DIPRIMIO: No Mystery – IU Must Defend the Paint, Get To the Line
1/31/2020 9:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Mystery hovers over Indiana's offensive struggles.
Or does it?
A Hoosier strength -- getting to the foul line -- has vanished.
One of the nation's most prolific free-throw shooting teams no longer gets its shots, a big problem given Hoosier emphasis.
IU went to the line just 10 times each in its last two games against Maryland and Penn State.
It had just 12 attempts at Rutgers, and 20 each against Michigan State and Nebraska.
By comparison, the Hoosiers had 36 attempts against Ohio State and 30 against Northwestern. Their 347 made free throws in 509 attempts this season lead the Big Ten.
The result -- IU has lost two straight games to fall to 15-6 overall, 5-5 in the Big Ten.
Blaming officiating is the easy explanation. IU coach Archie Miller refuses to go there.
The Hoosiers, he says, have themselves to blame.
"The free-throw line plays a big factor in our team's success, and here recently we're losing that battle.
"It's not the officiating. It's our inability to play through the contact and be aggressive and consistently continue to come at it the way that we need to."
Against Maryland and Penn State, Miller adds, "We were playing very soft around the basket. You're not going to get calls when (you play that way).
"The defense is physical in this league and you have to play through the contact. We're not responding to that contact in the last couple of games, and the free throws are what they are.
"The aggressive team will get to the line. In talking to our team and watching film, there are too many possessions of fading away, too many possessions of playing away from the rim."
A return to free-throw-shooting form could be huge for Saturday's rematch at Ohio State (13-7), especially given the challenge Buckeye forward Kaleb Wesson presents.
The 6-9, 269-pound junior leads Ohio State in scoring (13.9) and rebounding (9.6). He is one of 29 players in Buckeye history to have totaled more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. He has 1,083 points and 576 rebounds.
"Ohio State is going inside to big Kaleb," Miller says.
IU limited Wesson to 11 points (on 3-for-11 shooting) and 10 rebounds in the first game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
"We've got to continue to be as physical as possible without fouling," center De'Ron Davis says. "We have to wall up, eliminate as many post-up opportunities as we can and try to keep the ball out of his hands."
The Hoosiers want to play "inside out," guard Rob Phinisee says.
"If we can draw fouls on Wesson, that will be a big thing for us (on Saturday). Try to have an inside-out approach. That will help."
So would an "attack" mentality.
Miller says the Hoosiers have to play with poise and toughness.
"We have to be a lot sharper and tougher."
It would help if IU could return to full health. Swingman Jerome Hunter missed Wednesday's Penn State game because of illness. Forward Race Thompson has missed two straight games following a back injury suffered in the first half against Michigan State.
Being without both players, Miller says, "crushed our depth."
"We're fouling too much. That's put pressure on some other guys to play more minutes. At times (against Penn State), we played with lineups that don't play together a lot. It messes up things for sure.
"But you have to adjust. Hopefully we'll have Jerome back (for Ohio State). He's been playing well. His minutes are important for us."
The Buckeyes have lost six of their last eight games, although they are coming off a 71-59 win at Northwestern. In five of those losses, including a 66-54 loss in Bloomington, they scored 59 or fewer points.
Lack of talent can't explain Ohio State's recent struggles. The roster includes three Mr. Basketballs -- Kaleb Wesson from Ohio, D.J. Carton from Iowa and E.J Liddlell from Illinois.
Duane Washington averages 11.2 points. Carton averages 10.4.
However, Carton will not play on Saturday because of what the university called "personal matters." Carton posted on social media that he is taking time away from the team because his mental health is not "100 percent right now."
Ohio State has won four of the last five games against IU, including two straight in Columbus.
As for the Hoosiers, Miller says interior defense -- and limiting Kaleb Wesson -- are huge keys.
"Here recently, especially in our last two games, our interior defense has been nonexistent, and it's resulted in a lot of fouls.
"If you're going to allow the ball inside at will, if you're going to allow (Wesson) to operate, he's going to cause a lot of problems. It's a huge concern going into (this game)."
