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X Factor – Johnson Could Play a Key Role at Illinois
1/27/2024 10:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Guards rule college basketball.
This much we know. This much Mike Woodson knows. As the Indiana Hoosiers head to No. 10/11 Illinois on Saturday afternoon seeking to snap a two-game losing streak, three straight on the road, good guard play is crucial, which is why Xavier Johnson is crucial.
"We've got to get him back," Woodson says.
Specifically, Indiana (12-7 overall, 4-4 in the Big Ten) needs the Johnson from the spring of 2022, when he and forward Trayce Jackson-Davis were catalysts in the Hoosiers' return to the NCAA tourney.
Since then that Johnson, who was as good as any Big Ten guard down the stretch, has been mainly missing in action because of injuries and resulting frustration.
Woodson has been there and done that, when a back injury wiped out most of his senior season (although he returned in time to lead IU to a Big Ten title and earn conference MVP honors) and threatened to end his career.
"It's deflating," he says. "Mentally, it crushes you."
At times, Johnson has played crushed. This season, he averages career lows in scoring (7.8 points) and shooting (38.7%). He basically has the same number of turnovers (23) as assists (25), a dramatic change from a career in which he's averaged twice as many assists as turnovers.
When healthy and focused, Johnson brings offense, defense, ball handling, and direction fellow guards Trey Galloway, Gabe Cupps, and CJ Gunn cannot consistently duplicate.
Case in point -- his 18-point, three-assist, zero-turnover effort against Ohio State earlier this month.
Johnson's struggles are mirrored by the Hoosiers, who have played poorly in consecutive games against Purdue at home and Wisconsin on the road.
"We are soul searching as a team," Woodson says.
Johnson tops the soul-searching list.
"Since his injuries," Woodson says, "he's been up and down. He's been trying to find himself."
Woodson says he's frustrated for Johnson because this is the sixth-year senior's final college season.
"This is his last go-around. He doesn't get an opportunity to come back to college and play basketball again. What he's gone through really the last year and a half has been tough.
"He's had a few good days of practice. I'm going to keep encouraging him. Hopefully, we'll get the old X back because we're going to need him as we continue this journey through the Big Ten."
That journey remains perimeter oriented. Wisconsin, Purdue (even with dominating center Zach Edey), and Illinois set the Big Ten pace with quality guard play.
"You go around the Big Ten and you look at all the teams, it's the perimeter play," Woodson says. "The point guards are really playing extremely well."
Beyond IU guards, center Kel'el Ware's status for Saturday remains unclear after missing the Wisconsin game with an injury. Woodson says Ware did non-contact drills and work during Wednesday's practice.
"It was nothing where he had to cut, block out, or block shots," Woodson says. "He basically did some endurance stuff on the floor with us during warmups."
The 7-foot Ware is a formidable presence, averaging 14.2 points and 9.4 rebounds along with a team-leading 27 blocks.
Even without him at Wisconsin, IU scored 79 points, including 53 in the second half. The problem -- the Hoosiers gave up 91.
"We scored enough points," Woodson says. "We shot the hell out of the ball, but our defense stunk.
"If you go on the road with just an offensive mentality, you stand to lose. You've got to have a defensive mentality and rebound to keep the game intact.
"That's on me. I've got to get us playing defense."
An eight-day break gave the Hoosiers time to find their defensive focus.
"We've had some tough days of practice, which we should," Woodson says. "That's the only way you're going to work your way out of this."
Illinois (14-5, 5-3) pushes a fast pace with a strong perimeter approach. It's made at least six 3-pointers in 14-straight games. Its 82.7-point offensive average ranks third in the Big Ten behind Purdue (85.8) and Iowa (85.1).
The Illini are coming off a 96-91 Wednesday night overtime loss at Northwestern, which has also beaten Purdue at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Guard Terrence Shannon Jr. is back off suspension. The 6-6 senior averages 20.5 point and 4.2 rebounds, and rates among the Big Ten's best 3-point shooters and defenders.
Three other Illini average in double figures -- 6-6 guard Marcus Domask (15.1 points), 6-10 forward Coleman Hawkins (12.0), and 6-8 forward Quincy Guerrier (11.8).
Despite playing small much of the time, they outrebound opponents 43.3 to 33.6. Eight players average at least 3.1 rebounds a game, led by Guerrier's 8.1. Hawkins averages 6.6 rebounds.
Against Northwestern, Hawkins had 22 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Domask added 22 points. Guerrier had 15 points and 11 rebounds.
"We're going to be tested at Illinois," Woodson says. "I watched them play (at Northwestern), and it was a very competitive game, a high-powered game. We've got to commit ourselves for 40 minutes."
That commitment will require a full-throttle pace IU big men will have to sustain.
"The big challenge is that we've got to make sure we get our bigs back in transition because (the Illini) are pushing every opportunity they get," Woodson says.
At that point, he adds, "it's not going to matter who is guarding who. You've got to make sure we get the ball stopped and we've got a body on a body."
Forwards Malik Reneau and Anthony Walker, and Ware if he plays, will likely have to defend guards. Of course, those guards will have to defend the Hoosiers.
"There's going to be times the big fella might play one of their smaller players," Woodson says. "That's the nature of how they play.
"We've got to take advantage our size inside and see how they play us.
