Mayer: College Athletes Must Play Smart and Bolt for the Pros

Courtesy midwestsportsfan.com

I've had many should "college player A" and "college player B" declare for a professional league debates. The subject comes up as Victor Oladipo is about to announce his decision to forgo his senior season at Indiana to declare for the NBA Draft. Cody Zeller will follow with his own press conference tomorrow. His fate is not as sure, but I fully expect Zeller to make the jump as well. (UPDATE: Oladipo declared for the NBA Draft and multiple reports have Zeller going as well)

There are many IU fans that believe the duo, or at least Zeller, should stay at Indiana to improve their bodies and skill set. To that I would respond, take a walk in their shoes. These two young men have worked their entire lives for the chance to play the game they love professionally. Oladipo's draft stock has absolutely sky rocketed and will never be higher. He is a lottery pick. Over the last month or so Cody Zeller's stock has dropped a bit with pundits pointing out his struggles against larger more powerful opponents. He should still go.

Courtesy espn.com

This is a big deal and fans often forget to realize that an NBA contract gives the player a chance to be set for life if they manage their money properly. Zeller, the Washington native, was once thought of as a top five pick and will still be a first round pick. So what, he'll make a ton of money, develop his skills, and improve his body practicing against NBA players. No team will look at Zeller, or for that matter Oladipo, as a savior. They are young and will have time to develop into even better players.

Oladipo will have his college degree and has been a part of the transformation at Indiana. Zeller will be able to graduate with summer and online classes. He was the first domino to fall allowing the Hoosiers to once again become a dominant recruiting force. They have put their time in and left their legacies. It may have come up short of a championship (or even an Elite 8), but they deserve to move on.

I believe this is the smart path for any college athlete that knows they can make enough money to provide for themselves and their families. If Jake Odum was projected as a first round pick this year, then I would say go pro. There are only so opportunities to play sports professionally and a single play could result in a career ending injury.

Obviously not every college athlete should try and go pro at first chance (Christian Watford made the smart move to not enter the draft last year). It is only a good decision after doing research and understanding the possibility of being drafted and predicted position within the draft.

Courtesy NBA

Personally, I can't stand that basketball players are not allowed to enter the NBA from high school. If a player has the skill set out of high school to play sports professionally and that is his dream, let him go. Fans root for these players as if they were family, so there should be no ill will at the end. When it's time for the bird to leave its nest, don't fault it for flying away.

Mayer: March Madness and What Could Have Been for ISU

The NCAA Tournament has not disappointed. We ask for madness and that is precisely what the greatest tournament in sports has dished out. The first 15 seed in history has reached the Sweet 16, a college version of lob city, while La Salle or Wichita State will be an elite eight team. There has been no lack of "onions" shots (looking at you Aaron Craft). While everyone roots for the underdog, what would the Sweet 16 be without some blue bloods; Hello Kansas, Duke, and Indiana.

Courtesy CBS

The action ramps back up on Thursday and I'm expecting some classics as the tournament moves on. It seems to be a cliche every year when people talk about the field being "wide open", but you have to believe it right now. Louisville may be the overall number one and playing the best ball, but there is nothing close to a 2012 Kentucky.

One thing that has been hard to overlook for folks in the Wabash Valley is some of the names in the Big Dance and what the Sycamores accomplished against those teams. Wichita State is representing the Missouri Valley Conference well in the Sweet 16. If you remember, the Sycamores delivered a drubbing on the road vs the Shockers. That was truly a shock (yes I'm sure no one has ever used that pun before) seeing as how Wichita State had not lost at home in something like 20 years.

Courtesy USA Today

Now head into the memory bank to the tournament in Hawaii. Indiana State beat Miami behind last second Jake Odum magic. Given those were different times way back in December. No one had any idea how good Miami would be and they were playing without big man Reggie Johnson. Although, it seems the same fate has fallen upon the Hurricanes as Johnson will have to miss the Sweet 16 matchup against Marquette.

