COLUMN: Indiana Finds Its Tough-Minded Identity
11/30/2017 11:47:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana – Indiana just missed rocking the college basketball world.
That it didn't, that it fell short against top-ranked Duke, as talented a team as there is in America, doesn't diminish this fact:
The Hoosiers (4-3) are poised to roll …
If.
IU's 91-81 defeat Wednesday night showcased how close it is to elite play. It can compete against the best, thrive against superior talent, and put itself in position to make a major Big Ten move which, because of the scheduling quirk caused by having the conference tourney in New York City this season, begins Saturday at Michigan.
"Give Duke a lot of credit," guard Robert Johnson said. "They're a good team. But we did a lot of good things. It gave us an identity and a standard, a baseline level we need to play that hard every night.
"If we get better day by day, drill by drill, we'll be where we want to be at the end of the season."
Consider IU has had three straight games of less than 10 turnovers. That hasn't happened in at least 21 years.
Consider that it shot 50 percent against a fierce defense, that it nearly matched the bigger Blue Devils (9-0) on the boards, losing 33-31.
That's something to build on.
"The team is improving in every aspect," center DeRon Davis said. "We've just to finish."
The glaring flaw remains free throw shooting. IU went 16-for-26 from the line. Davis was just 4-for-9, and missed four crucial crunch-time attempts.
"Towards the last part of the game, we started getting fouled more, and that's on us to hit our free throws," Davis said. "We knock down our free throws, we're right there.
"And a big part of that is on me."
Added coach Archie Miller: "The free throw shooting was disappointing. You have to be better than that to win games like that.
Then there was the 5-for-21 three-point shooting.
"Our shooting from the perimeter, although it wasn't our night, we need to make a couple of those open ones and find a way to win," Miller said.
IU nearly founded a way at sold-out Assembly Hall, which was as loud as it's ever been. The Hoosiers fell behind by 10 to start the second half, then rallied to take three four-point leads before fading.
Still, when you consider Duke's talent -- there was a reason why 26 NBA scouts were at the game -- the Hoosiers' effort was impressive.
"Our guys were ready to play," Miller said. "They weren't afraid of the moment. They got knocked down and came back.
"It's about learning how to win that type of game. Find ways to win. If you do, it spearheads the belief. Make no mistake it's about winning the game.
"We were ready to compete. We executed on offense. We took care of the ball. We played with poise."
Duke left no choice.
Forward Marvin Bagley III is a double-double wonder -- he has seven in the first nine games, including Wednesday's 23-point, 10-rebound effort. Guard Grayson Allen thrives in the villain role. His 23 points included a tough-minded late three-pointer that created separation the Blue Devils never lost.
But the Hoosiers had their own major players. Johnson had 17 points and four rebounds. Davis had 16 points, 14 in the second half. Juwan Morgan added 14 points and six rebounds.
And then there was Collin Hartman, still on the way back from a groin injury, delivering 11 points and three rebounds in 16 minutes.
"I thought we competed," Miller said. "I thought we really battled."
Duke briefly buckled against Assembly Hall mystique that included wins against the last two No. 1 teams to play there – Michigan in 2013 and Kentucky in 2011.
But in the end, the Blue Devils were too tough. They served as an example of what IU hopes to become.
"We have to do the A-B-C things, like hitting the open shot, knock the free throws down, get the loose ball," Miller said. "Winning plays at the end. Find a way to step up and make winning plays. If we continue to keep growing up, this should be the norm at Assembly Hall. If not, it's on me."
IU has grown light-years since the Indiana State season-opening debacle and it showed from the opening tip.
The Hoosiers gave as good as they got.
Morgan battled for rebounds as if his next five meals depended on it. Freddie McSwain Jr. delivered a dunk – and a brief 20-19 IU lead – to ignite a Cream 'n Crimson roar so loud that it threatened to blow a hole through the roof of Assembly Hall.
It stayed that way until the closing minutes.
Now it has to stay that with through all the minutes.
"The next step for this team is to bring what we brought (against Duke) and be ready to do that against Michigan," Miller said.
"Each and every night we're going to play a good team. It's not going away. We have to keep getting better, keep improving.
"The staff has to be better. I have to be better.
"It should give us confidence that if we can compete like this for 35 minutes, let's put it together for 40, execute a little better, make some free throws and see if we can't win by one."
The next shot comes Saturday in Ann Arbor.
"With Michigan, we've got to be ready to battle," Miller said. "If we get 81 points at home, we've got to win, period. That's where that ability to get stops and win with defense. That's where we've got to get to."
