Big Red Seeing Green Light
2/10/2018 7:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By: Andy Graham, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana – No red light for the Big Red right now.
It is Green.
As in go.
As in "all systems go" for Indiana's basketball men.
(And, of course, as in Devonte.)
IU's 80-56 mauling of Minnesota, four nights after Monday's 65-43 road romp at Rutgers, was additional evidence of a Hoosier team resolutely headed in the right direction.
Part of that derives from Indiana's ever-improving defense. Part of it certainly has to do with a starting five that has held sway in recent games, with the insertion of Green and Freddie McSwain Jr. to join Juwan Morgan, Robert Johnson and Zach McRoberts.
But sophomore Green's continued emergence as a point guard who truly facilitates, who sets teammates up to succeed, seems as key as any factor.
Cursory observation says that. So do the numbers.
After playing just four minutes Jan. 28 in IU's competitive 74-67 loss to No. 3-ranked Purdue, over the last four games Green has:
Averaged 30.5 minutes.
Posted 13.8 points per game.
Shot .514 from the field (18 of 35), including 9 of 16 (.563) from 3-point range.
Hit 10 of 14 free throws (.714).
Supplied 19 assists (4.8 per game).
Had just five turnovers (1.3).
That nearly 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio is especially significant. Through the season's first 22 contests, ending with the Purdue game, Green's ratio was just 2.0-to-1.7.
Green hasn't completely overcome his previous penchant to periodically crash and burn while trying to play-make. He hurried himself into a travel Friday night, for example, that allowed Minnesota to score the final points of the first half rather than the Hoosiers.
But now that sort of stuff is happening no more frequently than one might expect from any capable point guard being reasonably aggressive.
"Not trying to make a home run play," Green said of his modified, more successful approach of late. "Not trying to make the difficult play. Just seeing what's there and making that play."
Green's play helped IU issue assists on 21 of its 30 field goals Friday, its highest assist total in Big Ten play this season.
"To me right now, he's playing as good as we've had a guard play all season just in terms of the ability to make plays," IU coach Archie Miller said of Green. "We haven't been a team that really has been a sharing team. It's been more pound and ground.
"Now I think you're seeing the ball move a little bit more, and he's a guy that I think can see the game a little bit, couple steps ahead."
Green made sure IU stayed a couple of steps ahead with his scoring, too, Friday night. He had 17 of his co-game-high 19 points by halftime, helping the Hoosiers obtain and maintain the early momentum.
His 3 from the top of the key and subsequent assist for a Juwan Morgan layup capped a 12-4 start by the first media timeout.
After Minnesota closed within 24-19, Green hit another 3 atop the key. And when the Gophers cut their deficit to 27-23, Green hit another 3, this time from the right wing.
And after a slick Green assist for a Morgan layup made it 32-24, Green snared a defensive rebound and unleashed a perfect floor-length pass to another Morgan layup to push IU's lead back to double-digits – and it stayed that way into intermission at 39-29 as IU's last points of the half came on three straight Green free throws.
Then the Hoosiers continued their recent happy habit of fast starts to halves with a 6-0 blitz that prompted a Minnesota timeout just 1:22 into Friday's second stanza: Morgan dunk ( McSwain assist). Driving Green layup high off the glass. McSwain lefty reverse-layup (assist Johnson).
Damage done. 46-29. Game essentially over for a Gopher squad bereft of three starters.
Green's layup during that stretch accounted for his final points of the evening, as he spent pretty much the duration setting up teammates.
After missing an open 3 and a free throw late, he finished a point shy of the career-high 20 he scored Jan. 30 at Ohio State, but he'd already helped IU do way more damage than Minnesota could sustain.
There were plenty of Hoosier heroes. Morgan was his customary stalwart self in matching Green's co-game-high scoring total and finished just one rebound shy of a double-double.
McSwain has averaged 7.4 points and 8.0 boards since securing his starting spot against Purdue, and had eight points and seven boards Friday while adding a trio of shot-blocks – and providing a post presence allowing Morgan to play his more natural power-forward spot.
???????McRoberts, who leads the Big Ten with 2.1 steals per game (and doubtless leads the league in great intangible plays), remained the sort of defender who is plainly a pain in opposing posteriors.
When mega-quick 6-foot-1 Minnesota freshman guard Isaiah Washington showcased great blow-by dribbles in scoring six straight Gopher points, drawing his team within 50-35 with 15:37 to play, Miller had the option – and exercised it – to put the 6-6 junior McRoberts on Washington.
