Indiana University Athletics
Release Notes
12/9/1997 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Release Notes
SLOW START TO THE YEAR: Indiana is off to a 3-3 start for the first time since 1995-96. However that season they finished the Big Ten slate with a 12-6 record and were 19-12 overall. Last season the Hoosiers didn't lose their third game of the season until the 17th game of the season.
WATCH OUT FOR THESE TWO: A.J. Guyton and Rob Turner have become the Hoosiers Dynamic Duo. The two lead the team in scoring at 17.2 and 15.3 points per game as well as in assists with 21 and 20 respectively. They combined for 44 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists vs. Kentucky. That point total was 61% of the team's total and in the game. They have also combined for 42% of IU's offense to date.
NEWCOMERS CONTRIBUTING: Indiana's three newcomers - JC transfers William Gladness and Rob Turner plus freshman Luke Recker - have all contributed in the early going. The three come into tonight's game averaging a combined 30.6 points, 12.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.
FROM THE FIELD: The Hoosiers have been enjoying one of their best shooting streaks in recent memory over the last three games. They have shot better than 50% in each game and are a combined 101-181 (55.8%) during this span. This includes a season-high 58.5% (31-53) against Notre Dame, 42-74 (56.8%) against Northeast Louisiana and 51.9% (28-54) against Kentucky. The last time Indiana shot better than 50% in three consecutive games was in 1993-94 when they accomplished the feat against Illinois, Ohio State and Penn State (a span of 110 games). During that streak IU accomplished this in four consecutive games which would be the last time that happened if they were to shoot 50% or better tonight. The hot shooting has increased Indiana's percentage for the season to 50.3% (169-336) which is well above last season's 43.8% team mark. Three Hoosiers P Rob Turner (64.3%), William Gladness (58.1%) and Jason Collier (54.8%) - are shooting at least 50% from the field. The Hoosiers have shot 54.9% (101-184) in their victories but just 44.7% (68-152 ) in the losses. Last season the Hoosiers shot better than 50% only three times but have matched that already this year.
CHARITY TOSSES: While the team has continued to heat up from the field, the same thing has happened at the foul line. The Hoosiers have shot better than 70% in each of the last three games. During this stretch the Hoosiers are 49-60 (81.6%) from the line. That includes a season-high in attempts and makes (25-32) vs. Notre Dame and a season best 16-17 (94.1%) effort vs. Northeast Louisiana. The 94.1% mark tied for the 10th best in school history. IU was just 8-11 against Kentucky which marked a season-low for makes and attempts. Indiana was one of the top free throw shooting teams in the nation last season finishing second in the nation at 76.6%. With the recent successes, the Hoosiers enter tonight's game at 71.1%. Andrae Patterson is the top player at 13-14 (92.9%) followed by Luke Recker at 83.3% (10-12). Getting to the line is a sign of success for Indiana. In the three victories IU has made 59 free throws while the opponents have attempted 54. In the losses the opponents have almost twice as many attempts (56) as IU does free throws (32).
THREE-POINTERS: Indiana has connected on 12-29 3-pointers in the last two games after shooting a season-low 3-12 vs. Northeast Louisiana. The Hoosiers are shooting 38.9% on the season. Rob Turner is off to a hot start from 3-point range as he is 13-25 (52%) coming into tonight's game. He and A.J. Guyton have combined to make 27 of the Hoosiers 35 3-pointers. IU is shooting 43.1% in the losses but 33.3% in the victories.
THE BOARD REPORT: Indiana got outrebounded for just the second time this season by a 35-34 mark vs. Kentucky. Each time they have been outboarded this season (other time Hawai'i) the margin was only -1. After registering 40 or more rebounds in three of the first four games, the Hoosiers have averaged 31.5 rebounds per game in the last two games (although the teams in those two games have combined to shoot better than 50% from the field). The Hoosiers have held an edge in rebounding in four of the six games and enter tonight's game with a +3.3 rebound margin on the season. Indiana has also registered 40 or more rebounds three times.
ASSISTS ANGLE: IU fell just short of registering 20+ assists in three consecutive games after having 18 against Kentucky. IU has averaged 21.7 apg in the last three games which is above their season average of 16.7 apg. IU has 65 assists to 50 turnovers in these three games. Taking care of the ball has been a good barometer for Indiana success this season. In the three victories they have 62 assists but just 38 in the three losses. Indiana still has more turnovers than assists entering tonight's game as they have 100 assists but 1005 miscues. A.J. Guyton leads the team with 21.
