Two programs that last met in the 1989 NCAA tournament reunite in the 7th-place consolation game of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Sunday morning. Both Indiana and George Mason have seen a lot happen since that 99-85 Hoosier victory and now the tables appear to be turned. It’s the Patriots whom are just a few years removed from a Final Four appearance while the Hoosiers are now struggling to get back to post-season play.
Game Particulars: Indiana (2-2) vs. George Mason (2-2)
It’s not where either program hoped to be at the conclusion of this week’s tournament, but the only thing that matters now is coming away with at least one win before leaving the island. While the Hoosiers have dropped games to unranked Ole Miss and Boston, the Patriots are coming off losses to No. 6 Villanova and No. 19 Georgia Tech. Friday they were dismissed 70-62 by a much taller Yellow Jackets team on the heels of a 69-68 thriller against the Wildcats. Those Patriots victories this season came over Liberty and Dartmouth.
IU is coached by Tom Crean, who is in his second year as Indiana’s head coach and 11th year overall. Crean owns a 198-121 career mark and led Marquette to the NCAA Tournament five times. The Patriots are led by Jim Larranaga, who is in his 13th year at George Mason and 26th season as a head coach overall. He is the school and conference’s all-time wins leader and led the Patriots to a Final Four appearance in 2006.
The game starts at 10:30 a.m. EST Sunday morning and will be televised by ESPNU.
Indiana 2009-10 Schedule
George Mason 2009-10 Schedule
PROBABLE STARTERS
Indiana (2-1)
PG- Jeremiah Rivers (6-5, 214, Jr.) – 8.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.5 apg, 38.7% FG shooting
SG- Verdell Jones (6-5, 183, So.) – 13.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.8 apg, 38% FT shooting
WG – Maurice Creek (6-5, 200, Fr.) – 16.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 47.6% 3 pt. shooting
SF – Christian Watford (6-9, 220, Fr.) – 11.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 77% FT shooting
PF – Tom Pritchard (6-9, 248, So.) – 6.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 73.3% FG shooting
Boston U. (3-0)
G- Andre Cornelius (5-10, 172, So.) – 10.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 52.9% 3-pt shooting
G- Cam Long (6-4, 187, Jr.) – 9.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.0 spg, 35.3% FG shooting
F – Ryan Pearson (6-6, 230, So.) – 12.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.25 spg, 46.3% FG shooting
F – Louis Birdsong (6-6, 230, Sr.) – 2.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 18.8% FG shooting
F – Mike Morrison(6-9, 222, So.) – 7.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 48.1% FG shooting
Indiana 2009-10 Statistics
George Mason 2009-10 Statistics
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Which young team will play with more poise and execute? – The Hoosiers have so far faced teams more experienced and more familiar with one another, but George Mason provides nearly a mirror image in terms of youth and inexperience. The Patriots have just one senior on the roster in Louis Birdsong and he’s not a major contributor. Instead, the Patriots rely on a roster that features six freshmen and four sophomores…sound familiar? George Mason, like the Hoosiers, are still trying to blend a talented freshmen class with some key sophomores while relying on precious few upperclassmen to lead them through it. Both team’s have seen their level of play vary wildly this season, but the Patriots have had a much better showing in Puerto Rico. Whichever team is able to avoid the sins of youth (turnovers, scoring droughts, defensive lapses) and execute will have the upperhand.
How much will Cam Long play and how effective will he be? -- Long has been called the heart and soul of this young George Mason team, but the junior has been struggling just to make it through games so far this year. Debilitating leg cramps have led the explosive Long to the bench frequently this year as he has averaged just 24.3 minutes per game. Coach Jim Larranaga would like to have Long on the court 35-40 minutes a game given his scoring ability, but has been using him judiciously due to the cramps. After missing large sections of the second half in the Patriots’ first three games, Larranaga seemed to save Long for the second half against the Yellow Jackets but it wasn’t enough to rally to victory. If Long is hobbled with cramps Sunday morning (an odd start time) then the Hoosiers will have avoided a major threat.
Will Indiana bounce back on the boards? -- No one was more shocked or upset after Friday night’s loss to Boston University than IU Coach Tom Crean. The shock came from the fact that the Hoosiers were whipped on the glass 46-31 and gave up an embarrassing 15 offensive boards to an undersized team. George Mason is another team that doesn’t boast great size, but the forwards they do have are even more active than the Terrier frontcourt. Indiana needs to hit the glass with the same abandon they did against Ole Miss and not fall into the malaise that came from trying to rebound out of a zone defense against Boston.
Who has a better showing at the line? -- Sunday morning’s game looks to be a close one between two very young clubs. Both teams have been sending their opponents to the line far too much. The Patriots are making just 63.9 percent of their freebies. The Hoosiers…a miserable 54.3 percent. This could be a game that is won or lost at the line.
QUOTABLES
“The coaching staff is real positive during practice and working out. We had a positive tempo last night and controlled the game for 35 or 36 minutes, we just have to finish strong. We went hard today with an emphasis on finishing strong.” -- Jeremiah Rivers on Saturday’s practice
“Our lack of experienced leadership, of knowing what it takes to continue to play harder, tougher, longer caught us.” -- Tom Crean on Friday’s loss
“The margin for error anytime you play anybody, ANYBODY, at the Division I level is very, very small.” -- Crean
“I am very familiar with (George Mason) having played against a lot of their guys in the summer when I was at Georgetown. They may not get the recognition they deserve, but they have great players who are tough and they are well coached. They have a lot of talent.” -- Rivers
NOTABLES
Verdell Jones six assists on Friday against Boston was a season-high for any Hoosier…Jeremiah Rivers leads the team in Puerto Rico in FG shooting at 52.6 percent among players with at least ten attempts…Cam Long was named pre-season all-conference after being named to the third team All-CAA last year…Sophomore Andre Cornelius played in every game as a true freshman last season and leads the team in 3-pt shooting this year at 53%...Last season IU started 2-2 before winning their third and final game of the Maui Classic against Chaminade.
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