PREVIEW: 2016-17 Season Opener vs. Kansas in Armed Forces Classic

Friday, November 11

Honolulu, HI

9:50 PM ET

Indiana University

Kansas

PREVIEW: 2016-17 Season Opener vs. Kansas in Armed Forces Classic

11/8/2016 5:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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OPENING TIP
• Indiana University begins its 117th season of men's basketball and the defending Big Ten Champions will begin the season ranked 12th in the USA Today Coaches Poll and 11th in the Associated Press Preseason poll. IU finished ninth in the country a season ago - the second time in four years the Hoosiers finished the year ranked in the top ten.

#11/12 Indiana vs. #2/3 Kansas
Location	Honolulu, Hawaii
Venue	Stan Sheriff Center (University of Hawaii)
Tipoff	9:00 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN & WatchESPN (Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas, Andy Katz)
Radio	IU Radio Network (Greg Murray & Errek Suhr)
Live Stats	StatBroadcast

UP NEXT
• The Hoosiers will host UMass-Lowell on November 16 as part of the Indiana Classic.

HEAD COACH TOM CREAN
• Tom Crean, the 2016 Big Ten Coach of the Year, begins his ninth year of leading the Hoosiers. Over the last five years, IU is 120-53 and leads the Big Ten with 23 regular season wins over ranked opponents during that time. IU is nationally ranked for the sixth straight season. Eight players in his first six recruiting classes have scored 1,000 points in their career under Crean at Indiana. Yogi Ferrell (1,986), Christian Watford (1,730), Verdell Jones III (1,347), Jordan Hulls (1,318), Cody Zeller (1,157), Will Sheehey (1,120), Victor Oladipo (1,117) and Troy Williams (1,115) also have scored 1,000 points or more. From the Class of 2014, James Blackmon, Jr., is the next closest Hoosier to approach the mark. He has scored 714 points in a season and a half. Three players, Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell (2016), Cody Zeller (2013) and Victor Oladipo (2013) have been selected as All-Americans. In addition, Oladipo earned two National Player of the Year honors and was named National Defensive Player of the Year. IU won the 2013 and 2016 Big Ten titles outright. Last year's outright title is the team's second in a four year period with the last time that happened at IU coming in 1980, 81 and 83. The Hoosiers are now tied for the Big Ten lead in overall championships (22) and outright titles (13).

THE SERIES
• This will be the 14th meeting between two of the most prominent programs in college basketball, but first since 1995. Indiana leads 7-6.

DID YOU KNOW
• The Jayhawks (#2/#3) will be the highest ranked team the Hoosiers have played in an season opener since IU defeated #2 UCLA, 84-64, to begin the last undefeated season in the history of college basketball in November 1975, in St. Louis.

• IU defeated Kansas twice in the NCAA Championship game. The Hoosiers won in 1940, 60-42, and in 1953, 69-68. Both games were played in Kansas City.

• Both teams were in the Maui Classic last season. This will be the Hoosiers first game in Honolulu since playing in the Rainbow Classic in December 1980.

• In the last five seasons, IU has had the most potent offense in the Big Ten leading in points scored (77.7), field goal percentage (47.8), and 3-point field goal percentage (40.2). The Hoosiers lead all major conference schools in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage during that same time frame.

• Four former Crean-coached Hoosiers were on opening day NBA rosters including Cody Zeller (Charlotte), Victor Oladipo (Oklahoma City), Noah Vonleh (Portland) and Troy Williams (Memphis). Three of his former players at Marquette also are active including Dwyane Wade (Chicago), Steve Novak (Milwaukee) and Wes Matthews (Dallas). Oladipo just signed a 4-year, $84 million extension and Zeller got 4-years and $56 million.

• IU assistant coach Rob Judson was on Bill Self's first Illinois staff in 2000-01.

• The Hoosiers have three former head coaches on their coaching staff this season (Buckley, Martin, Judson). Associate Head Coach Tim Buckley begins his ninth year at Indiana. The former head coach at Ball State. His Cardinals beat No. 3 Kansas and No. 4 UCLA at the 2001 Maui Classic. Assistant Coach Chuck Martin is in his third year with the Hoosiers and was the head coach at Marist (2008-13). Assistant Coach Rob Judson is in his second year as an assistant coach after serving as Director of Operations in early 2014. He was the head coach at Northern Illinois (2001-07) and won the MAC West title in 2006.

IU INSIGHT
• The State Farm Armed Forces Classic brings premier college basketball games to our nation's troops, wherever they are stationed around the world. This will be the fifth edition of the event and first featuring four teams, #11 Arizona, #12 Indiana, #2 Kansas and #9 Michigan State. The State Farm Armed Forces Classic rotates among military bases throughout the world. Partnering with the U.S. Department of Defense and each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, and building off of ESPN's Veteran's Week.

• In other non-conference play, the Hoosiers will take on No. 6 North Carolina at home in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Hoosiers will face Butler, ranked No. 19 by Kenpom, in the 6th Annual Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis on December 17. Two weeks later, the Hoosiers and No. 14 Louisville will start at three-year series with a game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on New Years Eve.