Gone but not forgotten are the Creighton Blue Jays who won the MVC regular season and tournament. They are off to the new Big East which really makes next season promising for ISU (we'll get there in a second). The Sycamores laid the smackdown on the Blue Jays who were ranked #16 at the time. That game was arguably the best for ISU all season. The Sycamores also took down Ole Miss, a team that won the SEC tournament, beat Wisconsin in the first round, and was a couple of missed shots away from making the Sweet 16.

All of this points to one thing: the Sycamores are a talented basketball team. They proved capable of beating some very good squads in three conferences. We can also analyze some of Indiana State's bad losses and will come out with a puzzled look. A team with no seniors often showed their youth. One game the Sycamores would look like a team that could win the MVC, the next like a squad destined to never win again.

Courtesy Indiana State

The main point to come away with is ISU will return their entire starting roster next year, although Rhett Smith seems to be on his way out. Mike Samuels, the 6'1" center who was out all season will be back. We saw the maturation of Devonte Brown, Justin Gant, Khristian Smith, and a late season emergence from Brandon Burnett.


MVC heavyweight Creighton is gone. Jackie Carmichael of Illinois State and and Colt Ryan of Evansville are gone. Jake Odum is still here and he is only getting better. Put it this way, Sycamores fans are going to have high hopes next year. Instead of an NIT loss, they could be celebrating an NCAA win.

Mayer: Indiana State-NCAA Tournament Bound?

I'll start this off by saying a whole lot of the college basketball season is remaining. There are only so many teams that have their names already sharpied into brackets. Indiana State is far from a guarantee, but the likelihood of an at large bid increased greatly with a phenomenal victory at Wichita State.

Courtesy ISU Athletics

The Shockers were the #15 team in the country, had recently taken over the top spot in the Missouri Valley Conference, and had won 19 straight games at home. Coming in, it looked like a chance for ISU to claim a season altering victory. The Sycamores showed up big time and played their gritty brand of basketball to perfection (with the help of a 2-3 zone that stopped the Shockers from getting inside often).

Put it this way, if the season ended today I would fully expect the Sycamores to get in. They may be one of the last four teams in, but that will do. Indiana State is in third place in the MVC with a 14-7 (7-3) record. They're only a half game behind Creighton and one game behind Wichita State with games at the Hulman Center remaining against both teams.

I've said this before; Indiana State is two different squads depending on the intensity level they bring to games. That is a cliche often used in sports, but it could not be more true with this Sycamores team. Simply put, they are not talented or mature enough to win tough games without playing a relentless style. However, when they attack on defense, out hustle the other team, and play with physical tenacity, the opposition is often worn down.

Courtesy ISU Athletics

This can be seen from looking at some of the games ISU has won and lost. The Sycamores have impressive victories over Top 25 teams in Miami and Ole Miss (neutral court) and Wichita State (road). Indiana State is 39th in RPI. When deciding the tournament teams, wins against Top 25 teams are huge...away from home is even more important. The Sycamores strong RPI also greatly helps their cause. ISU stuck with Creighton and San Diego State in losses as well.

On the other hand, the Sycamores lost at Illinois State and SIU, two teams that are not as close to as good as Indiana State. Although, the Redbirds were picked high in the MVC pre-season, they have not panned out as expected.

Despite those losses, it is clear the Sycamores are for real. They have the ability to play with the top teams in the country and if they execute their brand of basketball, it's difficult to beat them. Eight games remain for Indiana State to prove themselves worthy of a shot in the big dance.

Courtesy ISU Atheltics

Mayer: Why Not Expand the Crossroad Classic?

The Crossroads Classic, being played this weekend, was a fantastic idea that went very well last year and looks to build on that success this weekend. We will have coverage from the Classic game between Indiana and Butler. Notre Dame will face off against Purdue as well. The four schools kicked off the first year of the double header held at Bankers Life Fieldhouse last year with Indiana defeating Notre Dame and Butler sneaking past Purdue.

