Slow Start Dooms IU Against No. 5 Michigan

Friday, January 25

Bloomington, Ind.

6:30 PM

Indiana University

12-8, 3-6

Michigan

19-1, 8-1

Michigan

Indiana

1/25/2019 8:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By: Pete DiPrimio, IUHoosiers.com

By: Pete DiPrimio, IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – What do you do when losses keep coming, offensive and defensive breakdowns don't stop and a season of so much promise continues to disintegrate?

If you're senior forward Juwan Morgan, in the aftermath of Friday night's 69-46 loss to No. 5 Michigan, you don't flinch amid harsh reality.

"It's embarrassing. I don't think any team is 23 points better than us. We have more fight in us than that.

"I'm angry about it. I know everybody in that room is. Nobody is happy. Everybody is embarrassed. It's just not us. We have to be ready to move forward."

The Hoosiers, once positioned to make a Big Ten run, have lost six straight, including their last two at Assembly Hall by an average margin of 19 points. They are 12-8 overall, 3-6 in the conference.

"We're a shell of where we were," coach Archie Miller said. "One win would really help a lot of things. As a player, lock out the noise."

Injuries and suspension have taken a huge toll. IU is basically down to a six-player rotation, with two of those players -- Rob Phinisee and Romeo Langford -- freshmen.

Add Big Ten quality, and the only solution, Miller said is "work."

"As a player, what I'd want from my coaches is somebody to just work me. Get me better. Find a way to do that. I'd want to be on the floor working. That feeling doesn't go away until you work it out. That's what we have to give to them."

On Friday night, IU couldn't shoot accurately from anywhere. It was 27.6 percent overall (it missed its first 10 shots), 11-for-20 on free throws and 3-for-20 beyond the arc. This continued problems that have surfaced throughout the losing streak.

"When you can't make shots, the game is hard," Miller said. "That's been a common theme the last two to three weeks. We have better shooters than we shot tonight. You'd be hard pressed to shoot worse than we did."

The Hoosier defense, meanwhile, kept springing leaks.

A malfunctioning shot clock added to the misery.

Despite all of that, and a heavy burden in minutes and opponents' defensive attention, Morgan totaled his eighth double-double of the season, and second straight, with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Fatigue, it seems, is a state of mind.

"Basketball is a hard game," Morgan said. "I'll give everything I have until I drop. That's who I am."

As Miller put it, "It's hard to take him off the floor. He's fatigued. He's having to work hard for every basket. He's had to defend all over the floor."

Michigan (19-1, 8-1) had shown vulnerability in its previous two games – a 10-point loss at Wisconsin, a two-point home win over Minnesota. Its potent offense had turned ragged.

Could the struggling Hoosiers take advantage?

No.

IU was outscored 17-0 to start the game and never recovered.

"We let them get to their spots and make their shots," Morgan said. "We let them get comfortable. We need to come out as an angry group and let our defense dictate our offense. Come out with fire. Be ready to go and throw the first punch instead of taking the first punch."

Added Miller: "Our team is soft and for whatever reason, scared. The fight isn't there. The confidence isn't there on either end of the floor. There's nothing we're doing well. You go to the next step and try to figure it out.

"We're not playing at a high enough level. That really bothers me.

"I take full responsibility for that. We have to put our big boy pants on and start showing up."

No one expected this after entering January with quality wins over Louisville, Marquette, Butler and Northwestern, and a top-25 national ranking.

"We've really changed the face of who we are in the course of the season," Miller said. "We're not the same team. It starts with our effort level, our attitude, how hard we play. That streams into everything else that you do."

On Friday, shot clock issues delayed the nationally televised game. Then the Hoosiers gave up five points and had a shot-clock violation.

It quickly got worse.

After four minutes, Michigan was 6-for-7 from the field and had 15 points. IU was 0-for-6 with three turnovers and had zero points.

Finally, down 17-0 with 12:57 left in the half, guard Al Durham hit a pair of free throws.

The crowd roared.

Almost three minutes later, the Hoosiers got their first basket, and it came from Durham.

Still, Michigan led 20-4.

IU began ratcheting up the defense. The Wolverines hit just five of their last 20 shots of the half. But the Hoosiers couldn't take much advantage. They finished 5-for-25 from the field and trailed 33-18 at halftime.

Indiana hit its first four shots of the second half and closed to 36-26 in less than three minutes of the second half. The crowd was energized as it hadn't been the entire game.

The Hoosiers briefly cut the deficit to nine.

The crowd roared louder.

Then Michigan's balanced offense reasserted itself.

IU never got the lead under 10 points again.

"Michigan came in here and did what they wanted how they wanted," Miller said. "That's really disappointing."

In the aftermath Morgan was asked what the players want from the rest of the season.

"We're looking for the postseason. We're not looking for anything else. We're not selling ourselves short.

"I know there's talent in that room. I'm not giving up on any of the guys. They're not giving up on me. That's what it is."