.

IU isn’t supposed to struggle to put away a team such as LIU Brooklyn in the second game of the regular season. This type of game should serve as a comfortable opportunity for a team to gel before facing the type of elite competition the Hoosiers will see at the Mecca of Basketball next week.

As unnerving as it is, this is where the Hoosiers are thus far.

The youth of IU Coach Tom Crean’s squad was evident during the first ten minutes of its season-opening contest against Chicago State, and reared its ugly head once again against the Blackbirds; the Hoosiers shot just 28 percent from the floor, including one made three on 16 attempts during the first half.

While those grotesque figures are a direct result of the Hoosiers’ current lack of effective jump shooters, it also represented their maddening habit of quick shots, particularly early in the shot clock, as sophomore point guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell noted immediately following the game.

“They (LIU Brooklyn) were playing a really compact defense in the first half, “ Ferrell said. “So we were taking a lot of shots we may have thought were open, but weren’t really open.”

As will doom the Hoosiers should the trend continue, they were supported by a single individual performance in each half.

Freshman center Noah Vonleh chipped in 11 points and four rebounds during the game’s first 30 minutes, while senior forward Will Sheehey ultimately saved the day by pouring in 15 of his game-high 19 points during the decisive second half.

“I think he was a big, big part of the reason they won,” LIU Brooklyn head coach Jack Perri said. “He hit one three after a pump-fake, and that one was a tough one to swallow.”

However, there exists a silver lining within what was a rather disheartening final result: the Hoosiers can only go in one direction on the ladder of potential, and that’s up.

While the opponent wasn’t of the marquee variety, the manner in which the team finished the game speaks volumes about its massive amounts of potential.

“It’s invaluable to have a game where guys can get this kind of experience in their college life this early,” Crean said. “Down the road, to have that happen in their second game, it’ll absolutely be paramount to their future to get that.”

­— ckillore@indiana.edu
Follow Connor Killoren on Twitter @IDS_CGKilloren.