Divided Loyalty

Now I love the Hoosiers, but considering that I spent 6 years of my life at Grace (I got my masters there as well), and many of my close friends work there, and the president's son is one my best friends, I had no choice to trade in my cream and crimson for black and red.

For about 18 minutes, it looked like I would forever be able to mock Demond as my beloved Lancers gave his Hoosiers everything they could handle. As Terry Hutchins said,

As Grace College was going toe-to-toe with Indiana throughout the first half and the game was still tied at 36-all with 90 seconds to play before the intermission, I have to admit my mind was beginning to wander. The thought I couldn't get out of my head was a simple one: "In five weeks, these guys are going to play Kentucky?''

Now, in IU's defense, these guys are really young and haven't really played together very much. They're still learning what to expect from each other. They're still learning Tom Crean's system. And sometimes when you try so hard you end up making more mistakes than if you were relaxed. This was what I thought IU fans saw over and over Wednesday night. A lot of point blank misses. A lot of chances to convert inside that were unsuccessful. Several defensive lapses where the Hoosiers got beat on back door cuts or pick-and-rolls with Grace's big kids.

This troubles me greatly as an IU fan because I have it on good authority that four of Grace's best players were banged up last night.

In the Hoosiers' defense, they did pull away and crush Grace in the second half, but seriously, Grace has fewer than 1500 students, Indiana has 15 million. Indiana has 5 national championship banners, Grace has one NAIA D2 National Championship. The fact that they were on the same court together embarrasses me as a fan of both. All things considered the plucky Gracies acquitted themselves very well.

Oh, but if they could only have won...

I would have been able to mock my brother forever.

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written by djcolts, November 05, 2009

After a "ranked" Syracuse team lost to LeMoyne this week - there is no reason IU should be embarrassed for struggling in a half against Grace College in an exhibition.

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written by A.J., November 05, 2009

Traitor!!! TRAITOR!!!

smilies/wink.gif

Naw... just kidding man. smilies/grin.gif

Seriously, it's cool to see a small college you have ties with go at it with a big Division I school. The cheering was appreciation, not hate. That's never, ever a bad thing in sports.

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written by DemondSanders, November 05, 2009

"Now, in IU's defense, these guys are really young and haven't really played together very much."

Uh, that and they won, what, 6 games last year?

You can still mock your brother forever
written by Bob M, November 05, 2009

That's what brothers are for.

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written by Kevin A, November 05, 2009

"Indiana has 5 National Championship banners. Grace has 1 NAIA D2 Championship"

...bitter memories returning. I was at Franklin in '92 when we went up to Lake Winona and upset Grace for the district championship. Grace gets the at-large bid to the tourney in Stephenville Texas. Franklin meets Grace in the quarterfinals and are destroyed by about 30 points...ugh. I curse you Scott Blum!