Talking Points - Indiana Cruises Past Southern Indiana

Thursday, November 1

Bloomington, Ind.

7:00 PM

Indiana University

Southern Indiana (Exhibition)

Southern Ind.

Indiana

Talking Points - Indiana Cruises Past Southern Indiana

11/1/2018 9:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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BY Pete DiPrimio, IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana found its basketball offense.

You'd better believe this is a big deal.

Yes, it came in an exhibition against NCAA Division II power Southern Indiana Thursday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, but don't underestimate the significance.

The Hoosiers under second-year coach Archie Miller loom as a defensive force of the first order. If high-octane offense follows, possibilities can become probabilities.

The 96-62 manhandling of the Screaming Eagles was Exhibit No. 1.

IU shot 55.6 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range. Six players scored in double figures topped by freshman Demezi Anderson's 14, all in the second half.

"We have a very deep team, a very versatile team that can do a lot of different things," sophomore forward Justin Smith says. "Our offense is very free moving with a lot of opportunities to get involved. Everybody took advantage of what the defense gave them and were able to capitalize."

Adds junior guard Johnny Jager: "Everybody is very unselfish. We play within our offense. Nobody cares who gets the credit as long as we get the W."

This game didn't count. Next Tuesday against Chicago State, it will.

The Hoosiers look ready.

They dominated with balance and depth that had senior forward Juwan Morgan, one of the Big Ten's best, playing just 25 minutes, which were two fewer minutes than senior guard Zach McRoberts.

Morgan had 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting.

Miller wants more.

"He has to demand the ball, get it where he wants it when he wants it. He has to do that earlier in the game where he doesn't freelance as much."

Depth is likely to be a season-long theme. IU played 13 against USI and almost certainly would have been 15 if Devonte Green and Race Thompson weren't banged up.

Eleven Hoosiers scored.

"It's getting more comfortable in the motion offense and being patient on offense," Smith said. "The focus early has been a lot of defense. It's the same system, but we've tweaked it a little bit. We're trying to get comfortable with everybody in different spots."

Adds forward Evan Fitzner: "We found the open man really well. We played fast. That's what Coach wants us to do. It was the result of playing fast and doing what we wanted offensively."

Miller wants more.

"We have to develop a better chemistry on offense. We have to play like we did in the second half (60 percent shooting, 66.7 percent from three-point range).

"The first half was not smooth. That's where we'll have the biggest climb. We have to get that offensive identity. Get these guys where they're successful."

For those who see heralded freshman guard Romeo Langford as a score-first threat, consider his two steals in the game's opening minutes that resulted in a pair of dunks. His steal and dunk earned BTN video acclaim. He finished with four steals, 13 points and five rebounds.

Again, Miller wants more.

"Romeo has to get better defensively," he said. "He's very gifted in the passing lanes. He can get his hands on a lot of balls."

Indiana had gotten defensive in throttling Loyola in a closed scrimmage a few days earlier, holding a team that reached last season's Final Four to 48 points, and if it wasn't the same Rambler personnel, that missed the point, which was these Hoosiers already were in shut down mode.

That surfaced early against USI, a traditional NCAA Division II power coming off a 20-11 season.

"We're a very versatile (defensive) team," Smith said. "We can play a lot of guys in different positions. We're athletic and long and able to get in the passing lanes and make it difficult for offenses to score. We're using our length to the best advantage."

Added USI coach Rodney Watson: "Indiana's length and their Pack-line defense created a lot of problems."

Indiana countered the Screaming Eagles' three-guard attack with its own three-guard approach, but it was Smith, a 6-7 forward, who lit up the scoreboard early.

He had seven of the Hoosiers' first nine points as the home team quickly surged to leads as large as nine points in the first seven minutes.

Through it all, Indiana kept up the defensive pressure, at one stretch forcing USI into a series of air balls and turnovers.

By halftime, the Hoosiers led 39-20. Eight minutes into the second half, they were up 60-34 en route to going 26-0 against non-Division I programs in exhibitions since the 2004-05 season.

With the regular season starting, Miller wants more.

"We have a long team, a quick team, an active team. I hope we'll be a team that does a better job of converting off turnovers. Part of it is that competitiveness.

"Our first half defense was locked in. In the second half, our defense wasn't locked in at all.

"We've got some teachable stuff. There will be a lot to talk about with transition defense."