Indiana Basketball: Hoosiers' Biggest Goals for Nonconference Play

The Indiana Hoosiers are almost halfway through their nonconference schedule. So far, IU is playing well, sitting at a 5-1 record with its only loss being a close one to Connecticut. 

With seven games left before the Big Ten season begins, the Hoosiers have some time to improve. Here's what IU has to accomplish before it plays at Illinois on Dec. 31.

Learn From the Syracuse Game 

It's important for the Hoosiers to use the road matchup against current No. 8 Syracuse as a learning opportunity.

Winning on the road is tough in college basketball, especially for a young team. As we know, Indiana is especially youthful. The Hoosiers start two freshmen, and three more play significant minutes off the bench. 

These new Hoosiers need to get comfortable with hostile environments. The problem is only two of IU's remaining nonconference games are outside of Assembly Hall. Besides Syracuse, Indiana heads to Indianapolis to take on Notre Dame (if you can even count that as a road game).

So, really, the contest against the Orange is IU's only true road test before the start of conference play. The Hoosiers need to use this game to grow, as two of their first three Big Ten games are not in Bloomington (at Illinois and Penn State).

Obviously the Hoosiers want to win, but a loss in the Carrier Dome shouldn't hurt IU's confidence too much, unless it's a blowout. The Orange are very talented, and playing in their home arena gives them an enormous advantage.

Indiana can't get discouraged if things don't go its way.

The main thing the Hoosiers need to worry about is getting road-game jitters out of their systems. Doing so will go a long way in helping them be successful later in the year.

Play Better Against Syracuse's Zone

These aren't the same two teams that met in last season's Sweet 16, but for Indiana, the pain of that loss surely hasn't subsided. It's hard to forget how the No. 1-seeded the Hoosiers were embarrassed by the Orange and its 2-3 zone.

Syracuse's defense completely befuddled Indiana, exposing the fact that the Hoosiers were helpless against anything other than man-to-man. 

So besides the chance to get revenge, this game is an opportunity for Indiana to show future opponents it can handle a zone. Big Ten teams aren't known for their zone defenses, but if the Hoosiers are perplexed by the Orange's defense for the second time in less than a year, don't be surprised when future opponents defend IU in a similar fashion.  

Who is Vonleh's Backup?

So far, the fabulous freshman Noah Vonleh is Indiana's only legitimate post threat. Impressive wouldn't be the word to use when describing the other Hoosier big men.

Hanner Mosquera-Perea (4.0 PPG, 1.8 RPG) has looked somewhat better than he did a year ago, and freshman Luke Fischer (1.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG) is still feeling things out after missing several weeks of practice time with a preseason shoulder injury. 

It's imperative Indiana finds out who is going to be the primary big off the bench to spell Vonleh. There will be times when he won't be able to be on the floor (foul trouble, out of breath, possible injury). Right now, Mosquera-Perea and Fischer are receiving equal playing time and neither has been able to get into the flow of the game. 

Sooner rather than later, Tom Crean has to pick one and stick with his choice so he can get some real game experience and develop.

Hopefully one turns out to be reliable, or the Hoosiers will be in major trouble when they have to face the typically physical big men of the Big Ten. 

Come New Year's Eve, we should know a lot more about Indiana and if it's ready for its conference rivals.