Indiana University Athletics
Time For B1G-Boy Basketball
12/1/2018 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Andy Graham, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's Hoosiers know Tuesday's game at Duke was a disappointment on a national stage.
They also know Saturday's 1 p.m. matchup with Northwestern is arguably more important in some long-term respects.
Because it is the Big Ten opener, followed by a first conference road-trip Tuesday to Penn State.
"It's that time of year that's a little unique in the Big Ten, where you take a deep breath and you remove yourself from non-conference play," IU coach Archie Miller said Friday. "And you have to really, really focus in, and understand that, regardless of what time of the year you play this game, it really means a lot.
"Going to 20 (league) games this year, you know, (and) you're probably not as good as you're going to be in January and February, but this is a huge, huge game for us on Saturday."
Miller has seen signs his Hoosiers are absorbing that message.
"For us, obviously returning home from a disappointing performance earlier in the week at Duke, we really had a great work out yesterday," Miller said. "Probably our best practice in a long, long time – partly because I think everybody was there and engaged."
"Everybody" included senior co-captain Zach McRoberts and junior guard Devonte Green, who both returned to action Tuesday after missing the previous three games with injuries.
"I think it was a really good practice," McRoberts said of Thursday's session. "I think we were really competing, really ready to go, right from the start. So I think the guys did a good job responding (to the Duke game)."
Grad-transfer Evan Fitzner – who hit all three 3-pointers he tried in a 12-point, five-rebound showing at Duke – said the Hoosiers were especially mindful in practice of the 20 turnovers they committed during Tuesday night's 21-point defeat.
"I think taking care of the ball was the biggest (thing) that we focused on," Fitzner said. "And just running good offense. I think we made a couple of adjustments yesterday that will help us, moving forward."
It would certainly help Saturday. Northwestern (6-1) has forced foes into 114 turnovers (16.3 per game).
"Northwestern is very good, very well coached, have great size, very organized offensively, tough to guard, and defensively, they are very, very good," Miller said. "They are big. They can pack the paint. And they are off to a great start."
Vic Law, the 6-foot-7 Northwestern senior who was a key recruit for coach Chris Collins upon arrival in Evanston, is finally fully healthy after some medical and surgical issues – and it shows.
Law is averaging 17.9 points (while shooting .471 from the field, including .441 from 3-point range, and .789 at the foul line) and 6.3 rebounds. And he's one of the Wildcats' top defenders.
Another key NU vet is 6-8 senior pivotman Dererk Pardon, almost averaging a double-double at 12.3 points and 9.6 boards.
But perhaps the key development for a Wildcat team entering the season without a designated point guard is the play of two transfers on the perimeter – 6-6 grad-transfer Ryan Taylor, who led the Missouri Valley in scoring at Evansville last season, and 6-7 former Boston College Eagle A.J. Turner.
Taylor's 20 points led Northwestern in Wednesday's 67-61 homecourt win over Georgia Tech in Big Ten/ACC Challenge play. Taylor (14.0-point average) and Turner (10.1) are not only augmenting the NU scoring, their length adds to the Wildcats' improved defense.
"They have added skill and size," Miller said of Taylor and Turner. "A.J. obviously is a unique player. He's a ball handling point-forward, so to speak … he's played in the ACC, so he has experience. He can score around the basket so he's a good shooter.
"Ryan Taylor brings a very, very high level shooter and skill level to the game. And Chris does a great job with his offense and being able to get those guys in positions where they can get shots. It's concerning. Ryan is a great three-point shooter as is Vic (Law). And those two guys, if they can get it going, can really present some problems.
"And they are also really two of their primary ball handers at that type of size, as well. So it's a unique team to play against with their spacing and how they are playing, really, out of a two-guard front to alleviate some of the pressure that without a true point guard."
IU freshman point guard Rob Phinisee has filled that role well for the Indiana so far this campaign – though, as was the case for pretty much all his teammates, he didn't have his best game against Duke (four turnovers, two assists, two points). But he still has a laudable 29-13 assist-to-turnover ratio for the season.
