Hoosiers Match Best Start Since 2012-13 With 88-75 Win Over Louisiana Tech

Monday, November 25

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Louisiana Tech

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Hoosiers Match Best Start Since 2012-13 With 88-75 Win Over Louisiana Tech

11/25/2019 10:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana's dominant November remains, well, dominant.

To a point.

Ditto for Trayce Jackson-Davis.

To a bigger point.

Louisiana Tech took its best shot Monday night as part of the Indiana Challenge at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, but couldn't stop what has become Cream 'n Crimson basketball inevitability.

The Hoosiers delivered a first-half to remember, a second half to fix and won 88-75 to push its record to 6-0, it's best start since opening 9-0 in the 2012-13 season. Jackson-Davis, the 6-9 freshman with an ever-growing upside, boosted his double-double total to three with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

And yet, it could have been so much more.

"We got off to a good start," coach Archie Miller said. "Our guards attacked in transition. They made the game easy. We built a comfortable lead.

"Then it got sloppy."

That was highlighted by 13 second-half turnovers. IU shot 32.0 percent in the second half after going 61.3 percent in the first.

"The second half was embarrassing with how we took care of the ball," Miller said. "We turned it over coming out of halftime. The types of turnovers weren't very good. It hurt us all half. We weren't able to play the right way. It became a dribble fest, a turnover fest."

For this, guard Aljami Durham said, blame him.

"We were facing a good team. We wanted to make a statement, play hard and set the tone. We did that at the start, but we've got to keep that tone the whole game."

As far as the second-half struggles, Durham said, "I take responsibility for that. I have to make sure we don't get in that situation. We can't have a half like that again."

It helped to have Jackson-Davis, who remains a free-throw-shooting beast (11-for-13) and inside catalyst.

"It's his work ethic, his willingness to do the little things," Durham said. "He's going to be a big part of what we do. You see what's going on."

Added Jackson-Davis: "It's a will. You have to want to get the ball. It's timing where the ball is going. Offensively, my teammates are feeding me. I'm letting the game come to me."

Durham contributed 18 points, four rebounds and four assists, but the five turnovers were a problem.

Fellow guard Devonte Green had 16 points and four turnovers. That, too, was a problem.

"Devonte has to grab the reigns of the team," Miller said. "Al has to grab the reigns of the team. We need those guys to say, 'Let's get a stop, get a shot, calm it down.' We can't have that ineptness out there.

"We need leadership, command of the game. That basketball savvy coach on the floor you have to have. We lost it. They have to settle us down, get a quality shot. We weren't able to do that. That was disappointing."

Still …

"When the ball sticks and is dribbled," Miller said, "that's a nightmare for this team. The team that moves and runs hard and plays freely, that team has a chance to be pretty good."

It will be better with guard Rob Phinisee, who was sidelined by a variety if injuries. Miller said he hoped the sophomore guard will be back in a couple of days.

"You can see a stabilizing force is needed at times on both ends of the floor. That's what (Phinisee) is. We've got to get him back."

Remember the slow starts that plagued IU through its first five games? That was as relevant for the first 15 minutes Monday night as the Pony Express.

The Hoosiers attacked a team known for its attack style, and Louisiana Tech blinked until it hurt, falling behind by as many as 23 points.

Then it faded away.

"I won't get bent out of shape," Miller said. "It was a good win."

Louisiana Tech (4-2) was the highest ranked of IU's opponents so far this season. The veteran Bulldogs – starting three seniors and two juniors -- thrived on pressure defense. They had held four of their previous five opponents to 61 points or less. They ranked 20^th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 57.4 points, and 17^th in defensive field goal percentage (34.9 percent).

They also had a plus-8.2 turnover margin, forcing 18.6 turnovers and scoring 21.4 points off of them.

This was among the reasons why Louisiana Tech had won at least 20 games in three of coach Eric Konkol's first four seasons.

But that hadn't come against the likes of an IU team clicking for a while as it hadn't at perhaps any time under Miller.

The Hoosiers were bigger, stronger and faster at basically every position, and took full early advantage.

With Durham scoring eight points in three minutes, the Hoosiers jumped to a 12-4 lead. Louisiana Tech had no assists and four turnovers.

The offense kept rolling. After nine minutes, IU was shooting 71 percent from the field, was 4-for-6 from three-point range and 5-for-5 from the line. The result was a 29-16 lead.

Green took over the scoring burden as the lead swelled to as many as 23 points with 7:29 left before Louisiana Tech began finding its shooting range. It closed within 14 before the Hoosiers settled for a 52-36 halftime lead.

Ten Hoosiers played in the first 20 minutes and nine scored, led by Green (15 points) and Durham (12).

IU opened the second half with two turnovers, only scored two points in the first three minutes and still extended its lead.

That didn't last as the Hoosier offense continued to stall. Louisiana Tech crept within 13 points, then 11, then 10, then, with under a minute left, nine.

The comeback fizzled. IU's unbeaten season continued.

"We're very fortunate," Miller said. "Hopefully it was one of those deals you've got to be able to get through. It definitely was a hard game to watch in the second half."