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Mystery hovers over Indiana's offensive struggles.
Or does it?
A Hoosier strength -- getting to the foul line -- has vanished.
One of the nation's most prolific free-throw shooting teams no longer gets its shots, a big problem given Hoosier emphasis.
IU went to the line just 10 times each in its last two games against Maryland and Penn State.
It had just 12 attempts at Rutgers, and 20 each against Michigan State and Nebraska.
By comparison, the Hoosiers had 36 attempts against Ohio State and 30 against Northwestern. Their 347 made free throws in 509 attempts this season lead the Big Ten.
The result -- IU has lost two straight games to fall to 15-6 overall, 5-5 in the Big Ten.
Blaming officiating is the easy explanation. IU coach Archie Miller refuses to go there.
The Hoosiers, he says, have themselves to blame.
"The free-throw line plays a big factor in our team's success, and here recently we're losing that battle.
"It's not the officiating. It's our inability to play through the contact and be aggressive and consistently continue to come at it the way that we need to."
Against Maryland and Penn State, Miller adds, "We were playing very soft around the basket. You're not going to get calls when (you play that way).
"The defense is physical in this league and you have to play through the contact. We're not responding to that contact in the last couple of games, and the free throws are what they are.
"The aggressive team will get to the line. In talking to our team and watching film, there are too many possessions of fading away, too many possessions of playing away from the rim."
A return to free-throw-shooting form could be huge for Saturday's rematch at Ohio State (13-7), especially given the challenge Buckeye forward Kaleb Wesson presents.
The 6-9, 269-pound junior leads Ohio State in scoring (13.9) and rebounding (9.6). He is one of 29 players in Buckeye history to have totaled more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. He has 1,083 points and 576 rebounds.
"Ohio State is going inside to big Kaleb," Miller says.
IU limited Wesson to 11 points (on 3-for-11 shooting) and 10 rebounds in the first game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
"We've got to continue to be as physical as possible without fouling," center De'Ron Davis says. "We have to wall up, eliminate as many post-up opportunities as we can and try to keep the ball out of his hands."
The Hoosiers want to play "inside out," guard Rob Phinisee says.
"If we can draw fouls on Wesson, that will be a big thing for us (on Saturday). Try to have an inside-out approach. That will help."
So would an "attack" mentality.
Miller says the Hoosiers have to play with poise and toughness.
"We have to be a lot sharper and tougher."
It would help if IU could return to full health. Swingman Jerome Hunter missed Wednesday's Penn State game because of illness. Forward Race Thompson has missed two straight games following a back injury suffered in the first half against Michigan State.
Being without both players, Miller says, "crushed our depth."
"We're fouling too much. That's put pressure on some other guys to play more minutes. At times (against Penn State), we played with lineups that don't play together a lot. It messes up things for sure.
"But you have to adjust. Hopefully we'll have Jerome back (for Ohio State). He's been playing well. His minutes are important for us."
The Buckeyes have lost six of their last eight games, although they are coming off a 71-59 win at Northwestern. In five of those losses, including a 66-54 loss in Bloomington, they scored 59 or fewer points.
Lack of talent can't explain Ohio State's recent struggles. The roster includes three Mr. Basketballs -- Kaleb Wesson from Ohio, D.J. Carton from Iowa and E.J Liddlell from Illinois.
Duane Washington averages 11.2 points. Carton averages 10.4.
However, Carton will not play on Saturday because of what the university called "personal matters." Carton posted on social media that he is taking time away from the team because his mental health is not "100 percent right now."
Ohio State has won four of the last five games against IU, including two straight in Columbus.
As for the Hoosiers, Miller says interior defense -- and limiting Kaleb Wesson -- are huge keys.
"Here recently, especially in our last two games, our interior defense has been nonexistent, and it's resulted in a lot of fouls.
"If you're going to allow the ball inside at will, if you're going to allow (Wesson) to operate, he's going to cause a lot of problems. It's a huge concern going into (this game)."
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