Indiana Hoosier v. Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs (preview).
by John M (The Crimson Quarry) on Nov 21, 2011 9:30 AM EST
in Indiana Hoosiers Basketball
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PrintGardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs
Current record: 2-2
2010-11 record: 11-21 (6-12 Big South)
2010-11 RPI: 262
2010-11 Sagarin: 256
2010-11 Pomeroy: 270
Pomeroy scouting report
Series: first meeting
TV: 6:30 tonight, BTN
Blog: n/a
IU has done everything that could have been expected to date. The Hoosiers have not played an overwhelming schedule by any means, but have won every game comfortably, including a game at Evansville. A trip to Evansville won't soon be mistaken for a trip to Lexington or Columbus, but in a setting where the defending NCAA runner-up had failed a few days earlier, IU dominated. IU's offensive stats, in particular, have been excellent to date. Even adjusting for a relatively weak schedule, IU ranked #12 in Pomeroy's adjusted offensive efficiency, #3 nationally with an effective field goal percentage of 63.8, #12 nationally with a three point percentage of 47.5, #8 with a two point shooting percentage of 60.9, #59 with a free throw percentage of 74. IU's turnover percentage is not great but is better (18.5, good enough for #71 nationally), but perhaps more importantly, IU is forcing turnovers on over 25 percent of its opponents' possessions. Point guard play will remain a limitation for this team, but I'll be happy if we remain comfortably in the black.
After tonight's home game against Gardner-Webb, the meat of the non-conference schedule awaits: IU faces Butler on Sunday evening in Bloomington, NC State in Raleigh on November 30, and after a home game against Stetson on December 4, faces Kentucky in Bloomington on December 10 and Notre Dame in Indianapolis. We've seen that IU is a much better, more dangerous, and more consistent team, but we haven't seen how the Hoosiers will respond in a close game against a team with comparable or better talent. Those test await.
Before that, of course, the Hoosiers wrap up their pre-Thanksgiving slate with a game tonight against Gardner-Webb. Based on the numbers and recent performance, the Runnin' Bulldogs are the weakest team IU has played to date, and GW's only game against major competition, Clemson, resulted in a 21-point loss. Still, the Bulldogs have been dangerous in the past: the program's crowning achievement was an 84-68 win over Kentucky in Lexington in 2007. Head coach Chris Holtman is in his second year and went 11-21 in year one. To the extent that the Bulldogs can be said to have strengths, they appear to be on defense and the boards.
The Bulldogs seem to have a fairly balanced scoring attack, with their top five scorers averaging between 6 and 12 per game. Jason Dawson, the Bulldogs' leading scorer, is in his first year playing for GW, having transferred from Wofford, where he played a minor role on a team that reached the NCAA Tournament. He is shooting 47 percent from behind the arc. The Bulldogs' second leading scorer, Max Landis, is a freshman who played at Perry Meridian in Indianapolis, where he averaged 24 points per game as a senior. I'm not as dialed in to high school basketball as I used to be, but if anyone has any insight on Landis as a player, add it in the comments. Landis is getting most of his attempts from three point range and is making nearly 40 percent. For perhaps the first time this season, Cody Zeller will be facing someone his own size, 6-11 center Michael Byron.
Again, this game should be a comfortable win, and IU hasn't yet flirted with disaster in a game like this. Hopefully another solid performance will lead in to the Hoosiers' preparation for Butler.
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Landis is a combo guard that is more comfortable off the bounce than passing
He can do both fairly well but the knock on him in high school was that his court vision was suspect at times and he tried to do a lot on a weak overall team. He was rail thin coming out of high school are really needed to put on some extra meat to help his suspect defense and lack of real strength. His talent got him by in high school but he needs some size to absorb the kind of contact he’ll see at the college level. Still, he’s a dangerous kid and could potentially cause Hulls some problems.
I would say he was a top 6 or so PG in the Indiana senior class of ‘11 and still has a lot of potential for growth. If his shooting has improved at all since March he’s likely going to do work with a lethal Verdell Jones type pull up jumper.
-Contributing Writer at The Crimson Quarry.
What I'd like to see
Perimeter defense: Hold GW under 30% from 3.
Rebounding: +10 on the boards.
Turnovers: +8 on turnovers.
Also, for discussion: is it statistically appropriate to look at turnovers from the standpoint of +/-? Is it better if IU turns it over 8 times, but only turns GW over 12? Or is it better if IU turns it over 15 times, but forces 23 with the opposition? Without an ounce of empirical data to back me up, I’d guess the latter is better, as more turnovers are likely to lead to more transitional buckets. But maybe that was more significant last year, when our half-court offense did not have the dimension of a legitimate post threat.
by hoosierdaddynow on Nov 21, 2011 4:49 PM EST reply actions
that would be an interesting study
I’ll keep it in mind. Since the Player Profiles are over I’m going to start getting into more pieces similar to that. Look for one every week or so, depending on how my basketball coaching schedule works out from week to week.
-Contributing Writer at The Crimson Quarry.
I see that they did hold GW under 30% from 3, and that they were +12 on the boards. IU was +6 on turnovers, but some of ours were the result of some sloppiness late in the second half when the game was well in-hand.
Not sure what to take from that game, other than that Derek Elston is vastly, vastly improved. When you think about it, a front line that goes Zeller-Watford-Elston-Pritchard is one of the deeper ones in the conference.
by hoosierdaddynow on Nov 22, 2011 8:21 AM EST up reply actions
Injuries can often be an excuse, but this is the Elston I remember from his freshman year. He’s a bit undersized and probably will struggle defensively if, say, Zeller gets into foul trouble against Kentucky or another good team, but he’s also enough of a perimeter threat that he can create defensive matchup problems for a true center.
The Crimson Quarry, SB Nation's Indiana Hoosiers blog
by John M (The Crimson Quarry) on Nov 22, 2011 8:56 AM EST up reply actions
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