Butler Beats Indiana in OT

[ChicosBailBonds]

I've said that Crean's biggest weakness is in-game adjustments, exacerbated by his inability to recruit bigs.   I think I will amend that to his biggest weakness is game coaching through adversity.  When things turn against him, he struggles to get his team to right the ship. 

I find those comments odd...they come out when they lose a game but when the scramble back and win games through adversity, like Kentucky last year, like the NCAA tournament last year against VCU, etc, there seems to be no such comments.  For some reason people lock in on one and not the other.  When they do win, making adjustments...nothing.  When they do lose (and yes, they make adjustments like everyone else), it comes down to the fact they can't make adjustments.  It's like Lebron James syndrome where people would come out of the woodwork when they lost a NBA playoff game but when he won them they were never to be found.

http://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/3/17/2881185/indiana-vs-vcu-2012-ncaa-tournament-score

[MUDPT]

I don't think TC is a very good defensive coach, that's his biggest weakness.  Here are his Pomeroy Defensive Efficiency Ranks since '03: 101 (FF year, yikes), 159, 129, 54, 31, 10 ('08 team that got screwed by the committee), 178, 167, 109, 64, 12 (this year).  

They are letting up more than a point per possession on a neutral court or on the road this year (just barely). Pomeory tweeted during the game yesterday:  "Finally seeing the Hoosiers look defensively-suspect."

This may not seem like a big deal. However, I don't think anybody has every won an NCAA championship with a defensive ranking outside of the top 25.  Pomeroy also mentioned that '05 Washington is the only Number One seed in the NCAA tournament to have a defensive rank outside of the top 25 the year before.  For Indiana's sake, they have to get better defensively to contend for a national championship.

[muwarrior69]

Cheese and rice, he looses his first game of the season and he is lowsy coach. Go figure.

[slingkong]

Actually you said they would never sniff #1 again, which I'm not sure what that means.  Is top 5 sniffing #1?  Is #2 sniffing #1?  More than likely, there will be 4 or 5 teams (sometimes repeat teams) that occupy the number 1 spot this year.  I would be surprised if anyone in the Big Ten occupies it for a long because there are 3 teams arguably in the top 5 in the nation from that conference alone.  The SEC and ACC aren't very good top to bottom, so less chances to get knocked off.  Same goes for Arizona in the Pac 12.  Rankings are what they are...fun for the fans and for voters who often don't know what they are doing or don't care.

Well, technically, #2 is the only dog that can sniff #1, only #3 can sniff #2, and so on.  Just like the old saying, "If you aren't the lead dog, you're just sniffing ass."

[jesmu84]

IMO, perfect summation of IU/Butler/the game:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8762604/indiana-falls-duke-claims-no-1-grantland-ncaa-basketball-power-rankings

"10. Indiana

Well, I think we can put that debate to rest now. The Duke vs. Indiana debate, sure, but we can also retire the debate over which team has the best home-court advantage in college basketball. That's because, judging from last season and the first couple months of this season, Indiana is twice as good at home as on the road. Hoosiers fans get defensive when I bring this up, but at this point the trend is impossible to ignore. How else can you explain beating three top-five teams at home last year while losing at Nebraska and Iowa?4 How else can you explain the game in Bloomington in which the Hoosiers made North Carolina's roster full of McDonald's All-Americans look like they've never played basketball before, only to play poorly against Georgia, squeak past Georgetown, and look terrible against Butler on neutral courts? The only logical explanation is that playing in Assembly Hall brings out the best in these Hoosiers, and without 17,000 maniacal fans hovering over their opponents, this team is just average.

