Scouting Report: Michigan State Spartans

Last week of conference play is upon us and the Hoosiers get two huge home games against Michigan State and rival Purdue. Michigan State has been on a tear lately, currently on a seven game win streak. When Ohio State lost to Wisconsin on Sunday, that guaranteed that Michigan State clinched at least a share of the Big Ten Title. Their last two games are this one in Bloomington, and then a home game against the Buckeyes which will ultimately decide if there will be co-champs or not. Even though this games mean little to the Spartans standings-wise, I expect the same Michigan State team, that has beat Indiana six straight times, to show up tomorrow night.

The Spartans come in ranked 5th in the nation and 3rd in KenPom's rankings. Tom Izzo has once again proven why he is in the top 5 when it comes to best college coaches. This team is led by its senior do-it-all big man, Draymond Green. Green, in my opinion, has all but wrapped up the Big Ten Player of the Year award and is probably in deep consideration for overall player of the year for the nation. Hopefully, Assembly Hall will be "Kentucky-loud" for tomorrow night's game.

Here is my scouting report for the Michigan State Spartans:

Game Facts:
Game Time: 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 28, 2012
TV: ESPN (Mike Tirico, Dan Dakich, and Jay Bilas)

Michigan State Spartans: 24-5 (13-3) Ranking: 5 ESPN
Probable Starters:
#11 Keith Appling: 6-1 190 So. G  11.7ppg  3.8apg  3.0rpg
-Most likely Victor Oladipo's defensive assignment. He went off for a career high, 25 points, against the Hoosiers in their first meeting. He is an excellent penetrating point guard.

#13 Austin Thornton: 6-5 205 Sr. G  5.1ppg  1.1apg  3.4rpg
-Even though he is 6'5" he plays small for his height. A great outside shooter.

#22 Branden Dawson: 6-6 220 Fr. G  8.7ppg  1.0apg  4.7rpg
-Great rebounder. Freaky athletic. Not a great shot but can hit an open jumper. Pretty solid freshman.

#23 Draymond Green: 6-7 230 Sr. F  15.6ppg  3.6apg  10.3rpg
-The leader of this team. Green will find a way to "get his" nearly every game. Likes to shoot the transition three. I assume CWat to start out on him and Elston to sub in to help. He didn't hurt the Hoosiers that much last game.

#5 Adreian Payne: 6-10 240 So. C  6.8ppg  0.3apg  4.0rpg
-Payne was the first to really bother Zeller in his young career. Great interior defender and rebounder. On offense, Adreian is the benefit of putbacks and lobs.

Coming off the bench:
#30 Brandon Wood: 6-2 190 Sr. G  8.2ppg  2.2apg  2.9rpg
-Could be starting. Played really well against the Hoosiers on their December 28th meeting.

#25 Derrick Nix: 6-9 270 Jr. C  7.8ppg  1.1apg  3.8rpg
-Has vastly improved since last year. Another good post defender. Made some of the biggest plays in the previous game.

Keys to the game:

• Appling is the biggest key on defense for the Hoosiers. When he has a bad game, Michigan State struggles to score. I could see moments when Crean may put Watford on him just to see if Christian's length bothers him.
• As always, Michigan State is a great rebounding team. Last game IU actually did really well on the glass. A repeat of that performance is a must.
• Because Michigan State is so big on the interior, IU has got to knock down big threes to get the Spartans spaced out on D and to get the crowd rocking.
• Indiana needs to attack the big men of Michigan State. The Spartans aren't necessarily deep and if IU can get some of their players in foul trouble, that makes things much easier for Zeller.
• Last game, IU got in a huge hole, but fought their way back. They seemed gassed near the end of the game and lacked execution. This time around if the Hoosiers prevent big runs, they should be able to give a much better effort near the end of the game.

My Prediction:

Indiana:               75

Michigan State:   74

Scouting Report: Illinois Fighting Illini

In their lone meeting of the season, the Indiana Hoosiers will play host to the Fighting Illini from Champaign, Illinois. Bruce Weber's team brings in an overall record of 16-7 on the season, while posting a 5-5 record in Big Ten play. They have two impressive home wins over the top two teams in the Big Ten, Ohio State and Michigan State. However, this Illinois team, like IU, seems to struggle playing away from their own Assembly Hall. Their best road win to date was a 57-56 win against Northwestern on January 4th.

