Indiana University Athletics
Niego Shines, Breaks Chair In IU Win
12/10/2015 8:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - As Harrison Niego walked onto Branch McCracken Court for warmups, he bumped fists with Matt Englert, Indiana's DJ Unique, and offered one of his usual upbeat maxims.
"No prisoners," Niego said only a few hours removed from taking a final exam that forced him to leave Indiana's pregame meal early.
As it would turn out, Niego held true to his word.
The freshman walk-on finished the night without taking a shot in his career-high 12 minutes of work but finished with a plus/minus of +10. He grabbed a career-best four rebounds and dished out a lone assist in Indiana's 90-65 win over IPFW.
"Coach told him to keep ready," junior forward Troy Williams said. "As you could see, he stayed ready."
Niego's minutes were extended in length and magnitude after sophomore guards James Blackmon Jr. and Robert Johnson got into early foul trouble. Without much notice, Indiana head coach Tom Crean called for Niego to take over at point guard with just under eight minutes left in the opening half and Indiana ahead by just five points.
By the time he checked out a little more than five minutes later, Niego had helped the Hoosiers pull ahead by 12.
"I didn't second guess myself. That's just how I played," Niego said. "I didn't hesitate. Play hard, that's what I need to do day in, day out. That's how I will impact the game and help impact this team."
It was the little things Niego did that made a difference. Whether it be taking care of the ball—he didn't commit a single turnover—or just playing fundamental defense, Niego managed to effect the game wherever he was on the floor.
Crean wasn't surprised with Niego's play, either. He said he played with confidence on both ends of the floor, giving the Hoosiers exactly what they needed without many options to turn to.
"He's got a lot to give," Crean said. "I thought he came in and played to his personality. He really made our team better tonight."
One of Niego's more acrobatic plays of the night ended with some property damage and a round of applause from the Assembly Hall crowd.
Midway through the second half, Niego chased a ball out of bounds and barreled over one of the chairs making up the IPFW bench. As a manager tried to pick the chair up and put it back into place, he realized the back was bent beyond repair.
"You know what, that's kind of just the passion I play with," Niego said of his dive into the bench. "It just comes naturally to me."
Before leaving his press conference—during which he spoke by himself at the podium in the basketball press room—Niego apologized for breaking the chair he jumped into. The sincerity in his voice drew laughs out of the media as he stepped off the elevated stage.
There wasn't much need for an apology. Nobody on either bench seemed to mind.
And like Niego said more than three hours earlier, "no prisoners."
Not even the IPFW bench.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - As Harrison Niego walked onto Branch McCracken Court for warmups, he bumped fists with Matt Englert, Indiana's DJ Unique, and offered one of his usual upbeat maxims.
"No prisoners," Niego said only a few hours removed from taking a final exam that forced him to leave Indiana's pregame meal early.
As it would turn out, Niego held true to his word.
The freshman walk-on finished the night without taking a shot in his career-high 12 minutes of work but finished with a plus/minus of +10. He grabbed a career-best four rebounds and dished out a lone assist in Indiana's 90-65 win over IPFW.
"Coach told him to keep ready," junior forward Troy Williams said. "As you could see, he stayed ready."
Niego's minutes were extended in length and magnitude after sophomore guards James Blackmon Jr. and Robert Johnson got into early foul trouble. Without much notice, Indiana head coach Tom Crean called for Niego to take over at point guard with just under eight minutes left in the opening half and Indiana ahead by just five points.
By the time he checked out a little more than five minutes later, Niego had helped the Hoosiers pull ahead by 12.
"I didn't second guess myself. That's just how I played," Niego said. "I didn't hesitate. Play hard, that's what I need to do day in, day out. That's how I will impact the game and help impact this team."
It was the little things Niego did that made a difference. Whether it be taking care of the ball—he didn't commit a single turnover—or just playing fundamental defense, Niego managed to effect the game wherever he was on the floor.
Crean wasn't surprised with Niego's play, either. He said he played with confidence on both ends of the floor, giving the Hoosiers exactly what they needed without many options to turn to.
"He's got a lot to give," Crean said. "I thought he came in and played to his personality. He really made our team better tonight."
One of Niego's more acrobatic plays of the night ended with some property damage and a round of applause from the Assembly Hall crowd.
Midway through the second half, Niego chased a ball out of bounds and barreled over one of the chairs making up the IPFW bench. As a manager tried to pick the chair up and put it back into place, he realized the back was bent beyond repair.
"You know what, that's kind of just the passion I play with," Niego said of his dive into the bench. "It just comes naturally to me."
Before leaving his press conference—during which he spoke by himself at the podium in the basketball press room—Niego apologized for breaking the chair he jumped into. The sincerity in his voice drew laughs out of the media as he stepped off the elevated stage.
There wasn't much need for an apology. Nobody on either bench seemed to mind.
And like Niego said more than three hours earlier, "no prisoners."
Not even the IPFW bench.
Players Mentioned
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