GRAHAM: Here's A Tip - Should Be A Good One To Watch
3/23/2019 7:36:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Andy Graham, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Somehow, the De'Ron Davis tip didn't fall.
That made the difference in Arkansas' 73-72 homecourt win over Indiana way back on Nov. 18.
It might even have proven decisive, in retrospect, regarding IU failing to get a NCAA tournament bid. One more victory anywhere along the way, especially another true road win, might have gotten the Hoosiers in.
None of that matters overly much right now, though.
And the ball is in a different court – Indiana's Branch McCracken Court at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, with the Razorbacks visiting for a 12 p.m. tipoff in National Invitation Tournament second-round matchup of 18-15 teams.
Arkansas has won four of its last five and is coming off an impressive 84-72 road win Tuesday night at Providence. Indiana, victorious in five of its last six, hosted and beat St. Francis, 89-72 that same evening.
Neither the Razorbacks nor Hoosiers are the same teams they were Nov. 18, of course.
Both might well play Saturday without their season scoring leader.
Arkansas certainly will. Daniel Gafford, the 6-foot-10 sophomore leading the Hogs in both scoring (16.9) and rebounding (8.7), has opted to sit out NIT play with an eye toward the NBA Draft.
Gafford gouged the Hoosiers for game-high totals of 27 points (hitting 12 of 15 shots from the field) and 12 rebounds in the teams' initial meeting this season.
But the Razorbacks looked potent without Gafford at Providence (a Big East team that, among other things, beat Butler three times this season).
Arkansas shot .509 from the field and hit 10 of 21 3-point attempts (.476) against the Friars. It was .762 from the foul line.
It got a team-high18 points off the bench from 6-5 sophomore Mason Jones (who hit 4 of 6 from beyond the arc) and 14 more in a reserve role from 6-8 freshman Reggie Chaney
And as usual, the Hogs pushed the pace and applied relentless defensive pressure.
"Obviously their team has changed here in the NIT with Daniel Gafford (out)," IU coach Archie Miller said Friday afternoon. "But I think that the one thing that goes unnoticed is how versatile they become without him and how random they become with their offense and their defense – and their pace of play is so fast.
"When you take into account the shooters that they have and how they shoot the ball from the 3-point line, and how they can change up defensively, they really make your team read and react throughout the game. So we're going to have to be really organized in terms of what we have to do defensively and offensively."
Indiana might have to do so without freshman Romeo Langford, who leads the Hoosier scoring (16.5) and supplied a team-high 22 at Arkansas. Langford is dealing with a back issue that cropped up in Big Ten Tournament play and kept him out of Tuesday's win over St. Francis.
But the Hoosiers got a 28-point game and 10 of 13 shooting from standout senior frontliner Juwan Morgan and sophomore guard Al Durham delivered a career-high 22, hitting 9 of 15 shots (including 3 of 7 on 3s).
"We're trying to get him to be as confident as he possibly can on offense, and I thought you saw that at times this season," Miller said of Durham, "but you also saw that the other night.
"He's very aggressive going to the basket. He's one of our best shooters, so we need him to do that. He'll be a big key as we go into however games we play here, but especially on Saturday. He's played a lot of minutes. He's much more experienced right now than he's been, and he's been a consistent guy every day. For Al, I think the big thing is to finish on a high note, continue to play with confidence."
Durham started alongside freshman Rob Phinisee and junior Devonte Green in the backcourt Tuesday, a new sort of opening combo for IU in lieu of Langford.
"I thought those guys, for the first time, played on the floor at the same time," Miller said. "It's a very unique deal. Romeo plays a lot of minutes, so … playing your best offensive players, at times, is something we'll have to do, and I think that'll be part of what we have to do (Saturday). It also gives you ball handling, gives you … speed, it gives you some guys that offensively can do a lot of different types of things.
"Devonte has been a big key to (winning) five out of six games now – and and then the one loss was Ohio State where he made eight 3s. So offensively, he's shown his talent. He's playing a very, very confident style. The big thing with him is he can do a lot of things. He's the one guy that not only can make shots but make plays for others, and he's stood out here in our last four weeks of play and has done a nice job."
That all doesn't mean Miller wouldn't prefer to have Langford available, of course, and there was no official word on that Friday. IU spokesperson J.D. Campbell said that Langford was "still receiving treatment" in hopes the situation with his back will resolve.
While Miller didn't downplay the affects of Arkansas being without Gafford, he noted not all of them are negative for the Hogs. Gafford has more turnovers than anybody on the team. And in some ways the Razorback floor game can look more versatile and dangerous with their low-post focus.
"He's obviously a very, very good player," Miller said of Gafford. "But without him, they become way more wide-open in terms of the way they attack. They shoot the ball from five positions and drive it from five positions.