Asked what Phinisee could learn from the Duke came, Miller – the North Carolina State alumnus who knows when it's like to play as a visiting point guard against a talented Duke team at Cameron Indoor Stadium – replied:
"Can't be reserved with the ball. Can't be safe. There's times where you need to be safe with it, but Rob needs to be more aggressive with his speed. He needs more aggression with his pace with his game, because he's a sturdy guy. He can get by people.
"When you deal with that type of pressure, you deal with that type of switching, you can't all of a sudden kind of stop, pick it up, look around for somebody to help you out. You have to keep that thing alive and you have to make plays. You've got to be more aggressive to get more downhill.
"I think just in listening to him and watching some film with him, Rob knows that he's got to be more aggressive with the ball in his hands when he's dealing with that type of environment and pressure. And I think that will play well as we get ready to go into the Big Ten. He's a guy that I think has shown he can really play."
Miller also feels he can help, as a coach.
"We have to be better organized," he said. "As a coach, I've got to do a better job of being a lot more sharp, in terms of what we're trying to get done in the halfcourt, not so much as the full court.
"Without question, the two teams on the road that gave us the most pressure really dictated the game for the most part; Arkansas to a lesser extent. Duke was in overdrive most of the game in terms of what they were trying to do with us and got us out of sync. Never really had an opportunity to even get our feet on ground.
"So you know, it's a learning experience. It's November. I can remember a lot of teams that we've been with, even teams that I've played on, that you don't even remember the ACC/Big Ten Challenge game come February, it's so long ago. But hopefully these opportunities make us better."
McRoberts has been around long enough to know the truth of that. And in the meantime, he'll plan to use his experience to help calm things down on-court if things get a bit frazzled.
"Yeah, just doing what I can, either talking to guys or just being calm out there on the court," McRoberts said."Helping guys slow down and helping let the game come to them, I think, is an important aspect (of my role).
And McRoberts will also tell IU's talented freshmen that conference play represents a whole new challenge and opportunity.
"That is definitely the main focus, something that we've talked about," McRoberts said. "We can't lose that (Duke) game twice. We want to move on and be ready for Saturday, because it matters as much now as it does in March, this game."
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's Hoosiers know Tuesday's game at Duke was a disappointment on a national stage.
They also know Saturday's 1 p.m. matchup with Northwestern is arguably more important in some long-term respects.
Because it is the Big Ten opener, followed by a first conference road-trip Tuesday to Penn State.
"It's that time of year that's a little unique in the Big Ten, where you take a deep breath and you remove yourself from non-conference play," IU coach Archie Miller said Friday. "And you have to really, really focus in, and understand that, regardless of what time of the year you play this game, it really means a lot.
"Going to 20 (league) games this year, you know, (and) you're probably not as good as you're going to be in January and February, but this is a huge, huge game for us on Saturday."
Miller has seen signs his Hoosiers are absorbing that message.
"For us, obviously returning home from a disappointing performance earlier in the week at Duke, we really had a great work out yesterday," Miller said. "Probably our best practice in a long, long time – partly because I think everybody was there and engaged."
"Everybody" included senior co-captain Zach McRoberts and junior guard Devonte Green, who both returned to action Tuesday after missing the previous three games with injuries.
"I think it was a really good practice," McRoberts said of Thursday's session. "I think we were really competing, really ready to go, right from the start. So I think the guys did a good job responding (to the Duke game)."
Grad-transfer Evan Fitzner – who hit all three 3-pointers he tried in a 12-point, five-rebound showing at Duke – said the Hoosiers were especially mindful in practice of the 20 turnovers they committed during Tuesday night's 21-point defeat.
"I think taking care of the ball was the biggest (thing) that we focused on," Fitzner said. "And just running good offense. I think we made a couple of adjustments yesterday that will help us, moving forward."
It would certainly help Saturday. Northwestern (6-1) has forced foes into 114 turnovers (16.3 per game).
"Northwestern is very good, very well coached, have great size, very organized offensively, tough to guard, and defensively, they are very, very good," Miller said. "They are big. They can pack the paint. And they are off to a great start."