The Fighting Illini rely heavily on their three best players; Brandon Paul, D.J. Richardson, and Meyers Leonard. The three make up 60% of their scoring and are on the court nearly 80% of the time. All of them played all 40 minutes in their last game, a home loss to Northwestern. Meyers Leonard is a 7'1" beast down low and it will be Cody Zeller's toughest challenge this season. Brandon Paul is especially dangerous as he can go off on any given night; just ask Ohio State. This should be a great game inside a great atmosphere, that is the REAL Assembly Hall.

With that here is my scouting report for the Illinois Fighting Illini:

Game Facts:
Game Time: 8:00 p.m. Thursday, February 8th, 2012
TV: BTN (Gus Johnson and Jim Jackson)

Illinois Fighting Illini 16-7 (5-5) Ranking: 41 KenPom
Probable Starters:
#13 Tracy Abrams: 6-1 185 Fr. G  3.0ppg  1.9apg  2.4rpg
-Abrams is the only freshman that gets consistent minutes. Not a huge threat offensively.

#1 D.J. Richardson: 6-3 195 Jr. G  12.2ppg  2.0apg  2.8rpg
-D.J. is a good all-around player and usually, is the third option of the big 3.

#3 Brandon Paul: 6-4 200 Jr. G  15.1ppg  3.1apg  5.0rpg
-Paul can be deadly when he is on. Coach Weber likes to run his offense through him and Leonard. He has the outside game to complement Leonard's inside game. I will expect Oladipo or Sheehey to guard him and it will be a tough assignment for either one of them.

#2 Joseph Bertrand: 6-5 195 So. G  7.0ppg  1.2apg  2.7rpg
-Bertrand is averaging over 10ppg in conference play. Really likes to attack the rim over settle for the outside jumpshot. The tallest of the four guards that Bruce Weber will start. Could be a tough defensive assignment if he has to guard Watford.

#12 Meyers Leonard: 7-1 245 So. C  13.3ppg  1.2apg  8.0rpg
-Leonard is a potential NBA guy. He is freakishly athletic for being 7'1" and has improved a ton since his freshman year. Leonard vs Zeller is the match-up of the game.

Coming off the bench:
#0 Sam Maniscalco: 6-0 180 Sr. G  7.6ppg  2.5apg  2.1rpg
-Sam transferred from Bradley to play for the Fighting Illini this season. Maniscalco had an ongoing left ankle injury at Bradley but he was playing well for Illinois. Then he re-aggravated  it against Purdue on Dec. 31 and hasn't been right since.

#20 Myke Henry
#32 Nnanna Egwu


Keys to the Game:

• Something has to give. Illinois has been bad on offensive in conference but a solid defensive team. Indiana has been the opposite. Horribly defensive but their offense is one of the best. Tempo will be key in this game.
• Whether Verdell Jones plays or not, I would like to see lots of minutes from Remy Abell. He has deserved at least 15-25 minutes in this game with his recent play.
• I highlighted this up top, but the biggest match-up in this game is 7-footer Leonard vs. The Big Handsome. 
• If Indiana brings the same swagger and toughness they took to Mackey last Saturday, I don't think Illinois has enough weapons to hang with the depth the Hoosiers bring to the table.
• Gus Johnson. Need I say more?

My prediction:

Indiana   81

Illinois    70

Scouting Report: Michigan Wolverines (Game 2)

Indiana heads to Ann Arbor tonight to face the Michigan Wolverines, who the Hoosiers beat 73-71 on January 5th. The month of January wasn't particularly nice to IU as they went 4-4 with losses to Nebraska and Minnesota. February shouldn't be as tough sledding for the Hoosiers but they start out the month with two tough road games starting with tonight's game verse Michigan and Saturday's contest against rival Purdue. Michigan is coming off a 15-point loss to the hands of the Big Ten leading, Ohio State Buckeyes. They currently are 16-6 overall and 6-3 in conference which puts them in fourth in the conference standings. IU is currently 7th sitting at 5-5 in conference.

