Indiana 100, Longwood 49.

I didn't get a chance to see this game, but it is waiting on my Tivo. Given the lopsided outcome and another game tomorrow, I might not get there at all. So, this review is for the sake of completeness and is based entirely on the box score.

As I noted in the preview, Longwood was an overmatched team, 7-22 last season and now in its first season of full-fledged Division I status. Still, even by that standard IU's defense was fairly impressive. Every team has guys who can shoot, so holding any team to 25 percent shooting says something good about the defense. Even with the IU starters on the bench for the last five minutes, Longwood was only 5-29 from the field in the second half. IU shot 58.5 percent for the game and 64 percent from the field in the first half. IU made 61 percent of its 18 three point shots. IU's offensive rebounding numbers were more on par with last season: IU boarded 9 of its 27 misses while Longwood grabbed only 26 percent of its opportunities. The Hoosiers managed 22 assists on 38 field goals. Despite IU's high scoring total, this game was slower than the Chattanooga game, with about 67 possessions per team. That means IU managed a stellar 1.5 points per possession. Again, consider the competition, but still, a nice performance.

Of the guys who played more than ten minutes, only Brandon McGee and Eli Holman averaged less than a point per shot. DJ White was very efficient, scoring 12 points on 4-5 from the field and 4-5 from the line. Eric Gordon, while not as superhuman as against the Mocs, scored 21 points on 14 shots, including 5-8 from three point range. The only red flags in EJ's line are three turnovers and only one free throw attempt. Jamarcus Ellis certainly seems like he will be, if you'll pardon the cliche, IU's glue guy, the guy who holds things together by doing a bit of everything. Ellis scored 9 points on 7 shots, had 5 assists to one turnover, and pulled down 11 of Longwood's misses (nearly as many as the entire Longwood team). Armon Basset may have had the best line of the night: 14 points on six shots, 5 assists/one turnover.

Again, it's tough to take much from a game against such an overmatched opponent, but there certainly can be no complaints after two games. IU's offense has been consistently outstanding and the defense has been stifling for three of four halves. Next up is UNC-Wilmington, with some marginally tougher competition over the weekend and Georgia Tech just a week from tomorrow. By next Wednesday, we will have a better handle on this team.

Longwood preview.

Longwood Lancers

Overall record: 2-1

Conference record: n/a (Independent)

2006-07 RPI: 308

2006-07 record: 7-22

2006-07 Sagarin: 317

Series: First meeting

TV: November 18, 12 p.m., BTN

The focus of most IU fans is on the Bucket game tomorrow, but IU does have a basketball game this weekend, the beginning of stretch of five games in ten days. IU plays four games as part of the "Chicago Invitational Challenge" and then plays Georgia Tech on Tuesday, November 27. What, you might ask, is the Chicago Invitational Challenge? It is an event, in its second year, held at the Sears Centre, a fairly new arena in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates. It would appear that the first two games, the games that IU will play at Assembly Hall against Longwood and UNC-Wilmington, are pointless. All of the Challenge teams will participate in two early games that have no bearing on the tournament pairings. Then, on November 23 and November 24, there will be two concurrent tournaments at the Sears Centre. The lower-tier tournament features UNC-Wilmington v. Longwood and SE Missouri v. Coppin State. The upper tier tournament features IU v. Illinois State and Xavier v. Kent State. Interesting digression: the event features two of the five teams that IU defeated in the 2002 NCAA Tournament (Wilmington and Kent State).

So, Longwood. The Lancers, who were 7-22 last year, are 2-1, with a loss to Navy and wins over Norfolk State and something called Virginia-Wise. Longwood, located in Farmville, Virginia, is in its first season of full-fledged Division I status. Longwood has surprising height (five players 6-7 or taller). Leading the way so far for Longwood is Kirk Williams, averaging 20 points per game on 156 shots per game. Unlike Chattanooga, Longwood doesn't seem to have a significant three point threat. Last year, Longwood played quickly (71 possessions per game) but poorly (.892 points per possession on offense, 1.04 points per possession on defense). Those raw numbers, both resulting in a sub-300 ranking, are even worse when adjusted for schedule. In short? A bad team that we should handle.