Indiana began the season with 12 consecutive victories.But coach Tom Crean said IU is a better team now than they were after capturing that 12th straight victory Dec. 22 against Maryland-Baltimore County.The No.Indiana isn’t healthy. And in more ways than one.
Verdell Jones III and Devan Dumes are battling illnesses.
Matt Roth likely won’t play again this season because of his lingering foot injury.
And then there’s the on-court performance. Indiana (9-15, 3-9 Big Ten) has lost six straight. The schedule doesn’t get any easier today as the Hoosiers face No. 11 Michigan State (20-6, 10-3). The game is at 7 p.m. at Assembly Hall.
“We’ve got to get that spirit and energy back and really the believability that you can play and win,” IU coach Tom Crean said Monday. “That’s what I think we’ve lost in these games. It’s a product of not having the leadership anywhere near where it needs to be and not having guys who are truly confident that they can really make a difference.
“… Number one, there has got to be an energy on defense. Number two, there has got to a toughness in the rebounding game, and number three, there has to be an unselfishness in the offense.”
Dumes did not travel with the team to Wisconsin because of the flu. Jones is suffering from a stomach virus. He had 11 points and played 33 minutes of Saturday’s 83-55 loss to the Badgers.
“Verdell had a good practice,” Crean said. “He’s lost a lot of weight. Not that he could afford it. Hopefully we can get that back on. He hadn’t had solid food until (Sunday) night.
“Devan practiced, but sparingly. I don’t think he feels that good, so we have to wait and see how that goes.”
Crean seemed more certain on Roth’s availability.
“I would doubt very much we are going to be able to use him this season in the sense of him being able to recover,” Crean said. “It has been a slow process. It was a process that was moving in a good direction, but at the same time, it’s maybe run its course.”
The guard has been out since mid-November after breaking a bone in his right foot (the fifth metatarsal) at a practice. He dressed the last five games, but did not play. Roth appeared in two games this season. He averaged 6.7 points last year, made 57 three-pointers and shot 37 percent from three-point territory.
