Indiana University Athletics
Thompson, Indiana Set to Showcase Basketball Possibilities
8/11/2021 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Race Thompson sees the possibilities -- for this weekend's two-game basketball opportunity in the Bahamas, for himself and for the Indiana program.
Could new coach Mike Woodson's new approach elevate this senior forward to career-best heights?
Why not?
"Coach Woodson has put his trust in me, wants me to be really aggressive, just do what I have been doing and more," Thompson says.
At 6-8 and 228 pounds, an aggressive Thompson can make a big impact.
How big?
Consider last season's break-through effort, when he started every game and averaged 9.1 points and 6.2 rebounds while leading IU in steals (28) and finishing second in blocks (34).
He was the Big Ten's sixth most improved scorer at plus-5.4 points. He also shot 51.5 percent from the field. He scored as many as 22 points, and grabbed as many as 13 rebounds.
Those numbers could rise under Woodson, who has installed a more pro-oriented, free-flowing offense that fits his NBA background.
Prospects were promising in practice and scrimmages, but a truer indication will come in the two exhibitions against BC Mega, a Serbian pro team. The teams will play on Friday night and again on Sunday.
"It's a lot more spaced out, a lot more flow," Thompson says about the new offense. "I'm able to get a rebound, push it up the court, initiate the offense. One through five can do that.
"Having that really opens up people's games. You get to see every aspect of everybody's game, strength, weakness, everything.
"That's helped a lot. It's a lot more just being able to do what you want to do on the floor."
Or, as All-America forward Trayce Jackson-Davis puts it, "It really helps with our games. It's also being able to show what we can do. It's less structure, more flow."
In other words, flow follows freedom as long as there's discipline and good judgment.
"Offensively, things will come along," Woodson says. "I've added some things to get ready for this (weekend). There's a lot of room for improvement in terms of execution because my standard of execution is high. I don't want guys throwing the ball all over the gym. I want them getting shots, good shots. And I want them executing.
"We're taking baby steps right now in terms of getting where we need to go, knowing there's a long way to go."
Add an aggressive defensive approach and you have a big need for fit players who can do everything that's demanded of them.
Woodson likes what he's seen so far.
"We've gotten a lot better, especially from a conditioning standpoint.
"I know it's early, but I wanted them to get a feel of who I am as a coach in terms of my conditioning side of the basketball. We've got to be in better shape than we were last season.
"That's why I'm really pushing the conditioning because of the way we want to play on both ends of the floor. We've really got to be conditioned to move around and run up and down the floor."
As far as the defense, Woodson says, "My thing is, if the ball has been guarded tight and everybody's in a support position to help if there's a breakdown, I want a body on a body. I don't want guys taking possessions off begging for help defensively.
"If you're on the ball, that's your guy. You've got to guard the ball. There are certain directions where we want the ball directed. Somebody gets beat, there's got to be help. And then that guy helps; you've got to help him from helping the guy who got beat.
"Everybody's got to be on a string. We are working on rotations and mainly just keeping heat on the basketball."
The Hoosiers will aggressively defend the pick and roll, and basically anything an opposing offense tries to do.
"You have to be held accountable to defend the basketball and rebound," Woodson says.
"My thing is, when you put a defensive concept in place, you give them the general stuff, but there's always what we call the 'What ifs?' You're going to have the 'what ifs' a lot.
"I can say we're going to play this pick-and-roll a certain way, but what if it doesn't happen that way? Are you going to quit and say it didn't work and we give up a bucket? No. Those are the things that I'm trying to teach.
"When there's a breakdown, somebody beating somebody on the baseline drive. Do you just watch and let him come in and lay it up? No. You've got to stop the problem. And then after you stopped the problem, you've got to scramble out of the problem and get to where the ball might take you."
BC Mega will ratchet up the problems in ways IU couldn't generate in practice and scrimmages. The experience will provide early season benefits and, potentially, postseason rewards.
"A trip like this is good for team chemistry," Thompson says. "Being able to spend time with the coaches away from IU will be good for everybody to get to know each other a little bit better. We still need to do that.
