Hoosiers Want Confidence To Carryover
1/9/2018 10:26:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Andy Graham, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - If the recent past proves prologue, Indiana's host Hoosiers and their fans are in for a humdinger Tuesday night.
Penn State's Nittany Lions come calling for a 6:30 p.m. tip, renewing a series that isn't for the faint of heart.
IU prevailed twice over PSU last season in palpitating fashion, 78-75 Jan. 18 at State College on a James Blackmon Jr. buzzer-beating 3, and 110-102 in triple overtime in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall last Feb. 1.
And while Indiana has gone 4-2 in its last six games with Penn State going back to 2014, its average margin of victory over that stretch is 78.5-76.7, with five of the six a one-possession game at the end of regulation time.
IU enters off a gritty 75-71 win over Minnesota in which every possession counted, especially down the stretch. Hoosier senior guard Robert Johnson supplied a career-high 28 points and junior forward Juwan Morgan delivered 20 points and a game-high 12 boards.
But the Minnesota game also served to showcase freshmen forward Justin Smith, who hit 7 of 10 shots from the field (including both his 3-point attempts) and all four of his free throws in scoring a career-high 20.
And at the defensive end, Smith spent a lot of time checking Minnesota double-double machine Jordan Murphy, who managed 18 points and 10 rebounds but hit just 5 of 14 shots.
"He was huge today," Morgan said of Smith. "Knocking down big shots. Getting big boards. I thought he played really well on the defensive end. We gave him a heavy task, guarding Jordan Murphy, and I think he did really well.
"He didn't play like a freshman today. I think he played great. He was, really, just comfortable out there. I think he really fit his role well. He didn't try to do anything he can't do. Everything he (does) in practice, he just was out there doing it in the game."
Smith had scored in double-figures in the season's second and third games, but his minutes had diminished before Christmas as he adjusted to the rigors and complexities of the college game. Miller said heading into last week that Smith's practice performance had really picked up after the holiday break.
Asked how he'd grown as a player since the season's start, Smith said:
"I would say, well, shooting for one (thing). I've gotten a lot more confident with that. Just been working on that continuously. And I'd say being more knowledgeable, more comfortable, on defense.
"When I was playing a lot, earlier, a lot of the rotations and switches were, you know, pretty difficult, and I was still trying to grasp at those. Now that I have a better grasp of those things, I'm playing much better."
Several key Penn State players got such freshmen kinks out last season and are starring as sophomores.
PSU (12-5 overall and, like IU, 2-2 in league play) is coming off a 78-63 shellacking of Northwestern during which 6-foot-7 sophomore Lamar Stevens sank 14 of 19 shots in dropping 30 points on the Wildcats. And 6-9 classmate Mike Watkins supplied 18 points, 17 boards and four blocks.
Stevens (averaging 15.1 points and 6.7 rebounds), Watkins (13.0, 9.5) and PSU scoring leader and lead guard Tony Carr (18.3, 4.6 and 4.8 assists) comprise a superb sophomore trio out of Philadelphia.
Carr – who has hit right at half his 3-point attempts (32 of 65) and shoots .833 from the foul line – Stevens and senior guard Shep Garner (10.2) all prepped at Philadelphia Roman Catholic. Watkins played at Philly's Phelps School, and PSU coach Patrick Chambers continues to find that city and environs fertile recruiting ground.
Add 6-4 junior Josh Reeves and the Nittany Lions have five players averaging double-figure scoring, compared to just two for IU (Morgan at 15.7 and Johnson at 13.6).
And the Hoosiers remain short-handed without erstwhile sophomore starting center De'Ron Davis, out indefinitely with a serious lower-leg injury, and played at Minnesota with key senior winger Collin Hartman sidelined by a sore shoulder.
"Everybody was a little bit pinned in the corner," Miller said of the IU personnel situation at Minnesota. "We knew we were in some trouble with guys down. Foul trouble was going to be at a premium. For the most part, we weathered first-half foul trouble, stayed out of foul trouble in the second half, kids played hard and guys got an opportunity to play and played well.
"Justin Smith had the by far the best game of his career. I think Juwan and Rob, also, were fantastic. Freddie (McSwain Jr.), in his 15 minutes, was really important, especially in the first half. He really rebounded the ball for us.
"(Josh McRoberts made) winning plays. Deflections. Four steals, a couple of big ones when we needed it. He deflected one that turned into a break and a big drop off to Justin (for a dunk) that got some momentum back. Seven rebounds, three assists, four steals, didn't turn it over. That's what he does. He helps us win the game. Most importantly, though, we had a group that really came to battle and I'm proud of them."
Battle they did, no more so than at crunch time. IU held Minnesota to two points over the last 3:30. The Hoosiers made just one turnover in the final eight minutes. And their 45-35 rebounding advantage reflected their overall effort level.
"Huge sense of urgency … the show doesn't stop just because you're missing a few actors," Morgan said of IU's approach Saturday. "We have to keep going."
Indeed, and they'll have to keep going better than the last time they were coming off a significant success.
Their most prominent previous victory was probably an 80-77 overtime win But Indiana followed up their victory over the Irish with a desultory, dispiriting 92-72 homecourt loss to Fort Wayne.
So Miller wants to see his 9-7 Hoosiers defend the Hall well this week, Tuesday and also Sunday afternoon against Northwestern before a big road challenge Jan. 19 at Michigan State.
"The key is to get back to Assembly Hall and let's not go 0-3 coming off a positive opportunity for our team," Miller told Don Fischer on the IU radio network after the Minnesota win. "Let's bottle this up and get ready to go against Penn State."
