Previewing Exhibition Game vs. Indianapolis
11/4/2017 5:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - On Friday afternoon, Indiana head coach Archie Miller along with sophomore Curtis Jones and freshman Justin Smith met with the media to discuss Sunday's exhibition game at home against the University of Indianapolis (2 p.m., BTN Plus). Click below to view the videos or scroll down to read Miller's transcript.
Indiana Head Coach Archie Miller
In the first exhibition, you mentioned scripting the first half to an extent. Will you take a similar approach with this game?
MILLER: I think we will take a similar approach. With the potential of likely having Collin (Hartman) available and Al (Durham) tentatively scheduled to be available, I think we will look to keep it scripted, especially in the first half. The second half is usually a feel thing and what is going on a halftime and if fouls play a part. But I think we will have a scripted flow for at least the first part of the half.
You talked over the summer about the work that De'Ron Davis put in. I know it was just one exhibition game, but do you feel like you at least saw a little bit of that payoff in the last exhibition game?
MILLER: Yeah, he feels it. I think he, in general, feels better about himself. He has a better confidence about himself. He's not anywhere near where we want him to be as a threat offensively. I think his game-like conditioning level isn't there yet. And I think everybody has to get that game conditioning. That will help him offensively, because we have to get him to put more pressure at the front of the basket for us. That's something that spent a lot of time on this week with our team. And our team, in general, putting a lot of pressure on the basket. I will be disappointed on Sunday if we aren't better, in terms of our pace.
A lot of those things are coming together for him. We are early in the season, but I think he is going to be a guy that we count on to play longer stretches than he did. I told him the other day 'I don't think you can play 15 good minutes yet'. I tried to get his attention because he thinks that because he is obviously playing a lot better and he is feeling better, but the expectation for him is really high from our staff and what we are going to ask him to do. He is working hard at it. I like his approach.
With this being the second exhibition game, have you noticed the team getting into more of a routine with the preparation for games?
MILLER: Our first game against Marian, we didn't spend a whole lot of time talking about prep. Today was our first time where they got to see what we do two days before a game. We were watching film. Tomorrow will be an opportunity for scouting segments in practice, which will be new. And then our gameday routine, which they went through the first time against Marian, will be the same with a little bit more of a preparation type of feel.
As we get ready to go into the opener, those guys will get ready to have an understanding of what the week will look like and what we do leading into a game.
What are you looking for from Collin Hartman?
MILLER: He has been back our last three workouts, at least in our half-court sessions. And then today he was full-go for a good portion of the practice. He really lifts us up. He's a guy that really has a voice, and any time you can communicate offensively and defensively, in huddles or picking your teammates up, that's a big boost. And he does that. He stretches the floor with his ability to shoot and he's a skilled guy with being able to put it down and make the pass. So he gives us another weapon offensively. So he can keep us spaced out and put the defense on their heels a little bit in terms of who they defend him with. He is playing hard. If he does what he does in practice, he's going to give us a big boost.
How far along are you in terms of offense-defense in practice? In the past you have mentioned that you are 75 percent defense to 25 percent offense.
MILLER: Probably that same amount. I would say that 80 percent of our practice is on transition offense and spacing and making sure that guys are understanding their roles in transition. And then our 'flow game', or our ability to play after the play, which we really didn't get a whole lot of that against Marian. Against good teams, you are not going to be able to score off of one or two passes. So just being able to work together. But I would say 75 percent in terms of plays and actions. We are not very heavily invested in them yet. I think that will have to start coming after we get through this week. So our package going into game one is about 90 percent done.
After watching the film of the Marian game, what do you think you need to see improvement in on Sunday?
MILLER: I think the big thing that I thought stood out was our conditioning level offensively. To be a team that wants to play with tempo and pace, part of it is you have to be committed to running the floor hard. If a guy stops five feet short of where he's supposed to be because he is lazy or tired, that spacing really blows up a lot of the options. So the conditioning level on offense – being able to play for longer stretches faster. And having guys run harder, that was big. And then from an execution standpoint on offense, we needed to be a little sharper.
Defensively, I wasn't too caught up in the game. I thought our guys had to work late in the clock. That's the one thing that Marian did to us, they were patient and they made us guard late into possessions. And I thought we had some good stuff going on if our guys regularly played pretty hard on the fly.
