Saturday, December 3
Piscataway, N.J.
4:00 PM
Indiana University
at
Rutgers
Hood-Schifino and Hoosiers Face Big Ten Opening Challenge
12/3/2022 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The lights aren't too bright for Jalen Hood-Schifino. The North Carolina performance proved that.
There will be more proof, of course, perhaps as soon as Saturday, when No. 10 Indiana (7-0) heads to Rutgers (5-2) in its Big Ten season opener.
For now, though, consider the significance of Hood-Schifino's Wednesday night sharp-shooting in IU's biggest game of the young season -- a career-high 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting, 2-for-3 from 3-point range -- that helped propel the Hoosiers to a dominating victory over North Carolina, a national title contender despite its three-game losing streak.
"His being a freshman coming into this environment against that team, and doing that," veteran forward Trayce Jackson-Davis says, "was special."
In assessing Hood-Schifino's play so far, one thing stands out:
It's not about the shooting.
Not now. Not for this true freshman, who has his coach's point-guard trust.
If you know Mike Woodson, or at least understand the Indiana coach's run-the-show point-guard demands, you know how big that is.
Woodson certainly does.
"Jalen has been solid ever since I got him. I have no complains with him."
Critics can point to Hood-Schifino's 37.5% shooting, including 31.6% from 3-point range, or even his 63.6% free throw accuracy, but there is so much more to the point-guard role offensively, defensively and in leadership.
Even a veteran player such as Xavier Johnson, who had three years of high-level basketball at Pitt before joining the Hoosiers, has had his ups and downs in absorbing Woodson's NBA-style system.
Against North Carolina, Hood-Schifino was a first-half beast with 12 points to carry Indiana to a lead it never lost.
"I came in confident," Hood-Schifino says, "and just shot my shot. I feel I was a spark. When I was hitting shots, everyone else followed along, brought their energy and just built it up from there."
Hood-Schifino leads IU in minutes played (28.1). His 29 assists are second to Johnson's 33. He's tied for second in steals, with seven. He averages 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds. He has grabbed as many as seven rebounds (against Little Rock) and has as many as eight assists (against Bethune Cookman).
"(Hood-Schifino) tries to do all the right things, the little things, to help you win," Woodson says. "And he's great off the court.
"I'm happy as hell in how he's been playing."
Happiness extends to Johnson, who shoots 53.3% from three-point range, 56.3% overall, while averaging 12.3 points and 4.4 rebounds. He has 33 assists against 14 turnovers.
"He's been great for us," Woodson says. "He's another guy that we all are benefiting from the hard work that he's put in. He's just a different dude this year. That's nice to see.
"His play on the court is an indication of that because he's playing both sides of the ball. We're asking him to pick up defensively, put heat on the ball, then score as well."
As far as defense, IU shut down North Carolina as no team has all season. The Hoosiers hold opponents to 60.1 points and 36.4% shooting. That reflects Woodson's defense-first approach.
"We listen to what he has to say," Jackson-Davis says. "He always talks about the 'nail-slot rim.' Those are really big keys for him. He says if we've got guys in those positions, if everyone is on a body, we can get stops on anybody. That's what we've been preached and taught to do."
Offensively, IU enters Big Ten play leading the conference in scoring (87.1 points), shooting (55.0%) and margin of victory (27 points). It scored 50 points in the paint against North Carolina. Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis says the reason was clear -- too much Jackson-Davis.
"They have a player they can run offense through that can generate points for them on every possession," he says. "Not only can he score, he's a gifted passer. If you shrink the floor or double team him, now you're leaving open shooters.
"Any time they need a shot, they can get it to him. They can create a shot. Whether or not they make it, through him they can get the shot they want on pretty much every possession."
The Hoosiers open their 20-game Big Ten slate against a Rutgers team that has won the last five games in the series.
Jackson-Davis is well aware of the challenge, especially playing at Rutgers' Jersey Mike's Arena, also known as the RAC.
"The RAC has always been a very hostile environment," he says. "They've had our number there."
The Scarlet Knights are coming off a 68-61 road loss to Miami in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. They blew an 11-point, second-half lead.
Clifford Omoruyi, a 6-11, 240-pound center, averages 16.7 points and 9.9 rebounds. He shoots 52.7% from the field, but just 51.4% from the line. He has 13 blocks.
Guard Cam Spencer averages 15.3 points and 3.6 rebounds. He has a team-leading 27 assists to eight turnovers. He also shoots a team-best 43.2% from 3-point range.
Forward Aundre Hyatt averages 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds. Guard Caleb McConnell, who has only played in two games after returning from injury, averages 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds. He's coming off a 16-point, six-rebound, four-assist effort at Miami.
Rutgers hopes to get point guard Paul Mulcahy back soon. He led the Big Ten in assists last season.
