This season is different. And we can already see signs of that.
The Indiana Hoosiers started off with 14 three-pointers. They had ten already, with 18 minutes left to play.
Christian Watford helped fuel the game, getting 24 points in the team's 88-60 victory over the Florida Gulf Coast in Assembly Hall. Speaking of three-pointer, Jordan Hulls led the team today in them, knocking down six of them from behind-the-arc. Hulls would finish with 18 for the game.
The only lead Flordia Gulf Coast could hold on to was a 4-2 lead at the start of the game. After that, thing went downhill as one of the best basketball programs took over.
"Key point in the game for us is we had a lull in the first half a little bit after we got up, we let them stay around, said IU Coach Tom Crean told IUHoosiers.com. "We got that figured out. We played with more energy. We didn't allow this to just become a 20-minute trade baskets, lets just go up and down the floor type game."
Maurice Creek helped out in the showing with 13 points.
The Eagles kept coming back to the Hoosiers, however, in the game. At one point, they cut the lead to 46-37. But Watford and a pair of three-pointers jabbed back, as the Hoosiers bounced up to a 54-37 lead. However, the Eagles flew back, cutting the lead to 56-44. That is when IU went on a 9-0 run, capped off by new addition, Will Sheehey.
"As I said to the team after the game, when you play a game you want to first of all judge the game on did you win the game or not," added Crean. "Second of all, you look at the fact, did you impact the game and the plus-minus chart is usually the number one way to figure out if you've impacted the game. We had a lot of guys that were really high tonight, led by Jeremiah Rivers with a plus 21 inside of the game. So those are the kinds of the things that we want. We didn't play anybody over 25 minutes."
This is the 26th straight time the Hoosiers have won their home-opener and 13th straight overall in season-openers.
The Hoosiers will face Wright State next. Coach Crean has a feeling of what is to come.
"I think Wright State is a Big Ten style of physical basketball team," said Crean. "They attack in the pick and roll, but they're a very physical, contact oriented team and we've got to play through that. That scares me with this team right now."
Good game by the Hoosiers. I look forward to a solid season from them!
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