Indiana University Athletics
DIPRIMIO: Even In Defeat, IU Building For Something Big
1/7/2019 7:40:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio, IUHoosiers.com
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - IU lost by double digits at second-ranked Michigan.
So what?
How many teams do you think will win in Ann Arbor this season? How many teams will beat the Wolverines anywhere this season?
So far, in the wake of Sunday's 74-63 Hoosier loss, both answers remain zero.
Michigan (15-0) is the hottest team in America with victories in 29 of its last 30 games. The lone loss came to Villanova in last season's national title game.
Top-ranked Duke, for the record, is the most talented.
Guess what? The No. 21 Hoosiers (12-3) also have played those guys. In case you've forgotten, they lost by 21 at Cameron Arena, as intimating a home court you'll ever see.
Again, so what?
It won't get any tougher. In fact, it will get easier.
OK, playing at national-title contender Michigan State, as IU will do next month, and at rival Purdue, which will happen on Jan. 19, will never be easy, but that misses the point, which is the Hoosiers will be well prepared for whatever March -- and its neutral site settings -- will bring.
Is that looking too far ahead?
Not really. In college basketball these days, how you do in the NCAA tourney always -- always – takes top priority. You build with that in in mind.
The Hoosiers are building for something big.
They are.
As coach Archie Miller told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer after the game, "We can't get caught up in one loss. We have to get caught up in getting better, which is what we'll do."
The Hoosiers also lost for a continued share of the Big Ten lead.
For the third time, so what?
If they sustain this level of effort and focus, they'll get another chance. They are, after all, third in the Big Ten with a 3-1 record, trailing only 4-0 Michigan and Michigan State.
IU will get another crack at the Wolverines, this time at Assembly Hall, on Jan. 25.
Mark your calendars.
Indiana gave itself a second-half chance for plenty of reasons.
Because of defense – IU won the second half, 34-30.
Because of leadership – see senior forward Juwan Morgan's 25 points (15 in the second half) and eight rebounds.
Because of toughness – see Romeo Langford's 17 points and six rebounds.
Because of efficiency. IU only had seven turnovers, which was outstanding, until you consider Michigan only had three.
Miller praised the Wolverines guard play, and lamented the fact IU was, "a little bit undisciplined at times" to blunt its second-half comeback
In other words, plenty of work remains.
IU's slow-start issue has to stop. It just does.
On Sunday, the Hoosiers quickly fell into a double-digit hole. They had overcome plenty of deficits in their seven-game winning streak, but Michigan was way too good to allow a Cream 'n Crimson comeback.
IU has to get healthy, or at least healthier.
There's no way around it.
Better-than-his-freshman-status point guard Rob Phinisee missed his third straight game with a concussion, which hurt, although Michigan also had a key injury without sixth man Isaiah Livers (back spasms).
The hope is Phinisee will return sometime next week to provide full backcourt strength. IU next plays Friday at Maryland.
To briefly recap, the Wolverines unleashed one of the nation's best defenses and offenses to quickly take charge.
Adding to the misery, Langford and Morgan each picked up two fouls in the game's first five minutes. Normally, this would have meant spending the rest of the half on the bench.
But this was far from normal.
Langord and Morgan went back in.
Still, IU could have faded away.
But even with Michigan's Jordan Poole and Charles Matthews in early unstoppable mode, the Hoosiers stayed within distant range.
In fact, midway through the second half, they trailed by just seven. They had a chance.
They didn't capitalize this time against elite competition in the most hostile of environments.
Next time, they might.
That's what matters most.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - IU lost by double digits at second-ranked Michigan.
So what?
How many teams do you think will win in Ann Arbor this season? How many teams will beat the Wolverines anywhere this season?
So far, in the wake of Sunday's 74-63 Hoosier loss, both answers remain zero.
Michigan (15-0) is the hottest team in America with victories in 29 of its last 30 games. The lone loss came to Villanova in last season's national title game.
Top-ranked Duke, for the record, is the most talented.
Guess what? The No. 21 Hoosiers (12-3) also have played those guys. In case you've forgotten, they lost by 21 at Cameron Arena, as intimating a home court you'll ever see.
Again, so what?
It won't get any tougher. In fact, it will get easier.
OK, playing at national-title contender Michigan State, as IU will do next month, and at rival Purdue, which will happen on Jan. 19, will never be easy, but that misses the point, which is the Hoosiers will be well prepared for whatever March -- and its neutral site settings -- will bring.
Is that looking too far ahead?
Not really. In college basketball these days, how you do in the NCAA tourney always -- always – takes top priority. You build with that in in mind.
The Hoosiers are building for something big.
They are.
As coach Archie Miller told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer after the game, "We can't get caught up in one loss. We have to get caught up in getting better, which is what we'll do."
The Hoosiers also lost for a continued share of the Big Ten lead.
For the third time, so what?
If they sustain this level of effort and focus, they'll get another chance. They are, after all, third in the Big Ten with a 3-1 record, trailing only 4-0 Michigan and Michigan State.
IU will get another crack at the Wolverines, this time at Assembly Hall, on Jan. 25.
Mark your calendars.
Indiana gave itself a second-half chance for plenty of reasons.
Because of defense – IU won the second half, 34-30.
Because of leadership – see senior forward Juwan Morgan's 25 points (15 in the second half) and eight rebounds.
Because of toughness – see Romeo Langford's 17 points and six rebounds.
Because of efficiency. IU only had seven turnovers, which was outstanding, until you consider Michigan only had three.
Miller praised the Wolverines guard play, and lamented the fact IU was, "a little bit undisciplined at times" to blunt its second-half comeback
In other words, plenty of work remains.
IU's slow-start issue has to stop. It just does.
On Sunday, the Hoosiers quickly fell into a double-digit hole. They had overcome plenty of deficits in their seven-game winning streak, but Michigan was way too good to allow a Cream 'n Crimson comeback.
IU has to get healthy, or at least healthier.
There's no way around it.
Better-than-his-freshman-status point guard Rob Phinisee missed his third straight game with a concussion, which hurt, although Michigan also had a key injury without sixth man Isaiah Livers (back spasms).
The hope is Phinisee will return sometime next week to provide full backcourt strength. IU next plays Friday at Maryland.
To briefly recap, the Wolverines unleashed one of the nation's best defenses and offenses to quickly take charge.
Adding to the misery, Langford and Morgan each picked up two fouls in the game's first five minutes. Normally, this would have meant spending the rest of the half on the bench.
But this was far from normal.
Langord and Morgan went back in.
Still, IU could have faded away.
But even with Michigan's Jordan Poole and Charles Matthews in early unstoppable mode, the Hoosiers stayed within distant range.
In fact, midway through the second half, they trailed by just seven. They had a chance.
They didn't capitalize this time against elite competition in the most hostile of environments.
Next time, they might.
That's what matters most.
Players Mentioned
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