Indiana University Athletics
Inside IU Basketball With Tom Crean Highlights
12/26/2016 9:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - Indiana head coach Tom Crean got the opening week of Big Ten play started on Monday with his weekly radio show - Inside IU Basketball with Tom Crean presented by Royal Eastside at the Holiday Inn Bloomington. He discussed a wide range of topics as the Hoosiers prepare to open conference action on Wednesday at home against Nebraska (6:30 p.m. BTN).
Below is a partial transcript of the show:
On the strength of the Big Ten heading into conference play:
"I don't have a real handicap on it because I haven't seen everybody play. But there's no question, when you look at the records and the numbers and things like that, it is an outstanding league. It always is. I did watch some of the Rutgers-Seton Hall game on the 23rd and that was my first chance to see Rutgers. But teams play extremely hard in this league and there is such good coaching. I never get too far ahead, mentally, on where we are at. As you get into the game, you try to be an expert on that team you are getting ready for.
"Now as you start to get into the Big Ten, you start to see more two teams at a time so you can take your notes that way. The league is fantastic and we are going to have to continue to improve because it's obvious that other teams are."
On playing teams in the conference that you are familiar with and how that changes scouting:
"It doesn't really change it a whole lot. We will look back and what worked and what didn't work and what adjustments we made. There is always some of that. But we show very little film of the year before to the team, unless it is really important. We might with this year's team. But we, as coaches, watch it and take notes off of it, make the video edits for us and then we determine if the players are going to need to see that part. But you really want to keep the players in the current, especially when you have so many new guys and make sure they are seeing what that team is doing now, because every team changes."
On what kind of challenges Nebraska presents:
"They are very good off the dribble. They are a different team than what they have been the past couple years. They are really, really attacking off the dribble with Glynn Watson and Tai Webster. They can move the ball, there's no doubt about that. I think their ball movement is excellent and they drive to get fouled. We have to have great awareness and we have to give that cushion, defensively, not just because of how the rules are but because these guys are very adept at creating contact. They are physical inside – Michael Jacobson and Ed Morrow – those guys are doing an excellent job of playing with physicality. They probably spend 70-80 percent of the game in ball-screens. I don't know the exact percentage but it is very, very high. We have to do an excellent job in out ball-screen coverage and our weak side defense. They are really doing a good job of keeping the game moving."
On opening the conference season at home:
"There's no question that home game in conference play are important. That's why we need tremendous energy in there and we need to do our part with the way that we play and we are. We need to make it an exciting atmosphere from start to finish. We want people to have fun and get in there and enjoy it and not hold anything back. We are trying to play on the attack and we want the fans to feel the same way."
Looking ahead to the Louisville game in Indianapolis on Saturday:
"We are excited about that. And with the holiday break and the way you can travel with a computer and watch film, that's what we have done over the last couple of days. It was a good couple of days to jump ahead into both Nebraska and Louisville, and then put all the focus and attention on Nebraska now.
"But Louisville is outstanding. They are outstanding. They are playing with great speed. They are certainly one of the bigger teams in the country. They block a lot of shots. They play very physical. They are extremely well coached, that's obvious because they always are. We are going to have to really, really deal with their pressure. We have to be great on the glass and we are going to have to be really good at not only taking care of the ball but creating open shots. I think the shot blocking and the size of Louisville will be different than anything the guys have seen, including Kansas and North Carolina, when it comes to the overall size. Those were outstanding teams obviously – Kansas and North Carolina – and big teams, but when it comes to the length and the size and the shot blocking ability, that's what we will really see from Louisville. It's just and important week, as every week is, to keep getting better and better.
One thing I love about this team, and what I loved about last year's team, is that you really couldn't tell a difference in the preparation. They might know the Carolina guys by name better or the Kansas guys by name better, but they know what they are doing. They are locking in to getting ready for the games. They are locking in to their personnel and what we want to exploit and take away and what they want to exploit. And then the practice drills and things like that, because every game gives you something different, but you have your base and you also have to make sure that you understand that team. And I have been very proud of the way this team has worked at that."
Below is a partial transcript of the show:
On the strength of the Big Ten heading into conference play:
"I don't have a real handicap on it because I haven't seen everybody play. But there's no question, when you look at the records and the numbers and things like that, it is an outstanding league. It always is. I did watch some of the Rutgers-Seton Hall game on the 23rd and that was my first chance to see Rutgers. But teams play extremely hard in this league and there is such good coaching. I never get too far ahead, mentally, on where we are at. As you get into the game, you try to be an expert on that team you are getting ready for.
"Now as you start to get into the Big Ten, you start to see more two teams at a time so you can take your notes that way. The league is fantastic and we are going to have to continue to improve because it's obvious that other teams are."
On playing teams in the conference that you are familiar with and how that changes scouting:
"It doesn't really change it a whole lot. We will look back and what worked and what didn't work and what adjustments we made. There is always some of that. But we show very little film of the year before to the team, unless it is really important. We might with this year's team. But we, as coaches, watch it and take notes off of it, make the video edits for us and then we determine if the players are going to need to see that part. But you really want to keep the players in the current, especially when you have so many new guys and make sure they are seeing what that team is doing now, because every team changes."
On what kind of challenges Nebraska presents:
"They are very good off the dribble. They are a different team than what they have been the past couple years. They are really, really attacking off the dribble with Glynn Watson and Tai Webster. They can move the ball, there's no doubt about that. I think their ball movement is excellent and they drive to get fouled. We have to have great awareness and we have to give that cushion, defensively, not just because of how the rules are but because these guys are very adept at creating contact. They are physical inside – Michael Jacobson and Ed Morrow – those guys are doing an excellent job of playing with physicality. They probably spend 70-80 percent of the game in ball-screens. I don't know the exact percentage but it is very, very high. We have to do an excellent job in out ball-screen coverage and our weak side defense. They are really doing a good job of keeping the game moving."
On opening the conference season at home:
"There's no question that home game in conference play are important. That's why we need tremendous energy in there and we need to do our part with the way that we play and we are. We need to make it an exciting atmosphere from start to finish. We want people to have fun and get in there and enjoy it and not hold anything back. We are trying to play on the attack and we want the fans to feel the same way."
Looking ahead to the Louisville game in Indianapolis on Saturday:
"We are excited about that. And with the holiday break and the way you can travel with a computer and watch film, that's what we have done over the last couple of days. It was a good couple of days to jump ahead into both Nebraska and Louisville, and then put all the focus and attention on Nebraska now.
"But Louisville is outstanding. They are outstanding. They are playing with great speed. They are certainly one of the bigger teams in the country. They block a lot of shots. They play very physical. They are extremely well coached, that's obvious because they always are. We are going to have to really, really deal with their pressure. We have to be great on the glass and we are going to have to be really good at not only taking care of the ball but creating open shots. I think the shot blocking and the size of Louisville will be different than anything the guys have seen, including Kansas and North Carolina, when it comes to the overall size. Those were outstanding teams obviously – Kansas and North Carolina – and big teams, but when it comes to the length and the size and the shot blocking ability, that's what we will really see from Louisville. It's just and important week, as every week is, to keep getting better and better.
One thing I love about this team, and what I loved about last year's team, is that you really couldn't tell a difference in the preparation. They might know the Carolina guys by name better or the Kansas guys by name better, but they know what they are doing. They are locking in to getting ready for the games. They are locking in to their personnel and what we want to exploit and take away and what they want to exploit. And then the practice drills and things like that, because every game gives you something different, but you have your base and you also have to make sure that you understand that team. And I have been very proud of the way this team has worked at that."
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