Like I told those guys today, the big thing coming into this week has been our pace on offense and our ability to execute. And it has always been 'Can we raise up another level defensively, and I think we have. I think we have had a pretty good week this week.
What did you see in the Marian game from Josh Newkirk running the point position?
MILLER: Josh had a really solid exhibition game on both ends of the floor. I thought defensively he was very, very solid. He gave us a presence on the ball. Off the ball, I think, for the most part, he was doing his job. Offensively, I thought he let the game come to him and he pushed the ball. I thought he had some good pace to him and he shared the ball. And then he kept it simple. When he was open, he took good shots and he made some. I thought he had a very solid outing.
The big boost for us in that position will be getting Al (Durham) back. Having the ability to play Al in there with Josh and without. And then being able to have Devonte (Green) in there with Al gives us another guy. I think Al is a gifted offensive player. He knows how to play the game. So he's another guy and getting him back will help Josh as well.
You mentioned that you were concerned about your depth at the '5'. Who are some options to back-up De'Ron after Freddie?
MILLER: That's a good question. It came up today at practice with the staff. And the way you look at it is you are always at an advantage when you play small offensively. In many cases, it might not be the best decision, defensively, but you can cover things defensively with different schemes and approaches. But the best option is, at some point, can Collin and Juwan play together? Are those guys going to be able to play together in a game? We haven't really had a chance to do yet because Collin has been out.
The thought is that you play, I don't want to say 'the five', but you play five good players offensively and that might be your best weapon. So the depth being just about the position and the lineup and creativity with your lineups. It's something we are going to have to think about after this weekend moving forward.
What are your thoughts on UIndy?
MILLER: They are ranked 15th in one Division II poll and 19th in another. They have a long-time coach. I think they have been to the NCAA Tournament six of the last nine years and I think they are projected to probably go to the tournament this year. My experience has been any time you have a chance to play a talented, top-tier Division II team, they can probably beat a lot of Division I teams. To me, we are playing against a team that is coming in here excited to play. They have a lot of experience in looking at some of the transfers that have come in. The shooting stands out. Davidson had nine 3's against Auburn last year in an exhibition. And they have some true size, some big bodies an 6-8 and 6-9, which we haven't seen yet. So I think that's going to be good. It's going to be a test for us. I think it is going to be much different opponent and style than our first exhibition. In starting to break them down a little bit and learning a little about then, I think it's going to be a good test for us.
Indiana Head Coach Archie Miller
In the first exhibition, you mentioned scripting the first half to an extent. Will you take a similar approach with this game?
MILLER: I think we will take a similar approach. With the potential of likely having Collin (Hartman) available and Al (Durham) tentatively scheduled to be available, I think we will look to keep it scripted, especially in the first half. The second half is usually a feel thing and what is going on a halftime and if fouls play a part. But I think we will have a scripted flow for at least the first part of the half.
You talked over the summer about the work that De'Ron Davis put in. I know it was just one exhibition game, but do you feel like you at least saw a little bit of that payoff in the last exhibition game?
MILLER: Yeah, he feels it. I think he, in general, feels better about himself. He has a better confidence about himself. He's not anywhere near where we want him to be as a threat offensively. I think his game-like conditioning level isn't there yet. And I think everybody has to get that game conditioning. That will help him offensively, because we have to get him to put more pressure at the front of the basket for us. That's something that spent a lot of time on this week with our team. And our team, in general, putting a lot of pressure on the basket. I will be disappointed on Sunday if we aren't better, in terms of our pace.
A lot of those things are coming together for him. We are early in the season, but I think he is going to be a guy that we count on to play longer stretches than he did. I told him the other day 'I don't think you can play 15 good minutes yet'. I tried to get his attention because he thinks that because he is obviously playing a lot better and he is feeling better, but the expectation for him is really high from our staff and what we are going to ask him to do. He is working hard at it. I like his approach.
With this being the second exhibition game, have you noticed the team getting into more of a routine with the preparation for games?
MILLER: Our first game against Marian, we didn't spend a whole lot of time talking about prep. Today was our first time where they got to see what we do two days before a game. We were watching film. Tomorrow will be an opportunity for scouting segments in practice, which will be new. And then our gameday routine, which they went through the first time against Marian, will be the same with a little bit more of a preparation type of feel.
As we get ready to go into the opener, those guys will get ready to have an understanding of what the week will look like and what we do leading into a game.
