FIRST LOOK
No. 6 Indiana (20-8) vs. No. 11 Pepperdine (24-8)
Friday at Buffalo N.Y.
*
* Coach: Jan van Breda Kolff.
* Region: East.
* Seeding: No. 11.
* Bid: At large.
* Tournament record: 4-12, 11 appearances.
* Last NCAA appearance: 1994.
* Conference: West Coast.
* Top scorers: Brandon Armstrong 14.1; Tommie Prince 9.8; Tezale Archie 9.8; Kelvin Gibbs 9.1.
* Top rebounders: Kelvin Gibbs 7.1; Nick Sheppard 6.8; Tommie Prince 4.8.
* Top assists: Tezale Archie 5.7; Craig Lewis 1.7.
* Three-point baskets: Brandon Armstrong 59; Tezale Archie 45; Craig Lewis 44; David Lalazarian 28.
* Last 10 games: 8-2
* Coach: Bob Knight.
* Region: East.
* Seeding: No. 6.
* Bid: At large.
* Tournament record: 52-23, 28 appearances.
* Last NCAA appearance: 1999.
* Conference: Big Ten.
* Top scorers: A.J. Guyton 20.3; Kirk Haston 15.8; Michael Lewis 10.5.
* Top rebounders: Kirk Haston 8.6; Lynn Washington 4.8; Michael Lewis 3.9.
* Top assists: Michael Lewis 5.4; A.J. Guyton 2.4; Dane Fife 2.0.
* Three-point baskets: A.J. Guyton 72; Michael Lewis 24.
* Last 10 games: 5-5.
POSITIONS
FORWARDS
Prince is an athletic defensive specialist who can score in transition and Gibbs is a strong rebounder who can score from the low post. Lalazarian usually provides a spark. Washington and Newton are not big scorers although Washington is shooting 56%.
CENTERS
Haston is a stronger offensive player than Sheppard, who struggles getting shots off underneath the basket. However, Sheppard outweighs Haston considerably and can play intimidating defense. Suitt is a good shot blocker.
GUARDS
The strength of both teams. Guyton was Big Ten Player of the Year and Michael Lewis is an accurate shooter and adept ballhandler. Archie runs the Pepperdine offense well and must feed Armstrong, the Waves’ top scoring threat. Craig Lewis is a three-point threat.
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