Sometimes the best games to watch. ...

[SelectionSunday]

are the ones you're not expecting much.

Indiana @ Northwestern was a terrific basketball game last night. Back-and-forth, both teams making big shots, big plays. Have to hand it to Crean, the Hoosier players & the IU fans. Still looking for their first Big 10 win, but Hoosier fans were loud last night at Welsh-Ryan. Despite NW's nice little run lately, it sounded like a home game for IU. With the kind of season the Hoosiers are having, that says a lot about their fans.

 

[GoGoGophers]

I absolutely agree. That was a terrific ball game. Clutch all over the place. NU's inability to rebound almost lost them the game, but aside from that clean play and big shots all night.

I agree that Crean has them playing hard, but I was laughing to myself watching him get in his linebacker stance on every defensive possession down the stretch. He seems too into it, if you know what I mean. A little too much gesticulating and screaming for my taste. It comes across as fabricated. The most intense coaches (Knight, Izzo, Keady, K, etc.) rarely carry on like that for long stretches.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Crean is definitely a nervous nellie

Good point. He's an excellent coach, but his pacing & clapping, pacing & clapping, pacing & clapping drives me nuts.

 

[MNSnowman]

Good ol' ESPN

Last night I was monitoring scores of various games for PPD and thus keeping an eye on ESPN's web Scoreboard. They showed Indiana winning by one (76-75) and the score as a "Final." I went with it, and even noted in last night's comments that Indiana (a consensus pick) "won."

So after reading your post, SS, I went "hmmm" and sure enough found that NU won and ESPN had blown it. Sheesh!

Didn't effect the standings or anything since Indiana was a 13.5 point underdog ... but ESPN pulled another "classic."

 

[parkinglotgopher]

Indiana @ Northwestern was a terrific basketball game last night.

I agree. Was originally debating whether it was worth watching over reruns of Futurama, South Park and King of the Hill, but glad I tuned in. Exciting finish, solid game.

Have to hand it to Crean, the Hoosier players & the IU fans. Still looking for their first Big 10 win, but Hoosier fans were loud last night at Welsh-Ryan. Despite NW's nice little run lately, it sounded like a home game for IU. With the kind of season the Hoosiers are having, that says a lot about their fans.

The Hoosiers played hard start to finish. Have to hand it to Crean and the kids for staying this intense despite all the loses piling up.

As for the fans, they were really getting loud during stretches in the second half, especially in the final minutes. There was a ton of crimson and cream in the stands. While I still give credit to them for showing up and being incredibly loud, I have to imagine there are a ton of IU grads in Chicago, as that and Indianapolis seem to be the major cities to peel off to after discovering there's no work in Bloomington. I imagine that, if someone had tape of past Northwestern/Indiana games at Welsh-Ryan, there is always a very strong IU contingent in the house.