What are you looking for from Collin Hartman?
MILLER: He has been back our last three workouts, at least in our half-court sessions. And then today he was full-go for a good portion of the practice. He really lifts us up. He's a guy that really has a voice, and any time you can communicate offensively and defensively, in huddles or picking your teammates up, that's a big boost. And he does that. He stretches the floor with his ability to shoot and he's a skilled guy with being able to put it down and make the pass. So he gives us another weapon offensively. So he can keep us spaced out and put the defense on their heels a little bit in terms of who they defend him with. He is playing hard. If he does what he does in practice, he's going to give us a big boost.
How far along are you in terms of offense-defense in practice? In the past you have mentioned that you are 75 percent defense to 25 percent offense.
MILLER: Probably that same amount. I would say that 80 percent of our practice is on transition offense and spacing and making sure that guys are understanding their roles in transition. And then our 'flow game', or our ability to play after the play, which we really didn't get a whole lot of that against Marian. Against good teams, you are not going to be able to score off of one or two passes. So just being able to work together. But I would say 75 percent in terms of plays and actions. We are not very heavily invested in them yet. I think that will have to start coming after we get through this week. So our package going into game one is about 90 percent done.
After watching the film of the Marian game, what do you think you need to see improvement in on Sunday?
MILLER: I think the big thing that I thought stood out was our conditioning level offensively. To be a team that wants to play with tempo and pace, part of it is you have to be committed to running the floor hard. If a guy stops five feet short of where he's supposed to be because he is lazy or tired, that spacing really blows up a lot of the options. So the conditioning level on offense – being able to play for longer stretches faster. And having guys run harder, that was big. And then from an execution standpoint on offense, we needed to be a little sharper.
Defensively, I wasn't too caught up in the game. I thought our guys had to work late in the clock. That's the one thing that Marian did to us, they were patient and they made us guard late into possessions. And I thought we had some good stuff going on if our guys regularly played pretty hard on the fly.
Like I told those guys today, the big thing coming into this week has been our pace on offense and our ability to execute. And it has always been 'Can we raise up another level defensively, and I think we have. I think we have had a pretty good week this week.
What did you see in the Marian game from Josh Newkirk running the point position?
MILLER: Josh had a really solid exhibition game on both ends of the floor. I thought defensively he was very, very solid. He gave us a presence on the ball. Off the ball, I think, for the most part, he was doing his job. Offensively, I thought he let the game come to him and he pushed the ball. I thought he had some good pace to him and he shared the ball. And then he kept it simple. When he was open, he took good shots and he made some. I thought he had a very solid outing.
The big boost for us in that position will be getting Al (Durham) back. Having the ability to play Al in there with Josh and without. And then being able to have Devonte (Green) in there with Al gives us another guy. I think Al is a gifted offensive player. He knows how to play the game. So he's another guy and getting him back will help Josh as well.
You mentioned that you were concerned about your depth at the '5'. Who are some options to back-up De'Ron after Freddie?
MILLER: That's a good question. It came up today at practice with the staff. And the way you look at it is you are always at an advantage when you play small offensively. In many cases, it might not be the best decision, defensively, but you can cover things defensively with different schemes and approaches. But the best option is, at some point, can Collin and Juwan play together? Are those guys going to be able to play together in a game? We haven't really had a chance to do yet because Collin has been out.
The thought is that you play, I don't want to say 'the five', but you play five good players offensively and that might be your best weapon. So the depth being just about the position and the lineup and creativity with your lineups. It's something we are going to have to think about after this weekend moving forward.
What are your thoughts on UIndy?
MILLER: They are ranked 15th in one Division II poll and 19th in another. They have a long-time coach. I think they have been to the NCAA Tournament six of the last nine years and I think they are projected to probably go to the tournament this year. My experience has been any time you have a chance to play a talented, top-tier Division II team, they can probably beat a lot of Division I teams. To me, we are playing against a team that is coming in here excited to play. They have a lot of experience in looking at some of the transfers that have come in. The shooting stands out. Davidson had nine 3's against Auburn last year in an exhibition. And they have some true size, some big bodies an 6-8 and 6-9, which we haven't seen yet. So I think that's going to be good. It's going to be a test for us. I think it is going to be much different opponent and style than our first exhibition. In starting to break them down a little bit and learning a little about then, I think it's going to be a good test for us.
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