In the first meeting, IU came out draining threes and got a lead as big as 15 in the first half. The Wolverines were able to scratch and claw their way back and make it a game down the stretch. Christian Watford had a huge night for the Hoosiers. He finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, arguably his best game to-date. I think in order for the Hoosiers to go into the Crisler Arena and come out with a win, Indiana needs to exploit the mismatches that Watford and Zeller have against their defenders.

For my scouting report on the individual players, I will just be describing their improvements/downgrades from the last game. If you want to know more about each player, here is my scouting report from the first meeting.

Game Facts:
Game Time: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 1, 2012
TV: BTN (Gus Johnson and Shon Morris)

Michigan Wolverines: 16-6 (6-3) Ranking: 23 AP/ 33 KenPom
Probable Starters:
#3 Trey Burke: 5-11 180 Fr. G  14.1ppg  5.0apg  3.6rpg
-Trey did not shoot well in the first game against the Hoosiers. He keeps getting better and Coach Beilein has started to let him take over the offense more and more each game. He was a highly touted recruit and hasn't disappointed this season for the Wolverines.


#10 Tim Hardaway Jr.: 6-6 200 So. G  15.2ppg  2.5apg  3.7rpg
-Like Burke, Tim also struggled with his shot during the first meeting. Throughout the Big Ten season he bounces back and forth from really good shooting performances to really poor ones.

#1 Stu Douglass: 6-3 200 Sr. G  7.6ppg  1.9apg  2.7rpg
-One of the two Indiana boys that start for the Wolverines, Stu has replaced Smotrycz in the starting lineup. Likes to look for the 3-point shot.

#0 Zack Novak: 6-4 210 Sr. G-F  9.0ppg  1.9apg  4.7rpg
-The other Indiana-born starter, Novak plays the four for the Wolverines despite only being 6'4. Novak will most likely guard Watford who went off last game against Michigan.

#52 Jordan Morgan: 6-8 250 So. F  7.6ppg  0.3apg  5.6rpg
-Morgan's role has reduced from last year and he has the assignment of guarding Cody Zeller which should lean towards Zeller's way, on paper.

Coming off the bench:
#23 Evan Smotrycz: 6-9 235 So. F  8.6ppg  1.0apg  5.5rpg
-Started off shooting the lights out from three. In conference play, his three point shooting percentage is under 25%. That is part of the reason why he lost he starting job.

#22 Blake McLimans
#13 Matt Vogrich
#45 Colton Christian


Keys to the Game:

• Besides the Penn State game, IU has struggled hitting their perimeter shots on the road. They need to knock down, not necessarily a lot of threes, but timely ones.
• Michigan's interior defense isn't the greatest and Indiana needs to exploit this by attacking the rim and/or getting the ball to Cody. This will open up their three-point shots, as it did in the first game.
• Like the last game, IU needs to force Michigan into taking contested jump shots. They will make a few tough shots, but as long as they have a hand up, jump shots won't beat the Hoosiers.
• I really just want to see the same team defense I saw against Wisconsin. I now know Indiana is capable of doing it, now its about staying disciplined and actually executing it.

My prediction:

Indiana      78

Michigan   77

Scouting Report: Iowa Hawkeyes

After a disappointing loss in Madison, the Hoosiers look to get off the current schneid they are in after losing 4 of the last 5 games. Iowa is currently 3-5 in the Big Ten with wins at Wisconsin and Minnesota and a home win against Michigan. Their two most recent games were close losses at the hands of Purdue and Nebraska. This game gives Indiana a good chance to get a much needed home win against a team that is still trying to gel together. If the Hoosiers were to let this one slip away, panic time for the Hoosier Nation will have hit a season high.

