DAYTON, Ohio — The starting backcourt for Indiana sees a resemblance between one of the Hoosiers’ top rivals and the opponent they will face today in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
Top-seeded Indiana tackles ninth-seeded Temple today at University of Dayton Arena for the right to head to the Sweet 16 in the East Region. Both Indiana point guard Yogi Ferrell and shooting guard Jordan Hulls believe Temple is similar to their Big Ten foe, Michigan.
Ferrell, whose team beat Michigan twice this year, though by a total of just nine points, pointed out both the Owls and the Wolverines present a number of capable offensive players. He also said both teams are proficient from 3-point range (Temple sank 7.3 treys per game this season at a rate of 33 percent and Michigan was at 7.5 and 38 percent).
Both Ferrell and Hulls mentioned Temple and Michigan feature a standout guard: Trey Burke for the Wolverines and Khalif Wyatt for the Owls.
“We’ve just kept trying to look for any similarities that we can bring to our team from our league, and it starts real quick when you get with Wyatt, and you can start making comparisons to Trey Burke and how he plays and how much the ball is in his hands, and not only the way that he shoots it but the way that he delivers it,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said. “And we’re used to that. Khalif Wyatt takes a back seat to no one in the country right now when it comes to being a complete guard.”
Especially in Temple’s first game of the tourney, Friday against North Carolina State. In the 76-61 victory over the Wolfpack, Wyatt, the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year, poured in 31 points, the most by anybody in the Round of 64.
“I think as he goes, we go many times,” Temple coach Fran Dunphy said.
Wyatt is dealing with a jammed thumb, but isn’t concerned.
“It’s a little sore right now,” he said, “but it will be fine.”
He also said Friday he wanted to face Indiana and expanded on that yesterday.
“That’s why you play basketball,” Wyatt said. “You want to play against the best.”