Official SMU vs. IU Thread

[coloradoStang]

I'll be at the game. Hopefully watching the Stangs embarrassing IU on their home floor.

how in the world are you at this game? haha Im jealous

Senior year man. Who cares anymore? haha. It's gonna be a fun time.

yeah good point. I bet, have fun

[Smu97186]

Does anybody know how to watch this game If we aren't subscribed to b10 network?

[SMUstangs22]

Does anybody know how to watch this game If we aren't subscribed to b10 network?

Sports Bar

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

24 Hours!!!!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Does anybody know how to watch this game If we aren't subscribed to b10 network?

Subscribe for a day and then cancel?

The official SMU watching party is at Dave And Busters on Central.

[ojaipony]

Let's come out high energy! Play like your [deleted] is on fire. Pony Up!!

[Balatro Diabolus Ex]

Indiana is a team in transition, with a roster full of new players and more than a few question marks. After floundering to a 17-15 record last year, Coach Tom Crean purged the roster, and brought in 7 true freshmen, and 2 transfers. To make things just a bit more chaotic, 3 players are suspended, one for hitting another teammate with a car while driving drunk, and the other 2 for failed drug tests. Sophomore Troy Williams started every game last year, averaging 7.3 ppg and 4 rpg, while sophomore guard Stanford Robinson played in 32 games with 9 starts, and averaged 6.4 ppg. Both players suspended for drug tests sat out the teams 2 exhibition games, and the first 2 regular season games, but are available to return against SMU. Sophomore forward Devin Davis, who was run over by teammate Emmitt Holt, played limited minutes last year, but was expected to start at power forward this season. Davis is out of the hospital, and able to sit up in bed, but there is no timetable for his return. Holt was charged with DUI, and remains suspended. Last spring three players were arrested on alcohol related offenses, and this has become a point of embarrassment for the program and Coach Tom Crean, so Holt may not return anytime soon. Williams, Davis and Holt are all 6'7", and since Indiana only has 2 players taller than that in their rotation, losing those three is a serious blow to Indiana's size and depth on the interior.

That was the bad news. The good news for Indiana is that so far the team is playing like none of this matters. Two freshmen have joined returning point guard Yogi Ferrell in the backcourt, and are already putting up big numbers. James Blackmon, a 6'4" shooting guard from Fort Wayne Indiana is already leading the team in scoring with a stunning 22 points per game, and 6'3 Robert Johnson, from Virginia, is right behind with 18 ppg. Dimunitive point guard Yogi Ferrell is averaging 17.5 ppg, matching his numbers from last year, but that only puts him third on this years team. Ferrell is an explosive, athletic guard, but has trouble finishing at the rim because of his height, listed at 5'11", he is probably closer to 5'9", and thats being generous. He compensates by shooting over everyone, last year he hit 88 of 220 attempts (40%) from outside the 3-point arc, and so far his year he is shooting an even better percentage. Before the start of the season, Ferrell was named one of the 50 candidates for the Wooden Award, for college basketballs best player. With Robert Johnson able to share point guard duties, Ferrell has been able to play more off the ball, those 2 are combining for 11 assists per game.

Indiana starts a 4 guard lineup, and the 4th guard is 6'4" Junior Nick Zeisloft, who transferred to Indiana from Illinois State. Ironically, Zeisloft is a former teammate of Mustang guard Nic Moore, they were in the same recruiting class, but they never played together because Zeisloft was redshirted as a freshman, and Moore transferred after their freshman year. Zeisloft finished his degree from Illinois State in just 3 years, and was able to transfer without having to sit out a year, and still has 2 years of eligibility. So far he is off to a good start, averaging 11 points and 4 rebounds per game, the best production of his career. His shooting percentages are eye-catching, 80% from the floor, and 71% outside the arc. He's a bomber.

Indiana's 5th starter has been 6'9" junior Hanner Mosquera=Perea, originally from Colombia, but he attended a prep school in the US (La Lumiere). Hanner is the tallest player getting consistent playing time, and one of the few returning lettermen from last year. He's a functional, steady presence in the paint, slender but athletic, and he's doing the job they need him to do. Hanner never started before this year, but after 2 games he is averaging 10.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3 blocked shots per game. Hanner does the dirty work inside, playing defense and hitting the boards, that allows the guards to get out and run in transition.

The first players off the bench have been 6'8" freshman Max Hoetzel, and 6'7" soph Collin Hartman, both forwards. Its hard to tell how the rotation will change now that the suspended players are returning, but Hoetzel has been making the most of the early playing time that he has been getting, averaging 10.5 points and 5 rebounds per game. Hoetzels strong production off the bench gives Indiana 6 players averaging double figures in points.
Indiana is a small team, starting 4 guards, that has compensated for their lack of size, by shooting the lights out. As a team they are shooting 61% from the floor, and 55% from outside the 3 point line. The 5 starters are a combined 18/28 (64%) from three point range. It has only been 2 games, both against soft opponents, but those numbers are still seriously impressive. On offense they do a good job of working the ball inside-out, the guards break down the defense with dribble penetration, and then kick the ball out to open shooters. Defensively they will play a mixture of 2-3 zone and some man-to-man. The big question mark is how the returning players will affect this team that seems to have good chemistry without them.

[Harry0569]

Thanks for the write-up Balatro Diabolus Ex

[Harry0569]

Also 55% from 3 IS COMPLETELY UNSUSTAINABLE, so one would reasonably expect that number to come down. Gotta hope we close out like madmen tonight and cut that % in half.

[GiddyUp]

As a team they are shooting 61% from the floor, and 55% from outside the 3 point line. The 5 starters are a combined 18/28 (64%) from three point range

Time to STEP UP on DEFENSE

[ojaipony]

Also 55% from 3 IS COMPLETELY UNSUSTAINABLE, so one would reasonably expect that number to come down. Gotta hope we close out like madmen tonight and cut that % in half.

Not unsustainable against OUR perimeter D. We need to jump their shooters with our larger guards (Sterling and JMart) - why I wanted them both to start.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

As SMU fans we are all fully aware of how we can make unsustainable sustainable, but yeah that shooting percentage just has to come down tonight.

[Rebel10]

Also 55% from 3 IS COMPLETELY UNSUSTAINABLE, so one would reasonably expect that number to come down. Gotta hope we close out like madmen tonight and cut that % in half.

Right as that was against lower level teams. SMU is the first good team they play. They probably will not shoot anything like that against SMU. Indiana might look good against bad teams but they are picked 10th in the Big Ten. One article said that SMU is their first real test. Should be a fun game to watch.

[ponyfan37]

Will be in LA. Hopefully I can find a place to watch the game....

[stangsup4]

This game is tailor made for Yanick and Ben to dominate.