The Hawkeyes bring in a good mix of experienced players and young talent. Led by senior guard Matt Gatens, Iowa gets most of its offense output from attacking the rim. Their guards do a good job of getting to the lane and  they are the second best team in the Big Ten at getting to the line. Indiana is going to have to contain the Hawkeyes penetration and force jump shots because this Iowa team is not a particularly good shooting team. Unlike the Wisconsin game, you can probably expect this game to be a little more up and down as these two teams are two of the three worst teams, defensively, in the Big Ten.

With that, here is my scouting report for the Iowa Hawkeyes:

Game Facts:
Game Time: 6:00 p.m. Sunday, January 29, 2012
TV: BTN (Eric Collins and Dan Bonner)

Iowa Hawkeyes: 11-10 (3-5) Ranking: 110 KenPom
Probable Starters:
#5 Matt Gatens: 6-5 212 Sr. G  13.2ppg  2.1apg  4.1rpg
-Iowa's most effective player. Likes to drive but can hit the three, as well. Takes care of the ball.

#4 Roy Devyn-Marble: 6-5 194 So. G-F  11.3ppg  3.3apg  3.6rpg
-The only player besides Gatens averaging double figure scoring. Good athlete. Would drive rather than look for outside shot. Also, handles the ball decently well.

#25 Eric May: 6-5 217 Jr. G-F  6.4ppg  1.4apg  3.3rpg
-Has started every game but doesn't get starters minutes. Another guy that looks to score via penetration. Good athlete.

#1 Melsahn Basabe: 6-7 225 So. F  8.2ppg  0.4apg  5.2rpg
-Was figured to have a big year for the Hawkeyes but hasn't really got things going offensively yet. Defensively, he poses as a good rebounder and shot blocker. Melsahn was the receiver of Will's Sheebagging last year (see video down below).

#15 Zach McCabe: 6-7 232 So. F  8.7ppg  1.0apg  4.6rpg
-Good perimeter shooter. Led the Hawkeyes with 20 points in their last game against Nebraska. A good offensive rebounder.

Coming off the bench:
#30 Aaron White: 6-8 225 Fr. F  9.7ppg  0.5apg  4.9rpg
-Iowa's third leading scorer but Fran McCaffery likes to bring White off the bench. Very good rebounder. One of the better freshman in the Big Ten. He is effective at getting to the line where he shoots 73% on the year.

#24 Bryce Cartwright: 6-1 188 Sr. G  6.0ppg  4.0apg  1.5rpg
-Has dealt with a hamstring injury all year. Was the starter before Marble took over. Not shooting the ball well, 17% on threes, 36% on twos. Leads the team in assists. I think Cartwright is a defensive liability and the Hoosiers need to attack him much like they attacked Jordan Taylor against Wisconsin.

#2 Josh Oglesby: 6-5 190 Fr. G  6.0ppg  1.1apg  1.5rpg
-Good shooter. Good defender.


#33 Devon Archie
#20 Andrew Brommer


Keys to the Game:

• I want to see the Hoosiers attack, attack, and attack some more in this game. I am sick of watching us run the shot clock down to nothing. I want to see us being the aggressors. 
• Indiana can't let the Hawkeyes penetration bother them. Don't bail them out with silly fouls. 
• If the Hoosiers can get open looks from three, this game won't be close. IU usually shoots well in Assembly Hall and I don't want that to change.
• IU brings that same defensive intensity and attacks offensively, I don't see how the Hawkeyes can keep up. Let's hope this happens.

My prediction:

Indiana   96

Iowa      76

Scouting Report: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Fresh off their top ten ranking, the No. 7/8 Indiana team will be welcoming the Golden Gophers of Minnesota to Assembly Hall on Thursday. The Golden Gophers bring in a 12-5 record but is 0-4 in the B1G Ten. Their best win is a home win against Virginia Tech, while their worst loss is probably a recent home loss to Iowa. Minnesota's struggles early in conference play are sort of surprising, but then again, it's not.

Minnesota lost its best player, NBA prospect Trevor Mbakwe, in their blowout loss against Dayton in November. The injury didn't seem to affect the team at first, as the team went on to win its next six games, but Mbakwe's presence inside has been greatly missed in conference play. Minnesota was picked preseason to finish anywhere from 5th to 10th in the B1G Ten but without Mbakwe this team looks like it could be challenging Nebraska and Penn State (and not IU!!!) for last in the conference. 

