After an extremely close loss in Champaign on Tuesday, Indiana turns right back around to play one of the best teams in the country in Michigan State (IMO). On paper we look outmatched and many have accepted a 2-loss start in the BIG and written us off. Clearly, however, our friends in Vegas (along with myself) think otherwise. Even though beating Illinois away from home would have been a huge win and boost of confidence, MSU travels to one of the toughest venues in college ball against a team hungry for a statement victory. For me, this season is at a crossroads and there would be nothing better than winning a game on national television to show everyone we aren't done just yet. At first, 9-9 in BIG play looked like a good possibility. Now, below .500 doesn't seem that unrealistic, but a win tomorrow gets us over the MENTAL hump, the most important factor for a young and inexperienced team. No…i'm not using the young excuse…just pointing out the facts.
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| Hanner Mosquera-Perea must step up tomorrow in the wake of Luke's transferring |
Both teams are strong in the rebounding category, with MSU 13th in the nation and IU 4th. Don't think this will come down to rebounding unless I'm proven wrong tomorrow. However, there exists a large gap in the assists/game statistic, with MSU at 19.2 (2nd) and IU at 12.2 (196). We really struggle to take care of the ball and subsequently move it around in the half court. Simply put, if we are not in transition we look dazed and confuse at times during match ups. Also, sorry to 'beat a dead horse' as they say, but our turnover statistic is appalling…so I'm not going into it.
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| Stopping Gary Harris will be key to success tomorrow |
Keys to the game:
-Stop Gary Harris. Ah, the one that got away. At 17.4 ppg, he is the motor for MSU and sets the tone
-Improve on turnovers. I would like to see us have between 8-10 tomorrow…we shall see.
-Get out and run in transition. Clearly, we haven't established a solid half-court offense.
-Big game for HMP. With Luke being gone, he MUST step up and use athleticism and length.
-A GREAT atmosphere. Get the hall rocking and have it play to our advantage.
Ladies and gentlemen, the season is not over yet. Tough tests ahead? No doubt. Let's get back on the right foot tomorrow with a huge win for the 'hurryin' Hoosiers' as McCracken would say.
Beer of choice for the game- This one may require liquor…
"Ya can't get into Heaven unless you're a Hoosier fan"- Larry Hawkins, Nashville, Indiana
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