Indiana Must Defend and Shoot Better to make it to Second Weekend

Indiana enters the NCAA tournament with its highest seed in years.

This is a good sign as many figured this year that the Hoosiers are still a year ahead of schedule.

They beat three top-five teams this year, finished in the top five of the Big Ten, and had the biggest improvement from last season to this season of any team in the major six conferences.

All of that is solid, but I for one won’t be satisfied if the Hoosiers aren’t in at least the second weekend of the tournament—if not further.

Indiana has possibly some tough challenges from mid-majors in the first two games. If they beat New Mexico State in the second round, they would then face either VCU or Wichita State.

New Mexico State is a scrappy team that can defend well. Indiana will need to come out focused and prepared to win this contest.

The Hoosiers need to realize with a four seed and playing mid-majors that they will have a bull's-eye on the back of their jerseys. They need to keep the throttle down and not give up.

If Indiana can advance past the Aggies of New Mexico State, they get either a VCU team who went to the Final Four last year, or 2011 NIT champion Wichita State, who many consider the best mid-major out there.

Both of these teams have more tournament experience than Indiana—and that can be costly.

The Hoosiers clearly have more talent and a better team, but if they’re not playing on all cylinders they will head back to Bloomington without ever getting to the Kentucky rematch.

The Hoosiers need big play out of Christian Watford and Jordan Hulls. When both shoot well, Indiana fares well.

When both shoot dismal, Indiana is guaranteed to lose.

Take the month of February for example. Prior to the Minnesota game, Watford was shooting 15 percent from the field. Fellow junior Jordan Hulls wasn’t much better.

Indiana was so up and down during that stretch and lost some costly games.

When both got their shots back, Indiana went on a terror and beat some good teams to close out the season.

The Hoosiers need this as teams can’t guard these two if they’re on. That also helps free up Cody Zeller in the middle, helping them to advance up the court.

Another thing the Hoosiers need is Victor Oladipo to finally put layups in the bucket.

He’s one of the most explosive players in the nation and when he’s making his layups, he’s unstoppable.

Against Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals, Oladipo had his way with getting to the rim, but he couldn’t get his shots to fall.

I can tell you no one on any of the three potential matchups in the first two games will be able to guard Oladipo.

His energy to get to the rim is a huge difference maker as it gets the Hoosiers going.

I think Indiana should get to the sweet 16 at least, but if Watford and Hulls start to struggle, and Oladipo isn’t hitting his layups, Indiana’s promising season will end in failure.

They're better than these teams and need to come out and show it.