Indiana University Athletics
GRAHAM: Having Bested B1G Leaders, Hoosiers and Hawkeyes Face Off
2/7/2019 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Andy Graham, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana wasn't the only team to beat a Top 10-ranked Big Ten foe from the state of Michigan last week.
And Iowa didn't just beat the No. 5-ranked Michigan Wolverines.
It was 74-59.
So Iowa (17-5 overall, 6-5 Big Ten) comes into IU's Simon Skjodt Aseembly Hall for Thursday's 9 p.m. tipoff ranked No. 20, up from No. 25 last week.
And host Hoosiers (13-9, 4-7) enter off an epic road win that ended a seven-game losing skid, 79-75 in overtime at No. 6 Michigan State, looking healthier and more potent than they had in weeks.
"They weren't healthy," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said of the Hoosiers' January struggles. "They were 12-2 when they were healthy, beat Louisville – and then (Devonte) Green is out, (Rob) Phinisee is out, (De'Ron) Davis is out.
"It's going to be different. Now they're all back. (They) go on the road and beat Michigan State – that's who we're playing."
Phinisee missed over three weeks in concussion protocol before returning Jan. 11 at Maryland. Davis and Green didn't resurface from January absences till Saturday's win, which they most definitely helped secure.
Green – who began and capped a crucial streak of four straight IU 3-pointers down the stretch in regulation – and Davis – who swished the clinching free throws in OT – combined for 23 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, two shot-blocks and a steal at MSU.
Davis also helped anchor Indiana's defense down low and Green helped guard Cassius Winston, the Spartans' superb point guard.
"If they had those two guys, I think those seven (lost) games would have been really different," Iowa center Ryan Kriener told Hawk Central of Green and Davis this week. "They're healthy now, so you have to really treat them like the 12-2 team they were."
Indiana survived yet another major health scare Saturday when senior leader Juwan Morgan sustained a shoulder injury with 6:04 left in the first half. Morgan was done for the day but returned to practice this week and is expected to play Thursday night.
Iowa scoring and rebounding leader Tyler Cook, an old acquaintance of Morgan's as both were high school standouts in Missouri, checked up on his friend over the weekend.
"I wasn't necessarily worried about our game (Thursday)," Cook said. "I texted him to make sure he's OK. I'm pretty sure he'll be ready to go."
Cook, a 6-foot-9 junior averaging 16.2 points and 8.1 boards, has himself missed a couple of games to injury – most recently an ankle issue heading into the Jan. 16 win at Penn State – but is healthy now.
Joining Cook on a very productive front line is 6-11 sophomore Luka Garza, who like Cook can run the floor and has a varied offensive skill-set.
Garza averages 15.1 points and 4.8 boards while shooting .553 from the field (including .340 from 3-point range) and .849 at the foul line. He hasn't scored fewer than 16 points over Iowa's last seven games.
McCaffery had a similar explanation to Hawkeye Insider for Garza's improvement as for Indiana's win last week:
"You have to look at the situation. It's kind of like why is Luka scoring 20 points a game? Well, he's healthy. Why did Indiana beat Michigan State at Michigan State? Well, they're healthy.
"That's pretty much all it is. He was playing great before he got hurt, and then when he was hurt and he wasn't playing … now that he's healthy, he's doing what he's capable of doing. He's really worked hard to get to this point. He really put the time in this summer. I'm really proud of him."
IU coach Archie Miller noted Garza was pretty good last season, too.
"It's natural progression," Miller said. "He was a very good freshman, and late, in the months of February and March, so you saw him really improve.
"Coach McCaffery and those guys do a tremendous job with their big guys in terms of them running and being physical, so you could see him grow up at the end of last year … he's a really good offensive player … to me he's one of the most improved players in the league."
With Davis still working to gain conditioning after missing time both this time and during the off-season, while rehabilitating an Achilles tendon tear, IU will need its reserve big men such as grad transfer Evan Fitzner, freshman Jake Forrester and sophomore Clifton Moore to provide minutes – and run the floor.
The Hoosiers have more to worry about than Iowa's big men, of course. Pretty much all the Hawkeye regulars can score in bunches.
Iowa averages 81.9 points per game. Four of its starters average double-figures and a fifth, 6-foot-5 freshman Isaiah Moss, is at 9.8.
The Hawks shoot 48 percent from the field, .373 from 3-point range and .751 from the foul line as a team. Half the players in Iowa's top eight shoot 80 percent of better on free throws.
Jordan Bohannon, the 6-1 junior and a regular since his freshman season, averages 10.3 points, and has 73 assists to just 32 turnovers.
The 6-6 Joe Wieskamp (11.4 ppg and 5.0 rpg) was Big Ten Freshman of the Week two of the past three weeks. He shoots .503 (.429 from 3) from the field and .739 from the foul line.
