BLOOMINGTON, Ind -
Tom Crean understands there are still
going to be growing pains at Indiana this season.
At least this time, they are coming with wins.
Indiana built a 20-point second-half lead Monday night, then had to hold off hard-charging South Carolina-Upstate for a 69-61 victory. Crean called it a learning experience for his young team.
"Welcome to the wacky world of freshman and sophomore predominant basketball," Crean said. "That's where we're at. There were times tonight that I thought we played extremely hard. We were really trying to throw that dagger, but young guys don't understand that those guys are going to fight."
Read: Tom Crean believes Indiana heading in right direction
A year ago, the Hoosiers lost games like this, most notably to Northeastern and Lipscomb.
On Monday, they held fast long enough to start 2-0 for the third straight season.
It's also the first time since last November, when they beat Chaminade and Cornell, that the Hoosiers have won back-to-back games. And it is the first time since starting last season with three straight wins at Assembly Hall that Indiana has won two straight at home.
Freshman Christian Watford led the Hoosiers with 17 points and 10 rebounds, his second straight double-double. Freshman Maurice Creek had 14 points, and sophomore Verdell Jones scored 13.
But there were plenty of reasons for Crean to cringe.
Indiana started sluggishly and after seemingly putting away the Spartans (0-2) midway through the second half, it allowed Upstate to fight its way back into the game by cutting the deficit to eight points three times in the closing minutes.
Crean didn't like what he saw, and players struggled to give him an acceptable explanation.
"I don't even know what it was tonight, we came out real lackadaisical, I guess," Watford said. "I don't know whether we're looking forward to going to Puerto Rico or anything but we was in a dogfight early on. We got the 'W,' but it was ugly."
Read: IU Basketball: Bawa Muniru cleared to play for the Hoosiers
Jones was the catalyst when Indiana needed it most Monday night.
His nifty drives and shrewd passes helped get his teammates out of a first-half funk and off to a fast start in the second half, the two decisive stretches in the game.
Upstate, however, refused to fold.
The Spartans, now in their third season in Division I basketball, were led by Mezie Uzochukwu with 14 points. Nick Schneiders, a 7-foot-3 center, finished with six points five rebounds and four blocks despite playing in foul trouble.
It was a tougher challenge than almost anyone in Bloomington, other than Crean and his staff, anticipated.
"We were getting ready to get buried, and we were able to make some plays to get back into it," coach Eddie Payne said. "We were on the road against a quality team, playing in a historic arena and our youngsters competed very well."
At times, the Hoosiers were their own worst enemy.
They committed 18 turnovers, made only 16 of 30 free throws and were called for 19 fouls.
The combination allowed Upstate to hang around for most of the first half and get back into the game late in the second half.
Indiana got going when freshmen Jordan Hulls and Derek Elston connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to start a 10-0 run that gave Indiana a 16-9 lead.
Upstate then rallied to get within 24-23 with 4:05 left in the half before Jones took charge. He scored four points in an 8-2 half-closing run to make it 32-25 at halftime, then opened the second half with four straight points and a beautiful pass to Watford on the baseline for a dunk. That made it 40-27.
Indiana extended the lead to as much as 60-40 with 9:08 to go.
But just when it seemed the Hoosiers could cruise, Upstate fought back and put a scare into them.
"It was a great learning experience to have them go through something like this to understand how important situational basketball is for us," Crean said. "That's something we can't simulate in practice. We still have to learn how to compete on a consistent level."
At least this time, they are coming with wins.
Indiana built a 20-point second-half lead Monday night, then had to hold off hard-charging South Carolina-Upstate for a 69-61 victory. Crean called it a learning experience for his young team.
"Welcome to the wacky world of freshman and sophomore predominant basketball," Crean said. "That's where we're at. There were times tonight that I thought we played extremely hard. We were really trying to throw that dagger, but young guys don't understand that those guys are going to fight."
Read: Tom Crean believes Indiana heading in right direction
A year ago, the Hoosiers lost games like this, most notably to Northeastern and Lipscomb.
On Monday, they held fast long enough to start 2-0 for the third straight season.
It's also the first time since last November, when they beat Chaminade and Cornell, that the Hoosiers have won back-to-back games. And it is the first time since starting last season with three straight wins at Assembly Hall that Indiana has won two straight at home.
Freshman Christian Watford led the Hoosiers with 17 points and 10 rebounds, his second straight double-double. Freshman Maurice Creek had 14 points, and sophomore Verdell Jones scored 13.
But there were plenty of reasons for Crean to cringe.
Indiana started sluggishly and after seemingly putting away the Spartans (0-2) midway through the second half, it allowed Upstate to fight its way back into the game by cutting the deficit to eight points three times in the closing minutes.
Crean didn't like what he saw, and players struggled to give him an acceptable explanation.
"I don't even know what it was tonight, we came out real lackadaisical, I guess," Watford said. "I don't know whether we're looking forward to going to Puerto Rico or anything but we was in a dogfight early on. We got the 'W,' but it was ugly."
Read: IU Basketball: Bawa Muniru cleared to play for the Hoosiers
Jones was the catalyst when Indiana needed it most Monday night.
His nifty drives and shrewd passes helped get his teammates out of a first-half funk and off to a fast start in the second half, the two decisive stretches in the game.
Upstate, however, refused to fold.
The Spartans, now in their third season in Division I basketball, were led by Mezie Uzochukwu with 14 points. Nick Schneiders, a 7-foot-3 center, finished with six points five rebounds and four blocks despite playing in foul trouble.
It was a tougher challenge than almost anyone in Bloomington, other than Crean and his staff, anticipated.
"We were getting ready to get buried, and we were able to make some plays to get back into it," coach Eddie Payne said. "We were on the road against a quality team, playing in a historic arena and our youngsters competed very well."
At times, the Hoosiers were their own worst enemy.
They committed 18 turnovers, made only 16 of 30 free throws and were called for 19 fouls.
The combination allowed Upstate to hang around for most of the first half and get back into the game late in the second half.
Indiana got going when freshmen Jordan Hulls and Derek Elston connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to start a 10-0 run that gave Indiana a 16-9 lead.
Upstate then rallied to get within 24-23 with 4:05 left in the half before Jones took charge. He scored four points in an 8-2 half-closing run to make it 32-25 at halftime, then opened the second half with four straight points and a beautiful pass to Watford on the baseline for a dunk. That made it 40-27.
Indiana extended the lead to as much as 60-40 with 9:08 to go.
But just when it seemed the Hoosiers could cruise, Upstate fought back and put a scare into them.
"It was a great learning experience to have them go through something like this to understand how important situational basketball is for us," Crean said. "That's something we can't simulate in practice. We still have to learn how to compete on a consistent level."