"I'm just really excited to play for Coach Woodson, and be able to showcase what everybody has been working on."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Race Thompson sees the possibilities -- for this weekend's two-game basketball opportunity in the Bahamas, for himself and for the Indiana program.
Could new coach Mike Woodson's new approach elevate this senior forward to career-best heights?
Why not?
"Coach Woodson has put his trust in me, wants me to be really aggressive, just do what I have been doing and more," Thompson says.
At 6-8 and 228 pounds, an aggressive Thompson can make a big impact.
How big?
Consider last season's break-through effort, when he started every game and averaged 9.1 points and 6.2 rebounds while leading IU in steals (28) and finishing second in blocks (34).
He was the Big Ten's sixth most improved scorer at plus-5.4 points. He also shot 51.5 percent from the field. He scored as many as 22 points, and grabbed as many as 13 rebounds.
Those numbers could rise under Woodson, who has installed a more pro-oriented, free-flowing offense that fits his NBA background.
Prospects were promising in practice and scrimmages, but a truer indication will come in the two exhibitions against BC Mega, a Serbian pro team. The teams will play on Friday night and again on Sunday.
"It's a lot more spaced out, a lot more flow," Thompson says about the new offense. "I'm able to get a rebound, push it up the court, initiate the offense. One through five can do that.
"Having that really opens up people's games. You get to see every aspect of everybody's game, strength, weakness, everything.
"That's helped a lot. It's a lot more just being able to do what you want to do on the floor."
Or, as All-America forward Trayce Jackson-Davis puts it, "It really helps with our games. It's also being able to show what we can do. It's less structure, more flow."
In other words, flow follows freedom as long as there's discipline and good judgment.
"Offensively, things will come along," Woodson says. "I've added some things to get ready for this (weekend). There's a lot of room for improvement in terms of execution because my standard of execution is high. I don't want guys throwing the ball all over the gym. I want them getting shots, good shots. And I want them executing.
"We're taking baby steps right now in terms of getting where we need to go, knowing there's a long way to go."
Add an aggressive defensive approach and you have a big need for fit players who can do everything that's demanded of them.
Woodson likes what he's seen so far.
"We've gotten a lot better, especially from a conditioning standpoint.
"I know it's early, but I wanted them to get a feel of who I am as a coach in terms of my conditioning side of the basketball. We've got to be in better shape than we were last season.
"That's why I'm really pushing the conditioning because of the way we want to play on both ends of the floor. We've really got to be conditioned to move around and run up and down the floor."
As far as the defense, Woodson says, "My thing is, if the ball has been guarded tight and everybody's in a support position to help if there's a breakdown, I want a body on a body. I don't want guys taking possessions off begging for help defensively.
"If you're on the ball, that's your guy. You've got to guard the ball. There are certain directions where we want the ball directed. Somebody gets beat, there's got to be help. And then that guy helps; you've got to help him from helping the guy who got beat.
"Everybody's got to be on a string. We are working on rotations and mainly just keeping heat on the basketball."
The Hoosiers will aggressively defend the pick and roll, and basically anything an opposing offense tries to do.
"You have to be held accountable to defend the basketball and rebound," Woodson says.
"My thing is, when you put a defensive concept in place, you give them the general stuff, but there's always what we call the 'What ifs?' You're going to have the 'what ifs' a lot.
"I can say we're going to play this pick-and-roll a certain way, but what if it doesn't happen that way? Are you going to quit and say it didn't work and we give up a bucket? No. Those are the things that I'm trying to teach.
"When there's a breakdown, somebody beating somebody on the baseline drive. Do you just watch and let him come in and lay it up? No. You've got to stop the problem. And then after you stopped the problem, you've got to scramble out of the problem and get to where the ball might take you."
BC Mega will ratchet up the problems in ways IU couldn't generate in practice and scrimmages. The experience will provide early season benefits and, potentially, postseason rewards.
"A trip like this is good for team chemistry," Thompson says. "Being able to spend time with the coaches away from IU will be good for everybody to get to know each other a little bit better. We still need to do that.
"I'm just really excited to play for Coach Woodson, and be able to showcase what everybody has been working on."
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