Indiana University Athletics
DIPRIMIO: Durham Ready for 'Senior Day'
2/27/2021 10:50:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Aljami Durham faces an ending of his choosing.
Or does he?
So much depends on how the Indiana senior guard, and the rest of the Hoosiers, respond Saturday against No. 3 Michigan.
"We have to be able to do better and execute with any amount of pressure," Durham says. "We have to execute, run the plays and get what we want. We can't settle for not running plays or settling early in the shot clock."
This will be the last home regular season game of Durham's college career, unless he takes advantage of the pandemic-caused rule change that would allow another year of eligibility.
IU is still within March Madness reach. Its kenpom.com rating of No. 34 reflects strong play (see two victories over top-10 Iowa) and a grueling schedule (it ranks fifth nationally via kenpom.com, a highly respected analytical system).
Durham has played well enough to be six points away from 1,000 career points. That would make him the 53rd Hoosier to do so. He has career highs in scoring (11.5), rebounding (3.3) and 3-point shooting (39.5 percent). His 63-to-31 assist-to-turnover ratio is also the best of his career. He's coming off a 20-point, four-assist effort against Rutgers in which he set another career best with five three-pointers.
But on Saturday, that will be as relevant as wooden backboards.
It's all about winning.
From the wreckage of the Rutgers defeat, IU's priorities are clear:
Play to its championship tradition.
Beat possibly the best team in America.
"We've got to move on to the next one," Durham says. "We have to build from this. We have to learn from this. We have to respond from this."
The Rutgers meltdown followed the Michigan State meltdown, which followed a Minnesota victory that seemed to indicate the Hoosiers were finally ready for a strong finish.
They were not.
Against Rutgers, a 15-point lead became a 20-point deficit. At the end, the Scarlet Knights did whatever they wanted.
How do you explain such a collapse?
Sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis didn't try during Friday's Zoom press conference opportunity.
"I don't know how to answer that. I just know it won't happen again. That's all you need to know."
Coach Archie Miller says the Hoosiers were "fractured." There was no practice sign of that, Jackson-Davis insists.
"I really feel like we've been practicing really well, at a high level."
That's true in so many ways, and it's shown during games. Case in point -- slow starts. IU blasted that away against Michigan State and Rutgers by jumping to double-digit leads.
"A few weeks ago, it was all about we're starting too slow," Jackson-Davis says. "Now we're starting really well. We're just letting teams back up. We're not weathering the storm as they go on a run.
"We need to put a full 40-minute game together. The only way to do that is to keep working hard, and know when you're practicing hard, it's going to equate to you playing hard."
IU needs to play exceptionally hard against a Michigan team (17-1, 12-1) that ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten in offense (79.2 points) and defense (65.7 points allowed).
The Wolverines' powerhouse offense relies on powerhouse screening, with freshman center Hunter Dickerson taking maximum advantage. The 7-1, 255-pounder leads the team in scoring (15.0) and shooting (63.9 percent), as well as rebounding (7.8).
"Our guards have got to be physical and get over (screens)," Jackson-Davis says, "because Hunter gets a lot of his points (from that). Taking away their screens will be one of the biggest keys."
Then there is 6-9 sophomore forward Franz Wagner (12.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 51-percent shooting) and 6-6 forward Isaiah Livers (14.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, a 40-22 assist-to-turnover ratio).
Michigan is playing at a championship level. It has beaten a top-five team (Ohio State) and a top-10 team (Iowa) in its last two games, and six ranked teams this season. It has a chance to clinch the Big Ten title -- its first since 2014 -- with a win and an Illinois loss.
The three-week pandemic break didn't ruin Michigan's momentum. After a rough first-half at Wisconsin, the Wolverines have rolled to wins over the Badgers, Rutgers, No. 4 Ohio State and No. 9 Iowa.
How impressive is that? Consider those teams are a combined 64-29 and positioned to make the NCAA tourney. Ohio State and Iowa are good enough to make the Elite Eight, if not the Final Four.
IU, meanwhile, continues to struggle, with losses in five of its last eight games. It has had at least 10 turnovers in seven of its last eight games. Its three-point shooting defense has sprung major leaks, with Big Ten opponents shooting 37 percent.
Still, the Hoosiers have one of the best players in America in the 6-9 Jackson-Davis, a Malone Award finalist. The annual award goes to the nation's best power forward. The other contenders are Villanova's Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Gonzaga's Drew Timme, Seton Hall's Sandro Mamukelashvili and Pitt's Justin Champagnie.
Jackson-Davis averages 20.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He's scored 23, 20, 34 and 21 points in his last four games. He's also had 10 double-doubles.
IU also is getting a career year from forward Race Thompson (9.6 points, 6.5 rebounds).
The status of guard Armaan Franklin (11.6 points, 4.2 rebounds) is uncertain. He didn't play in the second half against Rutgers after apparently re-aggravating an ankle injury.
IU has one potential advantage over Michigan -- rest. The Wolverines' hammered Iowa 79-57 Thursday night, a day after the Hoosiers lost to Rutgers. Playing two Big Ten games in 36 hours -- a consequence of rescheduling following its three-week, pandemic-caused break -- is not ideal for any team, even one with Michigan's talent and depth. Eight Wolverines average at least 11 minutes a game.
But IU will need more than possible Michigan fatigue to get the upset.
