Indiana Basketball: Breaking Down the First Month of 2016-17

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Nov 30, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard James Blackmon (1) leads the team onto the floor before the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Assembly Hall. Indiana defeats North Carolina 76-67. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

The Good

O.G. Anunoby

Plenty of skepticism has been placed on highly touted star O.G. Anunoby entering his sophomore season. Anunoby played a key role in the success the Hoosiers saw down the stretch last season.

The real surprise has been the offensive production that many people thought Anunoby would struggle with this season. Anunoby after the first month of play is the third leading scorer on the team, averaging 12.5 points per game. Through the first five games of the season, Anunoby has been lights out defensively locking down some of the best forwards in college basketball.

When on the floor, Anunoby has proven to be the difference maker that Indiana needs in order to preserve their top ten ranking. He has proven so far to NBA scouts, experts and the national media that he might just be worth of an NBA Lottery selection come summer 2017.

James Blackmon Jr.

Coming off a torn meniscus in his left knee late in 2015, there was a bit of uncertainty for James Blackmon Jr. and how he would respond to the injury. The void that was left to fill in terms of

scoring from Yogi Ferrell loomed as one of the main concerns for this Indiana team. Who would be able to step up and replace the versatile scoring point guard?

James Blackmon Jr. has surprised many Indiana fans, transitioning smoothly into the number one scorer on the team so far in 2016. He put on quite the showing in the opener verse #3 Kansas, scoring 26 points complimented by 6 rebounds. He started the season with three straight 20 plus point games.

Indiana will continue to need Blackmon to provide the three point threat and be able to take pressure shots down the stretch in games.

Two Top 5 Wins

Need I say more? These wins will come in handy when it comes down to determining seeds for March Madness. The two wins against Kansas and North Carolina essentially wipe away any lingering doubt that was brought on by the IPFW loss.

Wins in November might not mean the same as those in February, but it certainly can’t hurt. Most of college basketball expects both Kansas and North Carolina to hang in the top 10 for the majority of the year. These wins will provide a strong resume for Indiana moving into Big Ten play.

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