tom crean

Poll: Who is The Coach of the Year So Far?

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:31:15 -0800

Coach of the Year Candidates: The College Basketball List

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:19:37 -0800

Each week, CollegeHoops.net's Greg Mengelt presents a different College Basketball List. This week, Greg takes a look at the top candidates for Coach of the Year:

1. Steve Fisher, San Diego State: What Fisher done in San Diego is near miraculous, and until the Aztecs flounder down the stretch, he’s the clear National Coach of the Year. Most expect San Diego State to be NIT bound (at best) after losing Kwahi Leonard, D.J. Gay, Malcolm Thomas and Billy White and the 49 points and 24 rebounds per game that went with them. No one expected anything near last year's 34-3 record and run to the Sweet 16, yet, Fisher has the Aztecs at 18-2 overall and on top of the Mountain West again at 4-0.

2. Frank Haith, Missouri: Haith wasn’t the first choice of Missouri fans, but even the most strident skeptics can’t deny he’s had a great impact on the program. With only seven scholarship players available – and only two of them 6-8 or taller – Haith has the Tigers at 18-2 overall and 5-2 in the Big East and ranked second in the nation.

3. Steve Prohm, Murray State: Murray State was predicted to finish second in the Ohio Valley, but Prohm has led the Racers to only unbeaten mark in the nation through Jan. 26. And he’s done it after losing three starters from last year’s team. At 20-0, the first-year Murray State head coach has his team on the precipice of history.

4. Tom Crean, Indiana: Indiana was expected to make a huge leap forward after finishing last in the Big Ten in the past three years under Crean. But few expected the leap the Hoosiers have made. Under Crean’s direction, Indiana has knocked off No. 1 Kentucky and No. 2 Ohio State this season. The Hoosiers are ranked 17^th in the nation and, at 16-4 overall, are on the verge of making their first NCAA Tournament since 2008.

5. Fred Hoiberg, Iowa State: Of course, it helps that Royce White transferred from Minnesota, but the job The Mayor has done in his second season in Ames is undeniable. After a 16-16 mark in his first season, including 3-13 in the Big East, Hoiberg has the Cyclones at 14-6 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12. They have a great opportunity to make their first NCAA appearance since 2005.

6. Mick Cronin, Cincinnati: After home losses to Presbyterian and Marshall early in the season – then the brawl that got several Bearcats suspended – it looked like Cincinnati’s season was headed nowhere. Since the brawl, however, Cronin has guided Cincy to a 10-3 record and at 15-6 overall and 5-3 in the Big East, they’re back into the NCAA Tournament mix.

7. Ron Hunter, Georgia State: Hunter guided a fledgling IUPUI program to the NCAA Tournament in 2003. Now, he’s trying to do the same thing in Atlanta. The Panthers went 12-19 a year ago and the Panthers were predicted to finish ninth in the Colonial. Instead, Georgia State is 14-7 overall and 6-4 in the CAA under Hunter’s direction.

8. Bill Self, Kansas: Self probably won’t get the credit he deserves for merely keeping the Jayhawks on top of the Big 12 standings. But getting Kansas to the top of the league was a more difficult task than the last eight seasons. Despite returning on one starter and one valuable sub, the Jayhawks are ranked fifth in America at 17-3. At 7-0 in the conference, Kansas is vying for its ninth straight league crown under Self.

9. Tony Bennett, Virginia: Like Crean at Indiana, Bennett’s Cavaliers were expected to make a move in the right direction. And like the Hoosiers, Virginia has surpassed expectations. As of Jan. 26, the Cavs are 15-3 overall behind Bennett’s defensive philosophy. The 21^st-ranked Cavaliers have allowed 60-plus points just one time this season, and that was in a victory.

10. John Thompson III, Georgetown: The way the Hoyas finished the past two seasons with blowout losses in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, it was hard to know what to expect from Georgetown this season. With the losses of Austin Freeman, Chris Wright and Julian Vaughn, the Hoyas were expected to finish near the middle or back of the Big East pack. Instead, Thompson has No. 10 Georgetown at 16-3 overall and in second place in the conference at 6-2.