The most alarming aspect of Indiana's loss to Butler is just how average the Hoosiers looked. The formula for a huge upset is usually for the underdog to keep the game close and then steal a desperate win at the end (somewhat like the way Arizona beat Florida). But against Indiana, Butler was in control for most of the game. This is mostly because Indiana refused to make adjustments. Butler used the same game plan they've used for years. They were precise and fundamentally sound on offense and they packed it in and played physical defense inspired by the axiom that the refs can't call a foul on every possession. That's not a complaint about the officiating. It's just a fact. Butler has played this way for well over a decade, so Indiana shouldn't have been caught off guard. Yet instead of adjusting their style of play and countering Butler's roughhouse style with their own physical play, the Hoosiers just kept expecting the refs to bail them out.5 Indiana's approach on offense seemed to be to just go one-on-one, take a difficult shot, and then hope for an offensive rebound or a foul call. The whole game, it looked like they were thinking: "We shouldn't have to adjust to them. We're the better team — they should adjust to us. At some point, our shots will start falling, their shots will stop falling, and we'll run away with this thing. We got this." Butler coach Brad Stevens's teams have won countless games preying on this attitude. It's why he went to back-to-back Final Fours, it's why Butler broke the bank to keep him in Indianapolis, and it's why UCLA should be on their hands and knees begging him to replace Ben Howland.

Look, this was only one game and it certainly meant lots more to Butler than it did to Indiana, so I don't want to overreact. But the Indiana fan in me is legitimately concerned. Tom Crean deserves a pat on the back for rebuilding the program from a 6-25 season to the preseason no. 1 in half the time it took Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor to build that hot rod in his garage, but getting outcoached that badly by Brad Stevens is troubling. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers have Cody Zeller, supposedly the best big man in college basketball, yet they gave up 17 offensive rebounds to a much smaller team. And Jordan Hulls, Indiana's senior captain and the team's heart and soul, allowed a walk-on who averages two points per game to beat him one-on-one for the game-winner. Again, one game is not the end of the world. But it's clear that the Hoosiers have a long road ahead of them in re-establishing themselves as favorites to win the national title. Step one: They must play convincingly well outside of Assembly Hall.

4. Many Indiana fans will say, "Yeah, but that was last year. This is a different team." Well, no. Not really. IU essentially just swapped Verdell Jones III for Yogi Ferrell.

5. This is the part of the column where I point out that Andrew Smith outplayed Cody Zeller. To give you an idea of how embarrassing this should be for Zeller, Smith is so bad that even Butler fans don't like him. To give you an idea of how embarrassing that should be for Smith, Butler fans loved Matt Howard."

[karavotsos]

5. This is the part of the column where I point out that Andrew Smith outplayed Cody Zeller. To give you an idea of how embarrassing this should be for Zeller, Smith is so bad that even Butler fans don't like him. To give you an idea of how embarrassing that should be for Smith, Butler fans loved Matt Howard."

Tom Crean with a big man is like a mule with a spinning wheel.  Who knows how he got it and damn if he knows how to use it. 

CZeller is wasting time at IU and has the potential to go into the draft as the rare big-time underrated center.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Gonna be great to watch Stevens steal Crean's lunch money every year for our conference!  This is the last time Indiana sniffs #1 this year.  Duke & Florida are clearly better.

After this weekend.....there may be sniffing going on.  Louisville the new #1 and IU #2 likely.

[jesmu84]

After this weekend.....there may be sniffing going on.  Louisville the new #1 and IU #2 likely.

Why you hoopin?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Because three top four teams lost in the last 4 days...lots of sniffing going on.

Chance to vote here. 

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/72638/making-the-case-for-who-should-be-no-1

[brewcity77]

Why you hoopin?

Love seeing that though to CBB's credit this is relevant.

On a slightly related topic, if I'm the winner of an 8/9 or 7/10 game this year, there's no team I'd rather see in the second round than IU. Their home/road disparity is continuing. They barely squeak by Iowa, who isn't nearly as good as their non-con record, and then handle a good Minnesota team at home. Play them anywhere other than Assembly Hall and I think any average to above average team could beat them. I would be shocked to see them reach the Final Four this year.

[jesmu84]

Love seeing that though to CBB's credit this is relevant.

On a slightly related topic, if I'm the winner of an 8/9 or 7/10 game this year, there's no team I'd rather see in the second round than IU. Their home/road disparity is continuing. They barely squeak by Iowa, who isn't nearly as good as their non-con record, and then handle a good Minnesota team at home. Play them anywhere other than Assembly Hall and I think any average to above average team could beat them. I would be shocked to see them reach the Final Four this year.

