Team Effort Takes Down the Hawkeyes
2/14/2020 1:51:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - On a night that saw some great individual performances, the Hoosiers beat Iowa because they played as a team.
Indiana beat the Hawkeyes in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall 89-77 not because senior Devonte Green scored 27 points on 7-of-15 shooting. It wasn't because freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis posted his seventh double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds. It wasn't because redshirt sophomore Race Thompson tied a career-high with 10 points off the bench.
IU won because Green took just four shots after halftime despite scoring 18 points on 5-of-11 shooting in the first 20 minutes. Green took what the defense gave him and didn't try to take over himself. He trusted his teammates.
IU won because Jackson-Davis was consistent on the offensive end and hit the glass hard, grabbing five offensive boards in the second half alone to keep Iowa from building momentum.
IU won because Thompson recorded a career-high four steals and did a lot of little things that don't show up in the box score, like tipping balls, re-routing Iowa cutters, and being generally disruptive on defense.
In short, the Hoosiers were victorious because they played as a single unit. They came together at the most critical point in the season to snap a four-game losing streak that could have splintered other teams.
"We're going to enjoy it," head coach Archie Miller said. To get (a win) feels great, and I'm proud of our guys. When you take on water, it gets negative. And not only does it get negative, but it also makes you sort of go into a shell and not want to be with your guys, not want to practice. It makes you not want to listen to the coach. And sometimes you need just a shot in the arm every once in a while to just relieve some of that pressure that it's okay. So hopefully that was our night tonight and we can get back to the business of playing better."
Green was the star of the show, enjoying an explosive first half that showcased the kind of shooter he can be when he's feeling it. He knocked down 5-of-8 shots from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes after making a total of seven in his previous month of play. He fed off the crowd, but he didn't get too high, didn't get greedy.
Instead, he dialed back his looks in the second half, something Miller was thrilled to see.
"The thing with Devonte is just play smart, especially when the game starts to get into that time-and-score element, and you're trying to hold the lead," Miller said. "Let's be smart. Let's not dribble the ball up the floor and get picked. Let's be smart. But when he gets going and he can shoot the ball, you want him to continue to take good shots."
Thompson, meanwhile, looked more comfortable than ever on the court. He missed a few games after suffering a tough fall vs. Michigan State a few weeks back, but he was a key cog on both ends of the floor, setting screens and helping his teammates any way he can.
His teammates weren't surprised.
"That's who he is for us," Green said. "He does all the little things that don't show up on the state sheet and goes unnoticed, but we notice it. We know he will help us win a game."
Jackson-Davis agreed.
"He comes in and does his job, and he does it at a high level," Jackson-Davis said. "We need him to win. We really do."
Thompson's increased playing time—he played 20-plus minutes for just the second time this season—helped him find his rhythm.
"Getting more minutes in the game just helps you feel more comfortable by catching the flow of the game," Thompson said. "I know my coaches trust me, my teammates trust me."
Miller certainly trusts his forward.
"Race has emerged," Miller said. "He's at the right place at the right time. He's about the right things, and he's a winning player. He helps you win. He makes winning plays."
Indiana got 45 of its 89 points off the bench to bring balance to the floor, and the entire team made rebounding a focus. Of the 10 players who saw the floor, eight of them grabbed at least two rebounds, and five of them had at least four boards. Indiana dominated Iowa 39-28 on the glass, and that teamwork made a huge difference.
"Rebounding is the deal with this team," Miller said. "When we're rebounding the ball, especially on the offensive end, that's how we generate free-throw attempts. Rebounding is the whole key. Rebounding had been good up until about the last two-and-a-half weeks; we haven't been a good rebounding team. But tonight, we were."
Junior Justin Smith sacrificed his offensive numbers to focus on defense. Redshirt junior Joey Brunk was saddled with four fouls and played just 10 minutes, but he was physical inside and helped slow Iowa's big men a bit. Senior De'Ron Davis was physical. Junior Al Durham didn't force things, and he became a ball distributor, handing out four assists.
Indiana played some of its best team basketball in weeks. Now the challenge is to do it again on the road.
"We definitely have not been right on the road," Miller said. "Hopefully down the back stretch, which we have a few to go, we can play better on the road. We have to be more together and tougher to be able to go into Michigan Sunday and have a chance. That's what we'll focus on now."
