Indiana University Athletics
DIPRIMIO: Armaan Franklin Stretches His Hoosier Role
11/28/2020 10:54:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Armaan Franklin isn't an Indiana Hoosier to settle for an auxiliary role.
The sophomore guard's starter's instinct delivered season-opening impact.
He showed it during Wednesday night's victory over Tennessee Tech, just as he did during nine starts last year.
He might very well show it throughout this week's Maui Invitational, which will be played in Asheville, N.C., because of the pandemic.
Yes, Aljami Durham, Rob Phinisee and even freshman standout Khristian Lander might generate more backcourt acclaim, but the 6-4 Franklin has the difference-making game needed in coach Archie Miller's three-guard lineup plan.
"My role is to play defense," Franklin says. "That's a big thing for me. I can be a good defender."
Beyond that, it's, "Stretch the floor. Hit shots when I'm out there. That's the biggest thing for me. Create for team when my shot is not there. That's my focus."
In 22 minutes against Tennessee Tech, Franklin scored eight points on 3-for-4 shooting. He had two rebounds, two assists and a steal.
That was a follow-up to last season's final game, when he had 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists in IU's Big Ten tourney victory over Nebraska.
That reflects an all-around game in which Franklin can hurt opponents from three-point range and by attacking the basket.
"I can get to the basket well," he says. "I know I didn't show it last year. I was focused on my three-point shot. For me to be the best player I can, I have to do both.
"I have to be consistent. That's what I've worked on -- getting to the rim and my shot, shooting off the dribble."
As far as potential impact, don't forget the career-high 17 points Franklin had last season against Notre Dame, including the game-winning three-pointer. That earned him Big Ten freshman-of-the-week honors.
That was the high point of a season in which he finished with averages of 3.7 points and 1.6 rebounds in 13.8 minutes.
As for this season, more is expected.
"We need him to get going a little more," Miller says.
Franklin was an all-around standout at Indianapolis Cathedral High School. He averaged 23.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists over his last two seasons.
While he'll never put up those numbers for IU, he certainly will shoot better than he did last season, particularly from three-point range, when he was at 26.6 percent.
"It's 100 percent confidence with me. Last year I got off to a slow shooting start. I look to be more consistent this year.
"I've been getting a lot of shots up. I was making a lot of shots in quarantine and during workouts. That's been a real emphasis to make shots in different situations."
The next shot comes in Asheville. IU will open with Providence (1-0) on Monday, and then play either Texas (1-0) or Davidson (1-0) on Tuesday depending on the opening-round results. A final game will be played Wednesday.
Miller calls the field, "Really talented."
"We have our work cut out for us. We've got a lot of work to do, but we are excited to be a part of that field and that tournament.
"It is the premiere event in college basketball at this time of year. Unfortunately, we are not in Maui, but I am sure the environment in Asheville will be good."
Providence is coming off a 97-56 win over Fairfield. Center Nate Watson led with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Guard David Duke had 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
"Providence is going to be a top two or three team in the Big East," Miller says. "I know Coach Ed Cooley well. I know he thinks his team can win the Big East. They are a big, strong, physical team. We might be playing one of the best teams in the field on the first day.
"Texas has got everybody back. I know they're really good. Davidson is coached by Coach (Bob) McKillop, one of the best offensive coaches. They are a skilled team and one of the best shooting teams year in year out from three in the country. High scoring. They're great."
The other side of the bracket features Stanford, North Carolina, Alabama and Nevada Las-Vegas.
"Stanford's terrific with a loaded roster," Miller says. "North Carolina is retooled with a loaded roster. Huge team. North Carolina is probably the biggest team in college basketball.
"Alabama has got a really talented group, and is coming in with an upper echelon SEC team. I'm not as familiar with UNLV's roster, but I know that (coach) T.J. Otzelberger does a great job."
Barring a Covid-19 outbreak, IU will play three games in three days.
"That's a challenge," Miller says, but it's great competition. That's what we're going to need."
Indiana's 30-point win over Tennessee Tech exposed some weaknesses Miller hopes to fix.
A top priority is rebounding. The Hoosiers only out-rebounded the smaller Golden Knights by three. Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis led with 11 rebounds.
"We are deficient on the glass right now," Miller says. "Trayce can rebound. Race (Thompson) can rebound. Other than that, I don't know that we have a ton of guys going after the ball and rebounding it. That's the biggest concern."
Durham had six rebounds against Tennessee Tech. Phinisee had five.
No other Hoosier had more than Thompson's three.
Miller hopes 6-11 center Joey Brunk will play to boost the rebounding. He missed the opener with a sore back.
"When Joey returns, that makes us deeper and bigger," Miller says, "but we are smaller and you can see we are switching more. I think that switching puts our guards on the glass a lot more and that hurts."
Better shooting is another priority. IU was just 10-for-22 from the free throw line, and 5-for-19 from three-point range.
Miller says what will, "make or break us is our free-throw shooting and three-point shooting."
