Indiana University Athletics
Saturday, December 9
Atlanta, Ga.
2:00 PM
Indiana University
vs
Auburn
The Finisher – Gunn Evolving into Difference-Maker
12/9/2023 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The spotlight finds CJ Gunn. Or, perhaps, he finds it. Perspective matters as this Indiana sophomore guard slowly evolves into a difference maker.
So here he is, the center of media attention in a Crisler Arena hallway along with teammate Malik Reneau, reflecting on the fact that in the final crunch-time minutes of a back-and-forth cliffhanger at Michigan, he was on the court.
"I played well," he says. "Coach trusted me at the end of the game."
Gunn is not a starter, not yet, anyway, as the Hoosiers (7-1) navigate the continued absence of senior point guard Xavier Johnson.
But for one game, at least, he was a finisher.
If his Michigan performance (eight points, four steals, a pair of 3-pointers) is sustained, if it becomes a breakthrough that becomes the norm, imagine the possibilities, perhaps as soon as Saturday's game against Auburn (5-2) in Atlanta.
"It's amazing," Gunn says. "I've been waiting for this. It's proof of all the work I've been putting in."
Coach Mike Woodson has been waiting for this.
"He had his struggles. He's made a lot (of 3-pointers) in practice, and it didn't carry over in the game. The fact that he made a couple, that was fantastic for us.
"But I looked at the other parts of his game. Where he defended, he looked more under control. He did a lot of things that we expect him to do, and I just hope it is a carryover as we continue to move on in the schedule."
Sophomore forward Kaleb Banks has seen Gunn wow within practice.
"I've seen CJ do that all the time. That's nothing new for me and for the other guys on this team. He makes big shots, and he's always a pest on defense.
"I'm happy he got a chance to translate that to the game and show he has other parts of his game, as well."
Gunn's defense overshadows his offense, which might surprise those who saw him as an offensive catalyst coming out of Indianapolis' Lawrence North High School -- he once made nine 3-pointers in a game and averaged 23.5 points as a senior.
He leads IU with 13 steals, especially impressive given he averages just 12 minutes a game.
As far as offense, Gunn's pair of 3-pointers at Michigan were two more than he'd made all season. He was, in fact, just 2-for-28 in his career before arriving at Crisler Arena.
Some might take that as a sign to pass rather than shoot. Not Gunn.
"You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."
Gunn's second 3-pointer was huge because it capped a 7-0 run and gave the Hoosiers a 60-59 lead. He credited the success to extra shooting sessions with IU team and recruiting coordinator Jordan Hulls and director of player development Calbert Cheaney, who rate among the top shooters in Cream 'n Crimson history.
"It's all the work I've been putting in getting shots up," Gunn says. "I wasn't nervous to take it. I'm glad it fell because it boosted my confidence the rest of the game."
Gunn is part of a bench that continues to make an impact, continues to help push IU (7-1 overall, 2-0 in the Big Ten) to the top of the Big Ten and, perhaps soon, into the national rankings.
For the record, Indiana is not generating any top-25 poll points, but that could change based on the results of its next two games -- Auburn and Dec. 16 at home against No. 2/3 Kansas (8-1).
For now, the bench has lost freshman Gabe Cupps, who has started the last two games in Johnson's absence. The 2022 Ohio Mr. Basketball did not make a shot from the field (0-for-3) in that stretch, but he was 2-for-2 from the line, made three steals, grabbed three rebounds, hustled non-stop, and did all the little things that lead to winning.
"He's been steady," Woodson says. He's been steady ever since we brought him on campus.
"I'm pleased where he's at, but there's a lot of room for improvement. He has a long way to go. He's still trying to figure out the college game, but the fact that he competes, he loves to compete, he puts the work in, he doesn't look lost. Just put it that way."
Atlanta is a special place for Woodson. He spent four seasons as the Atlanta Hawks head coach while winning 206 games, the fourth most in franchise history.
He says returning to the city means a lot.
"I still have a home there," he says. "I have a lot of friends, and people that supported me when I first started my journey as a head coach.
"It was important that I take a game back there. I figure it would be special for the people who supported me all those years and who were in my corner. They are still there. It means a lot to me."
This is also a homecoming for Banks, who was Georgia Class 4A player of the year in 2022 for Fayette County High School.
"To get back home is really cool for me. I wasn't expecting this. I never thought that there would be an opportunity to play here at IU. I'm pretty happy about that."
As for Auburn, the Tigers are coming off a loss at Appalachian State. In that game, they were just 3-for-27 on 3-pointers and 9-for-19 from the line.
Don't think Woodson overlooks them. They have already beaten Notre Dame and Virginia Tech.
"They're a good team," he says. "They do a lot of good things. But any team is beatable. We've got to stick to our game plan and see where we go."
Auburn plays an aggressive, pressing defense designed to force turnovers. It has 44 steals in seven games. Opponents have committed 95 turnovers.
By comparison, in eight games, IU has 52 steals. Its opponents have committed 101 turnovers.
As far as facing that defensive pressure, Woodson says, "We just work. That's all we do. They're no different than other teams we play that apply pressure. We've got to handle the basketball, not turn it over and get shots.
"What they do to you, you've got to reverse it and do the same thing to them. That's how I look at it."