BLOCK PARTY: The Hoosiers have 23 blocks this season but 18 of those have come in the three victories. Indiana had 3 in each of the last two games after recording a season-high 9 vs. Northeast Louisiana. Jason Collier and Andrae Patterson lead the team with 5.
TURNOVER TALE: The Hoosiers had been better at taking care of the ball over but slipped against Kentucky to their second-highest total of the season with 21. After a season-opening 23 turnovers against Temple, Indiana had averaged 15.3 tpg in the next four contests. The Hoosiers best halves of the season have been 5 in the second 20 minutes against UAB and Notre Dame. In the three victories the Hoosiers have turned the ball over just 44 times (14.7 tpg) while in the three losses that number inflates to 61 (20.3 tpg). The NLU and Notre Dame games marked the first time this season the assists have outnumbered the turnovers in consecutive games (happened only 5 times last season).
MAKING THE STEAL: After registering 26 steals in the two previous games, the Hoosiers had only 5 against Kentucky. Indiana averages 7.8 steals per game coming into tonight's game. IU had a season-high 14 against Northeast Louisiana which ties for the eighth-highest mark in school history (recorded five previous times). IU has 34 steals in the three victories but just 13 in the three losses. Luke Recker leads the team with 9 steals (all of which have come in the three wins).
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: Indiana's defense has held three of its first six opponents under 40% (accomplished this 13 times last year in 33 games). The opponents are shooting just 42.9% coming into tonight's game. In the three victories, Indiana has held the opponents to just 42.1% from the field and forced them into 61 turnovers. By contrast in the three losses, the opponents are shooting 43.8% and have turned the ball over 39 times.
GET AHEAD, STAY AHEAD: This year the Hoosiers are 2-1 while leading at halftime, 1-1 when trailing and 0-1 when tied. The Hoosiers are usually good at holding onto a lead as they are 19-2 in the last 21 games in which they led at the half over the last two seasons.
MARGIN MATERIAL: Each of Indiana's wins this season have been by at least 11 points. The average margin of victory is 20.3 ppg while the loss margin stands at 8.7 per contest. Only two of the Hoosiers' games this season has been decided by less than 10 points and that was the season-opening 6-point loss at Temple (59-53) and Saturday's loss to Kentucky.
SCORING SOME POINTS: The Hoosiers enter tonight's game averaging 77.3 points per game. Indiana averages 91.3 ppg in the three wins but just 63.3 ppg in the two losses. IU scored 194 points in the last two wins which is its best two-game total since 1993-94 when they scored 218 in wins over Notre Dame and Tennessee Tech (span of 124 games). The 103 points was the first time the Hoosiers had eclipsed the century mark since Dec. 29, 1995 when they also scored 103 points against Appalachian State (span of 56 games). The Hoosiers scored over 90 points only twice last year in 33 games but have already matched this number through 5 games.
IT'S A FACT: Indiana has led the Big Ten in scoring over the last seven years with a average of 79.9 points per game.
TRIPLE-DOUBLE WATCH: As strange as it might sound, no Indiana player has ever recorded a triple-double.
HOOSIERS ARE THE BIG TEN'S BEST: The Hoosiers have had 27 consecutive winning seasons. Every Coach Knight team at IU has had a winning season. During Knight's tenure in Bloomington, Indiana is the only school in the Big Ten to register an overall winning record each year. Along those same lines with 9 conference victories last year, the Hoosiers have 24 (out of 26) non-losing conference seasons during Knight's tenure.
INDIANA - ONE OF THE NATION'S ELITE PROGRAMS: Indiana is one of the top schools in the country during the 1990's. Entering the season, IU ranks 12th among all teams during this span with a 72.4 winning percentage.
HOOSIERS AT HOME: All-time in Assembly Hall the Hoosiers are an impressive 320-42 (.884) including a 193-35 (.846) record in Big Ten games. Since the beginning of the 1990-91 season the Hoosiers are 87-9 (.906) in Assembly Hall. Indiana is 61-22 (.735) against ranked teams in Assembly Hall.
NEXT UP: The Hoosiers host the annual Indiana Classic in Bloomington. IU plays UW-Green Bay in Friday's first round at 6 p.m. (EST). That will be followed by South Alabama and Alcorn State at 8 p.m. Saturday's championship game begins t 7 p.m. with the consolation game slated for 4:45 p.m. Both of Indiana's games in the tournament will be televised by the Indiana television network through the ESPN-Plus network.
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