Expectations are higher than they haven been in many years in Bloomington. The Hoosiers that have come back to play another year to play for Tom Crean, are combining with this highly touted freshman recruiting class in hopes of bringing IU basketball back to the days of old.
Indiana has plenty of depth across the board with 17 players on the 2012-13 roster. Two incoming freshmen, Peter Jurkin (Juba, Sudan/United Faith Christian Academy) and Hanner Mosquera-Perea (Istmina, Columbia/LaPort La Lumiere) have been suspended nine games by the NCAA for receiving improper benefits from an AAU coach Mark Adams while in high school, the Indiana University announced on Tuesday. Indiana is looking to appeal the amount of games that Jurkin and Perea will be suspended.
It's honestly looking like an 11 man rotation that the Hoosiers will run with and more than likely, they'll throw a couple more than that into their mix as the season progresses. Seniors Jordan Hulls (11.7 pts, 2.5 reb) and Victor Oladipo (10.8 pts, 5.3 reb) will join freshman phenom Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell to make up the three-guard lineup that Crean will start on the floor. Senior Christian Watford (12.6 pts, 5.8 reb) and sophomore Cody Zeller (15.6 pts, 6.6 reb) will form the post duo down low for IU.
Indiana's bench looks to be a big part of Crean's plan this winter. Will Sheehey (junior), Maurice Creek (junior), Derek Elston (senior), Remy Abell (sophomore), Jeremy Hollowell (freshman) and Austin Etherington (sophomore) all looks to be keys parts of the Hoosiers off the bench.
The Hoosiers have a lot of confidence, as they should, with the seasoned veterans that are back, as well as the new players to the program. They're the pre-season #1 ranked team in the country and are seeking the school's first national championship since 1987. Indiana surprised a lot of people when they advanced to the 2002 National Championship game before bowing out to Maryland under former head coach Mike Davis.
Expectations are one thing for the Hoosiers, living up to them is another and we'll see that throughout the season.
Last night, IU got their regular season schedule started vs. Bryant University at Assembly Hall in Bloomington. They found themselves down 15-14 early in the first half, but quickly climbed in front for good and went on to cruise to a 97-54 victory. Christian Watford (15 pts, 15 boards) and Cody Zeller (18 points, 10 rebounds) paced the Hoosiers, while Remy Abell and Jeremy Hollowell added 12 with Kevin Ferrell and Will Sheehey chipped in 10 points a piece.
Projected starting lineup:
F 2 Christian Watford SR (Birmingham, AL/Shades Valley)
F 40 Cody Zeller SO (Washington, IN/Washington)
G 1 Jordan Hulls SR (Bloomington, IN/South)
G 11 Kevin Ferrell FR (Indianapolis, IN/Park Tudor)
G 4 Victor Oladipo JR (Upper Marlboro, MD/DeMatha)
Off the Hoosiers bench...
G/F 0 Will Sheehey JR (Stuart, FL/Sagemont)
F 3 Maurice Creek JR (Oxon Hill, MD/Hargrave Military Academy)
G 23 Remy Abell SO (Louisville, KY/Eastern)
F 32 Derek Elston SR (Tipton, IN/Tipton)
F 33 Jeremy Hollowell FR (Indianapolis, IN/Lawrence Central)
C 12 Hanner Mosquera-Perea FR (Istmina, Columbia/LaPorte La Lumiere)
F 13 Austin Etherington SO (Cicero, IN/Hamilton Heights)
G 10 Jonny Marlin SO (Greenwood, IN/Center Grove/IPFW)
F 24 Jeff Howard JR (Westfield, IN/Westfield)
C 42 Peter Jurkin FR (Juba, Sudan/United Faith Christian Academy)
G 15 Raphael Smith RS SO (South Bend, IN/Riley)
G 20 Taylor Wayer JR (Indianapolis, IN/Bishop Chatard)
Key games in 2012-13:
Friday 11/9 Bryant Won, 97-54
Monday 11/19 Georgia (Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY) 5:30pm ESPNU
Tuesday 11/20 UCLA/Georgetown (Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY) 7:30 or 10pm ESPN/ESPNU
Sunday 11/25 Ball State 6pm Big Ten Network
Tuesday 11/27 North Carolina (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) 9:30pm ESPN
Saturday 12/15 Butler (at Banker's Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis: Boston Scientific Close the Gap Crossroads Classic) 2pm CBS
Tuesday 1/15 Wisconson 9pm ESPN
Sunday 1/27 Michigan State 1pm CBS
Wednesday 1/30 at Purdue 8:30 Big Ten Network
Saturday 2/2 Michigan (College Gameday at Assembly Hall) 9pm ESPN
Sunday 2/10 at Ohio State 1pm CBS
Saturday 2/16 Purdue 2pm ESPN2
Tuesday 2/19 at Michigan State 7pm ESPN
Tuesday 3/5 Ohio State 9pm ESPN
Sunday 3/10 at Michigan TBA TBA
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