The Tigers are led by forward Johni Broome (18.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 57.0% shooting) and guard Aden Holloway (10.6 points).
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The spotlight finds CJ Gunn. Or, perhaps, he finds it. Perspective matters as this Indiana sophomore guard slowly evolves into a difference maker.
So here he is, the center of media attention in a Crisler Arena hallway along with teammate Malik Reneau, reflecting on the fact that in the final crunch-time minutes of a back-and-forth cliffhanger at Michigan, he was on the court.
"I played well," he says. "Coach trusted me at the end of the game."
Gunn is not a starter, not yet, anyway, as the Hoosiers (7-1) navigate the continued absence of senior point guard Xavier Johnson.
But for one game, at least, he was a finisher.
If his Michigan performance (eight points, four steals, a pair of 3-pointers) is sustained, if it becomes a breakthrough that becomes the norm, imagine the possibilities, perhaps as soon as Saturday's game against Auburn (5-2) in Atlanta.
"It's amazing," Gunn says. "I've been waiting for this. It's proof of all the work I've been putting in."
Coach Mike Woodson has been waiting for this.
"He had his struggles. He's made a lot (of 3-pointers) in practice, and it didn't carry over in the game. The fact that he made a couple, that was fantastic for us.
"But I looked at the other parts of his game. Where he defended, he looked more under control. He did a lot of things that we expect him to do, and I just hope it is a carryover as we continue to move on in the schedule."
Sophomore forward Kaleb Banks has seen Gunn wow within practice.
"I've seen CJ do that all the time. That's nothing new for me and for the other guys on this team. He makes big shots, and he's always a pest on defense.
"I'm happy he got a chance to translate that to the game and show he has other parts of his game, as well."
Gunn's defense overshadows his offense, which might surprise those who saw him as an offensive catalyst coming out of Indianapolis' Lawrence North High School -- he once made nine 3-pointers in a game and averaged 23.5 points as a senior.
He leads IU with 13 steals, especially impressive given he averages just 12 minutes a game.
As far as offense, Gunn's pair of 3-pointers at Michigan were two more than he'd made all season. He was, in fact, just 2-for-28 in his career before arriving at Crisler Arena.
Some might take that as a sign to pass rather than shoot. Not Gunn.
"You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."
Gunn's second 3-pointer was huge because it capped a 7-0 run and gave the Hoosiers a 60-59 lead. He credited the success to extra shooting sessions with IU team and recruiting coordinator Jordan Hulls and director of player development Calbert Cheaney, who rate among the top shooters in Cream 'n Crimson history.
"It's all the work I've been putting in getting shots up," Gunn says. "I wasn't nervous to take it. I'm glad it fell because it boosted my confidence the rest of the game."
Gunn is part of a bench that continues to make an impact, continues to help push IU (7-1 overall, 2-0 in the Big Ten) to the top of the Big Ten and, perhaps soon, into the national rankings.
For the record, Indiana is not generating any top-25 poll points, but that could change based on the results of its next two games -- Auburn and Dec. 16 at home against No. 2/3 Kansas (8-1).
For now, the bench has lost freshman Gabe Cupps, who has started the last two games in Johnson's absence. The 2022 Ohio Mr. Basketball did not make a shot from the field (0-for-3) in that stretch, but he was 2-for-2 from the line, made three steals, grabbed three rebounds, hustled non-stop, and did all the little things that lead to winning.
"He's been steady," Woodson says. He's been steady ever since we brought him on campus.
"I'm pleased where he's at, but there's a lot of room for improvement. He has a long way to go. He's still trying to figure out the college game, but the fact that he competes, he loves to compete, he puts the work in, he doesn't look lost. Just put it that way."
Atlanta is a special place for Woodson. He spent four seasons as the Atlanta Hawks head coach while winning 206 games, the fourth most in franchise history.
He says returning to the city means a lot.
"I still have a home there," he says. "I have a lot of friends, and people that supported me when I first started my journey as a head coach.
"It was important that I take a game back there. I figure it would be special for the people who supported me all those years and who were in my corner. They are still there. It means a lot to me."
This is also a homecoming for Banks, who was Georgia Class 4A player of the year in 2022 for Fayette County High School.
"To get back home is really cool for me. I wasn't expecting this. I never thought that there would be an opportunity to play here at IU. I'm pretty happy about that."
As for Auburn, the Tigers are coming off a loss at Appalachian State. In that game, they were just 3-for-27 on 3-pointers and 9-for-19 from the line.
Don't think Woodson overlooks them. They have already beaten Notre Dame and Virginia Tech.
"They're a good team," he says. "They do a lot of good things. But any team is beatable. We've got to stick to our game plan and see where we go."
Auburn plays an aggressive, pressing defense designed to force turnovers. It has 44 steals in seven games. Opponents have committed 95 turnovers.
By comparison, in eight games, IU has 52 steals. Its opponents have committed 101 turnovers.
As far as facing that defensive pressure, Woodson says, "We just work. That's all we do. They're no different than other teams we play that apply pressure. We've got to handle the basketball, not turn it over and get shots.
"What they do to you, you've got to reverse it and do the same thing to them. That's how I look at it."
The Tigers are led by forward Johni Broome (18.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 57.0% shooting) and guard Aden Holloway (10.6 points).
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