Wednesday, December 19
Bloomington, Ind.
7:00 PM
Indiana University
10-2
86
vs
53
Central Arkansas
4-7
1
2
F
Central Ark.
27
26
53
Indiana
43
43
86
IU Goes Drama Free To Beat Central Arkansas
12/19/2018 8:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Cream 'n Crimson drama took the night off.
Indiana defense did not.
Guard Devonte Green made the most of extra playing time.
Central Arkansas paid the price.
Guard Romeo Langford flexed his double-double muscles for the second time this season.
And so the Hoosiers rolled.
Wednesday night's 86-53 victory broke the cliffhanger pattern from the four previous wins, and if it wasn't basketball as art, no one complained.
Wait. Coach Archie Miller did. His unhappiness centered on IU's slow start, early turnovers and perimeter defensive breakdowns, which meant he will have plenty of coaching ammunition for the next few practices before Saturday's non-conference finale against Jacksonville (7-5, four-game winning streak).
"(Giving up) 19 points in the first four minutes, we weren't ready to start," Miller said.
Yes, the final numbers were Hoosier friendly -- 56.3 percent shooting, nine three-pointers, 25 assists against 12 turnovers -- but Miller wasn't impressed.
"I'm very concerned defensively in terms of our three-point field goal defense and how many (teams are) making in the last three games (29). That's got to get corrected as we head into Saturday."
As for what turned it around, forward Justin Smith said, "We got our bearings. We settled down and started to play how we wanted to play.
"The first six minutes were pretty frantic. We took a step back and shored up the mistakes we were making and went on a run."
In the end, the No. 22 Hoosiers (10-2) dominated to the point Miller could fully utilize his bench. Guys who had seen little action in recent weeks got their chance.
Freshman forward Jake Forrester set the off-the-bench tone with a career-high eight points in seven minutes. That was the same number of points he'd scored in four previous games this season.
"I'm working hard in practice every day so I can translate that into games, and play the best I can," Forrester said.
When asked if it was just a matter of being in the right spot to score those four baskets, he said with a smile, "Some could say that. Some could say I could score."
Reserves Damezi Anderson, Clifton Moore, Johnny Jager, Vijay Blackmon and Quentin Taylor also saw action after having barely played in the last month.
"By the circumstances of our competition and the games we've played," Miller said, "it hasn't been what it was. I think Damezi is going to get back in there. Clifton and Jake should continue to find ways to get better."
Green can feel their pain. He's spent much of this season on the bench.
"I tell them to stay with it mentally. It's a slow grind. That's one of the hardest things coming in to college, dealing with it."
Once again IU faced an early deficit. Once again it overcame it with defense.
Central Arkansas (4-7) went nearly 10 minutes without scoring in the first half. IU went from five points down to 17 points ahead.
Game over.
It wasn't all good Hoosier news. Freshman guard Robert Phinisee, the Butler hero, went to the sidelines seven minutes into the game after banging heads with a Central Arkansas player.
He never returned and is in concussion protocol.
Green took advantage. His career-high six three-pointers surpassed by two his total for the season.
Injuries had limited him to just seven previous games.
He finished with season highs in points (19), rebounds (nine), assists (six) and steals (four).
Langford added 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Smith had 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting. Juwan Morgan had 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting, five rebounds and four assists.
"Clearly we had some guys being unselfish," Miller said. "All in all, it's a win. We're going to watch film and get back to work."
Central Arkansas' three-point shooting emphasis included 7-foot center Hayden Koval, who hit his first attempt (and finished with a team-high 16 points) as the Bears took multiple early five-point leads.
It didn't last.
The Hoosiers needed eight minutes to take their first lead, and would have done it sooner if not for five turnovers.
Then they had just one turnover in the next 21 minutes.
By halftime, Indiana led 43-27 and the biggest second-half question was how large the final margin would be.
As it turned out, it was 33 points.
IU wanted more.
"We have to come out with a better mindset, be more aggressive and locked in defensively," Smith said. "Just be ready from the get-go."