Figure the Hoosiers will get there – sooner rather than later.
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana – Indiana just missed rocking the college basketball world.
That it didn't, that it fell short against top-ranked Duke, as talented a team as there is in America, doesn't diminish this fact:
The Hoosiers (4-3) are poised to roll …
If.
IU's 91-81 defeat Wednesday night showcased how close it is to elite play. It can compete against the best, thrive against superior talent, and put itself in position to make a major Big Ten move which, because of the scheduling quirk caused by having the conference tourney in New York City this season, begins Saturday at Michigan.
"Give Duke a lot of credit," guard Robert Johnson said. "They're a good team. But we did a lot of good things. It gave us an identity and a standard, a baseline level we need to play that hard every night.
"If we get better day by day, drill by drill, we'll be where we want to be at the end of the season."
Consider IU has had three straight games of less than 10 turnovers. That hasn't happened in at least 21 years.
Consider that it shot 50 percent against a fierce defense, that it nearly matched the bigger Blue Devils (9-0) on the boards, losing 33-31.
That's something to build on.
"The team is improving in every aspect," center DeRon Davis said. "We've just to finish."
The glaring flaw remains free throw shooting. IU went 16-for-26 from the line. Davis was just 4-for-9, and missed four crucial crunch-time attempts.
"Towards the last part of the game, we started getting fouled more, and that's on us to hit our free throws," Davis said. "We knock down our free throws, we're right there.
"And a big part of that is on me."
Added coach Archie Miller: "The free throw shooting was disappointing. You have to be better than that to win games like that.
Then there was the 5-for-21 three-point shooting.
"Our shooting from the perimeter, although it wasn't our night, we need to make a couple of those open ones and find a way to win," Miller said.
IU nearly founded a way at sold-out Assembly Hall, which was as loud as it's ever been. The Hoosiers fell behind by 10 to start the second half, then rallied to take three four-point leads before fading.
Still, when you consider Duke's talent -- there was a reason why 26 NBA scouts were at the game -- the Hoosiers' effort was impressive.
"Our guys were ready to play," Miller said. "They weren't afraid of the moment. They got knocked down and came back.
"It's about learning how to win that type of game. Find ways to win. If you do, it spearheads the belief. Make no mistake it's about winning the game.
"We were ready to compete. We executed on offense. We took care of the ball. We played with poise."
Duke left no choice.
Forward Marvin Bagley III is a double-double wonder -- he has seven in the first nine games, including Wednesday's 23-point, 10-rebound effort. Guard Grayson Allen thrives in the villain role. His 23 points included a tough-minded late three-pointer that created separation the Blue Devils never lost.
But the Hoosiers had their own major players. Johnson had 17 points and four rebounds. Davis had 16 points, 14 in the second half. Juwan Morgan added 14 points and six rebounds.
And then there was Collin Hartman, still on the way back from a groin injury, delivering 11 points and three rebounds in 16 minutes.
"I thought we competed," Miller said. "I thought we really battled."
Duke briefly buckled against Assembly Hall mystique that included wins against the last two No. 1 teams to play there – Michigan in 2013 and Kentucky in 2011.
But in the end, the Blue Devils were too tough. They served as an example of what IU hopes to become.
"We have to do the A-B-C things, like hitting the open shot, knock the free throws down, get the loose ball," Miller said. "Winning plays at the end. Find a way to step up and make winning plays. If we continue to keep growing up, this should be the norm at Assembly Hall. If not, it's on me."
IU has grown light-years since the Indiana State season-opening debacle and it showed from the opening tip.
The Hoosiers gave as good as they got.
Morgan battled for rebounds as if his next five meals depended on it. Freddie McSwain Jr. delivered a dunk – and a brief 20-19 IU lead – to ignite a Cream 'n Crimson roar so loud that it threatened to blow a hole through the roof of Assembly Hall.
It stayed that way until the closing minutes.
Now it has to stay that with through all the minutes.
"The next step for this team is to bring what we brought (against Duke) and be ready to do that against Michigan," Miller said.
"Each and every night we're going to play a good team. It's not going away. We have to keep getting better, keep improving.
"The staff has to be better. I have to be better.
"It should give us confidence that if we can compete like this for 35 minutes, let's put it together for 40, execute a little better, make some free throws and see if we can't win by one."
The next shot comes Saturday in Ann Arbor.
"With Michigan, we've got to be ready to battle," Miller said. "If we get 81 points at home, we've got to win, period. That's where that ability to get stops and win with defense. That's where we've got to get to."
Figure the Hoosiers will get there – sooner rather than later.
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