And that was pretty much that.
Because the rest of Washington's offensive night featured four missed shots and four turnovers before he hit a meaningless 3 for the game's final points with the Hoosier reserves on the court.
"We've been able to move Zach around from (Michigan State's 6-7 winger Miles) Bridges to (Ohio State's 6-7 forward Keita Bates-)Diop to Isaiah Washington," Miller said. "He's got great versatility, and he's got great instincts. Definitely, his length is something that gives him an advantage."
Indiana's senior guards, Robert Johnson and Josh Newkirk, each had a steal for a breakaway dunk in the second half and Johnson's final stat line was especially good: 11 points (on 5 of 9 shooting), five boards, four assists, zero turnovers, two steals, one shot-block.
And Johnson handled the defensive assignment on Minnesota counterpart Nate Mason, who had 34 points in the Gophers' previous outing against Nebraska. Mason had 18 points Friday but hit just 6 of 20 shots from the field, mostly with Johnson in his grill.
"Rob guards the other guy's best player the whole game," Miller said. "He's locked in on that end, which is great to see. I think tonight, if you look at him, he made a lot of really good passes -- four assists, zero turnovers, he was unselfish, and he defensive rebounded for us.
"To me, 11 (points), 5 (rebounds) and 4 (assists), 30 minutes guarding those guys, that was a really good performance by Rob. He's a leader. He's a rock. And he's earned the right to play well at this time of the year with how he's approached things."
Others contributed well, too. Freshmen Justin Smith and Aljami Durham combined for 16 points off the bench. Fellow frosh Clifton Moore hit his only shot. And the IU student section, especially, got to go home that much happier when the final, 80th Hoosier point came on a Tim Priller free throw.
And pretty much everybody defended.
But Green is definitely a key catalyst right now.
"Devonte clearly has established the play-making ability here recently that's given us a little different dimension," Miller said. "For him to be playing the way he is right now is a really good step for our team.
"We're getting quality play-making ability … he's starting to make some really good decisions on pick and roll situations. He's starting to be a guy that has his head up and is looking for people, and then every once in a while, you're going to see him make a couple plays that a lot of people can't make because he's really talented."
Rev the engine Hoosiers.
It's going Green.
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana – No red light for the Big Red right now.
It is Green.
As in go.
As in "all systems go" for Indiana's basketball men.
(And, of course, as in Devonte.)
IU's 80-56 mauling of Minnesota, four nights after Monday's 65-43 road romp at Rutgers, was additional evidence of a Hoosier team resolutely headed in the right direction.
Part of that derives from Indiana's ever-improving defense. Part of it certainly has to do with a starting five that has held sway in recent games, with the insertion of Green and Freddie McSwain Jr. to join Juwan Morgan, Robert Johnson and Zach McRoberts.
But sophomore Green's continued emergence as a point guard who truly facilitates, who sets teammates up to succeed, seems as key as any factor.
Cursory observation says that. So do the numbers.
After playing just four minutes Jan. 28 in IU's competitive 74-67 loss to No. 3-ranked Purdue, over the last four games Green has:
Averaged 30.5 minutes.
Posted 13.8 points per game.
Shot .514 from the field (18 of 35), including 9 of 16 (.563) from 3-point range.
Hit 10 of 14 free throws (.714).
Supplied 19 assists (4.8 per game).
Had just five turnovers (1.3).
That nearly 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio is especially significant. Through the season's first 22 contests, ending with the Purdue game, Green's ratio was just 2.0-to-1.7.
Green hasn't completely overcome his previous penchant to periodically crash and burn while trying to play-make. He hurried himself into a travel Friday night, for example, that allowed Minnesota to score the final points of the first half rather than the Hoosiers.
But now that sort of stuff is happening no more frequently than one might expect from any capable point guard being reasonably aggressive.
"Not trying to make a home run play," Green said of his modified, more successful approach of late. "Not trying to make the difficult play. Just seeing what's there and making that play."
Green's play helped IU issue assists on 21 of its 30 field goals Friday, its highest assist total in Big Ten play this season.
"To me right now, he's playing as good as we've had a guard play all season just in terms of the ability to make plays," IU coach Archie Miller said of Green. "We haven't been a team that really has been a sharing team. It's been more pound and ground.
"Now I think you're seeing the ball move a little bit more, and he's a guy that I think can see the game a little bit, couple steps ahead."