Courtesy bankerslifefieldhouse.com

To think it took this long for someone to come up with a day where the major Indiana college basketball teams meet to play at the NBA arena in Indianapolis is surprising. After all, this is the "basketball state". Yes, most would say that Indiana is known for its high school hoops, but what fan of basketball would not want to see the Hoosiers, Boilermakers, Bulldogs, and Fighting Irish square off in a rotating double header at the home of the Pacers each year. (Although, it should be noted that the rotation is not complete because IU and Purdue avoid playing each other due to their mutual conference). It's as simple as it is brilliant, especially with all four teams making significant strides or having a national presence in recent years.

My questions is this: Why limit the Crossroads Classic to just four teams? There is tremendous basketball being played all across the Hoosier State and I would be extremely surprised if other schools wouldn't jump at the opportunity to get in on the fun at Bankers Life. Not only that, but there are some really good teams other than the "big four" that would give fans plenty of reason to make the Crossroads Classic a two day event.

Courtesy cbslocal.com

Now, I don't want to leave any schools out, but the writing is on the wall which squads would be a perfect fit to expand and enhance the college basketball derby in Indy. Those teams are: Indiana State Sycamores, Ball State Cardinals, IUPUI Jaguars, and Evansville Purple Aces. Think about it, a two day event would bring in fans from every corner of the state in a celebration of Indiana college basketball.

My first choice would be to make this a tournament which would just be too much fun. The seedings would be based on rank and/or record (with power of conference a factor). Unfortunately, this might not be a realistic option due to the high amount of scrutiny and detail placed on every team's scheduling in college basketball. It's fun to think about though.

I propose a two day event and two "brackets" within the Classic. The first bracket would be IU, Purdue, Butler, and Notre Dame while the newcomers Indiana State, Ball State, IUPUI, and Evansville would make up the second bracket (Since Indiana State and Evansville both reside in the Missouri Valley Conference, the second bracket would act similarity to the first with those two schools not matching up). Taking a realistic approach and understanding ticket sales and TV ratings drive sports, the two bracket system is the best option.

Courtesy bankerslifefieldhouse.com

In regard to scheduling, both brackets would play on Saturday and Sunday which would ensure that all teams are able to play in front of a sizable crowd. Let's pretend that the expansion took place this year (Scheduling would be altered before hand with knowledge of the Classic. ISU already played Ball State and actually plays IUPUI this weekend) So, let's keep Saturday's already scheduled game of IUPUI and Indiana State as the opener followed by IU vs. Butler. Sunday would start with Ball State vs. Evansville followed by Purdue vs. Notre Dame.

It's a pretty simple set up and would only make the Crossroads Classic more entertaining and inclusive for all of  Indiana. Of course, this really does pale in comparison to an eight team seeded tournament. When discussing the idea with Jeremiah Johnson, who you all know from his time at WTWO and current work at Fox59, he came up with the best proposal of all. The eight team tournament taking place to open the season at Lucas Oil Stadium using the half stadium configuration. That's something I'll be day dreaming about for a while.

Courtesy skyscraperpage.com

Mayer: ISU WBB Take a Big Step, MBB with a Big Test

An important week for Indiana State basketball (the women and men) started with a positive note as the Lady Sycamores went on the road to Saint Louis and pulled out a late come from behind victory. To no one's surprise Anna Munn played the part of hero making the go ahead basket with under a minute left in the game. The ISU guard scored 14 points and teamed up with forward Rachael Mahan who led the team with 23 points.

Courtesy ISU

There are two main points that should be recognized in the victory. First, the Sycamores won the turnover battle. ISU gave the ball away 17 times and had 13 assists compared to 23 turnovers and 11 assists for the Billikens. Now, I won't go off preaching that it's acceptable to turn the ball over 17 times. The ISU women must continue to improve, but it's a step in the right direction. Indiana State has been battling turnover problems from day one and coach Teri Moren has continually stressed a need to limit give aways.

ISU is clearly a team based around defense and relies on the majority of offensive output from two players. If a basketball team is built in that fashion, they must hold on to the ball; it's essential to having success. A higher rate of turnovers is more acceptable for a team that continually pushes the ball down the court, scores points easily, and has a high possession percentage. That is not the Sycamores, so it's good to see them limit turnovers in an important game.

