DIPRIMIO: Are Hoosiers Ready To Reap Silver-Lining Reward?
1/28/2020 9:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Cream and Crimson silver lining is out there, amid disappointment and frustration, if there is toughness, focus and resilience.
Now comes the next grueling Big Ten opportunity to find it. In this case, it's Wednesday night's game at No. 24 Penn State.
"You move on to the next game," Indiana guard Rob Phinisee said. "Focus on the next game.
"We can't get too happy after winning and we can't get too down after a loss. We have to move forward and get back after it."
Indiana remains a basketball team on the rise, a group growing more in tune with coach Archie Miller's offensive and defensive vision, even if the rankings don't show it.
Yes, the Maryland victory-turned-into-defeat was brutal on so many levels, just as some of the in-game accomplishments were stunning.
Consider the offense, the passing and scoring and just plain old shot making.
IU had a season-high 22 assists against just six turnovers against a hugely talented Terrapin squad. That's a ridiculously good ratio.
Guards Aljami Durham, Rob Phinisee, Devonte Green and Armaan Franklin combined for 14 assists against two turnovers. Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was 6-for-10 from the field. Phinisee was 4-for-6. Center Deron Davis was 2-for-2. Franklin was 2-for-3. Swingman Jerome Hunter was 4-for-7.
The ball movement was crisp and efficient and relentless. It led to so many open shots that Maryland coach Mark Turgeon was left pounding the padded Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall scorers' table multiple times.
An offense that was so stagnant against Wisconsin, Connecticut and Rutgers became a reason to celebrate against Maryland.
That was good. Sustaining it the rest of the season would be, well, difference-making.
"I think our ball movement has been better every game," Green said. "I think we get better at it every single game, and I think we'll just continue to build on it."
The Hoosiers (15-5 overall, 5-4 in the Big Ten) will have to build if they are to thrive against a brutal closing schedule that rates as the nation's toughest.
Penn State (14-5, 4-4) is one of six ranked Big Ten teams. No other conference can match that firepower.
The others are No. 14 Michigan State, No. 15 Maryland, No 18 Iowa, No. 19 Illinois and No. 25 Rutgers.
"This league is brutal," Miller said, "and you have to be able to find ways to keep getting better, which I think, if you've watched our team over the last few weeks, we continue to do a better job."
Consider Jackson-Davis leads IU in scoring (14.1) and rebounding (8.0). He ranks third nationally among freshmen in field goal percentage (61.6), fourth in free throws made (79), blocks (36), free throws attempted (114) and ninth in rebounding.
Green is the Big Ten's most potent sixth man, averaging 11.7 points in conference play off the bench. Forward Justin Smith averages 11.6 points and has a team-leading 24 steals. Forward Joey Brunk averages 10.6 points over his last five games, and in nine Big Ten games he shoots 55.6 percent. Durham averages 10.2 points. Phinisee is shooting 38.1 percent from three-point range in his last five games.
Beyond that, in the last three games, Franklin averages 6.3 points and Hunter 6.7 points.
Finally, the Hoosiers have had 21, 12 and 22 assists in their last three games while shooting 49.7 percent.
"We're getting better," Miller said.
If IU had held on against Maryland, it, too, would be ranked. In this week's Associated Press poll, the Hoosiers totaled 15 points. Rutgers was No. 25 with 102.
As for Penn State, it has returned to the top-25 after a two-week absence. The Nittany Lions were ranked as high as No. 20 before three straight losses knocked them out of the polls.
They're back in thanks to a home win over fading Ohio State and a road victory against Michigan.
Penn State is coming off a week break. Ohio State, which hosts IU on Saturday, also gets seven days off.
Miller noticed.
"Maybe everybody gets a week off before we walk in the door," he said sarcastically. "Maybe that's the scheduling philosophy."
Anyway, Penn State is 10-1 at Bryce-Jordan Arena and averages 7,966 a home game (the arena seats 15,261). Its lone home loss come against Wisconsin, 58-49.
The Nittany Lions are led by 6-8 senior forward Lamar Stevens, who averages 16.7 points and 7.0 rebounds. Guard Myrean Janes averages 14.3 points and 3.1 rebounds.
IU has won 11 of the last 13 meetings with Penn State, including four straight.
Nittany Lions's Pat Chambers, as intense a coach as you're likely to see, is 141-145 in nine seasons at Happy Valley. His players have bought into his feisty image.
The Hoosiers have to match that feisty edge and then surpass it. They have to do what they did against Maryland for 39 minutes, then add those 60 crucial final seconds, all on the road.
That's what a silver lining is all about.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Cream and Crimson silver lining is out there, amid disappointment and frustration, if there is toughness, focus and resilience.
