It is every Hoosier’s favorite number… #1, and we aren’t just talking party school. The Indiana men’s basketball team has taken the top spot in the nation once again. The last time the Hoosiers were #1 was in early December, but they fell to Butler at the Closing the Gap Crossroads classic in Indianapolis. While the Hoosiers have been still consistently ranked in the top ten, my Twitter and Facebook feeds exploded with joy when the official rankings came out Monday morning. Now let’s break down the rest of the season so you know what to expect for the last 2 months of college basketball.
(Thanks to Underground Printing for this amazing graphic)
How many games do the Hoosier have left?
Total: 9 games
Home: 4 games
- February 13th: Nebraska 7:00pm
- February 16th: Purdue 2:00pm
- March 2nd: Iowa 7:30pm
- March 5th: Ohio State 9:00pm
Away: 5 games
- February 7: @Illinois 7:00pm
- February 10: @Ohio State 1:00pm
- February 19: @Michigan State 7:00pm
- March 10: @Michigan TBA
- March 14-17: Big Ten Tournament in Chicago
So why does this Home/Away business matter?
Home court advantage is a HUGE deal. To the common person, it is just where you play, but in the Indiana Hoosier’s case, it is basically what propels them to win games. Having the crowd on your side can either pump you up or tear you down when shooting crucial points. It has been said that Assembly Hall is the hardest place to play in because of the fans. Between the loud cheering and the plethora of big heads, it takes a special team to get a victory on Branch McCracken court (that’s the name of the court btw)
How will the Hoosiers fare from this point out?
After beating both Purdue (away) and Michigan at home, this is a huge boost for the Hoosiers. They have two road games coming up at Illinois and Ohio State which may prove to be tough for the Hoosiers. They come back to the comfort of Assembly Hall on February 13th for a two game home court advantage. The big games to look out for are the away games at Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan. These places are very hard to play in and these teams are also gunning to move up in the rankings. The Hoosiers should come out of the rest of the home games undefeated (knock on wood), but that doesn’t mean they don’t need Hoosier Nation’s support. The Big Ten (the conference in which IU plays) is really tough, and any team can win on any given night. Basically, just go to the games and give the Hoosiers your support!
Who is going to lead IU to victory?
Key players. We have to have them. And while we all have our favorites (either by skill or by looks), there has to be some leaders on this team to help the Hoosiers hang banner 6. I have ranked the top ones below, but on any given night these guys can move around.
Cody Zeller (#40):
Even for the girls who know nothing about #iubb, they have to know this name. He has begun the resurrection of the Hoosiers and put them on track for Banner #6. He puts up big offensive numbers, and even when he is slacking with scoring, he comes up big on defense. Without the Big Z, the Hoosiers would not have risen so quickly, and defiantly won’t be able to move far in the NCAA tournament.
Victor Oladipo (#4):
As much as it pains me to say it, this will probably be the last year we see Vic in a Hoosiers jersey, but he is putting everything he has out on the floor. If he is not leading in offensive points, he is dominating on the defensive side. Not to mention MONSTER dunks, such as “The Dunk that Almost Broke Twitter”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5r1GtBOANc . Oladipo is leading the team with an exciting fashion and you will “know him” before the end of the season.
Christian Watford (#2):
You know him from “The Wat Shot”, but he has evolved from much more than that. C-Wat has been the silent leader in the group, but he has slowly but surely improving and making his senior season count. Watford is looking to really contribute big time, but even if he isn’t the headline of the paper.
Jordan Hulls (#1):
Jordy with the three!!! It’s classic and this year Hulls has already passed the 1,000 point mark in his career. He is a leader on the floor and when the team is down, he is determined to drain some three’s and get the team back on track.
Will Sheehey (#0):
Face it, at one time or another you have been attracted to Will Sheehey. Almost every Hoosier girl has caught onto the fever. But FYI, he is a good player too! One of the best 6th man in the nation, he comes onto the court with a defensive force unlike any other. Sometimes he doesn’t necessarily put the points on the board, but don’t freak out girls, he has said many times that defense makes offensive points and if he isn’t playing die hard defense THEN something is wrong. Look for him to still keep the energy up and making clutch shots (like his midrange jumper against VCU) throughout the season.
Honorable Mention: Yogi Ferrell, Hanner Mosquera-Perea, Jeremy Hollowell and Remy Abell
So Hoosier fans, keep up the good work in supporting the #1 team in the nation and if they slip, don’t freak out it will be OK! Any questions, concerns, comments email me at sgurian@indiana.edu or tweet me @srgurian.