Indiana Hoosiers v. Howard Bisons (preview).

by John M (The Crimson Quarry) on Dec 18, 2011 9:27 PM EST in Indiana Hoosiers Basketball

Howard Bison
Current record: 3-8
Current RPI: 317 (IU is #32)
Current Sagarin: 311 (IU is #10)
Current Pomeroy: 302 (IU is #14)
2010-11 record: 6-24 (4-12 MEAC)
2010-11 RPI:332
2010-11 Sagarin: 334
2010-11 Pomeroy: 340
Pomeroy scouting report
Series: IU leads 1-0
TV: 6:30 p.m., BTN

IU plays its second-to-last pre-Big Ten game on a quick turnaround when IU hosts Howard tomorrow night at Assembly Hall. Just a reminder: IU has only two non-conference games remaining before Big Ten play begins, but because of a February 22 game against North Carolina Central, IU has a total of three non-conference games remaining.

Howard will be the worst team IU has played to date, and the Bisons have been in a rut for a while. It is fair to say that Howard's basketball program has not matched the university's academic and historical profile. Howard's last season with even double digit wins was 2002-03. The Bisons have not beat a Pomeroy top 100 team for as far back as the numbers go, and only two top 200 teams (Oregon State in 2008-09 and LaSalle in 2007-08). IU played Howard once before, in the season opener in 2009-10, Tom Crean's second year, a game IU won 83-60. Here were my notes on the individual performances in that game:

Maurice Creek led the Hoosiers with 17 points, and he shot 7-11 from the field.
Christian Watford scored 14 points, shot 4-6 from the field and 5-5 from the line, and had 11 rebounds.
Derek Elston, in only 14 minutes, scored 14 points on 6-7 from the field, including 2-2 from three point range.
Jeremiah Rivers scored 6 points, but shot only 2-8 from the field and had 4 turnovers to go with 4 assists.
In 17 minutes, Jordan Hulls scored only 2 points, but had five assists and no turnovers.
Verdell Jones scored 9 points, but needed 12 shots to do it.

I suppose it provides a bit of insight for why the Hoosiers are so much better this year, considering that four of the six players mentioned are currently active for IU, and five of six remain on the roster (get well, Maurice).

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Glen Andrews	1	24.0	3.0	13.0	23.1	2.0	7.0	28.6	3.0	4.0	75.0	0.0	3.0	3.0	1.0	3.0	3.0	0.0	4.0	11.0
Calvin Thompson	9	27.9	3.0	8.8	34.2	0.4	1.7	26.7	4.3	6.1	70.9	0.9	3.3	4.2	2.0	3.2	1.3	0.1	1.9	10.8
Mike Phillips	11	28.9	3.6	8.9	40.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.3	3.9	83.7	2.6	5.1	7.7	0.8	2.2	0.9	0.5	2.6	10.5
Prince Okoroh	11	24.6	3.3	7.1	46.2	0.4	1.7	21.1	2.4	3.5	68.4	0.8	2.3	3.1	1.0	2.0	1.1	0.3	3.0	9.3
Simuel Frazier	11	27.1	3.0	6.5	45.8	0.9	1.9	47.6	2.3	3.7	61.0	0.7	2.1	2.8	3.3	4.4	1.3	0.0	2.5	9.2
Alphonso Leary	11	21.6	2.1	3.9	53.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	2.8	71.0	1.8	3.5	5.3	0.5	1.7	0.2	0.5	3.6	6.2
Tre Lee	1	21.0	2.0	6.0	33.3	2.0	2.0	100.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	4.0	6.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	0.0	3.0	6.0
Dadrian Collins	11	19.5	2.1	6.0	34.8	1.1	3.2	34.3	0.6	0.8	77.8	1.0	1.5	2.5	0.4	1.5	0.3	0.1	2.4	5.9
Anton Dickerson	11	10.4	1.5	4.2	37.0	1.0	2.5	40.7	0.7	1.1	66.7	0.2	0.8	1.0	0.3	0.5	0.5	0.2	1.2	4.8
Brandon Ford	8	13.9	1.1	3.4	33.3	0.3	0.6	40.0	1.0	1.5	66.7	0.1	0.8	0.9	0.8	0.6	0.9	0.0	1.6	3.5
Theodore Boyomo	10	11.9	0.7	1.2	58.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.2	50.0	0.5	1.5	2.0	0.0	0.9	0.1	0.1	1.9	1.5
Oliver Ellison	11	11.6	0.5	1.9	28.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	0.6	57.1	0.8	1.3	2.1	0.4	0.2	0.4	0.5	1.8	1.5
Brandon Bailey	11	6.3	0.6	0.7	87.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.3	33.3	0.5	0.5	0.9	0.1	0.7	0.0	0.2	1.3	1.4
Clinton Cuffee	9	2.6	0.1	0.2	50.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.2	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.6	0.2

Of Howard's contributors, only Mike Phillips and Dadrian Collins played in the last IU-Howard game. As bad as the record and recent history are, Howard's Pomeroy profile isn't as grim as it has been in recent years. Indeed, Pomeroy projects a 7-9 record in the MEAC, which would be Howard's best record in nine years. Howard shoots the three well (36.1 percent), has above-average rebound percentage numbers at both ends of the court, and gets to the line. On the negative side, Howard turns the ball over a ton, and fouls like crazy, both of which play into IU's strengths. The turnovers and 41 percent shooting from inside the arc make Howard one of the worst offensive teams in the nation.

Ultimately, this is a game that should provide an opportunity for Austin Etherington, Remy Abell, and a cast of walk-ons to stretch their legs. Stay healthy, guys.

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