"We're going to have to be a lot tougher, a lot more together, a lot more stick to the script and don't panic when things don't go our way," Miller says.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Aljami Durham faces an ending of his choosing.
Or does he?
So much depends on how the Indiana senior guard, and the rest of the Hoosiers, respond Saturday against No. 3 Michigan.
"We have to be able to do better and execute with any amount of pressure," Durham says. "We have to execute, run the plays and get what we want. We can't settle for not running plays or settling early in the shot clock."
This will be the last home regular season game of Durham's college career, unless he takes advantage of the pandemic-caused rule change that would allow another year of eligibility.
IU is still within March Madness reach. Its kenpom.com rating of No. 34 reflects strong play (see two victories over top-10 Iowa) and a grueling schedule (it ranks fifth nationally via kenpom.com, a highly respected analytical system).
Durham has played well enough to be six points away from 1,000 career points. That would make him the 53rd Hoosier to do so. He has career highs in scoring (11.5), rebounding (3.3) and 3-point shooting (39.5 percent). His 63-to-31 assist-to-turnover ratio is also the best of his career. He's coming off a 20-point, four-assist effort against Rutgers in which he set another career best with five three-pointers.
But on Saturday, that will be as relevant as wooden backboards.
It's all about winning.
From the wreckage of the Rutgers defeat, IU's priorities are clear:
Play to its championship tradition.
Beat possibly the best team in America.
"We've got to move on to the next one," Durham says. "We have to build from this. We have to learn from this. We have to respond from this."
The Rutgers meltdown followed the Michigan State meltdown, which followed a Minnesota victory that seemed to indicate the Hoosiers were finally ready for a strong finish.
They were not.
Against Rutgers, a 15-point lead became a 20-point deficit. At the end, the Scarlet Knights did whatever they wanted.
How do you explain such a collapse?
Sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis didn't try during Friday's Zoom press conference opportunity.
"I don't know how to answer that. I just know it won't happen again. That's all you need to know."
Coach Archie Miller says the Hoosiers were "fractured." There was no practice sign of that, Jackson-Davis insists.
"I really feel like we've been practicing really well, at a high level."
That's true in so many ways, and it's shown during games. Case in point -- slow starts. IU blasted that away against Michigan State and Rutgers by jumping to double-digit leads.
"A few weeks ago, it was all about we're starting too slow," Jackson-Davis says. "Now we're starting really well. We're just letting teams back up. We're not weathering the storm as they go on a run.
"We need to put a full 40-minute game together. The only way to do that is to keep working hard, and know when you're practicing hard, it's going to equate to you playing hard."
IU needs to play exceptionally hard against a Michigan team (17-1, 12-1) that ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten in offense (79.2 points) and defense (65.7 points allowed).
The Wolverines' powerhouse offense relies on powerhouse screening, with freshman center Hunter Dickerson taking maximum advantage. The 7-1, 255-pounder leads the team in scoring (15.0) and shooting (63.9 percent), as well as rebounding (7.8).
"Our guards have got to be physical and get over (screens)," Jackson-Davis says, "because Hunter gets a lot of his points (from that). Taking away their screens will be one of the biggest keys."
Then there is 6-9 sophomore forward Franz Wagner (12.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 51-percent shooting) and 6-6 forward Isaiah Livers (14.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, a 40-22 assist-to-turnover ratio).
Michigan is playing at a championship level. It has beaten a top-five team (Ohio State) and a top-10 team (Iowa) in its last two games, and six ranked teams this season. It has a chance to clinch the Big Ten title -- its first since 2014 -- with a win and an Illinois loss.
The three-week pandemic break didn't ruin Michigan's momentum. After a rough first-half at Wisconsin, the Wolverines have rolled to wins over the Badgers, Rutgers, No. 4 Ohio State and No. 9 Iowa.
How impressive is that? Consider those teams are a combined 64-29 and positioned to make the NCAA tourney. Ohio State and Iowa are good enough to make the Elite Eight, if not the Final Four.
IU, meanwhile, continues to struggle, with losses in five of its last eight games. It has had at least 10 turnovers in seven of its last eight games. Its three-point shooting defense has sprung major leaks, with Big Ten opponents shooting 37 percent.
Still, the Hoosiers have one of the best players in America in the 6-9 Jackson-Davis, a Malone Award finalist. The annual award goes to the nation's best power forward. The other contenders are Villanova's Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Gonzaga's Drew Timme, Seton Hall's Sandro Mamukelashvili and Pitt's Justin Champagnie.
Jackson-Davis averages 20.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He's scored 23, 20, 34 and 21 points in his last four games. He's also had 10 double-doubles.
IU also is getting a career year from forward Race Thompson (9.6 points, 6.5 rebounds).
The status of guard Armaan Franklin (11.6 points, 4.2 rebounds) is uncertain. He didn't play in the second half against Rutgers after apparently re-aggravating an ankle injury.
IU has one potential advantage over Michigan -- rest. The Wolverines' hammered Iowa 79-57 Thursday night, a day after the Hoosiers lost to Rutgers. Playing two Big Ten games in 36 hours -- a consequence of rescheduling following its three-week, pandemic-caused break -- is not ideal for any team, even one with Michigan's talent and depth. Eight Wolverines average at least 11 minutes a game.
But IU will need more than possible Michigan fatigue to get the upset.
"We're going to have to be a lot tougher, a lot more together, a lot more stick to the script and don't panic when things don't go our way," Miller says.
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