Editor's desk: Message board material
IDS sports editor Ryan Winn responds to your comments and votes on the IU men's basketball team from the past week.
IDS sports editor Ryan Winn responds to your comments and votes on the IU men's basketball team from the past week.
"My primary goal in all this is to get as many people in Assembly Hall as possible," said Athletics Director Fred Glass. "What this does for us, is the people in and around Assembly Hall, primarily students and faculty and staff, can watch pretty much the entire Colts game, and still get to our game. So hopefully that's significant. We appreciate the cooperation of the Big Ten Conference, the Big Ten Network and the University of Iowa."
Verdell Jones: “If the fans tried to do what they want, but I felt like it was a game that we didn’t need to.”
Sophomore guard Verdell Jones seemed as if he prayed in a free throw to trim Minnesota’s lead to 78-74, contorting his body as the basket prolonged IU’s shot at what would eventually be an 81-78 victory.
IU’s big men controlled the Gophers in its 81-78 overtime win.
One of the team managers probably should have slipped some 5-Hour Energy into Verdell Jones’ water bottle late in the game, as Jones played the entire second half and overtime, finishing the game having played 40 of the 45 minutes.
OWENSBORO, Ky. — A spokesman for Southern Indiana said Friday he was not aware of any existing medical conditions that may have caused 21-year-old center Jeron Lewis to collapse during a game and later die at a hospital.
The IDS sports editors give you their view of the court in an unadulterated take on the IU men's basketball team, exclusively for idsnews.com/basketball.
In a game that had everything, sophomore guard Verdell Jones' jumper with under 35 seconds left proved to be the winning shot in IU's 81-78 victory against Minnesota. See the initial reaction here.
With 3:34 to go in Thursday night’s game at Crisler Arena, Michigan claimed a 57-45 lead. The Wolverines finished the contest on a 12-0 run, but by then it made no difference.
When IU coach Tom Crean called a time out with 12:26 left in the second half and his team down 38-29, the Michigan pep band began playing Otis Redding’s “Respect.” On Thursday, it was the Wolverines who deserved the song, handily beating the Hoosiers 69-45 and avenging a 71-65 loss on Dec. 31.
Seldom does a team tally 16 turnovers and win by 24 points. Even less often does a team go 4-of-18 from the 3-point line and still outshoot its opponent. But Michigan did both of those Thursday night.
See the initial reaction by clicking here.
IDS multimedia editor Sean Morrison sat down to talk IU-Michigan hoops with Michigan Daily reporters Gjon Juncaj and Joe Stapleton. Click here to listen.
After losing its best scorer and outside shooter to injury, IU is placing more stake in making the smart play going into its 9 p.m. contest against Michigan. Where IU coach Tom Crean once emphasized pushing the ball up the court and getting quick shots, he’s now making sure his team manages possessions and gets open looks.
Technically speaking, the Hoosiers haven’t won a game all year.
Since beating Michigan 71-65 in their first Big Ten game two weeks ago, the Hoosiers have changed.
After a first half which ended with a 41-28 Hoosiers lead, constant fouls broke IU’s offensive rhythm and stopped the clock to allow Illinois time for a comeback.
IU coach Tom Crean said there were two teams fighting after IU played Illinois to a 66-60 loss Saturday night.
Saturday might have marked the Hoosiers’ third game already in conference play, but IU coach Tom Crean’s squad received a good taste of what it will be facing during the rest of the season.