"We have to be a better three-point shooting team and free-throw shooting team. We stress that and have worked hard at that. We have good shooters getting wide-open shots. Guys have got to make them."
The sophomore guard's starter's instinct delivered season-opening impact.
He showed it during Wednesday night's victory over Tennessee Tech, just as he did during nine starts last year.
He might very well show it throughout this week's Maui Invitational, which will be played in Asheville, N.C., because of the pandemic.
Yes, Aljami Durham, Rob Phinisee and even freshman standout Khristian Lander might generate more backcourt acclaim, but the 6-4 Franklin has the difference-making game needed in coach Archie Miller's three-guard lineup plan.
"My role is to play defense," Franklin says. "That's a big thing for me. I can be a good defender."
Beyond that, it's, "Stretch the floor. Hit shots when I'm out there. That's the biggest thing for me. Create for team when my shot is not there. That's my focus."
In 22 minutes against Tennessee Tech, Franklin scored eight points on 3-for-4 shooting. He had two rebounds, two assists and a steal.
That was a follow-up to last season's final game, when he had 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists in IU's Big Ten tourney victory over Nebraska.
That reflects an all-around game in which Franklin can hurt opponents from three-point range and by attacking the basket.
"I can get to the basket well," he says. "I know I didn't show it last year. I was focused on my three-point shot. For me to be the best player I can, I have to do both.
"I have to be consistent. That's what I've worked on -- getting to the rim and my shot, shooting off the dribble."
As far as potential impact, don't forget the career-high 17 points Franklin had last season against Notre Dame, including the game-winning three-pointer. That earned him Big Ten freshman-of-the-week honors.
That was the high point of a season in which he finished with averages of 3.7 points and 1.6 rebounds in 13.8 minutes.
As for this season, more is expected.
"We need him to get going a little more," Miller says.
Franklin was an all-around standout at Indianapolis Cathedral High School. He averaged 23.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists over his last two seasons.
While he'll never put up those numbers for IU, he certainly will shoot better than he did last season, particularly from three-point range, when he was at 26.6 percent.
"It's 100 percent confidence with me. Last year I got off to a slow shooting start. I look to be more consistent this year.
"I've been getting a lot of shots up. I was making a lot of shots in quarantine and during workouts. That's been a real emphasis to make shots in different situations."
The next shot comes in Asheville. IU will open with Providence (1-0) on Monday, and then play either Texas (1-0) or Davidson (1-0) on Tuesday depending on the opening-round results. A final game will be played Wednesday.
Miller calls the field, "Really talented."
"We have our work cut out for us. We've got a lot of work to do, but we are excited to be a part of that field and that tournament.
"It is the premiere event in college basketball at this time of year. Unfortunately, we are not in Maui, but I am sure the environment in Asheville will be good."
Providence is coming off a 97-56 win over Fairfield. Center Nate Watson led with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Guard David Duke had 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
"Providence is going to be a top two or three team in the Big East," Miller says. "I know Coach Ed Cooley well. I know he thinks his team can win the Big East. They are a big, strong, physical team. We might be playing one of the best teams in the field on the first day.
"Texas has got everybody back. I know they're really good. Davidson is coached by Coach (Bob) McKillop, one of the best offensive coaches. They are a skilled team and one of the best shooting teams year in year out from three in the country. High scoring. They're great."
The other side of the bracket features Stanford, North Carolina, Alabama and Nevada Las-Vegas.
"Stanford's terrific with a loaded roster," Miller says. "North Carolina is retooled with a loaded roster. Huge team. North Carolina is probably the biggest team in college basketball.
"Alabama has got a really talented group, and is coming in with an upper echelon SEC team. I'm not as familiar with UNLV's roster, but I know that (coach) T.J. Otzelberger does a great job."
Barring a Covid-19 outbreak, IU will play three games in three days.
"That's a challenge," Miller says, but it's great competition. That's what we're going to need."
Indiana's 30-point win over Tennessee Tech exposed some weaknesses Miller hopes to fix.
A top priority is rebounding. The Hoosiers only out-rebounded the smaller Golden Knights by three. Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis led with 11 rebounds.
"We are deficient on the glass right now," Miller says. "Trayce can rebound. Race (Thompson) can rebound. Other than that, I don't know that we have a ton of guys going after the ball and rebounding it. That's the biggest concern."
Durham had six rebounds against Tennessee Tech. Phinisee had five.
No other Hoosier had more than Thompson's three.
Miller hopes 6-11 center Joey Brunk will play to boost the rebounding. He missed the opener with a sore back.
"When Joey returns, that makes us deeper and bigger," Miller says, "but we are smaller and you can see we are switching more. I think that switching puts our guards on the glass a lot more and that hurts."
Better shooting is another priority. IU was just 10-for-22 from the free throw line, and 5-for-19 from three-point range.
Miller says what will, "make or break us is our free-throw shooting and three-point shooting."
"We have to be a better three-point shooting team and free-throw shooting team. We stress that and have worked hard at that. We have good shooters getting wide-open shots. Guys have got to make them."
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