Rushed Reactions: #5 Indiana 99, #12 Chattanooga 75

Posted by Walker Carey on March 17th, 2016

Rush the Court will be providing wall-to-wall coverage of each of the NCAA Tournament from each of the 13 sites this year. Follow our NCAA Tourney specific Twitter accounts at @RTCEastregion, @RTCMWregion,@RTCSouthregion and @RTCWestregion.

Three Key Takeaways.

Yogi Ferrell Was Dynamic Against Chattanooga (Photo: USAT Sports)

Yogi Ferrell Was Dynamic Against Chattanooga (Photo: USAT Sports)

  1. Indiana’s offense is a must-see when it is clicking on all cylinders. It is no secret that the biggest reason why the Hoosiers took home the outright Big Ten title was its strong offensive attack. Having said that, one must see the Hoosiers in person to fully understand just how good they are on that end of the court when things are clicking. Indiana’s offense performed masterfully throughout tonight’s victory, finishing the game shooting 64.9% from the field, 58.8% from three, and all while assisting on 23 baskets. A key facet of the Indiana offensive attack is its balanced scoring. There is rarely a game where one player dominates the stat sheet when it comes to points. In this evening’s win, the Hoosiers had seven players finish with at least eight points. Being able to count on that many guys to score for you is quite a luxury when looking to advance deep into the bracket.
  2. It is possible that Yogi Ferrell might be underrated. The main reason why Indiana’s offense is such a well-oiled machine is because of the man at its controls. That player is senior point guard Yogi Ferrell. The IU senior gets a lot of attention at the regional level, but it is quite possible he is underrated nationally. Ferrell does a little bit of everything for the Hoosiers: He facilitates, fires off jaw-dropping passes, hits shots from the perimeter, drives to the basket, and has developed into a very capable defender. There is no question that Yogi Ferrell is one of the most valuable players in the country, and it’s time for everyone to acknowledge it.
  3. You should buy stock in OG Anunoby right now. Forward Thomas Bryant is the Indiana freshman that has garnered much of the media attention this season (with good reason – Bryant is a very good player), but OG Anunoby showed tonight why there is another Hoosier freshman worth discussing. The freshman forward was outstanding against Chattanooga, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Beyond the productive scoring night, Anunoby oozed energy and athleticism the entire time he was on the court. It would be wise to keep an eye on Anunoby — chances are we will hear a lot about him before his collegiate career comes to an end.

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