The Huskies flew to New York Tuesday afternoon and landed in the Big Apple some time around midnight. They?ll practice today and will have about 42 hours to get adjusted to the east coast.
Thursday?s 6 p.m. PST game against Indiana at Madison Square Garden will be the sixth time Washington will play in MSG. Some folks call the the storied arena the mecca of basketball, but for the Huskies it?s been a house of horrors.
They are 1-5 at MSG, including a five-game losing streak.
However, the reasons for the losses probably has more to do with the caliber of opponent UW has played and less to do with the venue.
Here?s a look at those games:
2012 NIT Semifinals
3-27-12 vs. Minnesota, L, 67-68 (ot)
2011 Jimmy V Classic
12-6-11 vs. Marquette, L, 77-79
12-10-11 vs. Duke, L, 80-86
2007 NIT Preseason Tip-Off
11-21-07 vs. Texas A&M, L, 63-77
11-23-07 vs. Syracuse, L, 85-91
12-30-41 vs. NYU, W, 72-3
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Indiana is four games into a long season and is 4-0. Not surprising, as the competition hasn't been that stiff, but this young IU team is improving every game, which is encouraging.
Sophomore Yogi Ferrell and freshman Noah Vonleh have paced the Hoosiers thus far, but the other three starters haven't been too shabby themselves.
The group is playing well together and should only continue to develop better chemistry as the season progresses.
So far, Yogi Ferrell has been Indiana's best offensive weapon. He's averaging 19.5 points and 4.5 assists per game. Ferrell is in complete control of IU's attack in his second season. Any questions about his jump shot have been answered. Ferrell has improved from the floor (46.2 percent) and three-point range (40.7 percent). His confidence is through the roof, and now, opposing defenses have to account for his jumper.
Ferrell's defense is coming along, and he currently has the roster's highest win share, according to Sports Reference.
Ferrell is giving Tom Crean and Hoosier fans a lot to be happy about, and because of that, he receives a high mark.
Jeremy Hollowell charged out of the gate with a 16-point, four-rebound, four-block performance in the first game against Chicago State. Since, he has been less stellar.
He's averaging 9.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, but he really needs to improve his shooting percentage. Hollowell's shooting under 40 percent from the floor, which is not going to get the job done.
He's also a turnover machine. Hollowell leads the team with 11.
The lone bright spot has been his defense. His eight blocks make him IU's top shot-blocker.
Out of the starting five, Hollowell has been the least impressive. He's giving the ball away too much and missing too many shots to earn an above-average grade.
The freshman phenom Noah Vonleh has been an absolute monster. He's averaging a double-double (14.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG).
So far, he's controlled the paint on both ends of the court. He's IU's lone low-post presence, and for being new to the role, he's played very well.
His defense has been suffocating. His defensive rating is best on the team, according to Sports Reference.
The only concern is his free-throw shooting. He's been suspect from the line, shooting just 26-of-39 for a poor 63.9 percent.
Seeing as how he does most of his work from the block, he's going to get to the free-throw line frequently. Right now, he's wasting too many opportunities and has to be better, especially as the schedule gets tougher.
Still, Tom Crean couldn't have asked for a better start from Vonleh. He's been as good as advertised.
Thursday?s 6 p.m. PST game against Indiana at Madison Square Garden will be the sixth time Washington will play in MSG. Some folks call the the storied arena the mecca of basketball, but for the Huskies it?s been a house of horrors.
They are 1-5 at MSG, including a five-game losing streak.
However, the reasons for the losses probably has more to do with the caliber of opponent UW has played and less to do with the venue.
Here?s a look at those games:
2012 NIT Semifinals
3-27-12 vs. Minnesota, L, 67-68 (ot)
2011 Jimmy V Classic
12-6-11 vs. Marquette, L, 77-79
12-10-11 vs. Duke, L, 80-86
2007 NIT Preseason Tip-Off
11-21-07 vs. Texas A&M, L, 63-77
11-23-07 vs. Syracuse, L, 85-91
12-30-41 vs. NYU, W, 72-3
-------------------
Indiana is four games into a long season and is 4-0. Not surprising, as the competition hasn't been that stiff, but this young IU team is improving every game, which is encouraging.
Sophomore Yogi Ferrell and freshman Noah Vonleh have paced the Hoosiers thus far, but the other three starters haven't been too shabby themselves.
The group is playing well together and should only continue to develop better chemistry as the season progresses.
So far, Yogi Ferrell has been Indiana's best offensive weapon. He's averaging 19.5 points and 4.5 assists per game. Ferrell is in complete control of IU's attack in his second season. Any questions about his jump shot have been answered. Ferrell has improved from the floor (46.2 percent) and three-point range (40.7 percent). His confidence is through the roof, and now, opposing defenses have to account for his jumper.
Ferrell's defense is coming along, and he currently has the roster's highest win share, according to Sports Reference.
Ferrell is giving Tom Crean and Hoosier fans a lot to be happy about, and because of that, he receives a high mark.
Jeremy Hollowell charged out of the gate with a 16-point, four-rebound, four-block performance in the first game against Chicago State. Since, he has been less stellar.
He's averaging 9.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, but he really needs to improve his shooting percentage. Hollowell's shooting under 40 percent from the floor, which is not going to get the job done.
He's also a turnover machine. Hollowell leads the team with 11.
The lone bright spot has been his defense. His eight blocks make him IU's top shot-blocker.
Out of the starting five, Hollowell has been the least impressive. He's giving the ball away too much and missing too many shots to earn an above-average grade.
The freshman phenom Noah Vonleh has been an absolute monster. He's averaging a double-double (14.8 PPG, 12.5 RPG).
So far, he's controlled the paint on both ends of the court. He's IU's lone low-post presence, and for being new to the role, he's played very well.
His defense has been suffocating. His defensive rating is best on the team, according to Sports Reference.
The only concern is his free-throw shooting. He's been suspect from the line, shooting just 26-of-39 for a poor 63.9 percent.
Seeing as how he does most of his work from the block, he's going to get to the free-throw line frequently. Right now, he's wasting too many opportunities and has to be better, especially as the schedule gets tougher.
Still, Tom Crean couldn't have asked for a better start from Vonleh. He's been as good as advertised.
