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BLOOMINGTON – If Howard and the University of South Carolina-Upstate served as introductory courses, then Indiana could be in line for some advanced classes at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-off.
The Hoosiers will play three games in four days in San Juan. IU opens at 5 p.m. today against Ole Miss. IU will face either Kansas State or Boston University in the second round Friday. The tournament concludes Sunday.
“It will show our team where we are at,” freshman forward Derek Elston said. “I’m not putting (Howard and USC-Upstate) down at all, but now we are playing the big-named teams who have actually done something. They are going to be bigger, faster and stronger. We are going to have to bring our all.”
The eight-team field includes three nationally ranked squads. Villanova (No. 5), Dayton (No. 18) and Georgia Tech (No. 21) are ranked in The Associated Press’ Top 25. All three are on the other side of the tournament bracket. By Sunday, the Hoosiers (2-0) will have played five games in 10 days.
It’s a tough stretch, but one coach Tom Crean says eventually will pay dividends.
“They’ve got to learn to play through those. And they’ll understand as we get into this why we do practice hard and why there’s a tempo that we want to feel,” Crean said after the 69-61 win against the Spartans on Monday. “We’re not at the tempo we want in practice yet, and I get mad at my own coaching staff for that.
“We’re not, so I guess I’ve got to point the finger at myself,” Crean said. “We’re not getting the tempo we need on a consistent basis. So we’ve got to learn to continue to play through that fatigue. But I think it’s going to be great for us to have gone through that.”
This is Indiana’s first time in the Puerto Rico Tip-off and the first time it will face the Rebels. The Hoosiers are 29-5 all-time against SEC teams not named Kentucky.
Like IU, Ole Miss is 2-0. The Rebels defeated Alabama State 90-53 on Monday. Ole Miss is averaging 91 points a game. Each starter is averaging double figures in scoring. Terrico White leads the way, averaging 17.5 points a game.
Murphy Holloway is averaging 12 points and 9.5 rebounds a game. Rebounding is an area Crean pointed to for improvement after beating USC-Upstate. The Hoosiers outrebounded the Spartans 39-30.
“We weren’t as physical, and there’s going to be nights that happens. Right now, man on man, there’s no way we’re as physical and as strong as what Ole Miss is when we go in there,” Crean said. “We can probably say that about all the other teams. I haven’t really looked that far ahead yet.
“It’s going to be a really, really good test for us to see where we stand up. And if we don’t match up and play with that will and that fire, even though we’re not as physical as them, we’ll get embarrassed.”