"They are a different team, more different than any we've played this season. You're going to get a dose of small basketball."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Guards rule college basketball.
This much we know. This much Mike Woodson knows. As the Indiana Hoosiers head to No. 10/11 Illinois on Saturday afternoon seeking to snap a two-game losing streak, three straight on the road, good guard play is crucial, which is why Xavier Johnson is crucial.
"We've got to get him back," Woodson says.
Specifically, Indiana (12-7 overall, 4-4 in the Big Ten) needs the Johnson from the spring of 2022, when he and forward Trayce Jackson-Davis were catalysts in the Hoosiers' return to the NCAA tourney.
Since then that Johnson, who was as good as any Big Ten guard down the stretch, has been mainly missing in action because of injuries and resulting frustration.
Woodson has been there and done that, when a back injury wiped out most of his senior season (although he returned in time to lead IU to a Big Ten title and earn conference MVP honors) and threatened to end his career.
"It's deflating," he says. "Mentally, it crushes you."
At times, Johnson has played crushed. This season, he averages career lows in scoring (7.8 points) and shooting (38.7%). He basically has the same number of turnovers (23) as assists (25), a dramatic change from a career in which he's averaged twice as many assists as turnovers.
When healthy and focused, Johnson brings offense, defense, ball handling, and direction fellow guards Trey Galloway, Gabe Cupps, and CJ Gunn cannot consistently duplicate.
Case in point -- his 18-point, three-assist, zero-turnover effort against Ohio State earlier this month.
Johnson's struggles are mirrored by the Hoosiers, who have played poorly in consecutive games against Purdue at home and Wisconsin on the road.
"We are soul searching as a team," Woodson says.
Johnson tops the soul-searching list.
"Since his injuries," Woodson says, "he's been up and down. He's been trying to find himself."
Woodson says he's frustrated for Johnson because this is the sixth-year senior's final college season.
"This is his last go-around. He doesn't get an opportunity to come back to college and play basketball again. What he's gone through really the last year and a half has been tough.
"He's had a few good days of practice. I'm going to keep encouraging him. Hopefully, we'll get the old X back because we're going to need him as we continue this journey through the Big Ten."
That journey remains perimeter oriented. Wisconsin, Purdue (even with dominating center Zach Edey), and Illinois set the Big Ten pace with quality guard play.
"You go around the Big Ten and you look at all the teams, it's the perimeter play," Woodson says. "The point guards are really playing extremely well."
Beyond IU guards, center Kel'el Ware's status for Saturday remains unclear after missing the Wisconsin game with an injury. Woodson says Ware did non-contact drills and work during Wednesday's practice.
"It was nothing where he had to cut, block out, or block shots," Woodson says. "He basically did some endurance stuff on the floor with us during warmups."
The 7-foot Ware is a formidable presence, averaging 14.2 points and 9.4 rebounds along with a team-leading 27 blocks.
Even without him at Wisconsin, IU scored 79 points, including 53 in the second half. The problem -- the Hoosiers gave up 91.
"We scored enough points," Woodson says. "We shot the hell out of the ball, but our defense stunk.
"If you go on the road with just an offensive mentality, you stand to lose. You've got to have a defensive mentality and rebound to keep the game intact.
"That's on me. I've got to get us playing defense."
An eight-day break gave the Hoosiers time to find their defensive focus.
"We've had some tough days of practice, which we should," Woodson says. "That's the only way you're going to work your way out of this."
Illinois (14-5, 5-3) pushes a fast pace with a strong perimeter approach. It's made at least six 3-pointers in 14-straight games. Its 82.7-point offensive average ranks third in the Big Ten behind Purdue (85.8) and Iowa (85.1).
The Illini are coming off a 96-91 Wednesday night overtime loss at Northwestern, which has also beaten Purdue at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Guard Terrence Shannon Jr. is back off suspension. The 6-6 senior averages 20.5 point and 4.2 rebounds, and rates among the Big Ten's best 3-point shooters and defenders.
Three other Illini average in double figures -- 6-6 guard Marcus Domask (15.1 points), 6-10 forward Coleman Hawkins (12.0), and 6-8 forward Quincy Guerrier (11.8).
Despite playing small much of the time, they outrebound opponents 43.3 to 33.6. Eight players average at least 3.1 rebounds a game, led by Guerrier's 8.1. Hawkins averages 6.6 rebounds.
Against Northwestern, Hawkins had 22 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Domask added 22 points. Guerrier had 15 points and 11 rebounds.
"We're going to be tested at Illinois," Woodson says. "I watched them play (at Northwestern), and it was a very competitive game, a high-powered game. We've got to commit ourselves for 40 minutes."
That commitment will require a full-throttle pace IU big men will have to sustain.
"The big challenge is that we've got to make sure we get our bigs back in transition because (the Illini) are pushing every opportunity they get," Woodson says.
At that point, he adds, "it's not going to matter who is guarding who. You've got to make sure we get the ball stopped and we've got a body on a body."
Forwards Malik Reneau and Anthony Walker, and Ware if he plays, will likely have to defend guards. Of course, those guards will have to defend the Hoosiers.
"There's going to be times the big fella might play one of their smaller players," Woodson says. "That's the nature of how they play.
"We've got to take advantage our size inside and see how they play us.
"They are a different team, more different than any we've played this season. You're going to get a dose of small basketball."
Players Mentioned
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