Hoosier Hysteria Provides Inside Look into Indiana

While the evening started with some disappointment caused by three of the top recruiting targets, including 6'10" 2015 PF Thomas Bryant, not being able to attend Hoosier Hysteria - it was quickly overcome by the shooting clinic put on by the Indiana Hoosiers. Before the evening really got started though, there was this tremendous season introduction video - "Defining The Hoosier Nation" which was played for the 14,000 people on hand in The Assembly Hall. That video set the tone for the evening and really got the crowd going.

The first contest of the evening was the three point contest and it showed off what everyone was hoping - this team can shoot the basketball. Max Hoetzel put up 22 points in Round 1 which was closely followed by Nick Zeisloft with 21. Only the top two scorers advanced to the finals which meant last year's champion Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell exited with a score of 19. Joining him on the sideline was Robert Johnson with 16, James Blackmon Jr with 15 and Collin Hartman with 11. Hoetzel, who also won the Derby Festival three point contest, knocked off Nick Zeisloft in the finals 21-18 and had several interesting quotes afterwards including, "I don't lose three point contests" and "I'm Max Hoetzel and that is all you have to know." Hoetzel has not been thought by most to have a chance to be a major contributor to the rotation this year - but he already seems to have the confidence that he can knock down a shot at any point. If he proves able to play on the defense end, he could be a great option as a stretch four this season.

Then came the dunk contest which most everyone, including myself, had basically handed to Troy Williams. Even if Williams didn't pull it out, most figured it would then be Hanner Mosquera-Perea that took home the crown. After round 1, it was Hanner with the lead at 45 points which was closely followed by Troy Williams and surprisingly walk-on Nate Ritchie with 41 points. After somewhat disappointing efforts by both Perea and Williams in Round 2 - the door was wide open for an upset from the walk-on, and he took full advantage with a between the legs pass off the backboard from Stanford Robinson to score a perfect 50 and win the dunk contest. This was perhaps the biggest upset we have seen in one of these contests in years at Hoosier Hysteria. Ritchie went on to tell the night's emcee, Sage Steele of ESPN, that he "played the quiet card" as he didn't want to talk too much smack before hand.

The final event of the evening was what most in attendance were waiting to see - the 20 minute Red versus White scrimmage. Red would go on to win 49-42 and here is how the scoring was laid out:

The scrimmage was extremely fast paced and showed off Indiana's newly found shooting skills. Keep in mind, this was the equivalent of playing a half of basketball. Therefore, Blackmon Jr. was on pace for 38 points in this one if another half had been played. The Hoosiers made 11 three pointers which combined with the staggering scores put up in the three point contest shows Indiana means business from long range this season. Last season, the Hoosiers made only 5.5 three pointers per game compared to what could have been 22 in this scrimmage if extended to a full game.

Another player also stood out and it had nothing to do with shooting. Hanner Mosquera-Perea had a very solid evening. He scored the first bucket of the scrimmage with a dunk and never really looked back. He was very active on both the offensive and defensive ends and appeared to have no issues catching the ball which has previously been a major issue. If Hanner is able to gain some confidence and play like the player everyone thought he would be when recruited two years ago, the Hoosiers could surprise some people this season.

Finally, while Emmitt Holt only had two points - he really stood out to me as a player that might crack the main rotation earlier this season than expected. He looked very polished on the floor and had a couple blocked shots and solid rebounds. Judging solely on this performance, he appears to be a very good late addition to this team. It will be interesting to see if he continues to progress as he gains more familiarity with the scheme and chemistry with the other players.

Overall, it was a great night for Indiana fans. They got confirmation that this team is going to be able to shoot and score the basketball which gets a lot of people excited after last season. In addition, they got a pretty good feeling that Perea is going to show more effort and composure this season which should make him a much more productive player. While the event may not have turned into the recruiting extravaganza many had hoped, it was a good first showing for the current team - and that is really what matters right now.