"Paul's terrific, so you miss him in a lot of ways," coach Steve Pikiell said after the Miami loss. "I'm excited about how this team is developing."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The lights aren't too bright for Jalen Hood-Schifino. The North Carolina performance proved that.
There will be more proof, of course, perhaps as soon as Saturday, when No. 10 Indiana (7-0) heads to Rutgers (5-2) in its Big Ten season opener.
For now, though, consider the significance of Hood-Schifino's Wednesday night sharp-shooting in IU's biggest game of the young season -- a career-high 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting, 2-for-3 from 3-point range -- that helped propel the Hoosiers to a dominating victory over North Carolina, a national title contender despite its three-game losing streak.
"His being a freshman coming into this environment against that team, and doing that," veteran forward Trayce Jackson-Davis says, "was special."
In assessing Hood-Schifino's play so far, one thing stands out:
It's not about the shooting.
Not now. Not for this true freshman, who has his coach's point-guard trust.
If you know Mike Woodson, or at least understand the Indiana coach's run-the-show point-guard demands, you know how big that is.
Woodson certainly does.
"Jalen has been solid ever since I got him. I have no complains with him."
Critics can point to Hood-Schifino's 37.5% shooting, including 31.6% from 3-point range, or even his 63.6% free throw accuracy, but there is so much more to the point-guard role offensively, defensively and in leadership.
Even a veteran player such as Xavier Johnson, who had three years of high-level basketball at Pitt before joining the Hoosiers, has had his ups and downs in absorbing Woodson's NBA-style system.
Against North Carolina, Hood-Schifino was a first-half beast with 12 points to carry Indiana to a lead it never lost.
"I came in confident," Hood-Schifino says, "and just shot my shot. I feel I was a spark. When I was hitting shots, everyone else followed along, brought their energy and just built it up from there."
Hood-Schifino leads IU in minutes played (28.1). His 29 assists are second to Johnson's 33. He's tied for second in steals, with seven. He averages 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds. He has grabbed as many as seven rebounds (against Little Rock) and has as many as eight assists (against Bethune Cookman).
"(Hood-Schifino) tries to do all the right things, the little things, to help you win," Woodson says. "And he's great off the court.
"I'm happy as hell in how he's been playing."
Happiness extends to Johnson, who shoots 53.3% from three-point range, 56.3% overall, while averaging 12.3 points and 4.4 rebounds. He has 33 assists against 14 turnovers.
"He's been great for us," Woodson says. "He's another guy that we all are benefiting from the hard work that he's put in. He's just a different dude this year. That's nice to see.
"His play on the court is an indication of that because he's playing both sides of the ball. We're asking him to pick up defensively, put heat on the ball, then score as well."
As far as defense, IU shut down North Carolina as no team has all season. The Hoosiers hold opponents to 60.1 points and 36.4% shooting. That reflects Woodson's defense-first approach.
"We listen to what he has to say," Jackson-Davis says. "He always talks about the 'nail-slot rim.' Those are really big keys for him. He says if we've got guys in those positions, if everyone is on a body, we can get stops on anybody. That's what we've been preached and taught to do."
Offensively, IU enters Big Ten play leading the conference in scoring (87.1 points), shooting (55.0%) and margin of victory (27 points). It scored 50 points in the paint against North Carolina. Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis says the reason was clear -- too much Jackson-Davis.
"They have a player they can run offense through that can generate points for them on every possession," he says. "Not only can he score, he's a gifted passer. If you shrink the floor or double team him, now you're leaving open shooters.
"Any time they need a shot, they can get it to him. They can create a shot. Whether or not they make it, through him they can get the shot they want on pretty much every possession."
The Hoosiers open their 20-game Big Ten slate against a Rutgers team that has won the last five games in the series.
Jackson-Davis is well aware of the challenge, especially playing at Rutgers' Jersey Mike's Arena, also known as the RAC.
"The RAC has always been a very hostile environment," he says. "They've had our number there."
The Scarlet Knights are coming off a 68-61 road loss to Miami in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. They blew an 11-point, second-half lead.
Clifford Omoruyi, a 6-11, 240-pound center, averages 16.7 points and 9.9 rebounds. He shoots 52.7% from the field, but just 51.4% from the line. He has 13 blocks.
Guard Cam Spencer averages 15.3 points and 3.6 rebounds. He has a team-leading 27 assists to eight turnovers. He also shoots a team-best 43.2% from 3-point range.
Forward Aundre Hyatt averages 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds. Guard Caleb McConnell, who has only played in two games after returning from injury, averages 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds. He's coming off a 16-point, six-rebound, four-assist effort at Miami.
Rutgers hopes to get point guard Paul Mulcahy back soon. He led the Big Ten in assists last season.
"Paul's terrific, so you miss him in a lot of ways," coach Steve Pikiell said after the Miami loss. "I'm excited about how this team is developing."
Players Mentioned
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