Courtesy ISU

The second major point to take away from the victory is location. ISU has struggled on the road for some time now. This is the Lady Sycamores first win away from the Hulman Center this season (including a pretty bad loss at IUPUI). In fact, ISU has only won two games under Teri Moren (this is her third season). So, Indiana State got an important victory addressing a couple of key weaknesses. It was exactly the kind of win necessary to build confidence in the players and momentum for the team.

Courtesy The Daily Bruin

The Sycamore men have a major test upcoming on Saturday as the New Mexico Lobos come to town. The ISU men have been on a roll ever since losing their opener in Los Angeles to a then  highly ranked Bruins squad. Anytime ISU faces a nationally ranked team it is news, but especially welcoming such a talented opponent to Terre Haute.

The last two times Indiana State faced ranked opponents at the Human Center was in 06'/07' against Butler and 05'/06' against the Hoosiers. Despite the big loss to UCLA there is more belief that ISU can compete with the Lobos (although that has more to do with the Sycamores then New Mexico.) ISU has not lost since facing UCLA and has stacked some impressive victories including a road game at Ball State. Indiana State has a very young squad with key transfers and players returning from injury last season, so they are still learning to gel and that process seems to be improving each week.

Courtesy ISU

So, at the highest point of their season to date, the Sycamores will face the #25 ranked team in the nation at home. This is a serious test of where ISU stands and if they should be considered one of the better teams in the Missouri Valley Conference. Remember, the pre-season rankings had ISU finishing 7th. Greg Lansing will have his squad ready for former coaching partner and Indiana great Steve Alford. After the game, we might know a lot more about the rest of the season.

Mayer: ISU Will Go as far as Jake Odum Pushes Them

Courtesy ISU Athletics

Forgive me if I'm late to the news, but Jake Odum is very good at basketball. I'm still new to Sycamores (and for that matter Wabash Valley) hoops, but Odum has jumped right off the screen. While covering the Sycamores in their last two contests against Truman State and Ball State, Odum has been the ISU leader in every sense of the word.

I'm sure most people who follow hoops around these parts are not surprised by Odum's success. He was a great player at Terre Haute South and continued his productive ways as soon as he stepped foot on the Indiana State campus. For someone new to the area, Odum immediately distinguishes himself on the court in a myriad of ways. 

Purely from a basketball standpoint, Odum gets the offense going and seems to be taking on the role of most dangerous scorer as well. He has an incredible ability for finding spots to drive hard to the hoop. Even more impressive is the body control Odum shows while in the air. He is able to adjust into seemingly awkward positions in order to finish at the rim or get a shot off. A couple of his hard drives that turned into fade away jumpers off the glass against Ball State left me thinking...WOW.

Of course, scoring is not Odum's first job as a guard who often has the ball in his hands setting up the offense. He is seen directing teammates and is constantly moving, never letting the defender rest. Every pass from the guard is crisp and is usually followed by a quick cut, screen, or other movement that helps continue the flow of the offense.

The energy level that number thirteen brings to the Sycamores cannot be quantified. Basketball is a game largely based on momentum. Most teams need an emotional leader that can get get teammates fired up and create ways to stop runs from the opposition. Odum has admitted he knows this is his role as a veteran of the young Sycamores and he has done nothing but excel. Two instances from last night's victory over Ball State perfectly exemplify what Odum is capable of. After a Cardinals player ran the floor, but failed to finish at the rim, Odum snatched the rebound darted down court and scored with numbers in Ball State's favor. Later in the game, he sunk a late three which truly put the game away and gave a quick salute while running back on defense.

There's a big difference between confidence and cockiness. Odum is confident, has an endless motor, and is not afraid to show his emotion on the floor. To put it frankly, he's got swagger. You'll find this same characteristic in many of the best leaders in sports and especially basketball. He is the perfect person to take the reigns and lead ISU. That is meant in a literal sense as he has shown his superior all around game and an emotional stand point as well. If a play needs to be made or a message needs to be sent, coach Greg Lansing knows where to turn first. 