"Their motion allows them to really move, and it's just one of those things where it's not a very structured game. They're very free flowing. Isaiah Joe, making 110 threes on the season as a freshman, leading the league in three-point shooting makes and percentages, incredible. You look at Jones and the way that he's made 85 threes, they can really, really shoot the ball.
"And I think that's the thing that in watching them play against Providence, that was really evident in that game, how fast they played, how well they shot the ball. And then, defensively, their ability to change defenses, match-up zones, the press, the man-to-man, it just keeps you off balance. But the 3-point line is something that's very scary."
Razorback 6-5 freshman Joe, who had 12 points at Providence is shooting a hefty .417 percentage on 3 pointers this season. Jones shoots .369 from beyond the arc and freshman guard Desi Sills is at .439. Arkansas shoots 35 percent at a team from 3-point range.
"Yeah, that's something we've been focused on in practice the past couple days, knowing they've got a lot of good 3-point shooters, knowing it's going to be like five-out motion," IU senior co-captain Zach McRoberts said. "It's going to be tough to guard, but we've been working on it, running guys off the line, being able to move our feet, stay in front … something we've got to work on, something we've got to be able to do."
Miller's theme that guards win at tournament time certainly seems applicable to Saturday. With the Razorback shooting taxing the perimeter defense out of IU's pack-line setup, and with the Razorback pressure defense trying to speed up opponents into sloppiness, Miller will need his guards to play well on both ends.
"They'll be a big, big key at both ends of the floor defensively and offensively against Arkansas," Miller acknowledged. "You need multiple ball-handlers at times, and the decision making (without) turning it over … Arkansas is, like, 12th in the country in forcing turnovers.
"You need your guards to really play well. So hopefully those guys getting on the floor and playing a ton of minutes is good, and hopefully the next game, obviously, they're ready to go."
They were the last time Indiana faced consistently extended defensive pressure, a 92-74 Hoosier romp March 7 at Illinois. And IU has already experienced the Razorbacks' brand of pressure this season. But Indiana made too many turnovers, 18, that night.
"I feel like we've played the pressure already between them and Illinois," Durham said, "so I feel like we've just got to execute our game plan and not turn the ball over and just run good offense, and I feel like we'll be fine."
That obviously remains to be seen Saturday.
It is a good test for both teams, on paper. The victor will emerge just one more win shy of a trip to Madison Square Garden and the NIT semifinals.
"Should be a good match-up," Miller said. "To be honest with you, should be a really exciting game just in terms of the style (of play) that's coming in here that we have to be prepared for."
It might come down to something like …
A last-second tip.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Somehow, the De'Ron Davis tip didn't fall.
That made the difference in Arkansas' 73-72 homecourt win over Indiana way back on Nov. 18.
It might even have proven decisive, in retrospect, regarding IU failing to get a NCAA tournament bid. One more victory anywhere along the way, especially another true road win, might have gotten the Hoosiers in.
None of that matters overly much right now, though.
And the ball is in a different court – Indiana's Branch McCracken Court at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, with the Razorbacks visiting for a 12 p.m. tipoff in National Invitation Tournament second-round matchup of 18-15 teams.
Arkansas has won four of its last five and is coming off an impressive 84-72 road win Tuesday night at Providence. Indiana, victorious in five of its last six, hosted and beat St. Francis, 89-72 that same evening.
Neither the Razorbacks nor Hoosiers are the same teams they were Nov. 18, of course.
Both might well play Saturday without their season scoring leader.
Arkansas certainly will. Daniel Gafford, the 6-foot-10 sophomore leading the Hogs in both scoring (16.9) and rebounding (8.7), has opted to sit out NIT play with an eye toward the NBA Draft.
Gafford gouged the Hoosiers for game-high totals of 27 points (hitting 12 of 15 shots from the field) and 12 rebounds in the teams' initial meeting this season.
But the Razorbacks looked potent without Gafford at Providence (a Big East team that, among other things, beat Butler three times this season).
Arkansas shot .509 from the field and hit 10 of 21 3-point attempts (.476) against the Friars. It was .762 from the foul line.
It got a team-high18 points off the bench from 6-5 sophomore Mason Jones (who hit 4 of 6 from beyond the arc) and 14 more in a reserve role from 6-8 freshman Reggie Chaney
And as usual, the Hogs pushed the pace and applied relentless defensive pressure.
"Obviously their team has changed here in the NIT with Daniel Gafford (out)," IU coach Archie Miller said Friday afternoon. "But I think that the one thing that goes unnoticed is how versatile they become without him and how random they become with their offense and their defense – and their pace of play is so fast.
"When you take into account the shooters that they have and how they shoot the ball from the 3-point line, and how they can change up defensively, they really make your team read and react throughout the game. So we're going to have to be really organized in terms of what we have to do defensively and offensively."