• Since 2011, the Hoosiers have averaged 24 wins per season compared to 20 averaged at IU from 1995-2008

• Last year, the Hoosiers were 3rd in the country in field goal percentage (50.2), 5th in 3-point field goal percentage (41.6), 7th in total 3-point field goals (345), 11th in scoring (82.6), 12th in scoring margin (12.7), and 19th in assists (560). Their 345 3-point field goals also established a new school record and Big Ten record.

• The 2015-16 Hoosiers were just one of three teams in the last 20 years in college basketball to average more than 80 points, shoot better than 50 percent from the field and 41 percent from 3-point range. The others are the 2001-02 Kansas Jayhawks and the 2000-01 Stanford Cardinal.
• Sophomore center Thomas Bryant was named Preseason All-American by Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook (first team) and NBCSports.com (second team). He averaged 14.4 points and 5.5 rebounds in postseason play. Had 19 points, five rebounds and two steals against Kentucky. He led the Big Ten in field goal percentage. He also was named Preseason All-Big Ten and is on the Kareem Abdul Jabbar Watch List (Top Center).

• Junior guard James Blackmon Jr. has the second highest career average (15.7) of any player who has played for Crean at Indiana (Zeller, 16.1). When he went down prior to the start of Big Ten play, he was averaging 15.8 points and was shooting 46.3 percent from 3-point range. He had a career-high 33 points against Alcorn State as a sophomore. He was named Preseason All-Big Ten and is on the Jerry West Award watch list.

• Junior guard Robert Johnson is the most experienced Hoosier, having started 55 career games. Despite the ankle injury, Johnson made 5-of-7 field goals and 3-of-4 3-pointers in 34 minutes of action against Chattanooga and Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament. He also had six assists with no turnovers against Chattanooga. He shot 44.7 percent from 3-point range and is shooting 41.5 percent from long distance during his career at IU.

• Senior forward Collin Hartman will begin rehab for his knee immediately. Over the last two seasons, he has averaged 4.9 points and has shot 40.8 percent from 3-point range. He played three games in the NCAA Tournament with a fractured wrist and averaged 5.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 rebounds.

• Sophomore forward OG Anunoby saw his playing time increase as conference play began. He averaged 5.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and shot 53.3 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from 3-point range in Big Ten play. In the NCAA Tournament he tied for the team lead in blocked shots (3) and offensive rebounds (5) and made 10 of his 15 field goal attempts (66.7). He was named third-team Preseason All-American by The Sporting News and is on the Julius Erving Award watch list.

• Junior guard Josh Newkirk is eligible after sitting out a season following his transfer from Pittsburgh. With the Panthers, he averaged 5.9 points and 2.7 assists as a sophomore. In his career, he had 154 assists and 77 turnovers. He scored 16 points against Indiana in the 2014 Big Ten ACC Challenge.

• Sophomore forward Juwan Morgan came on in the last nine games of the season despite the shoulder issues. He made four of seven 3-pointers during that time frame and averaged 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds down the stretch for the Hoosiers.

• Junior forward Tim Priller begins his third season with the Hoosiers and walk-on Quentin Taylor also is back from last year's Big Ten title squad.

• Junior Freddie McSwain, Jr. is a Georgia native who comes to IU after averaging 14.0 points and 8.4 rebounds at Neosho County Community College. He is a tremendous athlete at 6-6, 215.

• Freshman De'Ron Davis was Mr. Basketball in Colorado and was one of the most coveted power forwards in the county. He led his team to back-to-back state championships at Overland High School in Aurora, Colorado.

• Freshman guard Curtis Jones is a Virginia native and a Boo Williams AAU product. He played with Thomas Bryant at Huntington Prep. IU fans got to see him up close in the Derby Classic when he scored 25 points.

• Freshman guard Devonte Green is another big-bodied guard who was the Long Island Player of the Year as a senior when averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.7 steals as a senior and shot 42 percent from behind the 3-point line

• Freshman guard Grant Gelon, a graduate of Crown Point High School, will be counted on to stretch the floor with his shooting range. He averaged 14.5 points and shot 41.8% from long distance as a senior. He was an Indiana All-Star.

• Redshirt sophomore Zach McRoberts is a former Indiana All-Star from Carmel and comes to IU after averaging 4.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game as a freshman in 14-15 at Vermont. He attended IU as a student last year and is a non-scholarship player.

• Sophomore Johnny Jager is a Bloomington native who played his freshman year at Wabash. An Indiana All-Star from South High School, the same school where Jordan Hulls played, he averaged 15.0 points and 5.5 assists. He also is a non-scholarship player.

• Four former Crean-coached Hoosiers were on opening day NBA rosters including Cody Zeller (Charlotte), Victor Oladipo (Oklahoma City), Noah Vonleh (Portland) and Troy Williams (Memphis). Three of his former players at Marquette also are active including Dwyane Wade (Chicago), Steve Novak (Milwaukee) and Wes Matthews (Dallas). IU's Eric Gordon (Houston) also is still playing. Former Hoosiers Christian Watford and Nick Zeisloft will play for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League. Yogi Ferrell is with the Long Island Nets and Will Sheehey will play with the Raptors 905 in Toronto. Jordan Hulls is playing overseas in Germany.

During the last two years, the Hoosiers have averaged 9.6 three-point field goals per game, the most of any major college program. Villanova is second at 8.9.