Hoops Habit
Fansided

NCAA Tournament: Storylines For Every Sweet 16 Team

By Nathan Giese

Mar 20, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) celebrates defeating the Virginia Commonwealth Rams 85-81 during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) celebrates defeating the Virginia Commonwealth Rams 85-81 during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 17
Next
Mar 19, 2016; Des Moines, IA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Collin Hartman (30) and Indiana Hoosiers guard Yogi Ferrell (11) reacts from the bench in the second half during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2016; Des Moines, IA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Collin Hartman (30) and Indiana Hoosiers guard Yogi Ferrell (11) reacts from the bench in the second half during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

Indiana Hoosiers: Has Tom Crean Saved His Job?

Indiana fans have an odd sense of history. They respect it, but seem to remember it more fondly and perceive it as more recent than it actually was.

For Tom Crean’s entire tenure, whenever he came up short in the NCAA tournament, Hoosier fans immediately called for his head, citing history, prestige and all that jazz. You know, the Laker fan approach. “We’re Indiana! We don’t lose!”

Well, actually, you do, and you’ve done so for quite some time. Indiana’s last appearance in the Final Four came in 2002, a loss to Maryland in the title game. Before that was a string of seven straight NCAA tournament apperances without moving past the first weekend.

Since then, they’ve reached the second weekend three times (2012, 2013 and this year), yet, somehow, Tom Crean is always on the chopping block.

Wanting your team to do better and expecting your team to do better than what recent history shows are two different things. Hoosier fans want the glory days of the ’70s, ’80s and early ’90s back.

Every fan base should want that from their team regardless of past history, but to call for a coach’s job because he’s not reaching a national championship game every five to seven years is asking for a bit much in the current landscape of college basketball, where the talent is spread all over the country, not just in isolated locations.

Because of the team’s Big Ten regular-season title this year and a win over rival Kentucky to get to the Sweet 16, Crean’s job appears to be safe. Chatter of his impending demise have subsided for now, but how quickly will they turn on him after their next loss? Can Crean even afford to lose at this point?

Next: The New Spike Albrecht?