Relevant? Sure, I guess. But really, is there a need to dig up a month old thread just to say "I told you so"?

[tower912]

There is for chico if it means he can (a) blow his own horn or (b) blow Crean's.

[mu_hilltopper]

This is why we can't have nice things. 

[MU B2002]

Relevant? Sure, I guess. But really, is there a need to dig up a month old thread just to say "I told you so"?

Is it your first time visiting ye olde Scoop? 
Rubbing someone's face in it when you are right is what we do.

[Golden Avalanche]

Is it your first time visiting ye olde Scoop? 
Rubbing someone's face in it when you are right is what we do.

+9 million.

This place is more insufferable with $hit don't stink 'tude than the foursome of recently graduated sorority girls I was with last night.

[4everwarriors]

Foursome=solid

[brewcity77]

Relevant? Sure, I guess. But really, is there a need to dig up a month old thread just to say "I told you so"?

Pfft...I'm looking forward to digging up 4-month old threads on March 17 just to say "I told you so" 

[Silkk the Shaka]

After this weekend.....there may be sniffing going on.  Louisville the new #1 and IU #2 likely.

Smells like turds, aina?

[The Lens]

Cut IU some slack, Cody Zeller had to leave the game in the 2nd half...I think he had a night glass or something.  I know TC & Indiana would have liked to have him then. 

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Cut IU some slack, Cody Zeller had to leave the game in the 2nd half...I think he had a night glass or something.  I know TC & Indiana would have liked to have him then. 

Coulda gotten "the flu."

[tower912]

I've said that Crean's biggest weakness is in-game adjustments, exacerbated by his inability to recruit bigs.   I think I will amend that to his biggest weakness is game coaching through adversity.  When things turn against him, he struggles to get his team to right the ship. 

Bump again.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Bump again.

Bump again.

Interesting when they lose, 3 page threads or longer.  When they win...

Fandom is funny like that.  I have no doubt when they lose in the NCAAs (every team does but one), the pontifications will be amazing here.   

[The Lens]

You don't want to do this Chicos, they won at home.  Their schedule turns brutal soon.  This IU team on the road plus TC at the wheel does not forecast to end well.

[brewcity77]

You don't want to do this Chicos, they won at home.  Their schedule turns brutal soon.  This IU team on the road plus TC at the wheel does not forecast to end well.

Why not? People said they wouldn't sniff #1 again all year. Well, they'll be more than sniffing #1, they will BE #1 tomorrow. People also said they'd drop out of the polls in a week. Something tells me unless the Indiana team plane crashes, killing the entire team, there's no way they will go from #1 to unranked in a week.

Yes, there's a good chance they lose at tOSU next week and drop from #1. They probably have another 2-3 losses in the schedule after that. I think they'll go into the Big Teen Tournament 26-5 (14-4) and that will end up good enough for at worst a 3-seed. No reason whatsoever CBB shouldn't be rubbing people's noses in it, especially when you consider just how spectacularly IU has outdone their critics on this board.

[karavotsos]

IU has enough talent to win it all - 3 high first rounders this year and possibly another in Yogi down the road.  Plus, Crean has the guy he needs in Oladipo.  I have no idea why Dickie V kept comparing Oladipo to Jordan last night - the guy is straight Wade.  I thought the most impressive play last night was his missed alley oop, where the ball was about three feet behind him.

Anyway, Crean's best offense is just to iso Oladipo at the top and let him work.  As long as they can do that, IU is fine just because of the talent of Oladipo, especially.  I would say Yogi can do a similar thing.  My beef is that he doesn't involve Watford or Zeller enough.  Zeller's 2nd half points were all orebs off Oladipo penetration.  Their P&R with Zeller and Oladipo is as bad as can be.  It's frustrating to watch a team with that much talent, use so little of it.  That's my only problem with Crean.  If you watch a Billy Donovan offense vs a Tom Crean offense it's night and day. 

Superior talent and high energy can win a lot of games, but I don't see them achieving to their talent level in March.