Others Worthy of Note: Larry Eustachy, Southern Miss; Bob Hoffman, Mercer; Steve Masiello, Manhattan; Scott Sutton, Oral Roberts; Tom Izzo, Michigan State; Gary Waters, Cleveland State; Dan Hurley, Wagner; Rick Majerus, Saint Louis; Derek Kellogg, UMass; Saul Phillips, North Dakota State; Kermit Davis, Middle Tennessee; David Carter, Nevada; Bruiser Flint, Drexel; Dan Monson, Long Beach State; Frank Martin, Kansas State; Kevin Willard, Seton Hall; Wayne Tinkle, Montana; Bryce Drew, Valparaiso; Mike Anderson, Arkansas.

Poll: Vote On Your Coach of the Year So Far

Indiana Hoosiers: #1 Seed Not Out of the Question

Greg Mengelt — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:18:59 -0800

In back-to-back late November wins over two-time national runner-up Butler and on the road at North Carolina State, Indiana showed that – unlike the last three years – it is no longer going to be a pushover.

In December victories over No. 1 Kentucky and No. 2 Ohio State, the Hoosiers proved they are capable of beating any team in the nation on their home court.

Sunday’s 88-82 victory over Penn State was another milestone. The Nittany Lions will never be confused with a Big Ten powerhouse (although they were coming off a 20-point mid-week win over Indiana rival, Purdue), but any conference road win for the Hoosier is a big deal.

In the past four years prior to the Penn State triumph, Indiana had one win (and 27 losses) in Big Ten road games under Tom Crean.

“It’s always tough to win on the road in the Big Ten,” said junior point guard Jordy Hulls, who had a game-high 28 points in Sunday’s victory. “It’s definitely a big accomplishment for us.”

What makes the victory relevant is this: if the Hoosier can defend their home court – and they have proven they can, against even the nation’s top teams – and beat the bottom of the Big Ten on the road, they will finish with 25-26 regular-season wins. That should be good enough for a second or third seed in the NCAA Tournament.

For a program desperate to return to the post-season for the first time since 2008, that would be quite an accomplishment.

The next step for Indiana is to beat good Big Ten teams on the road. It will have to do so in order to contend for their 21^st Big Ten championship and to earn a possible No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

On Thursday, Indiana hosts Minnesota, which is 0-4 in the Big Ten, before going to Columbus for another bout vs. the No. 5 Buckeyes.

Crean knows winning Big Ten road games won’t be easy.

“This is a tough league,” Crean said. “It’s the No. 1 league in the country for a reason. In this league, you’re going to be tested every night.”

On Sunday, 64 of Indiana’s 88 points were scored by underclassmen. Nearly 82 percent of this year’s Hoosiers’ points have been scored by players who will presumably return next season. Add to that the potential return of a healthy Maurice Creek and one of the top recruiting classes in America, and it won’t be long until Indiana returns to the Indiana of old.

In the meantime, Hoosier fans have something for be really excited about for the first time in a long, long time.

Indiana Basketball Preview: #109

Joel Welser — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:22:10 -0700

Overall Rank: #109

Conference Rank: #10 Big Ten

2008-09: 6-25, 1-17

2008-09 postseason: none

Coach: Tom Crean (6-25 at Indiana, 196-121 overall)

Nobody can blame Indiana for winning just six games last year and Coach Tom Crean deserves some credit for getting anything out of his ragtag group of Hoosiers. Last year’s recruiting class was pretty good and they did a solid job and will continue to improve, but every one of the returning players will be pushed by this year’s recruiting class that is one of the best in the nation.

Key Losses: G Malik Story, F Kyle Taber

Key Newcomers:

When there are so many starting jobs up for grabs, every newcomer is key. Jordan Hulls could immediately start running the point and Maurice Creek is one of the top shooting guards in this class. Those two alone would make any class look good, but it gets better. Forwards Christian Watford and Derek Elston could both be starting from day one, or will at least need to contribute some major minutes. Fellow big men Bobby Capobianco and Bawa Muniru are not quite as highly regarded as the other four players, but they would be the highlight of most other classes.

Backcourt:

The odd thing is the fact that the Hoosiers return most of their players so it will be very interesting to see how it all shakes out when it comes down to who plays how many minutes. Devan Dumes turned into a quality shooter and scorer and led the team with 12.7 points per game. It is even possible that the senior will eventually lose his starting gig. But starting or not, Dumes has been around the block a few times and is one of the few seniors on this team and that will make him a valuable asset. Matt Roth could be a decent sharp shooter off the bench, much like he was last year, but again the newcomers could drastically cut into his playing time.

