Indiana University Athletics
DIPRIMIO: Tone Setter – Rob Phinisee Leads the Hoosier Way
2/20/2021 11:05:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For Rob Phinisee, thinking can be dangerous.
Does that sound right?
Dangerous?
In fact, it's over-thinking, over-analyzing, that is the Achilles' heel in the Indiana junior guard's difference-making game.
Overcome that, coach Archie Miller says, and look out.
"He cares. He is a thinker. He processes things. He worries. It is hard when you don't play well to avoid the noise."
At Indiana, which has as passionate a fan base as there is in the country, there is always noise.
Saturday's home game against struggling Michigan State is a good opportunity to silence some of that. The best way to do that, Miller adds, is "Keep it simple."
So Miller tells Phinisee to "play free and play your game." When in doubt, attack. When not in doubt, still attack.
Phinisee's winning nature, by the way, has been honed by years of preparation as well as experience.
"I watch a lot of film," Phinisee says. "I think about the other team, what they're doing on offense, reading what they're doing on defense."
Any perception that that Phinisee is having a sub-par season must be balanced with his clutch-play history.
He beat Penn State with a jumper in the final seconds (the second game-winner of his college career), then blocked a Nittany Lion shot to help clinch the win. He defended Iowa sharpshooter Jordan Bohannon into 0-for-8 three-point irrelevance, and a Hoosier upset victory. He was an offensive-and-defensive catalyst (10 points, six assists, disruptive defense) in Wednesday night's victory over Minnesota
Yes, his 7.4-point scoring average doesn't meet expectations for a three-year veteran with double-digit potential. Sure, losing his starting position for a couple of games to freshman Trey Galloway stung, but that misses the point, which is it's all about what comes next.
"We don't need Rob to be anything other than try like crazy to be the leader on defense, push the ball, make guys better, shoot when you're open," Miller says.
The Hoosiers' fourth-year coach pushes Phinisee to lead and defend, to attack and pass, to run the offense and set up his teammates.
Scoring, well, that's down the list.
"I don't care if he misses a shot, I really don't," Miller says. "I just want him to play aggressive and make the right read."
Case in point, Phinisee was 0-for-3 from 3-point range against Minnesota, which was no big deal because he relentlessly attacked the paint and made plays.
"I feel like it opens up things for my game and just for the bigs, too, and even Al (Durham) and Armaan (Franklin) on the wings hitting threes," Phinisee says. "So, I feel like me just getting downhill in the paint really just open things up for everybody."
IU (12-9 overall, 7-7 in the Big Ten) is building momentum with victories in three of its last four game. All of the wins were decided in the closing minutes.
What are the Hoosiers doing right that maybe they weren't before?
"It's experience," Phinisee says. "We've been in a lot of close games down the stretch. Being in those situations helped us out.
"And then our leadership -- me, Al, Race (Thompson), Trayce (Jackson-Davis) and Armaan. We've kept our young guys into it. They've really contributed. It's been a team effort."
Beyond that, he adds, "You can see it in practice. Guys come in every day ready to work. It's not getting down on yourself. It's staying with it. Keep moving forward.
"In the beginning of the season we had a lot of high hopes. To get those done, we have to lock in right now."
IU continues to push a fast-start theme. Thompson says before games the players tell each other, "Let's start out fast and play defense. Let's do that.
"Sometimes you just don't start out as fast as you'd like. I'm not sure if it has to do with confidence. I'm pretty sure we're all confident."
Confidence extends to freshman guard Khristian Lander, whose enormous potential is obvious despite inexperience and still developing strength.
"He's the one guard we have who can see the floor," Miller says. "He's had some very good passes, and he can shoot. He's doing some good things. He has to hold his own defensively and cut back on the simple turnovers."
Michigan State (10-9, 4-9) has struggled since a 6-0 start. It has lost six of its last eight games, including its last two, to Iowa and Purdue.
"It's about finding a way to win," coach Tom Izzo says.
Despite Spartan struggles, they remain a team that pounds the boards and pushes the pace. Beating them, Phinisee says, starts by addressing that.
"We didn't rebound as well as we should have (against Ohio State and Minnesota)," he says. "That's Michigan State's bread and butter -- crashing the glass and getting out in transition. If we limit those two, we should have a good chance at winning."
The Spartans are trying to make up games postponed because of a Covid-19 outbreak (their Jan. 17 game against IU was called off, with no make-up date set), and the result is a hectic schedule
"Indiana will be the first of four games next week," Izzo says. "The road doesn't get any easier, but in this league, there's no way to get an easy game."
Michigan State is led by Aaron Henry, who averages 14.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. Joey Hauser averages 10.5 points and 6.6 rebounds.
IU's Jackson-Davis has impressed Izzo.
"He's made himself into a very good player. He's good in the low post. He's a very good passer. He has a great spin move."
IU's ability to draw fouls and free throw opportunities is a big concern, Izzo says.
"We'll have to defend without fouling and stop that dribble penetration."
As for the Hoosiers, rebound, defend, minimize turnovers and hit the open shot.
