When the Hoosiers take the court Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, they’ll be facing something they don’t have a lot of experience with.
Not the NCAA Tournament as a whole, although IU is one of the least experienced teams in the field.
The new challenge IU faces tomorrow will be Chattanooga and its high-pressure defense.
“The key to that press is you can't be timid,” senior guard Yogi Ferrell said. “They're a great team when they press. They're definitely one of the longer teams we have played all year, haven't played a Big Ten team as long as them.”
A problem length can cause is making simple plays more difficult. The Mocs can block shots even if it seems a player has an open layup. IU Coach Tom Crean said the Hoosiers have to be aware of the shot blockers on the floor and alter their offense around that.
Length can also cause problems with simple passes. Ferrell said this means the Hoosiers have to make smart, confident passes against the Mocs. They’ll need to make good decisions and dribble through pressure.
This could be helped by the probable return of sophomore guard Robert Johnson to the lineup. But even if Johnson plays, Chattanooga isn’t perturbed by IU's ball handling. It still plans on pressing.
“Honestly we're going to go out and do what we do, focus on us and not focus on who they may have or what kind of ball handlers they have,” Chattanooga guard Eric Robertson said. “We're going to do what we do and make adjustments accordingly.”
Part of the reason why Chattanooga is able to press like it does is because of the amount of talent the Mocs have.
There are seven players averaging at least seven points and more than 15 minutes a game.
“They have a true depth, and your depth is only as good as your consistency and they've got very consistent players,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “One through five is obvious, but when they go to the bench there is not a ton of drop-off at all.”
So Chattanooga’s plan is to continue to press, but Chattanooga Coach Matt McCall admitted there’s a chance he goes away from the press if the Hoosiers are breaking it with ease and finding easy baskets.
Ferrell said playing against the press will allow the Hoosiers to do what they do best — finding open shooters and making shots from behind the arc.
“If a team presses, and they like to trap, that means there’s going to be a guy wide open,” Ferrell said. “Basically all we have to do is find that guy. If they want to press us they can, but what we have to do is make smart passes and advance the ball up the court.”
The pressure might also allow the Hoosiers to do something else they like.
If the Mocs go to a full-court pressure, the floor will open up creating something similar to a fast break every time the Hoosiers are going up the floor.
“I do like to play fast,” Ferrell said. “If they press I’ve got my running shoes on.”
