Indiana University Basketball Media Conference Tom Crean
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Indiana University Basketball Media Conference Sunday, March 13 2016 So that's a very good brand of basketball when you Tom Crean look at the teams that are in their league with the Tennessee State and Citadel people like that. Again, COACH CREAN: What we know about Chattanooga is we'll get familiar with them in a hurry and we'll look that they have been battle tested. There is no question forward to it. about that, not only in their league but from the very beginning. Matt McCall has got a great background at Q. I guess you've studied them before, on some Florida with Billy Donovan and took over the job at level is it the scouting coming back? Chattanooga with a veteran team and has done an COACH CREAN: I studied their numbers. I studied a outstanding job. group of numbers actually last night late and theirs was one of them, but I didn't study the film. So we'll learn a They open up the season winning at Georgia. They've lot more. That's the best I can give you right now. won at Illinois. They've won at Dayton. We saw them on film early in the season when we played Kennesaw Q. Are you surprised with where you're seeded? State. That was our common opponent outside of COACH CREAN: The only thing I'm really excited Illinois. You can't help but follow a team throughout the about is I was smart enough to bring our Big Ten year. I haven't seen them play a lot during the year. I Championship trophy down to the room into the team will tonight. But a team that wins 29 games and wins room. I'm glad it was down there because we needed in the league the way they did, you have to have great a quick visual reminder that we were a Big Ten respect for that and we do. So there is no question champion. So I'll leave that for other people to talk when you get into this time of the year, you're going to about. play an outstanding team in the first round, and only if you're fortunate enough to keep moving forward, it But I'm proud of what this team has done. I don't think keeps moving up that same way. there is any question about that. Villanova went 8-1 on the road in their league. Okay, ourselves, Michigan But we know that they can score at a high level. State, Kansas, people like that, they win 6-3 on the They're averaging 76 points a game. The thing that road in their league. We've gone through a tough jumps out at me right away is the fact that they have league, and I'm proud of the way these guys earned made more free throws than their opponents have their championship. attempted, and I think we did the same thing in our team in 2013, but that is -- I think we did -- but that is a So I can't -- last couple of years I know we were a 1 huge staple of an aggressive, physical team. They've seed after we won it. I know Michigan was a 2 seed got good balance with McLean and Tuoyo. They really after they won it. I know Wisconsin was a 1 seed after rebound the ball at a high rate. They can score. they won it. I don't have much more to add other than that. I saw John Calipari's game with ESPN, he said You've got two all-league guys. You've got a Defensive you've got to go play the games. He's exactly right, so Player of the Year there. They shoot the ball pretty here we go. well, and what I remember from the films, and again, I'll have a much better view next time we get together of Q. Talk about their style and ability to press. Is it them but what I remember is they have very good sometimes harder to prepare for a team that has an balance of scoring. They have the Florida style where effective press? they can press and do numerous things there, and, COACH CREAN: We've handled pressure all year. We again, they look extremely well coached to me. practice it and we prepare for pressure. So we don't play it as much. We have it, but we prepare for it. We They have a young man on their staff named Peter see it. I don't think it's going to be a lot different than Gash what was on our staff our second year here, and seeing Iowa's press and things like that. But they have then ended up being at Florida Atlantic and moved on the ability to do different things. to Florida and then Chattanooga. But like I said, I'll have a much better understanding. I Rev #1 by #170 at 2016-03-14 00:39:00 GMT page 1 of 2 haven't had any time to get into the film yet, and our learn how to play in those environments. I've never players haven't seen any film yet, so I'll be able to been to the Des Moines Arena. But certain times you answer that much better later. get to the big arenas, and for you, it's not all for the other team and a lot of times it's not all the way full. So Q. Will will you be doing as far as self-scouting? you've got to be able to deal with that and you've got to COACH CREAN: Building on what we've done since be able to create your own energy and emotion, and we've been home. We had a great practice last night. you've got to be able to really stay locked in. We had a very informative film session today and weightlifting session things of that nature and I mean, the other day we didn't play a great game, we conditioning. I've got to plan all that out tonight. I have made a defensive mistake that we don't make, right? my ideas and probably won't adjust them much. You And the result comes down and really looks like it have to wait till you see what you're going to have on a appears to come down to one or two plays, a missed Thursday or Friday. We know what we're going to play free throw here or rotation there. But it's really the Thursday night now, correct. So we'll set the tone for plays inside the game. It's getting them to truly that. understand you can't have empty possessions. You might miss, but you better have an aggressive We'll leave sometime Tuesday. That will all get laid out possession. tonight. I mean, they're in the process of doing that right now. So it's a balance of making sure that we You can't allow the teams to go on runs, the other team keep improving based on what we've got to get better to go on runs. You can't give up open shots. I heard at, which is exactly what we did last night. Start Bill Self say this when we were watching that marathon preparing for this team, and put all our focus on of a show, that you've got to be able to make open Chattanooga this is not a situation where we start shots, right? You've got to make those open shots getting ready for three teams. I mean, we get ready for when you go into an arena. You want them really Chattanooga, and if we're fortunate enough to win that comfortable doing that. You've got to take care of the one, we'll take care of the next game and get ready for ball. Right? But at the same time, you've got to create that one after. easy baskets off the team's turnovers or misses. Q. Is there a burden with Kentucky potentially the But those are not things you learn from the year before. next opponent? Those are things you learn throughout the year. So I COACH CREAN: Well, I think we're all just going to think that's the most important thing. focus on Chattanooga, and I think that's the most important thing. So I think I'm not sure burden is the word. I don't think anybody looks at anything like a burden. I think everybody looks at this season like just take the next day. They've been extremely resilient and they're very good at being focused. So I think that's what the key thing is, and I think we're only guaranteed one game right now, and that's against Chattanooga Thursday night. So that's the most important thing and the only thing we'll get ready for. Q. What's the difference this year from the past two years? COACH CREAN: I'm not sure. I'm not sure that's anything that really comes into fruition when you get into the next year almost 360-some-odd days. So the players have the experience of it. I think the biggest thing that you have to learn, and this is something we talked about as a staff, because it was even the other day.