A pair of basketball programs looking to get back to what they were in the early 1990s have each won their first two non-conference games in key threshold seasons.
Michigan, which has not been a national power since the days of the Fab Five's baggy shorts, thumped Central Michigan, but barely edged Boston University on the road (note: that's Boston U, not Boston College). The Wolverines make a road trip to South Bend on December 3, and host 16th-ranked UCLA two weeks later.
Indiana's last moment in the national sunlight was when Calbert Cheaney strolled the campus, and only a knee injury to Alan Henderson kept the team out of the '93 Final Four.They opened 2005 by racking up a combined 199 points in routing Nicholls State and Florida A&M. The Hoosiers are awaiting a home date with top-ranked Duke a week from tonight, and their traditional battle with Kentucky comes on December 10.
Both coaches--Tommy Amaker and Mike Davis--are under the gun, and both have the talent to contend in the conference. Both lineups are filled with experienced players--IU has four seniors playing substantial minutes, as do the Wolverines. The two teams will open the Big Ten season against each on January 3, in an ESPN telecast.
I'm not much of an Indiana fan, but weren't Mike Davis and the Hoosiers in the national title game against Maryland not too long ago? Seems to me that qualifies as being on the national radar.
Posted by: Rob | November 29, 2005 at 06:55 PM
Rob brings up a fair point, and perhaps I should have been more clear in what I think of as the "national spotlight." I think it means a team that is genuinely outstanding start to finish, wins its conference and maybe garners a #1 or #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. I don't think a team that has a decent year, but through a combination of upsets and bracket breaks catches lightning in a bottle in March, as having been a truly national contender. They were just a team that had a magic ride. More power to them, it's the way the system works, but I don't see it as indicative of a program's strength.
Obviously many people would disagree with my characterization of "national contender", and perhaps that's a good topic for a separate post. I am simply clarifying why I made the assessment of Indiana that I did.
Posted by: DanFlaherty | November 29, 2005 at 07:49 PM