Hoosiers Need ‘Commitment’ to Upset Ohio State

Thursday, January 6

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Hoosiers Need ‘Commitment’ to Upset Ohio State

1/6/2022 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Hoosiers Need 'Commitment' to Upset Ohio State

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The invisible battle is there. Of course, it is. Near misses take a mental toll, which is not what Indiana needs with top-15 Ohio State coming to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Thursday night.

"You get some heads hanging," coach Mike Woodson says. "You can't hang your head. The Big Ten is not going anywhere. You can't reflect on the past. It's easy to do, and it's my job to keep them from doing that."

Opportunity is there. Of course, it is. The Hoosiers (10-3 overall, 1-2 in the Big Ten) have a chance to reboot the season narrative in an arena with a history of big-time Cream 'n Crimson moments.

In so many ways, it's mind over matter.

"Everybody's got to be committed," Woodson says. "That's the only way you can get out of the rut you're in.

"We're at a point where we've just got to play, not a perfect game, but we've got to play 40 minutes. We can't play 38, 39 minutes."

A double overtime loss at Syracuse, combined with crunch-time defeats at Wisconsin and at Penn State leaves Woodson pushing perspective.

"We are not playing bad basketball," he says, "but Wisconsin and Penn State were winnable games. I've got to get them over the hump. We've got to keep grinding, practicing, watching film and learning."

Players have gotten the message.

"We have to execute," guard Rob Phinisee says. "It's the little things, box out or get a stop. Be locked in. Any little thing can change the game."

Sometimes, Woodson says, strategy and designed plays give way to belief. The struggles of the past few seasons, combined with this season's near misses, can set up a mindset only victory can change.

"It's believing you can win," Woodson says. "This team has been stuck in a rut a little bit. We've got to get them over it.

"I truly believe if we had won the Syracuse or Wisconsin games, (we) are in a different light. They think totally differently.

"We didn't win them, so we've got to figure out how to (stay unbeaten) at home, and then figure it out on the road."

Woodson considers the prospects for a team built for this.

"I think we'll break the ice."

A pause.

"That's what I'm hoping because this team needs it. These guys have had a tough go at it. They get down on themselves a little bit.

"It's my job to keep them up and ready."

What will it take to turn crunch-time defeat to victory?

Woodson offers a clue from his Monday night radio show.

"If I had the magic pill, I'd give it to them.

"We've just got to keep working, man. Practice makes perfect and we've just got to keep working in practice and when we get in tight games, we've just got to relax and make basketball plays because we've done it in spurts this year."

Beyond mindset and relaxation comes this basketball emphasis:

Rebounding.

A smaller Penn State squad out-rebounded IU 39-29 during its 61-58 victory Sunday at State College.

Woodson wasn't happy. The result -- practice included putting a bubble on baskets to ramp up the intensity.

"You put the bubbles up," he says, "and you get after it. You make guys block out and rebound. They don't like it, but I thought that was the difference in the game the other night. One possession, we gave them three or four offensive rebounds."

Given Ohio State is a much bigger team (although it only out-rebounds opponents by 4.1 boards a game), a repeat can't happen.

"They've got a big center," Woodson says. "A big power forward. We're going to have to block out and rebound if we're going to even have a chance to beat them."

Every Hoosier has to be involved, Phinisee says.

"It has to be a team effort. They have a lot of big guys down there. All five our guys have to rebound."

Guard Trey Galloway could return. He's been out since mid-November with a broken wrist suffered against St. John's.

"It's good to have him back because he's a big piece to our puzzle," Woodson says.

"He gives us energy. He can defend a little bit. He can make a shot here and there. It gives us an active body that brings a little more energy. That's a plus.

"He can guard some of the bigger (shooting guards and small forwards). He's not bad on the ball at pick and roll.

"We've got to work him back in slowly, but it's going to take everybody to be ready to play."

Adds Phinisee: He's looking really good. He's at his best when he gets downhill and creates for others. He's really going to help us.

IU needs more offensive production from Parker Stewart and Miller Kopp. They were major reasons for the Hoosiers' improved three-point shooting during the first two months of the season.

That didn't happen Sunday at Penn State, when IU was just 4-for-17 beyond the arc.

"They've struggled," Woodson tells Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during his radio show. "But I've got to help them. I just do."

Easy fixes don't exist, certainly not in Big Ten play, where coaching is elite, players can dominate (Wisconsin's Johnny Davis delivered 37 points and 14 rebounds in Sunday's upset win at No. 3 Purdue) and the margin for error is small.

Offensively, it means creating the necessary offensive space to reflect Woodson's NBA roots.

"I like the floor to be more open," he tells Fischer. "In college, you've got to have pick and roll play. We've been not very good in that area. That's why we've kind of converted to posting up."

Defensively, it means regaining the three-point shut-down edge that dominated most of the season.

"You can't hope they miss," Woodson says. "You've got to make them miss."

IU needs better bench play, although it's getting plenty from forward Jordan Geronimo.

"I can't be more pleased for a player," Woodson says. "He's been great when he's come into the game. I'm happy in that regard."

Ohio State comes in ranked No. 12 and No. 13 in the polls. It is 9-2 overall, including a victory over then No. 1 Duke. It is 3-0 in the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes have won five straight games, including an overtime victory at Nebraska last weekend. They have won two straight against Indiana, and six of the last seven meetings.

"(Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann) has built a good system," Woodson tells Fischer. "He's got a great system in place. He's got a veteran ball club that's been together a few years now. They're big inside and they're explosive on the perimeter with guys that can really shoot the basketball."

Freshman guard Malaki Branham earned Big Ten freshman of the week honors after scoring 35 points in Ohio State's overtime win at Nebraska.

That followed a 22-day break because of Covid-19 issues.

The Buckeyes are led by 6-7 forward E.J. Lidell, who averages 19.6 points and 7.3 rebounds. He's blocked 33 shots and made 13 three-pointers.

Zed Key, a 6-8 forward, averages 10.1 points and 6.2 rebounds. Kyle Young, another 6-8 forward, averages 10.0 points and 6.7 rebounds.

Don't forget former Hoosier Joey Brunk. The 6-11 center has played in 11 games, started two, and averages 1.0 points and 1.0 rebounds.

Ohio State shoots 39.7 percent from three-point range. Six Buckeyes have made at least nine three-pointers. Forward Justin Ahrens leads with 26.

"Their perimeter play is pretty good," Woodson says. "They have got shooters on the perimeter. They have got the two big guys inside that can demand the ball.

"Liddell, he's a talented kid. He can play inside. He can play outside and make plays.

"Our two bigs (Trayce Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson) are going to have their hands filled and I feel vice-versa; they are going to have their hands filled with our two big guys."