ReuKnighting Bobby and the Hoosiers

NBC 2 Videographer AJ Schub, who covered the Hoosiers for the last four years, gives us insight into IU's tumultuous relationship with their famous ex-coach. 

Courtesy si.com

 So the news broke yesterday that legendary Indiana University basketball coach Bob Knight will partner up with Dan Shulman (a voice that many Hoosier fans will recognize from covering the famed Indiana-Kentucky game from last season) to call the semi-final round of the Progressive Legends Classic featuring Georgia and Indiana.  No the sky has not fallen, Hell has not frozen over, and Brett Favre isn't coming back to quarterback the Philadelphia Eagles (but if I were Mike Vick I'd be worried). Bob Knight will be talking about Indiana Basketball for 40 minutes of game time.

  




September 10, 2000, the last day Bobby Knight had anything to do with Indiana University.  That was the day that Miles Brand, then Indiana University President, announced that he had fired Knight for violating a zero tolerance code of conduct policy enforced by the school.  Kent Harvey, then a player, told school officials Knight had grabbed him by the arm for disrespecting the coach.  Hoosier nation was divided.  Should Knight have been fired, or given every opportunity to stay until he decided to hang up his whistle? The decision was not theirs to make and Knight would leave Bloomington for good not long after he called for 2,000 students camped outside of Assembly Hall to calm down and go home.

For the last decade plus Knight has avoided the words "Indiana University" and "Hoosiers" as if he was a religious man who refused to use the lords name in vein.  A couple of years ago Knight led a segment for ESPN analyzing the Ohio State Buckeyes, and in particular, Jared Sullinger.  Who was the team Sullinger and the Buckeyes were beating up on in the highlight?  The Indiana Hoosiers.  Knight constantly referred to IU as "the other guys" or "that team" as if to say he still was not ready to even mutter the dirty word, Hoosiers. 

Courtesy The Herald Times

Indiana University, and Athletic Director Fred Glass have taken a proactive approach to reconnect the university with Bob Knight, but they have also been careful to not anger or push the knowingly stubborn coach.  Knight was inducted into the IU Hall of fame in 2009, and of course, was not present.  I attended a sports communications class at Indiana University last fall where Glass spoke about the relationship he was repairing with Coach Knight.  He confirmed that he and Knight had spoken in Indianapolis, but there was little progress made.  Knight did respect that Glass reached out, but he still was not ready to have a role with Indiana. 

Tom Crean has also embraced the history of the Indiana University Basketball program since taking over the head coaching job in 2008.  He understands that the program was able to turn around and be competitive so quickly partially because of the foundation that Knight already laid. Crean, along with Glass, brought back the 1983 Big Ten Championship banner that hangs above the north side of Assembly Hall.  It was a gesture to Coach Knight.  The 1983 banner was known as "The Fans Banner" and that team meant a great deal to Coach Knight.  Crean also brought in the 1987 National Championship team last season to honor their 25th anniversary.  The entire team and coaching staff returned, minus Knight.  His face did sit atop a commemorative poster of the group.

Courtesy NYTimes

So has Bob Knight finally taken a step on his own to rejoin the Indiana basketball family?  He may have been contractually obligated and does need money for his grand children's college funds. Maybe ESPN told him he had to announce this game or he would be fired.  He also may just not care. This isn't Knight going to Bloomington and announcing an IU game inside Assembly Hall. This is a neutral site game (Coach Cal's favorite!) featuring the number one team in the country.  Knight can no longer avoid Indiana because they are no longer in the cellar. They will now be a fixture on ESPN for years to come if Tom Crean keeps doing his job right. If that is the case, then Knight needs to be ready to call Hoosier games.  He can't pretend IU doesn't exist forever. Maybe this is step one in an overdue process to reunite the coach with his people, maybe this is just an assignment that Knight is forced to work, or maybe Knight will back out of the gig and this post will be meaningless. Guess we will find out sometime before Monday November 19th at 5:30 EST.