And recent evidence indicates that for the Hoosiers, when going up against Penn State, readiness is essential.
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - If the recent past proves prologue, Indiana's host Hoosiers and their fans are in for a humdinger Tuesday night.
Penn State's Nittany Lions come calling for a 6:30 p.m. tip, renewing a series that isn't for the faint of heart.
IU prevailed twice over PSU last season in palpitating fashion, 78-75 Jan. 18 at State College on a James Blackmon Jr. buzzer-beating 3, and 110-102 in triple overtime in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall last Feb. 1.
And while Indiana has gone 4-2 in its last six games with Penn State going back to 2014, its average margin of victory over that stretch is 78.5-76.7, with five of the six a one-possession game at the end of regulation time.
IU enters off a gritty 75-71 win over Minnesota in which every possession counted, especially down the stretch. Hoosier senior guard Robert Johnson supplied a career-high 28 points and junior forward Juwan Morgan delivered 20 points and a game-high 12 boards.
But the Minnesota game also served to showcase freshmen forward Justin Smith, who hit 7 of 10 shots from the field (including both his 3-point attempts) and all four of his free throws in scoring a career-high 20.
And at the defensive end, Smith spent a lot of time checking Minnesota double-double machine Jordan Murphy, who managed 18 points and 10 rebounds but hit just 5 of 14 shots.
"He was huge today," Morgan said of Smith. "Knocking down big shots. Getting big boards. I thought he played really well on the defensive end. We gave him a heavy task, guarding Jordan Murphy, and I think he did really well.
"He didn't play like a freshman today. I think he played great. He was, really, just comfortable out there. I think he really fit his role well. He didn't try to do anything he can't do. Everything he (does) in practice, he just was out there doing it in the game."
Smith had scored in double-figures in the season's second and third games, but his minutes had diminished before Christmas as he adjusted to the rigors and complexities of the college game. Miller said heading into last week that Smith's practice performance had really picked up after the holiday break.
Asked how he'd grown as a player since the season's start, Smith said:
"I would say, well, shooting for one (thing). I've gotten a lot more confident with that. Just been working on that continuously. And I'd say being more knowledgeable, more comfortable, on defense.
"When I was playing a lot, earlier, a lot of the rotations and switches were, you know, pretty difficult, and I was still trying to grasp at those. Now that I have a better grasp of those things, I'm playing much better."
Several key Penn State players got such freshmen kinks out last season and are starring as sophomores.
PSU (12-5 overall and, like IU, 2-2 in league play) is coming off a 78-63 shellacking of Northwestern during which 6-foot-7 sophomore Lamar Stevens sank 14 of 19 shots in dropping 30 points on the Wildcats. And 6-9 classmate Mike Watkins supplied 18 points, 17 boards and four blocks.
Stevens (averaging 15.1 points and 6.7 rebounds), Watkins (13.0, 9.5) and PSU scoring leader and lead guard Tony Carr (18.3, 4.6 and 4.8 assists) comprise a superb sophomore trio out of Philadelphia.
Carr – who has hit right at half his 3-point attempts (32 of 65) and shoots .833 from the foul line – Stevens and senior guard Shep Garner (10.2) all prepped at Philadelphia Roman Catholic. Watkins played at Philly's Phelps School, and PSU coach Patrick Chambers continues to find that city and environs fertile recruiting ground.
Add 6-4 junior Josh Reeves and the Nittany Lions have five players averaging double-figure scoring, compared to just two for IU (Morgan at 15.7 and Johnson at 13.6).
And the Hoosiers remain short-handed without erstwhile sophomore starting center De'Ron Davis, out indefinitely with a serious lower-leg injury, and played at Minnesota with key senior winger Collin Hartman sidelined by a sore shoulder.
"Everybody was a little bit pinned in the corner," Miller said of the IU personnel situation at Minnesota. "We knew we were in some trouble with guys down. Foul trouble was going to be at a premium. For the most part, we weathered first-half foul trouble, stayed out of foul trouble in the second half, kids played hard and guys got an opportunity to play and played well.
"Justin Smith had the by far the best game of his career. I think Juwan and Rob, also, were fantastic. Freddie (McSwain Jr.), in his 15 minutes, was really important, especially in the first half. He really rebounded the ball for us.
"(Josh McRoberts made) winning plays. Deflections. Four steals, a couple of big ones when we needed it. He deflected one that turned into a break and a big drop off to Justin (for a dunk) that got some momentum back. Seven rebounds, three assists, four steals, didn't turn it over. That's what he does. He helps us win the game. Most importantly, though, we had a group that really came to battle and I'm proud of them."
Battle they did, no more so than at crunch time. IU held Minnesota to two points over the last 3:30. The Hoosiers made just one turnover in the final eight minutes. And their 45-35 rebounding advantage reflected their overall effort level.
"Huge sense of urgency … the show doesn't stop just because you're missing a few actors," Morgan said of IU's approach Saturday. "We have to keep going."
Indeed, and they'll have to keep going better than the last time they were coming off a significant success.
Their most prominent previous victory was probably an 80-77 overtime win But Indiana followed up their victory over the Irish with a desultory, dispiriting 92-72 homecourt loss to Fort Wayne.
So Miller wants to see his 9-7 Hoosiers defend the Hall well this week, Tuesday and also Sunday afternoon against Northwestern before a big road challenge Jan. 19 at Michigan State.
"The key is to get back to Assembly Hall and let's not go 0-3 coming off a positive opportunity for our team," Miller told Don Fischer on the IU radio network after the Minnesota win. "Let's bottle this up and get ready to go against Penn State."
And recent evidence indicates that for the Hoosiers, when going up against Penn State, readiness is essential.
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