This team has actually some pretty good players on it, but for some reason Tubby just can't get them to click during conference. Their conference schedule began with two tough road losses: a double overtime to Illinois by nine (who just beat Ohio State), and Michigan by five (who is 4-1). The last two games have been somewhat disappointing for the Minnesota faithful with home losses to Iowa and Purdue. 

But with college basketball, it's all about match-ups. Minnesota will be hungry for their first win and Indiana will have another tough challenge.

With that here is my scouting report for the Minnesota Golden Gophers:

Game Facts:

Game Time: 8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 12, 2012

TV: BTN (Gus Johnson and Jim Jackson)

Minnesota Golden Gophers: 12-5 (0-4) Ranking: 65 KenPom

Probable Starters:

#13 Maverick Ahanmisi: 6-2 175 So. G  4.6ppg  2.4apg  2.2rpg

-A pretty sound B1G Ten point guard. Not a big offensive threat but orchestrates the offense pretty well.

#0 Julian Welch: 6-3 195 Jr. G  10.2ppg  2.5apg  1.7rpg

-Probably Minnesota's top perimeter shooter. I watched the Illinois game and Julian made some key mistakes down the stretch in that game. Very good free throw shooter.

#11 Joe Coleman: 6-4 200 Fr. G  4.3ppg  0.7apg  1.4rpg

-I am putting Joe in the starting line-up because he started in their last game against Purdue and played pretty well with 14 points. Tubby must see something in this freshman that he likes. To be honest, I know nothing about him.

#33 Rodney Williams: 6-7 200 Jr. F  10.4ppg  2.2apg  5.9rpg

-The Golden Gophers top player with Mbakwe out. Played 39 of the 40 minutes of the Purdue game. One of those, athletic, do-it-all type of players for Minnesota. Could be a tough match-up for the Hoosiers. This would be Sheehey's assignment normally but with Will's status still uncertain, I will be interested in seeing who Crean puts on Williams.

#50 Ralph Sampson III: 6-11 241 Sr. F-C  8.8ppg  2.0apg  4.9rpg

-Last year, Sampson was non-existent against the Hoosiers. He comes across as "soft" for his 6'11" frame. He does have nice touch and a decent stroke but still shies away from contact down low, whereas the opposite applies for Zeller. Tubby was not happy with Sampson's play against Purdue, as he only logged 13 minutes..... Daddy's better. 

Coming off the bench:

#20 Austin Hollins: 6-4 180 So. G  8.0ppg  1.9apg  2.2rpg

-Hollins is actually my favorite player on this team and I think he is underrated. He could very well be starting. Usually, is in for defense but does provide some nice offensive spark with his three-shooting and athleticism.

#1 Andre Hollins: 6-1 190 Fr. G  5.8ppg  1.6apg  1.3rpg 

-Surprisingly, not related to Austin. The younger Hollins has some decent potential but still has some ways to go before adapting to the grind that is the B1G Ten. 

#23 Chip Armelin: 6-3 186 So. G  6.1ppg  1.1apg  1.8rpg

-Armelin has struggled from three (26%) and from the free throw line (46%) all year but actually played pretty well against Purdue. We will see if that game gives him the confidence for Thursday.

#30 Andre Ingram

#55 Elliot Eliason

Keys to the Game:

• Minnesota is not good at defending the three. KenPom puts them at giving up 37.5% from three, ranking them 289th in the nation. Surely, they watched the Penn State film to know you don't give Indiana any open looks from three.
• I can see the Golden Gophers trying to slow the game up because IU loves to get out on transition and get Assembly Hall rocking.
• Going off the previous bullet, Minnesota isn't particularly great at handling the ball, so if the Hoosiers can force a couple turnovers they could kill the Golden Gophers mentally from the start. 
• I will be interested in watching the Zeller and Sampson match-up, as one player (Zeller) invites contact, while the other (Sampson) runs away from it.
• Gus Johnson will be there and I have made my own big head/poster for him. I want on TV, Gus. Or at least blow me a kiss.

