Indiana takes on the North Carolina Tar Heels Sunday at 5 in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. After last week’s exhibition against Butler, this week will certainly be a step up in competition. Here is what I am watching for on Sunday.
Aiden Sherrell
As we talked about in the game recap, Sherrell did not have his best game. His matchup against Jarin Stevenson will give him a second chance to showcase the best of his abilities. Listed at 6-foot-10, 220 pounds, Stevenson will be a better test to see what a power forward matchup looks like during Big Ten play.
The Freshmen
I was impressed with Trevor Manhertz’ comfort level in his first action against Butler. His two freshman counterparts, Vaughn Karvala, and Prince-Alexander Moody did not get to see much action. Karvala was dealing with a nagging injury, so he might not play again this week. If he does play, watch for his energy and intensity to increase the intensity of the whole team like it did in Peru this summer. Moody saw limited minutes in the game against Butler, and I would like to see him play against ACC competition this week. He was very impressive in the summer, and building depth in the exhibition season could pay massive dividends later in the year.
Rebounding
Indiana had a dominant rebounding performance, including 17 offensive boards last week. This game against North Carolina will show if the rebounding was a function of the massive size advantage Indiana had, or a concerted effort by head coach Darian DeVries and his staff to create more second chance opportunities.
Defense
Indiana did not have a great showing on defense, especially in the first half. The communication was poor, leading to open threes and easy driving lanes for Butler’s guards. Some of the defensive mishaps are a product of not scouting the opponent in exhibition play, but the communication needs to be better. With a team that is unfamiliar with each other, communication is a preseason problem that needs to get better every time out on the floor.
This is an awesome matchup for an exhibition game from a brand perspective. The talent of both teams makes this compelling basketball, and will provide healthy competition for both teams. Even though this is an exhibition game, I expect a lively crowd and high intensity on the floor. Make sure to tune in Sunday to watch the Hoosiers take on the Tar Heels at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis!
Photo Courtesy of The Daily Hoosier
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