Indiana University Athletics
9 Things To Think About Before #IUBB Opening Night
11/10/2015 4:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SEASON OPENERS
The Hoosiers are 95-20 all-time in season openers. Under Tom Crean, the Hoosiers are 7-0 and have outscored opponents 94-63 on average in those tilts. The Hoosiers have won 17 straight season openers and 30 straight home openers. Crean is 15-1 in his season openers as a head coach.
NEXT YEAR'S SEASON OPENER
Four traditional college basketball powers will play next season in a hangar on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, weeks shy of the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Hoosiers will take on Kansas and Arizona will battle Michigan State in the 2016 Armed Forces Classic.
FRESHMAN STARTERS
Center Thomas Bryant will likely be the 12th freshman in eight seasons to crack the opening night starting lineup under Coach Tom Crean at IU. Here is a look at how some of the other frosh have fared in their first college game at IU.
2008 (vs. Northwestern State)
Tom Pritchard, 13 points, 10 rebounds
Verdell Jones III, 18 points, 5 assists
2009 (vs. Howard)
Christian Watford, 14 points, 11 rebounds
Maurice Creek; 17 points, 2 rebounds
2011 (vs. Stony Brook)
Cody Zeller, 16 points, 10 rebounds
2012 (vs. Bryant)
Kevin Yogi Ferrell, 10 points, 7 assists
2013 (vs. Chicago State)
Noah Vonleh, 11 points, 14 rebounds
Troy Williams, 13 points, 2 rebounds
2014 (vs. Mississippi Valley)
James Blackmon, Jr., 25 points, 4 rebounds
Robert Johnson, 15 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
EXPERIENCE STARTING
Senior point guard Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell has started all 102 games he has played in, junior forward Troy Williams has started 60 of 64 games that he has played in, sophomore James Blackmon, Jr., started all 33 games he played in last season and sophomore Robert Johnson started 33 of 34 games as a freshman.
BIG MAX
After starting just three games during his career at Michigan, graduate transfer Max Bielfeldt saw his name in the starting lineup in both exhibition games. He averaged 8.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in the preseason.
STRANGLEHOLD
In each of the two exhibition games, the Hoosiers held their opponent scoreless for a period of eight minutes. Against Ottawa, IU went on a 23-0 run midway through the second half and in the first half against Bellarmine, the Hoosiers broke the game open with an 18-0 spurt.
SECOND CHANCE
In two exhibition games this season, the Hoosiers had 34 offensive rebounds, led by Bryant's 10. Last year in two exhibition games, IU had 18 offensive boards as a team.
MINUTES MANAGEMENT
In two exhibition games last season, five players averaged 30.5 minutes of playing time per game. This year, eight players logged 17.5 or more minutes in the games against Ottawa and Bellarmine.
DID YOU KNOW
For those who love analytics, statistics, tempo and Kenpom, IU is 1,756-0 when it has scored more points than its opponent in a game.
The Hoosiers are 95-20 all-time in season openers. Under Tom Crean, the Hoosiers are 7-0 and have outscored opponents 94-63 on average in those tilts. The Hoosiers have won 17 straight season openers and 30 straight home openers. Crean is 15-1 in his season openers as a head coach.
NEXT YEAR'S SEASON OPENER
Four traditional college basketball powers will play next season in a hangar on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, weeks shy of the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Hoosiers will take on Kansas and Arizona will battle Michigan State in the 2016 Armed Forces Classic.
FRESHMAN STARTERS
Center Thomas Bryant will likely be the 12th freshman in eight seasons to crack the opening night starting lineup under Coach Tom Crean at IU. Here is a look at how some of the other frosh have fared in their first college game at IU.
2008 (vs. Northwestern State)
Tom Pritchard, 13 points, 10 rebounds
Verdell Jones III, 18 points, 5 assists
2009 (vs. Howard)
Christian Watford, 14 points, 11 rebounds
Maurice Creek; 17 points, 2 rebounds
2011 (vs. Stony Brook)
Cody Zeller, 16 points, 10 rebounds
2012 (vs. Bryant)
Kevin Yogi Ferrell, 10 points, 7 assists
2013 (vs. Chicago State)
Noah Vonleh, 11 points, 14 rebounds
Troy Williams, 13 points, 2 rebounds
2014 (vs. Mississippi Valley)
James Blackmon, Jr., 25 points, 4 rebounds
Robert Johnson, 15 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
EXPERIENCE STARTING
Senior point guard Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell has started all 102 games he has played in, junior forward Troy Williams has started 60 of 64 games that he has played in, sophomore James Blackmon, Jr., started all 33 games he played in last season and sophomore Robert Johnson started 33 of 34 games as a freshman.
BIG MAX
After starting just three games during his career at Michigan, graduate transfer Max Bielfeldt saw his name in the starting lineup in both exhibition games. He averaged 8.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in the preseason.
STRANGLEHOLD
In each of the two exhibition games, the Hoosiers held their opponent scoreless for a period of eight minutes. Against Ottawa, IU went on a 23-0 run midway through the second half and in the first half against Bellarmine, the Hoosiers broke the game open with an 18-0 spurt.
SECOND CHANCE
In two exhibition games this season, the Hoosiers had 34 offensive rebounds, led by Bryant's 10. Last year in two exhibition games, IU had 18 offensive boards as a team.
MINUTES MANAGEMENT
In two exhibition games last season, five players averaged 30.5 minutes of playing time per game. This year, eight players logged 17.5 or more minutes in the games against Ottawa and Bellarmine.
DID YOU KNOW
For those who love analytics, statistics, tempo and Kenpom, IU is 1,756-0 when it has scored more points than its opponent in a game.
Players Mentioned
Forward
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Center
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Guard
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Guard
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Forward
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