Indiana University Athletics
DIPRIMIO: Back on the Road – IU’s Victory Quest at Michigan Starts with Rebounding
2/15/2020 3:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Big Ten road is back and Indiana is, at last, at full inside strength.
That matters overall, and it very much could matter Sunday at Michigan.
Forward Race Thompson is back from a back injury. Trayce Jackson-Davis continues playing like the conference's best freshman big man. Joey Brunk, Justin Smith and De'Ron Davis alternate solid impact.
This group gives the Hoosiers (16-8) a rebounding chance, and if they take advantage, look out, against Michigan (15-9), and everybody else.
"Rebounding is the deal with this team," coach Archie Miller says. "Race helps it. When you can play Race 24 minutes and you can play Trayce. You play De'Ron and Justin.
"When we're rebounding, especially on the offensive end, that's how we generate free throw attempts; that's how we generate bonus.
"Rebounding is the whole key."
Miller pointed to the 39-28 rebounding edge and the 32 free throw attempts in Thursday's 89-77 victory against No. 21 Iowa.
"You look at that and you say to yourself, we were pretty physical. We were aggressive. That's what we have to be."
IU was all of that for one night at home. Can it sustain that the rest of the season, including four road games?
"As the coach, you're constantly on a quest to find your identity and keep it going," Miller says.
I think we've lost that in our struggles -- not getting to the foul line, not rebounding.
"We have to play quick, play in transition. We have to keep it simple and get it up the floor.
"That's the whole key. Not every team lets you do it. But we have to be able to ask, are we trying, are we running hard, are we pushing the ball?
"Too many times our team becomes half-court oriented, with the ball being dribbled across the floor. It doesn't need to be dribbled. It needs to be heated up. We need to get it up there and when our bigs do a great job of running, we need to get them early touches."
Beating Iowa snapped a four-game losing streak and restored confidence to a team that badly needed it given four of the next five games are on the road.
That's a big challenge given the Hoosiers are just 1-5 on the road.
"Hopefully, we can get back to the business of playing better," Miller said. "We definitely have not been right on the road.
"We've got to be more together and tougher to go into Michigan and have a chance. And that's what we'll focus on."
IU will face a resurgent Michigan team.
They Wolverines began the season with a bang, upsetting Gonzaga to win the Battle for Atlantis championship as part of a 7-0 start to earn a top-10 ranking under first-year coach Juwan Howard.
Big Ten play rocked that momentum. The Wolverines began conference play 2-6, but have rebounded with four wins in their last five games, including victories over Rutgers and Michigan State. They are coming off a 79-54 win at Northwestern.
The only loss in that stretch was by three points to Ohio State.
The key was a ramped-up defense that ranks among the Big Ten's best in the last six games. It hasn't allowed more than 68 points in that stretch.
Forward Isaiah Livers leads Michigan in scoring at 13.4 points and free throw shooting (29-for-31). He's one of five Wolverines averaging in double figures. The others are center Jon Teske (12.6 points, 7.6 rebounds), guard Zavier Simpson (12.5 points), guard Eli Brooks (11.3) and forward Franz Wagner (10.1).
Simpson has a team-leading 185 assists.
Michigan has impressive length with the 7-1 Teske, 6-9 Wagner and 6-7 Livers in the starting lineup.
At least the Hoosiers have that Iowa victory to boost their confidence.
"Hopefully this win shows us that if we're right and about the right things, which is each other," Miller says, "good things can happen."
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Big Ten road is back and Indiana is, at last, at full inside strength.
That matters overall, and it very much could matter Sunday at Michigan.
Forward Race Thompson is back from a back injury. Trayce Jackson-Davis continues playing like the conference's best freshman big man. Joey Brunk, Justin Smith and De'Ron Davis alternate solid impact.
This group gives the Hoosiers (16-8) a rebounding chance, and if they take advantage, look out, against Michigan (15-9), and everybody else.
"Rebounding is the deal with this team," coach Archie Miller says. "Race helps it. When you can play Race 24 minutes and you can play Trayce. You play De'Ron and Justin.
"When we're rebounding, especially on the offensive end, that's how we generate free throw attempts; that's how we generate bonus.
"Rebounding is the whole key."
Miller pointed to the 39-28 rebounding edge and the 32 free throw attempts in Thursday's 89-77 victory against No. 21 Iowa.
"You look at that and you say to yourself, we were pretty physical. We were aggressive. That's what we have to be."
IU was all of that for one night at home. Can it sustain that the rest of the season, including four road games?
"As the coach, you're constantly on a quest to find your identity and keep it going," Miller says.
I think we've lost that in our struggles -- not getting to the foul line, not rebounding.
"We have to play quick, play in transition. We have to keep it simple and get it up the floor.
"That's the whole key. Not every team lets you do it. But we have to be able to ask, are we trying, are we running hard, are we pushing the ball?
"Too many times our team becomes half-court oriented, with the ball being dribbled across the floor. It doesn't need to be dribbled. It needs to be heated up. We need to get it up there and when our bigs do a great job of running, we need to get them early touches."
Beating Iowa snapped a four-game losing streak and restored confidence to a team that badly needed it given four of the next five games are on the road.
That's a big challenge given the Hoosiers are just 1-5 on the road.
"Hopefully, we can get back to the business of playing better," Miller said. "We definitely have not been right on the road.
"We've got to be more together and tougher to go into Michigan and have a chance. And that's what we'll focus on."
IU will face a resurgent Michigan team.
They Wolverines began the season with a bang, upsetting Gonzaga to win the Battle for Atlantis championship as part of a 7-0 start to earn a top-10 ranking under first-year coach Juwan Howard.
Big Ten play rocked that momentum. The Wolverines began conference play 2-6, but have rebounded with four wins in their last five games, including victories over Rutgers and Michigan State. They are coming off a 79-54 win at Northwestern.
The only loss in that stretch was by three points to Ohio State.
The key was a ramped-up defense that ranks among the Big Ten's best in the last six games. It hasn't allowed more than 68 points in that stretch.
Forward Isaiah Livers leads Michigan in scoring at 13.4 points and free throw shooting (29-for-31). He's one of five Wolverines averaging in double figures. The others are center Jon Teske (12.6 points, 7.6 rebounds), guard Zavier Simpson (12.5 points), guard Eli Brooks (11.3) and forward Franz Wagner (10.1).
Simpson has a team-leading 185 assists.
Michigan has impressive length with the 7-1 Teske, 6-9 Wagner and 6-7 Livers in the starting lineup.
At least the Hoosiers have that Iowa victory to boost their confidence.
"Hopefully this win shows us that if we're right and about the right things, which is each other," Miller says, "good things can happen."
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