Pugh: ISU Women's Basketball First Glance

It's that time of the year again. A time for the Hoosier state to celebrate as basketball season begins. We continue our basketball blog coverage with a look at Indiana State Women's Basketball.

Courtesy: ISU Athletics

Head coach Teri Moren begins her 3rd season at the Hulman Center when the Sycamores host Bellarmine Friday night in an exhibition contest. The regular season gets underway next Friday, November 9th, against Eastern Illinois. It's also a brand new staff for Moren this year as she welcomes John Marcum, Sara Riedeman, and Joey Wells as assistant coaches, as well as Andrea Jones as a graduate manager.

Courtesy: ISU Athletics

With only 2 starters returning from a season ago, this Sycamore squad will need some of its younger players to step up and fill key roles. Gone are Shannon Thomas, Brittany Schoen, and Deja Mattox. All 3 of these players left their mark on the program with more than 1,000 career points each. The 2 starters returning from last year, Taylor Whitley, and Anna Munn, have plenty of experience and can step into that leadership role left behind by the big 3, but they can't do it alone. Whitley is the only senior on the team, and looks to finish her career on a strong note.

Just like the men, these ladies were picked to finish 7th in the MVC standings. They have a strong non-conference schedule with trips to Assembly Hall, Hinkle Fieldhouse, and IUPUI. These tough road trips will help prepare them for the conference season. New assistant coaches and a younger core of players will bring some new energy to this team, but only time will tell if they can turn that into wins and finish higher than predicted.

Pensky: ISU Men's Basketball First Glance

At first glance, the 7th place finish that's predicted for Greg Lansing's Sycamores seems a bit insulting, since the Coach and top player are still around from ISU's 2011 Missouri Valley Conference title team. Upon further review, I think the Sycamores are in a perfect position. There's no denying they have some extremely talented newcomers that will be added into the mix. The top two newcomers, Khristian Smith and Manny Arop, each had to sit out last season, so expecting them to be at their best, right off the bat is probably too much to ask. 

More importantly, expecting a team that will be forming a new identity to be properly gelled early on, is also too much to ask. Hence patience is needed from Sycamore fans early, while it is easy to see how someone outside of Terre Haute, might look at the roster, and wonder what this group will be like without regulars Lathan, Richard and Printy.

The good news is the brief track record of head coach Greg Lansing. When he took over it was not an overnight process for him to instill the toughness, mindset, and practice habits he wanted for this program. He also inherited a team that had a brutal early season schedule. The result might have been a 3-5 start, but once this team forged an identity, they went on to become a respectable 3rd place team in the regular season, and eventually a conference tournament champion.

This season's schedule is not easy (at UCLA, New Mexico), but it also isn't as harsh as the 2010-11 slate. It will take some time for Lansing to figure out roles, and rotations, and for Smith and Arop to get their bearings as they return to competitive basketball. The optimistic, glass-half full side of me, knows that they have more talent than most people realize. I know Jake Odum is healthier than he was last year, and I know they don't have a senior on the roster. This is a process with this group, one that will be worth watching unfold, and one that should have many good times ahead, over the next couple of seasons and beyond.

Hysterical Hoosiers

NBC 2 Videographer AJ Schub, who covered IU Basketball for four years, gives insight on Hoosier Hysteria and asks if this team has more hype then the 91' Hoosiers.

Hoosier Hysteria Video

There were plenty of things showcased during last weekend’s Hoosier Hysteria.  It was the first practice open to the public--unless you count the nationally televised hour-long opening practice that spotlighted the Hoosiers—where Indiana fans were able to spill into the cream colored mecca of Hoosier Nation, Assembly Hall, and watch the pre-season #1 team ball so hard.  

Cody Zeller impressed the full house with a trip to the finals in the long shot contest, where he defeated Johnny “Cash” Marlin.  Zeller’s win was even more impressive because he only put up half court shots against Austin Etherington in the round leading up to the finals.  Let’s not kid ourselves; the “long shot” contest was not about Zeller’s ability to shoot a three pointer, and more about lucking into a few half-court shots that were worth ten points each.  It was nice however, seeing Zeller hit enough shots from a distance to propel himself into the finals.   