Oh, and let Phinisee set the tone.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For Rob Phinisee, thinking can be dangerous.
Does that sound right?
Dangerous?
In fact, it's over-thinking, over-analyzing, that is the Achilles' heel in the Indiana junior guard's difference-making game.
Overcome that, coach Archie Miller says, and look out.
"He cares. He is a thinker. He processes things. He worries. It is hard when you don't play well to avoid the noise."
At Indiana, which has as passionate a fan base as there is in the country, there is always noise.
Saturday's home game against struggling Michigan State is a good opportunity to silence some of that. The best way to do that, Miller adds, is "Keep it simple."
So Miller tells Phinisee to "play free and play your game." When in doubt, attack. When not in doubt, still attack.
Phinisee's winning nature, by the way, has been honed by years of preparation as well as experience.
"I watch a lot of film," Phinisee says. "I think about the other team, what they're doing on offense, reading what they're doing on defense."
Any perception that that Phinisee is having a sub-par season must be balanced with his clutch-play history.
He beat Penn State with a jumper in the final seconds (the second game-winner of his college career), then blocked a Nittany Lion shot to help clinch the win. He defended Iowa sharpshooter Jordan Bohannon into 0-for-8 three-point irrelevance, and a Hoosier upset victory. He was an offensive-and-defensive catalyst (10 points, six assists, disruptive defense) in Wednesday night's victory over Minnesota
Yes, his 7.4-point scoring average doesn't meet expectations for a three-year veteran with double-digit potential. Sure, losing his starting position for a couple of games to freshman Trey Galloway stung, but that misses the point, which is it's all about what comes next.
"We don't need Rob to be anything other than try like crazy to be the leader on defense, push the ball, make guys better, shoot when you're open," Miller says.
The Hoosiers' fourth-year coach pushes Phinisee to lead and defend, to attack and pass, to run the offense and set up his teammates.
Scoring, well, that's down the list.
"I don't care if he misses a shot, I really don't," Miller says. "I just want him to play aggressive and make the right read."
Case in point, Phinisee was 0-for-3 from 3-point range against Minnesota, which was no big deal because he relentlessly attacked the paint and made plays.
"I feel like it opens up things for my game and just for the bigs, too, and even Al (Durham) and Armaan (Franklin) on the wings hitting threes," Phinisee says. "So, I feel like me just getting downhill in the paint really just open things up for everybody."
IU (12-9 overall, 7-7 in the Big Ten) is building momentum with victories in three of its last four game. All of the wins were decided in the closing minutes.
What are the Hoosiers doing right that maybe they weren't before?
"It's experience," Phinisee says. "We've been in a lot of close games down the stretch. Being in those situations helped us out.
"And then our leadership -- me, Al, Race (Thompson), Trayce (Jackson-Davis) and Armaan. We've kept our young guys into it. They've really contributed. It's been a team effort."
Beyond that, he adds, "You can see it in practice. Guys come in every day ready to work. It's not getting down on yourself. It's staying with it. Keep moving forward.
"In the beginning of the season we had a lot of high hopes. To get those done, we have to lock in right now."
IU continues to push a fast-start theme. Thompson says before games the players tell each other, "Let's start out fast and play defense. Let's do that.
"Sometimes you just don't start out as fast as you'd like. I'm not sure if it has to do with confidence. I'm pretty sure we're all confident."
Confidence extends to freshman guard Khristian Lander, whose enormous potential is obvious despite inexperience and still developing strength.
"He's the one guard we have who can see the floor," Miller says. "He's had some very good passes, and he can shoot. He's doing some good things. He has to hold his own defensively and cut back on the simple turnovers."
Michigan State (10-9, 4-9) has struggled since a 6-0 start. It has lost six of its last eight games, including its last two, to Iowa and Purdue.
"It's about finding a way to win," coach Tom Izzo says.
Despite Spartan struggles, they remain a team that pounds the boards and pushes the pace. Beating them, Phinisee says, starts by addressing that.
"We didn't rebound as well as we should have (against Ohio State and Minnesota)," he says. "That's Michigan State's bread and butter -- crashing the glass and getting out in transition. If we limit those two, we should have a good chance at winning."
The Spartans are trying to make up games postponed because of a Covid-19 outbreak (their Jan. 17 game against IU was called off, with no make-up date set), and the result is a hectic schedule
"Indiana will be the first of four games next week," Izzo says. "The road doesn't get any easier, but in this league, there's no way to get an easy game."
Michigan State is led by Aaron Henry, who averages 14.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. Joey Hauser averages 10.5 points and 6.6 rebounds.
IU's Jackson-Davis has impressed Izzo.
"He's made himself into a very good player. He's good in the low post. He's a very good passer. He has a great spin move."
IU's ability to draw fouls and free throw opportunities is a big concern, Izzo says.
"We'll have to defend without fouling and stop that dribble penetration."
As for the Hoosiers, rebound, defend, minimize turnovers and hit the open shot.
Oh, and let Phinisee set the tone.
Players Mentioned
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