Vic Law, the 6-foot-7 Northwestern senior who was a key recruit for coach Chris Collins upon arrival in Evanston, is finally fully healthy after some medical and surgical issues – and it shows.
Law is averaging 17.9 points (while shooting .471 from the field, including .441 from 3-point range, and .789 at the foul line) and 6.3 rebounds. And he's one of the Wildcats' top defenders.
Another key NU vet is 6-8 senior pivotman Dererk Pardon, almost averaging a double-double at 12.3 points and 9.6 boards.
But perhaps the key development for a Wildcat team entering the season without a designated point guard is the play of two transfers on the perimeter – 6-6 grad-transfer Ryan Taylor, who led the Missouri Valley in scoring at Evansville last season, and 6-7 former Boston College Eagle A.J. Turner.
Taylor's 20 points led Northwestern in Wednesday's 67-61 homecourt win over Georgia Tech in Big Ten/ACC Challenge play. Taylor (14.0-point average) and Turner (10.1) are not only augmenting the NU scoring, their length adds to the Wildcats' improved defense.
"They have added skill and size," Miller said of Taylor and Turner. "A.J. obviously is a unique player. He's a ball handling point-forward, so to speak … he's played in the ACC, so he has experience. He can score around the basket so he's a good shooter.
"Ryan Taylor brings a very, very high level shooter and skill level to the game. And Chris does a great job with his offense and being able to get those guys in positions where they can get shots. It's concerning. Ryan is a great three-point shooter as is Vic (Law). And those two guys, if they can get it going, can really present some problems.
"And they are also really two of their primary ball handers at that type of size, as well. So it's a unique team to play against with their spacing and how they are playing, really, out of a two-guard front to alleviate some of the pressure that without a true point guard."
IU freshman point guard Rob Phinisee has filled that role well for the Indiana so far this campaign – though, as was the case for pretty much all his teammates, he didn't have his best game against Duke (four turnovers, two assists, two points). But he still has a laudable 29-13 assist-to-turnover ratio for the season.
Asked what Phinisee could learn from the Duke came, Miller – the North Carolina State alumnus who knows when it's like to play as a visiting point guard against a talented Duke team at Cameron Indoor Stadium – replied:
"Can't be reserved with the ball. Can't be safe. There's times where you need to be safe with it, but Rob needs to be more aggressive with his speed. He needs more aggression with his pace with his game, because he's a sturdy guy. He can get by people.
"When you deal with that type of pressure, you deal with that type of switching, you can't all of a sudden kind of stop, pick it up, look around for somebody to help you out. You have to keep that thing alive and you have to make plays. You've got to be more aggressive to get more downhill.
"I think just in listening to him and watching some film with him, Rob knows that he's got to be more aggressive with the ball in his hands when he's dealing with that type of environment and pressure. And I think that will play well as we get ready to go into the Big Ten. He's a guy that I think has shown he can really play."
Miller also feels he can help, as a coach.
"We have to be better organized," he said. "As a coach, I've got to do a better job of being a lot more sharp, in terms of what we're trying to get done in the halfcourt, not so much as the full court.
"Without question, the two teams on the road that gave us the most pressure really dictated the game for the most part; Arkansas to a lesser extent. Duke was in overdrive most of the game in terms of what they were trying to do with us and got us out of sync. Never really had an opportunity to even get our feet on ground.
"So you know, it's a learning experience. It's November. I can remember a lot of teams that we've been with, even teams that I've played on, that you don't even remember the ACC/Big Ten Challenge game come February, it's so long ago. But hopefully these opportunities make us better."
McRoberts has been around long enough to know the truth of that. And in the meantime, he'll plan to use his experience to help calm things down on-court if things get a bit frazzled.
"Yeah, just doing what I can, either talking to guys or just being calm out there on the court," McRoberts said."Helping guys slow down and helping let the game come to them, I think, is an important aspect (of my role).
And McRoberts will also tell IU's talented freshmen that conference play represents a whole new challenge and opportunity.
"That is definitely the main focus, something that we've talked about," McRoberts said. "We can't lose that (Duke) game twice. We want to move on and be ready for Saturday, because it matters as much now as it does in March, this game."
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