Senior Jordan Hulls also looked sharp despite being knocked out of the long shot contest early on.  He had a great scrimmage scoring a Cream squad high twelve points, and keeping his team within striking distance of the Zeller led Crimson group.  It is also clear early on that Hulls is playing a crucial role in the development of highly regarded freshman Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell.  Earlier this week Ferrell credited Hulls on impacting his defensive skill set by forcing him to guard closer on screens, in effect helping him stay with the player he is guarding.  Look for Hulls to mentor Yogi throughout the year especially in the thick of Big Ten play when the spotlight is sure to be on the Hoosiers.

There was plenty of glitz and glamour, hoopla and horseplay throughout the evening.  The player soaking in the spotlight the most?  You guessed right, Victor Oladipo.  Vic, a starting guard for the #1 team in the country is also the clown, the crowd pleaser, the energizer, whatever you want to call him.  He is a big part of the personality of this team.  When he was supposed to be on the sidelines he was center stage with ESPN personality, and former Indiana undergrad, Sage Steele to the point where I was confused who the emcee of the event really was.  Vic was pumping up the crowd, interviewing players, and even getting Coach Crean involved on the microphone.  Look for Victor to bring the same energy as he brought last year regardless if he’s on the court or the bench.  When this team needs a spark, or a big defensive stop he’ll be the guy the Hoosiers look to make a play.  

All of that being said, this “practice” was not for the players, not for the coaching staff, and not even for the media.  Hoosier Hysteria was put together for Indiana’s hysterical fan base, a fan base that has been waiting a long time for a team as promising as the 2012-2013 group.  They have been waiting longer than Tom Crean’s four full years, longer than Kelvin Sampson’s tainted tenure, even longer than the half decade of Mike Davis.  You would need to go back 20 years to a Bobby Knight coached team to find a preseason surrounded with as much hype as this one.  

The year was 1991, and Bob Knight’s number two seeded Indiana Hoosiers were coming off of an 83-65 loss to the third seeded Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet 16, who would eventually lose to Duke in the championship game.  The bitter loss left fans hungry for more.  The 1991-1992 Hoosiers started the season as the second ranked team in the nation ready to take down any team that stood in their path.  The group was led by the Big Ten’s all-time leading scorer Calbert Cheaney, future All-American Damon Bailey, and freshman phenom Alan Henderson.   The team came back from the tournament loss to go 27-7 on the year and earned a spot in the 1992 final four where they were edged out by Duke 81-78.

It’s been 20 long years since die-hard Indiana basketball fans had a team with as much promise as the 2012-2013 version of the Hoosiers, and the fan base sure did show their support at the first chance they got.  Students lined up as early as Thursday morning to get a chance at the best seats inside Assembly Hall for Hoosier Hysteria. Two and a half days before the doors would open to let them in!  By 8 a.m. on the Saturday of Hoosier Hysteria the line to get in wrapped around Assembly Hall, and the doors did not even open until 4 p.m.!  Did you try to get into Assembly Hall at 5:30 p.m., an hour and a half before the practice began?  You were turned away because the Hall was full by five o’clock.  These fans deserve this group; they stuck around watching teams that won a total of 28 games over three years.  They helped Tom Crean and his coaching staff build this program.  Crean was quoted in a video that kicked off the Hoosier Hysteria festivities, “They say it takes a village to raise a family.  Well, it took a nation to rebuild this program.  THANK YOU HOOSIER NATION.”

The similarities between the 91-92 group and this year’s group are well deserved.  Both teams are coming off of a Sweet 16 loss to a team that would eventually play for a national title, both teams retuned the majority of their starting line up from the previous season, and both teams added a dominant freshman to their rotation (Henderson in 91, Ferrell in 12).  This brings up two questions: Are the expectations for the 2012-2013 Hoosiers higher than those of the 1991-1992 team, and if so, would this season be considered a disappointment if the current Hoosiers suffered a loss in the Final Four like their predecessors of two decades ago? Hysterical Hoosier fans, let’s hear your answers!