Indiana University Athletics
Tuesday, March 26
Bloomington, Ind.
7:00 PM
Indiana University
19-16
63
vs
73
Wichita State
22-14
1
2
F
Wichita St.
36
37
73
Indiana
29
34
63
Hoosiers Fall in NIT Quarterfinals to Wichita State
3/26/2019 8:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- This is how a season ends.
Three straight Indiana three-pointers missed.
Six straight Wichita State free throws made.
A raucous Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall crowd gone quiet
On Tuesday night, the Hoosiers' NIT run ended a game short of New York City Final Four opportunity with a 73-63 defeat.
"It was not one of our better games," coach Archie Miller said. "Our inability to get to the foul line and run good offense was the big difference."
This is how a career ends.
Senior forward Juwan Morgan walked away from the Shockers dribbling out the final seconds to spend time with his coach and sideline teammates.
He slapped a few hands, hugged Hoosiers and Shockers, acknowledged fans a final time with a right-hand salute.
"We couldn't be anywhere without him," Miller said. "He was an outstanding player. He's an outstanding guy to be around every day. He battles hard. He's easy to coach. He's a great teammate.
"Now he's got to rest his body and get ready for the next step."
On Tuesday night, for the final time, the Morgan thrived as an under-sized center. He had 21 points, six rebounds and three blocks. In a perfect Cream 'n Crimson world, it would have been enough.
In this world, it was not.
"I call Indiana home," the Missouri native said from the IU locker room. "It hurts I wasn't able to give the fans and this team what I experienced my freshman year."
That was a Big Ten championship.
"At the end of the day," he said, "I gave my all in every game. I don't think anybody could question that."
Morgan paused to contemplate a Hoosier future without him.
"Going forward, these guys have a lot of good things coming back. I'm excited to see what they do."
Excitement came grudgingly in a game in which the Hoosiers (19-16) led for just under two minutes.
Wichita State (22-14) shot better, rebounded better, defended better. It got four three-pointers (and 21 points) from forward Markis McDuffie, which you would expect (a team-leading 83 for the season). It got five three-pointers from guard Dexter Dennis, which you would not (one more than he'd made in the previous four games combined).
"You've got to give Wichita State a lot of credit," Miller said. "Excellent defensive team with great size. Coming in the game, they weren't a great three-point shooting team and they had some guys really step up, especially Dexter Dennis making five of them.
"We competed hard. We got the game to where it could go either way. They made the plays. We didn't. We could not get over the hump. There were a couple of stretches it was there for the taking."
Wichita State took.
"They made some tough shots, some hard plays," Miller said. "We didn't. They have tough guys. They play hard. I'll be surprised if they don't win the NIT."
IU's season-long shooting woes were showcased for the final time. It was just 6-for-18 from three-point range, just 7-for-13 from the free-throw line.
"Our guard play wasn't very good," Miller said. "Our shot selection was tough. Our ability to score around the basket didn't get done.
"Shooting from the three-point line is the No. 1 reason in many ways our team couldn't get over the hump."
Wichita State, a NIT sixth seed, arrived on a roll with eight wins in its last nine games, the only loss coming by three points to top-25 Cincinnati.
Top-seeded IU countered with six wins in its last seven games, and the Assembly Hall crowd advantage which, on this night, registered at 10,312 strong.
"We had great crowd support," Miller said. "It gave us an added advantage, and we couldn't take advantage of it."
For the game's first 10 minutes, physical defense produced scoring mystery, if not misery.
This was nothing new for the slow-starting Hoosiers. They hit just two of their first 10 shots while committing four turnovers. But their stingy defense limited the Shockers to similar offensive futility. After nine minutes, they led 10-9.
Then McDuffie got hot, scoring 13 of Wichita State's next 15 points as it surged ahead by 11.
IU's offense turned effectively simple -- get Morgan the ball and let him go to work.
And so he did.
His 11 first-half points on 4-for-8 shooting were good.
The problem?
McDuffie's 16 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including three three-pointers, were better.
The result -- Wichita State led 36-29 at halftime.
The Shockers built second-half leads as large as nine points. The Hoosiers didn't rattle. They surged to within a point, at 46-45, behind Morgan.
Wichita State edged ahead 51-45. IU got back within one on a Devonte Green three-pointer.
The Shockers pushed ahead by seven, then 10.
Hoosier offense stagnated. Movement slowed.
And then, finally, a roller coaster season that started with so much March Madness anticipation chugged to a final disappointing NIT stop.
Hope did not.
"With all the ups and downs," sophomore guard Aljami Durham said, "you learn so much. You take something from each game. You have to bounce back from adversity."
For Miller, that means better perimeter shooting, better offense, better guard player.
And, of course, more wins.
"There is a clear picture of what needs to be done," he said.