Wieskamp got acquainted with IU freshman Romeo Langford a few years back as both attended a NBA developmental camp. "You can tell it's going to translate to the NBA," Wieskamp said of Langford's skill-set.
Langford leads the Hoosier scoring at 17.4 and McCaffery admires how the IU frosh has dealt with the sort of expectations that come with McDonalds All-American and Indiana Mr. Basketball status.
"He came in with a huge reputation, and I think a lot of times there is a lot of pressure on guys like him," McCaffery said of Langford. " 'He's going to be the fifth pick, going to be the sixth pick,' but he hadn't played a college game yet – I don't think that's easy. He's handled it as well as anybody I've seen.
"He plays at his pace. He's got a complete game. He can dribble, pass, and shoot. Plays defense. Rebounds. They go to him late, makes big shots. Made big shots the other night in that game (at MSU). Has tremendous confidence in himself. He's one of the best players in the country."
Much of Langford's offensive production has come on drives into the lane and to the rim, things Iowa is adept at taking away with multiple defenses and big men on the blocks. Michigan had issues with Iowa's zones, shooting just .323 from the field (and .242 from 3-point range).
"They will extend their defenses after free throws and makes (from the field) at three-quarter court, which slows you down," Miller said of the Hawkeyes. "And then obviously, when they drop back, you are going to have to recognize the sort of zone that they're playing, whether it's traditional, whether it's more of an odd-front matchup. And sometimes they will even drop back man-to-man.
"So they can keep you off -balance a little bit with that, and take away the rhythm. And they have done a really nice job with that over the course of the season. And … they play really a lot of size … so without question it's definitely a concern."
Hoosier sophomore guard Aljami Durham, who hit 3 of 5 shots from 3-point range while scoring 14 points against the Spartans, knows the Hoosiers are in for a challenge Thursday night.
"Iowa is a great team," Durham said Wednesday. "They're coming off a good win against Michigan and I feel like they're coming in with a chip on their shoulder … we got to hold serve at home."
The Hoosiers hope to carry some confidence over from that big win in East Lansing.
"A win does a lot – especially (after) the month of January, as we obviously didn't play very well and we didn't have a whole lot of spunk, so to speak, at the end of the month," Miller said. "But a win can do a lot for confidence, more so than anything. And I think our guys have practiced the right way coming back off of the weekend trip and we have moved on."
And the Hoosiers will count on a customarily boisterous Assembly Hall crowd.
Kriener was sidelined by a concussion last year when the Hawkeyes sustained a 77-64 setback at Indiana.
"It got so loud that I had to leave," he said of the crowd.
One team will leave tonight with a very valuable win.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana wasn't the only team to beat a Top 10-ranked Big Ten foe from the state of Michigan last week.
And Iowa didn't just beat the No. 5-ranked Michigan Wolverines.
It was 74-59.
So Iowa (17-5 overall, 6-5 Big Ten) comes into IU's Simon Skjodt Aseembly Hall for Thursday's 9 p.m. tipoff ranked No. 20, up from No. 25 last week.
And host Hoosiers (13-9, 4-7) enter off an epic road win that ended a seven-game losing skid, 79-75 in overtime at No. 6 Michigan State, looking healthier and more potent than they had in weeks.
"They weren't healthy," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said of the Hoosiers' January struggles. "They were 12-2 when they were healthy, beat Louisville – and then (Devonte) Green is out, (Rob) Phinisee is out, (De'Ron) Davis is out.
"It's going to be different. Now they're all back. (They) go on the road and beat Michigan State – that's who we're playing."
Phinisee missed over three weeks in concussion protocol before returning Jan. 11 at Maryland. Davis and Green didn't resurface from January absences till Saturday's win, which they most definitely helped secure.
Green – who began and capped a crucial streak of four straight IU 3-pointers down the stretch in regulation – and Davis – who swished the clinching free throws in OT – combined for 23 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, two shot-blocks and a steal at MSU.
Davis also helped anchor Indiana's defense down low and Green helped guard Cassius Winston, the Spartans' superb point guard.
"If they had those two guys, I think those seven (lost) games would have been really different," Iowa center Ryan Kriener told Hawk Central of Green and Davis this week. "They're healthy now, so you have to really treat them like the 12-2 team they were."
Indiana survived yet another major health scare Saturday when senior leader Juwan Morgan sustained a shoulder injury with 6:04 left in the first half. Morgan was done for the day but returned to practice this week and is expected to play Thursday night.
Iowa scoring and rebounding leader Tyler Cook, an old acquaintance of Morgan's as both were high school standouts in Missouri, checked up on his friend over the weekend.
"I wasn't necessarily worried about our game (Thursday)," Cook said. "I texted him to make sure he's OK. I'm pretty sure he'll be ready to go."
Cook, a 6-foot-9 junior averaging 16.2 points and 8.1 boards, has himself missed a couple of games to injury – most recently an ankle issue heading into the Jan. 16 win at Penn State – but is healthy now.