My prediction:

Indiana        85

Minnesota   71

Shout-out to my girlfriend of two years, Caroline Hersley, she turned 19 years old yesterday.

Scouting Report: Penn State Nittany Lions

The #12 ranked Hoosiers are heading to University Park in Pennsylvania on Sunday for a noon tip-off game against the Nittany Lions from Penn State. Although it is a road game, Penn State's last home game only brought 5,081 fans to watch the Nittany Lions knock off Purdue on Thursday. This game is definitely a winnable one but the Achilles' heel to this team in the past three years as been winning away from Bloomington. The games at NC State and Michigan State are probably tougher ones than this one, but winning on the road in the B1G Ten is never easy. Just ask Purdue. They lost to this same team by 20.

Before the Purdue loss, Penn State really didn't show like they would be any threat to this Indiana team. However, as a fan, you get just a tad bit nervous because you never know if the same could happen to your team. I think this IU team is much more mature and able to handle these type of situations but I am more worried about this game than I was with the Michigan game. It seems, though, that IU always plays well at the Bryce Jordan Center.

With that, here is my scouting report for the Penn State Nittany Lions:

Game Facts:
Game Time: 12:00 p.m. Sunday, January 8, 2012
TV: BTN (Tom Hart and Dan Bonner)

Penn State Nittany Lions 9-7 (1-2) Ranking: 130 KenPom
Probable Starters:
#23 Tim Frazier: 6-1 160 Jr. G  17.1ppg  6.8apg  5.6rpg
-Easily their best player. If you wanna beat Penn State, you have to start by slowing down Frazier. Leads the team in points, assists, rebounds, steals, and minutes. All-B1G Ten type of player. Can get in the lane and makes good decisions once he gets there. The Frazier vs Oladipo match-up will be an exciting one to watch.

#11 Jermaine Marshall: 6-4 190 So. G  9.8ppg  1.2apg  3.8rpg
-Capable 3pt shooter. Has played well in early conference play.

#5 Matt Glover: 6-4 205 So. G  3.3ppg  1.6apg  4.6rpg
-Not a big offensive threat. Pulled down 11 boards in win over Purdue.

#24 Cammeron Woodyard: 6-5 210 Sr. G  8.2ppg  0.3apg  4.5rpg
-Didn't play against Purdue due to hamstring injury. Not sure if he will play tomorrow. Nothing really stands out from his stats but has decent numbers everywhere.

#35 Billy Oliver: 6-8 215 So. F  7.8ppg  0.4apg  3.8rpg
-Went off on Purdue, hitting 7 of 11 shots. All of the shots were threes, something this big man loves to shoot.  Only 3.8rpg for a 6'8" big isn't good. Tom Crean said, "Billy Oliver looked like Tom Gugliotta against Purdue."

Coming off the bench:
#43 Ross Travis: 6-8 215 Fr. F  4.3ppg  0.4apg  4.1rpg
-Good rebounder. Good for a couple put-backs.

#21 Sasa Borovnjak: 6-9 235 So. F  5.4ppg  0.1apg  3.9rpg
-Penn State's biggest body they can throw at Zeller.
#3 Trey Lewis
#25 Jon Graham
#20 Nick Colella


Penn State is plenty capable of knocking off the Hoosiers. I personally don't think or hope, it will happen. But this game is still a scary one in my opinion. Hopefully, I am totally wrong and the Hoosiers will blow them out. If IU does win this game they could see a big jump in the rankings as many top teams went down this week. So if you're big into rankings, this game is a vital one for the Hoosiers. Winning games you are supposed to win is always easier said then done, especially in the B1G Ten.

Keys to the Game

• I would like to see IU crash the boards on the offensive end this game. The Hoosiers only got 5 offensive boards last game against Michigan. 
• Keeping with the rebounding theme, (if you haven't watched IU played it's probably their biggest weakness) I would like to see if we can out-rebound Penn State by at least 7 this game. Penn State is a good rebounding team but I don't think they have the size or athleticism IU does. 
• IU has to live in the paint. Particularly Oliver is not a big post defensive threat. If we can get it inside that will open up the 3s for our good shooters.
• Noon tip-offs suck.