Indiana beat the Hawkeyes in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall 89-77 not because senior Devonte Green scored 27 points on 7-of-15 shooting. It wasn't because freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis posted his seventh double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds. It wasn't because redshirt sophomore Race Thompson tied a career-high with 10 points off the bench.
IU won because Green took just four shots after halftime despite scoring 18 points on 5-of-11 shooting in the first 20 minutes. Green took what the defense gave him and didn't try to take over himself. He trusted his teammates.
IU won because Jackson-Davis was consistent on the offensive end and hit the glass hard, grabbing five offensive boards in the second half alone to keep Iowa from building momentum.
IU won because Thompson recorded a career-high four steals and did a lot of little things that don't show up in the box score, like tipping balls, re-routing Iowa cutters, and being generally disruptive on defense.
In short, the Hoosiers were victorious because they played as a single unit. They came together at the most critical point in the season to snap a four-game losing streak that could have splintered other teams.
"We're going to enjoy it," head coach Archie Miller said. To get (a win) feels great, and I'm proud of our guys. When you take on water, it gets negative. And not only does it get negative, but it also makes you sort of go into a shell and not want to be with your guys, not want to practice. It makes you not want to listen to the coach. And sometimes you need just a shot in the arm every once in a while to just relieve some of that pressure that it's okay. So hopefully that was our night tonight and we can get back to the business of playing better."
Green was the star of the show, enjoying an explosive first half that showcased the kind of shooter he can be when he's feeling it. He knocked down 5-of-8 shots from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes after making a total of seven in his previous month of play. He fed off the crowd, but he didn't get too high, didn't get greedy.
Instead, he dialed back his looks in the second half, something Miller was thrilled to see.
"The thing with Devonte is just play smart, especially when the game starts to get into that time-and-score element, and you're trying to hold the lead," Miller said. "Let's be smart. Let's not dribble the ball up the floor and get picked. Let's be smart. But when he gets going and he can shoot the ball, you want him to continue to take good shots."
Thompson, meanwhile, looked more comfortable than ever on the court. He missed a few games after suffering a tough fall vs. Michigan State a few weeks back, but he was a key cog on both ends of the floor, setting screens and helping his teammates any way he can.
His teammates weren't surprised.
"That's who he is for us," Green said. "He does all the little things that don't show up on the state sheet and goes unnoticed, but we notice it. We know he will help us win a game."
Jackson-Davis agreed.
"He comes in and does his job, and he does it at a high level," Jackson-Davis said. "We need him to win. We really do."
Thompson's increased playing time—he played 20-plus minutes for just the second time this season—helped him find his rhythm.
"Getting more minutes in the game just helps you feel more comfortable by catching the flow of the game," Thompson said. "I know my coaches trust me, my teammates trust me."
Miller certainly trusts his forward.
"Race has emerged," Miller said. "He's at the right place at the right time. He's about the right things, and he's a winning player. He helps you win. He makes winning plays."
Indiana got 45 of its 89 points off the bench to bring balance to the floor, and the entire team made rebounding a focus. Of the 10 players who saw the floor, eight of them grabbed at least two rebounds, and five of them had at least four boards. Indiana dominated Iowa 39-28 on the glass, and that teamwork made a huge difference.
"Rebounding is the deal with this team," Miller said. "When we're rebounding the ball, especially on the offensive end, that's how we generate free-throw attempts. Rebounding is the whole key. Rebounding had been good up until about the last two-and-a-half weeks; we haven't been a good rebounding team. But tonight, we were."
Junior Justin Smith sacrificed his offensive numbers to focus on defense. Redshirt junior Joey Brunk was saddled with four fouls and played just 10 minutes, but he was physical inside and helped slow Iowa's big men a bit. Senior De'Ron Davis was physical. Junior Al Durham didn't force things, and he became a ball distributor, handing out four assists.
Indiana played some of its best team basketball in weeks. Now the challenge is to do it again on the road.
"We definitely have not been right on the road," Miller said. "Hopefully down the back stretch, which we have a few to go, we can play better on the road. We have to be more together and tougher to be able to go into Michigan Sunday and have a chance. That's what we'll focus on now."
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
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