Indiana might have to do so without freshman Romeo Langford, who leads the Hoosier scoring (16.5) and supplied a team-high 22 at Arkansas. Langford is dealing with a back issue that cropped up in Big Ten Tournament play and kept him out of Tuesday's win over St. Francis.
But the Hoosiers got a 28-point game and 10 of 13 shooting from standout senior frontliner Juwan Morgan and sophomore guard Al Durham delivered a career-high 22, hitting 9 of 15 shots (including 3 of 7 on 3s).
"We're trying to get him to be as confident as he possibly can on offense, and I thought you saw that at times this season," Miller said of Durham, "but you also saw that the other night.
"He's very aggressive going to the basket. He's one of our best shooters, so we need him to do that. He'll be a big key as we go into however games we play here, but especially on Saturday. He's played a lot of minutes. He's much more experienced right now than he's been, and he's been a consistent guy every day. For Al, I think the big thing is to finish on a high note, continue to play with confidence."
Durham started alongside freshman Rob Phinisee and junior Devonte Green in the backcourt Tuesday, a new sort of opening combo for IU in lieu of Langford.
"I thought those guys, for the first time, played on the floor at the same time," Miller said. "It's a very unique deal. Romeo plays a lot of minutes, so … playing your best offensive players, at times, is something we'll have to do, and I think that'll be part of what we have to do (Saturday). It also gives you ball handling, gives you … speed, it gives you some guys that offensively can do a lot of different types of things.
"Devonte has been a big key to (winning) five out of six games now – and and then the one loss was Ohio State where he made eight 3s. So offensively, he's shown his talent. He's playing a very, very confident style. The big thing with him is he can do a lot of things. He's the one guy that not only can make shots but make plays for others, and he's stood out here in our last four weeks of play and has done a nice job."
That all doesn't mean Miller wouldn't prefer to have Langford available, of course, and there was no official word on that Friday. IU spokesperson J.D. Campbell said that Langford was "still receiving treatment" in hopes the situation with his back will resolve.
While Miller didn't downplay the affects of Arkansas being without Gafford, he noted not all of them are negative for the Hogs. Gafford has more turnovers than anybody on the team. And in some ways the Razorback floor game can look more versatile and dangerous with their low-post focus.
"He's obviously a very, very good player," Miller said of Gafford. "But without him, they become way more wide-open in terms of the way they attack. They shoot the ball from five positions and drive it from five positions.
"Their motion allows them to really move, and it's just one of those things where it's not a very structured game. They're very free flowing. Isaiah Joe, making 110 threes on the season as a freshman, leading the league in three-point shooting makes and percentages, incredible. You look at Jones and the way that he's made 85 threes, they can really, really shoot the ball.
"And I think that's the thing that in watching them play against Providence, that was really evident in that game, how fast they played, how well they shot the ball. And then, defensively, their ability to change defenses, match-up zones, the press, the man-to-man, it just keeps you off balance. But the 3-point line is something that's very scary."
Razorback 6-5 freshman Joe, who had 12 points at Providence is shooting a hefty .417 percentage on 3 pointers this season. Jones shoots .369 from beyond the arc and freshman guard Desi Sills is at .439. Arkansas shoots 35 percent at a team from 3-point range.
"Yeah, that's something we've been focused on in practice the past couple days, knowing they've got a lot of good 3-point shooters, knowing it's going to be like five-out motion," IU senior co-captain Zach McRoberts said. "It's going to be tough to guard, but we've been working on it, running guys off the line, being able to move our feet, stay in front … something we've got to work on, something we've got to be able to do."
Miller's theme that guards win at tournament time certainly seems applicable to Saturday. With the Razorback shooting taxing the perimeter defense out of IU's pack-line setup, and with the Razorback pressure defense trying to speed up opponents into sloppiness, Miller will need his guards to play well on both ends.
"They'll be a big, big key at both ends of the floor defensively and offensively against Arkansas," Miller acknowledged. "You need multiple ball-handlers at times, and the decision making (without) turning it over … Arkansas is, like, 12th in the country in forcing turnovers.
"You need your guards to really play well. So hopefully those guys getting on the floor and playing a ton of minutes is good, and hopefully the next game, obviously, they're ready to go."
They were the last time Indiana faced consistently extended defensive pressure, a 92-74 Hoosier romp March 7 at Illinois. And IU has already experienced the Razorbacks' brand of pressure this season. But Indiana made too many turnovers, 18, that night.
"I feel like we've played the pressure already between them and Illinois," Durham said, "so I feel like we've just got to execute our game plan and not turn the ball over and just run good offense, and I feel like we'll be fine."
That obviously remains to be seen Saturday.
It is a good test for both teams, on paper. The victor will emerge just one more win shy of a trip to Madison Square Garden and the NIT semifinals.
"Should be a good match-up," Miller said. "To be honest with you, should be a really exciting game just in terms of the style (of play) that's coming in here that we have to be prepared for."
It might come down to something like …
A last-second tip.
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