Indiana Basketball: The Time Is Now For Crean’s Hoosiers

Two Players with different roles but great responsibilities heading into this season are senior point guard Yogi Ferrell and freshman center Thomas Bryant.

This is what Indiana Hoosiers coach Tom Crean said after Hoosier Hysteria. This team has been looking for a leader. In August, Crean sent out a challenge to his team about leadership. As a senior, Ferrell is more than capable because of his experience. But will he step up as a leader for a team that has dismissed three players in two years? That might be the difference between a “Final Four Season” and an “NIT Season” for Indiana.

Ferrell’s leadership qualities shined during Hoosier Hysteria. He displayed all the qualities Crean was looking for. He directed players and plays with confidence and poise during the Cream and Crimson scrimmage. In the first chapter of this season, Ferrell looked like what he has been for the Hoosiers, and that’s the best player.

The Indiana Hoosiers have lacked a Big Man presence since Cody Zeller became an early-entry NBA Draft pick. The arrival of Thomas Bryant, at 6-10 220 lbs., the freshman from Rochester, New York, fills their low-post void. Bryant became a penciled-in starter since Signing Day. The McDonald’s All-American is not just a low-post threat, he can run the floor too…

Bryant’s addition might be the biggest reason the Hoosiers win more than 20 games this season. Bryant bolsters a frontcourt that was a liability throughout last season. He has been dealing with foot injuries during the offseason but is healthy to start the season, which is a great sign for Hoosier nation.

Tom Crean had some great words to say about him after Hysteria, “He’s a sponge, he wants to get better. He’s not afraid to ask questions … You combine that with the upside he has and the energy that he has and the fact that he’s a few months into being 18 years old. He’s got a great future.”

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