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Cream 'n Crimson drama took the night off.
Indiana defense did not.
Guard Devonte Green made the most of extra playing time.
Central Arkansas paid the price.
Guard Romeo Langford flexed his double-double muscles for the second time this season.
And so the Hoosiers rolled.
Wednesday night's 86-53 victory broke the cliffhanger pattern from the four previous wins, and if it wasn't basketball as art, no one complained.
Wait. Coach Archie Miller did. His unhappiness centered on IU's slow start, early turnovers and perimeter defensive breakdowns, which meant he will have plenty of coaching ammunition for the next few practices before Saturday's non-conference finale against Jacksonville (7-5, four-game winning streak).
"(Giving up) 19 points in the first four minutes, we weren't ready to start," Miller said.
Yes, the final numbers were Hoosier friendly -- 56.3 percent shooting, nine three-pointers, 25 assists against 12 turnovers -- but Miller wasn't impressed.
"I'm very concerned defensively in terms of our three-point field goal defense and how many (teams are) making in the last three games (29). That's got to get corrected as we head into Saturday."
As for what turned it around, forward Justin Smith said, "We got our bearings. We settled down and started to play how we wanted to play.
"The first six minutes were pretty frantic. We took a step back and shored up the mistakes we were making and went on a run."
In the end, the No. 22 Hoosiers (10-2) dominated to the point Miller could fully utilize his bench. Guys who had seen little action in recent weeks got their chance.
Freshman forward Jake Forrester set the off-the-bench tone with a career-high eight points in seven minutes. That was the same number of points he'd scored in four previous games this season.
"I'm working hard in practice every day so I can translate that into games, and play the best I can," Forrester said.
When asked if it was just a matter of being in the right spot to score those four baskets, he said with a smile, "Some could say that. Some could say I could score."
Reserves Damezi Anderson, Clifton Moore, Johnny Jager, Vijay Blackmon and Quentin Taylor also saw action after having barely played in the last month.
"By the circumstances of our competition and the games we've played," Miller said, "it hasn't been what it was. I think Damezi is going to get back in there. Clifton and Jake should continue to find ways to get better."
Green can feel their pain. He's spent much of this season on the bench.
"I tell them to stay with it mentally. It's a slow grind. That's one of the hardest things coming in to college, dealing with it."
Once again IU faced an early deficit. Once again it overcame it with defense.
Central Arkansas (4-7) went nearly 10 minutes without scoring in the first half. IU went from five points down to 17 points ahead.
Game over.
It wasn't all good Hoosier news. Freshman guard Robert Phinisee, the Butler hero, went to the sidelines seven minutes into the game after banging heads with a Central Arkansas player.
He never returned and is in concussion protocol.
Green took advantage. His career-high six three-pointers surpassed by two his total for the season.
Injuries had limited him to just seven previous games.
He finished with season highs in points (19), rebounds (nine), assists (six) and steals (four).
Langford added 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Smith had 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting. Juwan Morgan had 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting, five rebounds and four assists.
"Clearly we had some guys being unselfish," Miller said. "All in all, it's a win. We're going to watch film and get back to work."
Central Arkansas' three-point shooting emphasis included 7-foot center Hayden Koval, who hit his first attempt (and finished with a team-high 16 points) as the Bears took multiple early five-point leads.
It didn't last.
The Hoosiers needed eight minutes to take their first lead, and would have done it sooner if not for five turnovers.
Then they had just one turnover in the next 21 minutes.
By halftime, Indiana led 43-27 and the biggest second-half question was how large the final margin would be.
As it turned out, it was 33 points.
IU wanted more.
"We have to come out with a better mindset, be more aggressive and locked in defensively," Smith said. "Just be ready from the get-go."
Team Stats
UCA
IND
FG%
.313
.563
3FG%
.391
.375
FT%
.667
.500
RB
34
43
TO
16
12
STL
6
7
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
6
3FGM
6
FTM
1
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballGuard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's BasketballGuard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballForward
/ Men's BasketballForward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
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