Joining Cook on a very productive front line is 6-11 sophomore Luka Garza, who like Cook can run the floor and has a varied offensive skill-set.
Garza averages 15.1 points and 4.8 boards while shooting .553 from the field (including .340 from 3-point range) and .849 at the foul line. He hasn't scored fewer than 16 points over Iowa's last seven games.
McCaffery had a similar explanation to Hawkeye Insider for Garza's improvement as for Indiana's win last week:
"You have to look at the situation. It's kind of like why is Luka scoring 20 points a game? Well, he's healthy. Why did Indiana beat Michigan State at Michigan State? Well, they're healthy.
"That's pretty much all it is. He was playing great before he got hurt, and then when he was hurt and he wasn't playing … now that he's healthy, he's doing what he's capable of doing. He's really worked hard to get to this point. He really put the time in this summer. I'm really proud of him."
IU coach Archie Miller noted Garza was pretty good last season, too.
"It's natural progression," Miller said. "He was a very good freshman, and late, in the months of February and March, so you saw him really improve.
"Coach McCaffery and those guys do a tremendous job with their big guys in terms of them running and being physical, so you could see him grow up at the end of last year … he's a really good offensive player … to me he's one of the most improved players in the league."
With Davis still working to gain conditioning after missing time both this time and during the off-season, while rehabilitating an Achilles tendon tear, IU will need its reserve big men such as grad transfer Evan Fitzner, freshman Jake Forrester and sophomore Clifton Moore to provide minutes – and run the floor.
The Hoosiers have more to worry about than Iowa's big men, of course. Pretty much all the Hawkeye regulars can score in bunches.
Iowa averages 81.9 points per game. Four of its starters average double-figures and a fifth, 6-foot-5 freshman Isaiah Moss, is at 9.8.
The Hawks shoot 48 percent from the field, .373 from 3-point range and .751 from the foul line as a team. Half the players in Iowa's top eight shoot 80 percent of better on free throws.
Jordan Bohannon, the 6-1 junior and a regular since his freshman season, averages 10.3 points, and has 73 assists to just 32 turnovers.
The 6-6 Joe Wieskamp (11.4 ppg and 5.0 rpg) was Big Ten Freshman of the Week two of the past three weeks. He shoots .503 (.429 from 3) from the field and .739 from the foul line.
Wieskamp got acquainted with IU freshman Romeo Langford a few years back as both attended a NBA developmental camp. "You can tell it's going to translate to the NBA," Wieskamp said of Langford's skill-set.
Langford leads the Hoosier scoring at 17.4 and McCaffery admires how the IU frosh has dealt with the sort of expectations that come with McDonalds All-American and Indiana Mr. Basketball status.
"He came in with a huge reputation, and I think a lot of times there is a lot of pressure on guys like him," McCaffery said of Langford. " 'He's going to be the fifth pick, going to be the sixth pick,' but he hadn't played a college game yet – I don't think that's easy. He's handled it as well as anybody I've seen.
"He plays at his pace. He's got a complete game. He can dribble, pass, and shoot. Plays defense. Rebounds. They go to him late, makes big shots. Made big shots the other night in that game (at MSU). Has tremendous confidence in himself. He's one of the best players in the country."
Much of Langford's offensive production has come on drives into the lane and to the rim, things Iowa is adept at taking away with multiple defenses and big men on the blocks. Michigan had issues with Iowa's zones, shooting just .323 from the field (and .242 from 3-point range).
"They will extend their defenses after free throws and makes (from the field) at three-quarter court, which slows you down," Miller said of the Hawkeyes. "And then obviously, when they drop back, you are going to have to recognize the sort of zone that they're playing, whether it's traditional, whether it's more of an odd-front matchup. And sometimes they will even drop back man-to-man.
"So they can keep you off -balance a little bit with that, and take away the rhythm. And they have done a really nice job with that over the course of the season. And … they play really a lot of size … so without question it's definitely a concern."
Hoosier sophomore guard Aljami Durham, who hit 3 of 5 shots from 3-point range while scoring 14 points against the Spartans, knows the Hoosiers are in for a challenge Thursday night.
"Iowa is a great team," Durham said Wednesday. "They're coming off a good win against Michigan and I feel like they're coming in with a chip on their shoulder … we got to hold serve at home."
The Hoosiers hope to carry some confidence over from that big win in East Lansing.
"A win does a lot – especially (after) the month of January, as we obviously didn't play very well and we didn't have a whole lot of spunk, so to speak, at the end of the month," Miller said. "But a win can do a lot for confidence, more so than anything. And I think our guys have practiced the right way coming back off of the weekend trip and we have moved on."
And the Hoosiers will count on a customarily boisterous Assembly Hall crowd.
Kriener was sidelined by a concussion last year when the Hawkeyes sustained a 77-64 setback at Indiana.
"It got so loud that I had to leave," he said of the crowd.
One team will leave tonight with a very valuable win.
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