This is how a season ends ... and how a future begins.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- This is how a season ends.
Three straight Indiana three-pointers missed.
Six straight Wichita State free throws made.
A raucous Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall crowd gone quiet
On Tuesday night, the Hoosiers' NIT run ended a game short of New York City Final Four opportunity with a 73-63 defeat.
"It was not one of our better games," coach Archie Miller said. "Our inability to get to the foul line and run good offense was the big difference."
This is how a career ends.
Senior forward Juwan Morgan walked away from the Shockers dribbling out the final seconds to spend time with his coach and sideline teammates.
He slapped a few hands, hugged Hoosiers and Shockers, acknowledged fans a final time with a right-hand salute.
"We couldn't be anywhere without him," Miller said. "He was an outstanding player. He's an outstanding guy to be around every day. He battles hard. He's easy to coach. He's a great teammate.
"Now he's got to rest his body and get ready for the next step."
On Tuesday night, for the final time, the Morgan thrived as an under-sized center. He had 21 points, six rebounds and three blocks. In a perfect Cream 'n Crimson world, it would have been enough.
In this world, it was not.
"I call Indiana home," the Missouri native said from the IU locker room. "It hurts I wasn't able to give the fans and this team what I experienced my freshman year."
That was a Big Ten championship.
"At the end of the day," he said, "I gave my all in every game. I don't think anybody could question that."
Morgan paused to contemplate a Hoosier future without him.
"Going forward, these guys have a lot of good things coming back. I'm excited to see what they do."
Excitement came grudgingly in a game in which the Hoosiers (19-16) led for just under two minutes.
Wichita State (22-14) shot better, rebounded better, defended better. It got four three-pointers (and 21 points) from forward Markis McDuffie, which you would expect (a team-leading 83 for the season). It got five three-pointers from guard Dexter Dennis, which you would not (one more than he'd made in the previous four games combined).
"You've got to give Wichita State a lot of credit," Miller said. "Excellent defensive team with great size. Coming in the game, they weren't a great three-point shooting team and they had some guys really step up, especially Dexter Dennis making five of them.
"We competed hard. We got the game to where it could go either way. They made the plays. We didn't. We could not get over the hump. There were a couple of stretches it was there for the taking."
Wichita State took.
"They made some tough shots, some hard plays," Miller said. "We didn't. They have tough guys. They play hard. I'll be surprised if they don't win the NIT."
IU's season-long shooting woes were showcased for the final time. It was just 6-for-18 from three-point range, just 7-for-13 from the free-throw line.
"Our guard play wasn't very good," Miller said. "Our shot selection was tough. Our ability to score around the basket didn't get done.
"Shooting from the three-point line is the No. 1 reason in many ways our team couldn't get over the hump."
Wichita State, a NIT sixth seed, arrived on a roll with eight wins in its last nine games, the only loss coming by three points to top-25 Cincinnati.
Top-seeded IU countered with six wins in its last seven games, and the Assembly Hall crowd advantage which, on this night, registered at 10,312 strong.
"We had great crowd support," Miller said. "It gave us an added advantage, and we couldn't take advantage of it."
For the game's first 10 minutes, physical defense produced scoring mystery, if not misery.
This was nothing new for the slow-starting Hoosiers. They hit just two of their first 10 shots while committing four turnovers. But their stingy defense limited the Shockers to similar offensive futility. After nine minutes, they led 10-9.
Then McDuffie got hot, scoring 13 of Wichita State's next 15 points as it surged ahead by 11.
IU's offense turned effectively simple -- get Morgan the ball and let him go to work.
And so he did.
His 11 first-half points on 4-for-8 shooting were good.
The problem?
McDuffie's 16 points on 5-for-8 shooting, including three three-pointers, were better.
The result -- Wichita State led 36-29 at halftime.
The Shockers built second-half leads as large as nine points. The Hoosiers didn't rattle. They surged to within a point, at 46-45, behind Morgan.
Wichita State edged ahead 51-45. IU got back within one on a Devonte Green three-pointer.
The Shockers pushed ahead by seven, then 10.
Hoosier offense stagnated. Movement slowed.
And then, finally, a roller coaster season that started with so much March Madness anticipation chugged to a final disappointing NIT stop.
Hope did not.
"With all the ups and downs," sophomore guard Aljami Durham said, "you learn so much. You take something from each game. You have to bounce back from adversity."
For Miller, that means better perimeter shooting, better offense, better guard player.
And, of course, more wins.
"There is a clear picture of what needs to be done," he said.
This is how a season ends ... and how a future begins.
Team Stats
WSU
IND
FG%
.400
.385
3FG%
.379
.333
FT%
.720
.538
RB
43
37
TO
13
9
STL
4
7
Game Leaders
Pts
21
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Guard
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