Now comes the next grueling Big Ten opportunity to find it. In this case, it's Wednesday night's game at No. 24 Penn State.
"You move on to the next game," Indiana guard Rob Phinisee said. "Focus on the next game.
"We can't get too happy after winning and we can't get too down after a loss. We have to move forward and get back after it."
Indiana remains a basketball team on the rise, a group growing more in tune with coach Archie Miller's offensive and defensive vision, even if the rankings don't show it.
Yes, the Maryland victory-turned-into-defeat was brutal on so many levels, just as some of the in-game accomplishments were stunning.
Consider the offense, the passing and scoring and just plain old shot making.
IU had a season-high 22 assists against just six turnovers against a hugely talented Terrapin squad. That's a ridiculously good ratio.
Guards Aljami Durham, Rob Phinisee, Devonte Green and Armaan Franklin combined for 14 assists against two turnovers. Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was 6-for-10 from the field. Phinisee was 4-for-6. Center Deron Davis was 2-for-2. Franklin was 2-for-3. Swingman Jerome Hunter was 4-for-7.
The ball movement was crisp and efficient and relentless. It led to so many open shots that Maryland coach Mark Turgeon was left pounding the padded Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall scorers' table multiple times.
An offense that was so stagnant against Wisconsin, Connecticut and Rutgers became a reason to celebrate against Maryland.
That was good. Sustaining it the rest of the season would be, well, difference-making.
"I think our ball movement has been better every game," Green said. "I think we get better at it every single game, and I think we'll just continue to build on it."
The Hoosiers (15-5 overall, 5-4 in the Big Ten) will have to build if they are to thrive against a brutal closing schedule that rates as the nation's toughest.
Penn State (14-5, 4-4) is one of six ranked Big Ten teams. No other conference can match that firepower.
The others are No. 14 Michigan State, No. 15 Maryland, No 18 Iowa, No. 19 Illinois and No. 25 Rutgers.
"This league is brutal," Miller said, "and you have to be able to find ways to keep getting better, which I think, if you've watched our team over the last few weeks, we continue to do a better job."
Consider Jackson-Davis leads IU in scoring (14.1) and rebounding (8.0). He ranks third nationally among freshmen in field goal percentage (61.6), fourth in free throws made (79), blocks (36), free throws attempted (114) and ninth in rebounding.
Green is the Big Ten's most potent sixth man, averaging 11.7 points in conference play off the bench. Forward Justin Smith averages 11.6 points and has a team-leading 24 steals. Forward Joey Brunk averages 10.6 points over his last five games, and in nine Big Ten games he shoots 55.6 percent. Durham averages 10.2 points. Phinisee is shooting 38.1 percent from three-point range in his last five games.
Beyond that, in the last three games, Franklin averages 6.3 points and Hunter 6.7 points.
Finally, the Hoosiers have had 21, 12 and 22 assists in their last three games while shooting 49.7 percent.
"We're getting better," Miller said.
If IU had held on against Maryland, it, too, would be ranked. In this week's Associated Press poll, the Hoosiers totaled 15 points. Rutgers was No. 25 with 102.
As for Penn State, it has returned to the top-25 after a two-week absence. The Nittany Lions were ranked as high as No. 20 before three straight losses knocked them out of the polls.
They're back in thanks to a home win over fading Ohio State and a road victory against Michigan.
Penn State is coming off a week break. Ohio State, which hosts IU on Saturday, also gets seven days off.
Miller noticed.
"Maybe everybody gets a week off before we walk in the door," he said sarcastically. "Maybe that's the scheduling philosophy."
Anyway, Penn State is 10-1 at Bryce-Jordan Arena and averages 7,966 a home game (the arena seats 15,261). Its lone home loss come against Wisconsin, 58-49.
The Nittany Lions are led by 6-8 senior forward Lamar Stevens, who averages 16.7 points and 7.0 rebounds. Guard Myrean Janes averages 14.3 points and 3.1 rebounds.
IU has won 11 of the last 13 meetings with Penn State, including four straight.
Nittany Lions's Pat Chambers, as intense a coach as you're likely to see, is 141-145 in nine seasons at Happy Valley. His players have bought into his feisty image.
The Hoosiers have to match that feisty edge and then surpass it. They have to do what they did against Maryland for 39 minutes, then add those 60 crucial final seconds, all on the road.
That's what a silver lining is all about.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballFB: Under the Hood with Indiana Football - Week 4 (Illinois)
Wednesday, September 17
FB: Kellan Wyatt Media Availability (9/16/25)
Tuesday, September 16
FB: Mikail Kamara Media Availability (9/16/25)
Tuesday, September 16
FB: Curt Cignetti Media Availability (9/15/25)
Monday, September 15