Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Expects Early Test From Ottawa
11/3/2015 9:52:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana head coach Tom Crean wanted a test in his exhibition schedule, an opponent capable of even beating his own team right away.
He got it.
No. 15 Indiana opens its exhibition schedule against the University of Ottawa at 7 p.m. tonight at Assembly Hall. One of the best university teams in Canada, the Gee-Gee's defeated the Hoosiers 109-101 in an exhibition matchup during IU's Canadian trip prior to last season.
"We knew that we were going to get a good team," Crean said. "We have a lot of respect for this team. That's why we scheduled them."
While Indiana is only just now beginning to wade into the start of a new season, Ottawa is already well into their schedule. The Gee-Gee's are 8-1 since the start of October and are coming off their only loss of the season, 74-70 to McGill on Sunday.
When asked to compare Ottawa to a team Indiana fans would be more familiar with, Crean offered Notre Dame as a similar opponent, although he said he doesn't necessarily look at the two schools as being the same.
Ottawa returns many of the same players from the team that beat Indiana last year, including Mike L'Africain. The standout guard is averaging 16.6 points and orchestrates an Ottawa offense that's averaging 94.6 points per game on 49.7 percent shooting.
The Gee-Gee's high-powered offense should test an Indiana team that's prioritized getting stronger defensively during the offseason. With added post help—albeit young and new to Indiana—and an experienced group of guards, Crean expects Ottawa to reveal how much improvement Indiana has made so far on the defensive end.
"It starts with transition defense, because we have to get back and find the shooters," Crean said. "That prepares you for all the good teams that you face. Everyone that runs the floor for them (is skilled), they are a quick moving team, and the play off the pass far more than they play off the tribble. There are a couple of guys that will really penetrate and kick but they make the next pass like it is breathing. That, to me, is what we have got to get back and stop."
Crean said he hasn't yet decided on a starting lineup quite yet. As is his typical response when asked about lineups, Crean said who finishes is more important than who starts.
Considering tonight's game is still an exhibition matchup, Crean said some players will have their minutes limited and others will be experimented in unfamiliar situations. Without much time to evaluate working lineups, opponents like Ottawa give Indiana an opportunity for crucial self-evaluation.
"You want to see different players in different positions," assistant coach Rob Judson said. "We're a multi-position team. We like to have those interchangeable parts, so I think as these two games come up, you'll see a lot of different rotations, see a lot of different mix-and-match with different guys in different positions and then we have some versatile players. They can do some different things."
Fans got used to seeing Indiana play primarily with a three-guard lineup last season, but Crean said he's "not married to that lineup," instead joking that he's already married to his wife Joani. That could mean Indiana will experiment with three-forward lineups, three-guard lineups and anything in between based on matchups.
How those lineups will ultimately play out remains to be seen, but tonight's exhibition should help provide clarity.
Indiana has already played two intrasquad scrimmages in front of its home fans, but Tuesday will be the first time Indiana has played in a game-like environment against a true opponent as the season gets underway.
"I think as these two games come up you'll see a lot of different rotations," Judson said. "We have some versatile players that can do some different things. Coach Crean is excellent at the matchup game, seeing where different positions that we have good matchups in can be exploited. That's something that you want to work on in these exhibition games."
He got it.
No. 15 Indiana opens its exhibition schedule against the University of Ottawa at 7 p.m. tonight at Assembly Hall. One of the best university teams in Canada, the Gee-Gee's defeated the Hoosiers 109-101 in an exhibition matchup during IU's Canadian trip prior to last season.
"We knew that we were going to get a good team," Crean said. "We have a lot of respect for this team. That's why we scheduled them."
While Indiana is only just now beginning to wade into the start of a new season, Ottawa is already well into their schedule. The Gee-Gee's are 8-1 since the start of October and are coming off their only loss of the season, 74-70 to McGill on Sunday.
When asked to compare Ottawa to a team Indiana fans would be more familiar with, Crean offered Notre Dame as a similar opponent, although he said he doesn't necessarily look at the two schools as being the same.
Ottawa returns many of the same players from the team that beat Indiana last year, including Mike L'Africain. The standout guard is averaging 16.6 points and orchestrates an Ottawa offense that's averaging 94.6 points per game on 49.7 percent shooting.
The Gee-Gee's high-powered offense should test an Indiana team that's prioritized getting stronger defensively during the offseason. With added post help—albeit young and new to Indiana—and an experienced group of guards, Crean expects Ottawa to reveal how much improvement Indiana has made so far on the defensive end.
"It starts with transition defense, because we have to get back and find the shooters," Crean said. "That prepares you for all the good teams that you face. Everyone that runs the floor for them (is skilled), they are a quick moving team, and the play off the pass far more than they play off the tribble. There are a couple of guys that will really penetrate and kick but they make the next pass like it is breathing. That, to me, is what we have got to get back and stop."
Crean said he hasn't yet decided on a starting lineup quite yet. As is his typical response when asked about lineups, Crean said who finishes is more important than who starts.
Considering tonight's game is still an exhibition matchup, Crean said some players will have their minutes limited and others will be experimented in unfamiliar situations. Without much time to evaluate working lineups, opponents like Ottawa give Indiana an opportunity for crucial self-evaluation.
"You want to see different players in different positions," assistant coach Rob Judson said. "We're a multi-position team. We like to have those interchangeable parts, so I think as these two games come up, you'll see a lot of different rotations, see a lot of different mix-and-match with different guys in different positions and then we have some versatile players. They can do some different things."
Fans got used to seeing Indiana play primarily with a three-guard lineup last season, but Crean said he's "not married to that lineup," instead joking that he's already married to his wife Joani. That could mean Indiana will experiment with three-forward lineups, three-guard lineups and anything in between based on matchups.
How those lineups will ultimately play out remains to be seen, but tonight's exhibition should help provide clarity.
Indiana has already played two intrasquad scrimmages in front of its home fans, but Tuesday will be the first time Indiana has played in a game-like environment against a true opponent as the season gets underway.
"I think as these two games come up you'll see a lot of different rotations," Judson said. "We have some versatile players that can do some different things. Coach Crean is excellent at the matchup game, seeing where different positions that we have good matchups in can be exploited. That's something that you want to work on in these exhibition games."
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