My prediction:

Indiana       77

Penn State  68

Scouting Report: Michigan Wolverines

The Woverine fans are feeling good coming fresh off their football team's BCS bowl game victory over Virginia Tech late Tuesday night. I hope their football faithful aren't huge basketball fans because their team has a large task at hand come tomorrow. The Indiana Hoosiers and Hoosier Nation will be waiting for another top 25 ranked team who will be trying to accomplish something, not even previous #1 and #2 teams, have done this year; win in Assembly Hall.

Now, although, conference play has just began IU has proven they can beat anybody they want on their home court. With wins over Kentucky and Ohio State, this Michigan team doesn't seem nearly as tough as a win for the Hoosiers as it did at the beginning of this year. Michigan is ranked 13th in the Coaches Poll (IU is 12th) so this game definitely won't be easy at all. But after the performance IU put up against Ohio State, it still would be a disappointing loss, but not a complete surprising one.

The Hoosiers may be with or without Sheehey (I am assuming he will be out) but either way I feel confident this team will be ready for what Michigan will bring. If you plan on attending or watching the game, be prepared for the EXTREMELY bright yellow jerseys that Michigan seems to think are fashionable. Hopefully, they left them in Ann Arbor.

With that here is my scouting report for the Michigan Wolverines:

Game Facts:
Game Time: 9:00 p.m. Thursday, January 5, 2012
TV: ESPN2 (Dave O'Brien and Dan Dakich)

Michigan Wolverines 12-2 (2-0) Ranking: 13 ESPN/43 KenPom
Probable Starters:
#3 Trey Burke: 6-1 175 Fr. G  14.0ppg  5.0apg  3.2rpg
-Has taken Darius Morris' role at point guard. Has earned B1G Freshman of the Week 4 times (tied for most with The Big Z). Second leading scorer and leads team in assists. Definitely an NBA prospect later on in his career. Very explosive. If I were Crean, I would put Victor on him to disrupt their offense and keep Burke from getting to the rim consistently.

#0 Zack Novak: 6-4 210 Sr. G  9.2ppg  2.6apg  4.4rpg
-Senior leader. Has shot 50 threes and hit 19 of them for a decent 38%.

#10 Tim Hardaway Jr: 6-5 185 So. G  15.6ppg  2.8apg  3.0rpg
-Leading scorer and has All Big-Ten time of talent. Struggled from three so far this year (shooting 29.5 percent). Plays well with Burke.

#23 Evan Smotrycz: 6-9 235 So. F  10.9ppg  1.3apg  7.1rpg
-Most improved player from a year ago. Rivals Jordy Hulls in his 3pt shooting percentage (55%) and is also 3rd in Big Ten in rebounding. Pretty effective player when he is not in foul trouble.

#52 Jordan Morgan: 6-8 240 So. F  7.3ppg  0.1apg  5.1rpg
-Benefits off missed 3pt jumpers and put backs. Not a big passer.

Coming off the bench:
#1 Stu Douglass: 6-3 190 Sr. G  7.1ppg  2.6apg  3.1rpg
-Could very well be starting. Like Novak, an important senior leader who likes to chuck threes.

*Everyone else is pretty much a non-factor.

It is early, but this is a pretty big game for both teams. IU doesn't want to fall to 1-2 in conference play and Michigan wants to build on it's 2-0 start. Should set up for quite the battle during prime time.

Keys to the Game:

• Beilein's offense is an efficient one and it will test Crean and the Hoosiers ability to execute the game plan on the defensive end. 
• Michigan crashes the boards well just like about every team in the B1G does. Limiting Michigan's chances increase IU's chances of winning (a lot of research went into creating that formula).
• Crean has been rattling on about Michigan's transition game. I believe it's good but I think he is giving this team too much credit. Still, it's important for IU to not turn it over and give up easy buckets. 
• If Michigan does wear those nasty fluorescent yellow jersey's it will be hard not to get a headache.

My prediction:

Indiana      83

Michigan   71