Frontcourt:

The incoming players will dominate the frontcourt, but Tom Pritchard will not give up his starting job without a fight. The 6-9 sophomore tallied 9.7 points and a team high 6.4 rebounds last season and got noticeably better as the season progressed. He was even the team’s best shot blocker, although that will almost certainly not be the case again in 2009-2010. Some players like senior Tijan Jobe might play a role this year as well. Jobe averaged less than five minutes per game last year, but if the newcomers need more time than expected to adjust to life in the Big Ten, players like Jobe will play a role early in the campaign.

Who to Watch:

There will be interesting battles for playing time all over the floor for IU, but perhaps none are more intriguing than at the point. Jeremiah Rivers is eligible after transferring in from Georgetown and his experience is a huge plus for this young team. Verdell Jones III started last year and dished out 3.6 assists per game and added 11.0 points, so he is a viable candidate for minutes. And then arguably the team’s best recruit is a point guard.

Final Projection:

Indiana will be better this year, much better, but expectations still need to be kept under control. The Hoosiers will not suddenly be the Hoosiers of old because of one good recruiting class. Coach Crean is doing all the right things, but it will take time before IU is back on the national radar and ready to compete for an NCAA berth. For now, any postseason berth should be considered a success.

Projected Post-season Tournament: CBI/CIT

Projected Starting Five:

Jeremiah Rivers, Junior, Guard, DNP last season

Devan Dumes, Senior, Guard, 12.7 points per game

Maurice Creek, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season

Derek Elston, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

Tom Pritchard, Sophomore, Forward, 9.7 points per game

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Preview Interviews

The Top 10 Reasons Indiana Stinks

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:28:12 -0800

We all know by now how Indiana was ravaged in the off-season due to NBA departures (Gordon), graduation (White), and the mess left by Captain Crooked (Sampson). Thus everyone expected Indiana to struggle.. but the Hoosiers might actually be even worse than originally thought. They’re not just bad, they’re on the verge of being all-time, Oregon State, NJIT, Savannah State, Washington Generals, bad..

Here are The Top 10 Signs Indiana Stinks

10. This guy* was their starting point guard for half the season:

*This little munchkin of a feller is Daniel Moore.

9. The administration is considering re-hiring Kelvin Sampson to illegally recruit better kids.

8. If Sampson can’t be rehired, the AD’s next plan is to lure Aubrey Coleman to IU next year, so he can do some head stomping on opposing Big Ten players.

7. The Hoosiers best player is white.**

**Tom Pritchard (12.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg)

6. This gal*** dominates the boys in intra-squad scrimmages.

***I don’t know who this is. But she apparently plays varsity basketball. Which is why I don’t watch women’s basketball. (Edit: As discovered in the comments section below, it turns out her name is Jodi Davis.. and she's apparently pretty solid, averaging 11 ppg for the 14-4 Hoosier. And she's just a sophomore.)

5. The coaching staff is getting its advice from the Dallas Academy girl’s coach.****

****Dallas Academy lost 100-0 last week.

4. Indiana’s hired the Boom Goes the Dynamite guy to give half-time speeches.

3. To help his team get in better shape and lose more weight, Tom Crean has decided that players must practice in Snuggies for the rest of the season.

2. The next time Isiah Thomas OD’s, he vowed to blame it on Tom Crean instead of his daughter.

1. They lost to Northwestern.

- It goes without saying, this is all in good fun. I want Indiana to succeed as much as anybody. College basketball's just not the same when the Hoosiers are struggling. Hopefully they turn it around soon.

Big Picture: Indiana's New Era

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:25:32 -0800

Today's BIG PICTURE

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, CHN has access to thousands of great college basketball photos. Each day during the season, CHN will feature a Picture of the Day, which might include a newsworthy, funny, or simply interesting subject. At the bottom will be a caption or headline that might be informative or amusing. The possibilities are endless! During the off-season, we'll publish scattered favorites that were missed during the year.

INDIANA: NEW ERA

A new era of Indiana basketball began this weekend, as the Hoosiers triumphed over Northwestern State. Verdell Jones (18 points) was a big reason why.

- Check out recent BIG Pictures!

- Also check out the Cheerleader of the Day!

- Watch all of CHN's favorite College Basketball Videos!