Indiana basketball has found itself in an incredible position with only two regular season games left to go. With Maryland’s loss to Purdue, Indiana is now one victory away from an outright Big Ten Title. Alongside that, Indiana is nearing what could be an undefeated season at home and potential Big Ten Coach of the Year Tom Crean has the Hoosiers playing some of their best basketball down the stretch. Not to mention the fact that senior point guard Yogi Ferrell remains in the conversation for Big Ten Player of the Year, and still has a large amount of his legacy left to carve.

There is an abundance of things to be excited about if you’re a Hoosier, but there is one thing in particular I can’t seem to stop thinking about.

Niego-sanity

I know everyone likes to talk about possibly winning the Big Ten Title, or even potentially making a run at the final four, but I want to talk about the prospect of “Niego-sanity.”

To some that may sound stupid, but the mere idea of “Niego-sanity” means much more than one can imagine.

Because, Harrison Niego is arguably one of the most important members of this Indiana basketball team.

He may not fill the stat sheet or standout in the highlights, but Harrison Niego embodies everything that has made this basketball team successful.

1. He has completely bought into the program

From the moment Harrison Niego committed to IU, he was dedicated to the mentality of winning.

Coming in as a walk-on, Niego already had scholarship offers on the table from division one schools. He had the opportunity to go to an Ivy League school in Dartmouth for free, but forwent his offers in order to play basketball at Indiana.

In an interview with Mike Miller of The Herald-Times, Niego said he came to IU because of the potential this team had. Niego told Miller, “(I liked) the culture of winning, and it starts from the top and goes all the way to the bottom. It was irresistible and it’s how I work, too. That was really attractive.”

If the ability for someone to forgo over $100,000 of college tuition to play for a school doesn’t display dedication, then I don’t know what does.

It is this dedication which has propelled Indiana as a whole. Players have bought-into Tom Crean’s system and have full trust in him moving forward. Players are following Niego’s example and are worrying more about doing what they can to support the team, rather than worrying about what they have to do to get drafted.

2. He has brought effort and energy

As someone that is always trying to carve out minutes in Tom Crean’s rotation, Harrison Niego seems to never take off a play.

He acknowledges that mentality, saying, “I always treat every time I’m getting in as the biggest minutes I’m getting.”

It’s this work ethic which has allowed Niego to bring energy and momentum to games when this team needs it. Whether it’s jumping on loose balls, forcing deflections, or drawing charges, Niego doesn’t allow any minute he is on the court go to waste. That is why he has steal rate of 4.4% and that is why Indiana was able to ride the momentum of his defense against Iowa to pull off its biggest win of the season.

The effort and energy he brings to the team hasn’t gone unnoticed by the rest of the squad, as the team’s overall effort level has been through the roof as of late. Indiana only gave up 19 points against Illinois in the second half because it beared down and gave the defensive side of the ball its full effort.

3. He has brought valuable depth

As many of you have probably figured out already, Yogi Ferrell can’t play 40 minutes. He can try, but ultimately he can’t. With the absence of James Blackmon Jr., and now Robert Johnson, various Hoosiers have had to step up. Not many would have expected that to include a freshman walk-on, but it has.

Harrison Niego has provided IU with a crucial second or third ball handler that can alleviate Yogi Ferrell when needed. He has also provided motivation for the belief that anyone on this team can step up when needed.

This is the concept that has made Indiana so successful this season. Indiana’s depth and belief has allowed them to persevere through injuries and find alternative scorers.

4. He has brought the basic fundamentals

Too often does it seem forgotten, but you need fundamentally strong players to prosper. The fancy elements to the game are fun, but fundamentals are what get you where you want to go. Harrison Niego knows he can’t dunk like Thomas Bryant or high five like Tim Priller. That’s not his game. He will never be caught doing too much.

This understanding has seemed to rub off the rest of the team, specifically Troy Williams as of late. As Williams has started to allow the game to come to him more, the results have started to follow.

As a whole, IU has found a way to avoid doing too much in big games such as Iowa and Purdue, consequently leading to big victories.

5. He has brought a level of team cohesiveness

The rest of the team has seen Niego’s effort day in and day out, and as a result have found themselves rooting for him.

After the Iowa game, Niego described that sentiment by saying,“Everyone’s telling me to be aggressive. Yogi is a great leader, and he always tells me to be aggressive and look for my shot.”

Niego isn’t the only one players are rooting for, as many have evidently been building their energy from the success of others on the team. This team has established that chemistry and unity that leaves everyone rooting for each other’s success, because that is what leads to the team’s success as a whole.

In previous articles, I have mentioned how Max Bielfeldt is everyone’s dad’s favorite basketball player, but now I’m going to retract that sentiment.

Harrison Niego is everyone’s dad’s favorite basketball player, because he means more than his stats. He brings this relentless effort and energy that allows this team to succeed. Harrison Niego means more to this team, because he is the embodiment of its success.

Harrison Niego has completely bought into the program. He has brought energy and effort, valuable depth, basic fundamentals, and a level of team cohesiveness.

Indiana University basketball is in position to win the Big Ten title on Tuesday because players have bought into the program, played with energy and effort, proved their valuable depth, presented strong fundamentals, and remained a cohesive unit.