Green made sure IU stayed a couple of steps ahead with his scoring, too, Friday night. He had 17 of his co-game-high 19 points by halftime, helping the Hoosiers obtain and maintain the early momentum.
His 3 from the top of the key and subsequent assist for a Juwan Morgan layup capped a 12-4 start by the first media timeout.
After Minnesota closed within 24-19, Green hit another 3 atop the key. And when the Gophers cut their deficit to 27-23, Green hit another 3, this time from the right wing.
And after a slick Green assist for a Morgan layup made it 32-24, Green snared a defensive rebound and unleashed a perfect floor-length pass to another Morgan layup to push IU's lead back to double-digits – and it stayed that way into intermission at 39-29 as IU's last points of the half came on three straight Green free throws.
Then the Hoosiers continued their recent happy habit of fast starts to halves with a 6-0 blitz that prompted a Minnesota timeout just 1:22 into Friday's second stanza: Morgan dunk ( McSwain assist). Driving Green layup high off the glass. McSwain lefty reverse-layup (assist Johnson).
Damage done. 46-29. Game essentially over for a Gopher squad bereft of three starters.
Green's layup during that stretch accounted for his final points of the evening, as he spent pretty much the duration setting up teammates.
After missing an open 3 and a free throw late, he finished a point shy of the career-high 20 he scored Jan. 30 at Ohio State, but he'd already helped IU do way more damage than Minnesota could sustain.
There were plenty of Hoosier heroes. Morgan was his customary stalwart self in matching Green's co-game-high scoring total and finished just one rebound shy of a double-double.
McSwain has averaged 7.4 points and 8.0 boards since securing his starting spot against Purdue, and had eight points and seven boards Friday while adding a trio of shot-blocks – and providing a post presence allowing Morgan to play his more natural power-forward spot.
???????McRoberts, who leads the Big Ten with 2.1 steals per game (and doubtless leads the league in great intangible plays), remained the sort of defender who is plainly a pain in opposing posteriors.
When mega-quick 6-foot-1 Minnesota freshman guard Isaiah Washington showcased great blow-by dribbles in scoring six straight Gopher points, drawing his team within 50-35 with 15:37 to play, Miller had the option – and exercised it – to put the 6-6 junior McRoberts on Washington.
And that was pretty much that.
Because the rest of Washington's offensive night featured four missed shots and four turnovers before he hit a meaningless 3 for the game's final points with the Hoosier reserves on the court.
"We've been able to move Zach around from (Michigan State's 6-7 winger Miles) Bridges to (Ohio State's 6-7 forward Keita Bates-)Diop to Isaiah Washington," Miller said. "He's got great versatility, and he's got great instincts. Definitely, his length is something that gives him an advantage."
Indiana's senior guards, Robert Johnson and Josh Newkirk, each had a steal for a breakaway dunk in the second half and Johnson's final stat line was especially good: 11 points (on 5 of 9 shooting), five boards, four assists, zero turnovers, two steals, one shot-block.
And Johnson handled the defensive assignment on Minnesota counterpart Nate Mason, who had 34 points in the Gophers' previous outing against Nebraska. Mason had 18 points Friday but hit just 6 of 20 shots from the field, mostly with Johnson in his grill.
"Rob guards the other guy's best player the whole game," Miller said. "He's locked in on that end, which is great to see. I think tonight, if you look at him, he made a lot of really good passes -- four assists, zero turnovers, he was unselfish, and he defensive rebounded for us.
"To me, 11 (points), 5 (rebounds) and 4 (assists), 30 minutes guarding those guys, that was a really good performance by Rob. He's a leader. He's a rock. And he's earned the right to play well at this time of the year with how he's approached things."
Others contributed well, too. Freshmen Justin Smith and Aljami Durham combined for 16 points off the bench. Fellow frosh Clifton Moore hit his only shot. And the IU student section, especially, got to go home that much happier when the final, 80th Hoosier point came on a Tim Priller free throw.
And pretty much everybody defended.
But Green is definitely a key catalyst right now.
"Devonte clearly has established the play-making ability here recently that's given us a little different dimension," Miller said. "For him to be playing the way he is right now is a really good step for our team.
"We're getting quality play-making ability … he's starting to make some really good decisions on pick and roll situations. He's starting to be a guy that has his head up and is looking for people, and then every once in a while, you're going to see him make a couple plays that a lot of people can't make because he's really talented."
Rev the engine Hoosiers.
It's going Green.
Players Mentioned
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Forward
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