Indiana University Athletics
IU’s Freshmen Key Down The Stretch
3/8/2016 10:13:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - Tom Crean doesn't like calling Indiana's freshman class "freshmen." He says he doesn't think of them that way anymore.
Labeling them "freshmen" implies that age can be an excuse, a reason for poor play during the most critical part of the season. That hasn't been the case for Indiana's four first-year players—OG Anunoboy, Thomas Bryant, Juwan Morgan and Harrison Niego—who Crean said made a critical difference in elevating Indiana to its outright Big Ten Championship.
"All four of them have a great work ethic," Crean said. "I mean, it's not like they're having bad practices. They might have moments in practice, but they don't have bad practices. That's rare for freshmen. They spend a lot of time in the gym, they're close and because the seniors have accepted them in a good way over a period of time, they feel connected to it."
The emergence of Indiana's freshman class began at the turn of the calendar year and hasn't slowed down much in the time since. They've combined to play 920 minutes over the course of a 15-3 run through the Big Ten.
There was a point just last week during Indiana's conference-clinching win over Iowa where all four freshmen were on the floor together with senior guard Nick Zeisloft because juniors Collin Hartman and Troy Williams were in foul trouble. They watched from the bench as the freshmen worked to extend IU's lead before halftime.
"Man, we have relied on those guys," senior forward Max Bielfeldt said. "We ask a lot of them, but they've responded. We're not the team we are if they aren't here."
Just like Indiana as a whole, the four freshmen have gone through their share of individual struggles this season ranging from finding identities to injury. They've been asked to plow through them quicker than anticipated after sophomore guard James Blackmon Jr.'s season-ending injury and then another blow when sophomore guard Robert Johnson missed the final three games of the season.
But as the season has progressed, Bryant said the freshmen become more comfortable in their roles.
That comfort has translated into results.
"The key improvements just staying in the process," said Bryant, a unanimous selection for the Big Ten's All-Freshman team after averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. They've also taken pride in growing together as a class.
Friends off the court, Bryant joked that Anunoby needed a bigger Big Ten Championship hat to fit his head. Anunoby smirked.
"We just watch the upperclassmen and how they do it," the soft-spoken Anunoby said. "Then learning from our coaches, just learning from all of them."
Bryant's impact has been the least surprising. He came to Bloomington as a McDonald's All American and inherited the starting center position from the beginning. On the opposite end of the spectrum sits Niego, a walk-on, who has been asked to take up more minutes than anticipated as a result of IU's shrinking depth at guard.
Anunoby and Morgan have been the wildcards of the bunch, both having their own spurts of success mixed in between growing pains along the way. Crean and teammates have credited both of them in particular for helping turn around Indiana's defense midway through the season, which has significantly changed the Hoosiers' title outlook along the way.
"Those guys had success, and that makes your confidence skyrocket," Crean said. "When your teammates believe in you and you actually believe in yourself because you're getting it done, fatigue doesn't kick in as much."
It can't afford to. Not with the Hoosiers heading to Indianapolis Friday looking to add a Big Ten Tournament Championship alongside the regular season championship they've already claimed.
"We'll need those guys," Zeisloft said. "We try to keep getting better every day, obviously they do too. But this is a lot of the seniors' last games coming up, potentially their last games. They've got to make sure they're ready for that and understand the significance of them going into games that really matter big time to all these players."
Bryant said he doesn't need reminding.
He's got the same goals in mind.
"We're ready," Bryant said. "All of us."
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - Tom Crean doesn't like calling Indiana's freshman class "freshmen." He says he doesn't think of them that way anymore.
Labeling them "freshmen" implies that age can be an excuse, a reason for poor play during the most critical part of the season. That hasn't been the case for Indiana's four first-year players—OG Anunoboy, Thomas Bryant, Juwan Morgan and Harrison Niego—who Crean said made a critical difference in elevating Indiana to its outright Big Ten Championship.
"All four of them have a great work ethic," Crean said. "I mean, it's not like they're having bad practices. They might have moments in practice, but they don't have bad practices. That's rare for freshmen. They spend a lot of time in the gym, they're close and because the seniors have accepted them in a good way over a period of time, they feel connected to it."The emergence of Indiana's freshman class began at the turn of the calendar year and hasn't slowed down much in the time since. They've combined to play 920 minutes over the course of a 15-3 run through the Big Ten.
There was a point just last week during Indiana's conference-clinching win over Iowa where all four freshmen were on the floor together with senior guard Nick Zeisloft because juniors Collin Hartman and Troy Williams were in foul trouble. They watched from the bench as the freshmen worked to extend IU's lead before halftime.
"Man, we have relied on those guys," senior forward Max Bielfeldt said. "We ask a lot of them, but they've responded. We're not the team we are if they aren't here."
Just like Indiana as a whole, the four freshmen have gone through their share of individual struggles this season ranging from finding identities to injury. They've been asked to plow through them quicker than anticipated after sophomore guard James Blackmon Jr.'s season-ending injury and then another blow when sophomore guard Robert Johnson missed the final three games of the season.
But as the season has progressed, Bryant said the freshmen become more comfortable in their roles.
That comfort has translated into results.
"The key improvements just staying in the process," said Bryant, a unanimous selection for the Big Ten's All-Freshman team after averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. They've also taken pride in growing together as a class.
Friends off the court, Bryant joked that Anunoby needed a bigger Big Ten Championship hat to fit his head. Anunoby smirked.
"We just watch the upperclassmen and how they do it," the soft-spoken Anunoby said. "Then learning from our coaches, just learning from all of them."
Bryant's impact has been the least surprising. He came to Bloomington as a McDonald's All American and inherited the starting center position from the beginning. On the opposite end of the spectrum sits Niego, a walk-on, who has been asked to take up more minutes than anticipated as a result of IU's shrinking depth at guard.
Anunoby and Morgan have been the wildcards of the bunch, both having their own spurts of success mixed in between growing pains along the way. Crean and teammates have credited both of them in particular for helping turn around Indiana's defense midway through the season, which has significantly changed the Hoosiers' title outlook along the way.
"Those guys had success, and that makes your confidence skyrocket," Crean said. "When your teammates believe in you and you actually believe in yourself because you're getting it done, fatigue doesn't kick in as much."
It can't afford to. Not with the Hoosiers heading to Indianapolis Friday looking to add a Big Ten Tournament Championship alongside the regular season championship they've already claimed."We'll need those guys," Zeisloft said. "We try to keep getting better every day, obviously they do too. But this is a lot of the seniors' last games coming up, potentially their last games. They've got to make sure they're ready for that and understand the significance of them going into games that really matter big time to all these players."
Bryant said he doesn't need reminding.
He's got the same goals in mind.
"We're ready," Bryant said. "All of us."
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Center
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's BasketballFB: Nico Radicic - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Drew Evans - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Bray Lynch - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Spring Practice - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
Thursday, April 16