Indiana University Athletics
Friday, December 13
Lincoln, Neb.
8 p.m.
Indiana University
at
Nebraska
Working Magic – Hoosiers Seek Consistent Energy Against Nebraska
12/13/2024 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Kanaan Carlyle has watched it, played in it, practiced for it. The Indiana sophomore guard recognizes the elite basketball potential and while the Hoosiers (8-2 overall, 1-0 in the Big Ten) haven't yet reached it, progress puts it within reach.
"When we're playing fast," Carlyle says, "when we're all sharing the rock and we all play together, it works magic. When we're all scoring, when we all are up playing defense and bringing high energy, I don't think there's a team in the country that can beat us. "
IU's next chance to test that thought comes Friday night at Nebraska (6-2). It will be the Hoosiers' first true road game. They went 1-2 in three neutral site games as part of the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.
Their inconsistency, Carlyle adds, comes from getting comfortable rather than sustaining urgency and intensity.
"That's when stuff starts to fall off and that's when teams start to make their runs back," he says. "We've got to make sure we put a good 40 minutes together where we play hard all 40 and not in spurts."
Carlyle played mostly spurt-free during Monday night's Big Ten-opening home win against Minnesota. He totaled 14 points, five assists, and three rebounds in 22 off-the-bench minutes. His 5-for-8 shooting, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range, suggested he's finding his offensive form after early season shooting struggles. He had missed the three previous games with an injury.
Carlyle's aggressive defense helped limit the Gophers to 2-for-11 3-point shooting, although he did pick up four fouls in the process. His defense has been solid since arriving in Bloomington after transferring from Stanford.
"Every day, we take pride in our defense," he says. "(Coach Mike Woodson) preaches defense every day. I knew when I came here, my job was going to be to be that of a two-way player. I take pride in that individually and my teammates all encourage me. It's easy for me to bring that energy when you've got teammates behind you who bring the same energy."
Freshman wing Bryson Tucker also brought off-the-bench energy against Minnesota with 16 points and six rebounds in 20 minutes. Woodson says he wants that kind of energy and effort from everyone.
"He came off the bench and played extremely well," Woodson says. "Somebody's got to come off the bench, so it's not who starts and who comes off the bench, it's the minutes that you get and what you do with those minutes to help us win. I've always believed that.
"If you play two minutes, then you'd better make it the best two minutes you can to help us win. That's what it's all about. That's what team is about."
IU also got major contributions from inside players Oumar Ballo (18 points on 5-for-5 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists, one block, one steal) and Malik Reneau (16 points, seven rebounds, four assists). Woodson will continue to feature them in a big lineup, but he isn't afraid to go smaller and just play one of them if the situation warrants it.
"It's going to be bigs throughout the Big Ten games that we play," he says. "When we have a chance to go small, we try to do that, too. We've done that every game this season.
"You gauge it based on how the game is going and who's in the game. If our small team is rolling, we'll roll with them until we have to sub because we feel like they might be a little tired and move to the big line-up. It's been good for us both ways."
Facing that size, Minnesota coach Ben Johnson says, is formidable.
"We knew going in they were really good. They've got terrific size, and they played to their strengths. They did a good job of making shots all the way around.
"They had that constant body blow, body blow. They had really good resolve. They made it tough for us to do some stuff offensively."
IU guard Gabe Cupps is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery for what a university official called a pre-existing, nagging lower body injury. Injuries have limited him to four games and 25 total minutes.
As for Nebraska, it is 5-0 at Pinnacle Bank Arena this season. It beat the Hoosiers three times last season, each by at least 15 points. This year, the Cornhuskers have won at then No. 14 Creighton 74-63. They scored 103 points against North Florida. They lost at No. 21 Michigan State 89-52.
Guard Brice Williams averages 17.5 points and shoots 37.9% from 3-point range. Guard Connor Essegian, a Wisconsin transfer, averages 13.0 points and shoots 42.6% on 3-pointers. Forward Juan Gary averages 10.6 points
Coach Fred Hoiberg, who brought in six college transfers, continues to emphasize 3-point shooting, although this team isn't as successful as last year's group. Nebraska is shooting just 29.8% beyond the arc. Still, it averages 6.8 made 3-point baskets per game.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Kanaan Carlyle has watched it, played in it, practiced for it. The Indiana sophomore guard recognizes the elite basketball potential and while the Hoosiers (8-2 overall, 1-0 in the Big Ten) haven't yet reached it, progress puts it within reach.
"When we're playing fast," Carlyle says, "when we're all sharing the rock and we all play together, it works magic. When we're all scoring, when we all are up playing defense and bringing high energy, I don't think there's a team in the country that can beat us. "
IU's next chance to test that thought comes Friday night at Nebraska (6-2). It will be the Hoosiers' first true road game. They went 1-2 in three neutral site games as part of the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.
Their inconsistency, Carlyle adds, comes from getting comfortable rather than sustaining urgency and intensity.
"That's when stuff starts to fall off and that's when teams start to make their runs back," he says. "We've got to make sure we put a good 40 minutes together where we play hard all 40 and not in spurts."
Carlyle played mostly spurt-free during Monday night's Big Ten-opening home win against Minnesota. He totaled 14 points, five assists, and three rebounds in 22 off-the-bench minutes. His 5-for-8 shooting, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range, suggested he's finding his offensive form after early season shooting struggles. He had missed the three previous games with an injury.
Carlyle's aggressive defense helped limit the Gophers to 2-for-11 3-point shooting, although he did pick up four fouls in the process. His defense has been solid since arriving in Bloomington after transferring from Stanford.
"Every day, we take pride in our defense," he says. "(Coach Mike Woodson) preaches defense every day. I knew when I came here, my job was going to be to be that of a two-way player. I take pride in that individually and my teammates all encourage me. It's easy for me to bring that energy when you've got teammates behind you who bring the same energy."
Freshman wing Bryson Tucker also brought off-the-bench energy against Minnesota with 16 points and six rebounds in 20 minutes. Woodson says he wants that kind of energy and effort from everyone.
"He came off the bench and played extremely well," Woodson says. "Somebody's got to come off the bench, so it's not who starts and who comes off the bench, it's the minutes that you get and what you do with those minutes to help us win. I've always believed that.
"If you play two minutes, then you'd better make it the best two minutes you can to help us win. That's what it's all about. That's what team is about."
IU also got major contributions from inside players Oumar Ballo (18 points on 5-for-5 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists, one block, one steal) and Malik Reneau (16 points, seven rebounds, four assists). Woodson will continue to feature them in a big lineup, but he isn't afraid to go smaller and just play one of them if the situation warrants it.
"It's going to be bigs throughout the Big Ten games that we play," he says. "When we have a chance to go small, we try to do that, too. We've done that every game this season.
"You gauge it based on how the game is going and who's in the game. If our small team is rolling, we'll roll with them until we have to sub because we feel like they might be a little tired and move to the big line-up. It's been good for us both ways."
Facing that size, Minnesota coach Ben Johnson says, is formidable.
"We knew going in they were really good. They've got terrific size, and they played to their strengths. They did a good job of making shots all the way around.
"They had that constant body blow, body blow. They had really good resolve. They made it tough for us to do some stuff offensively."
IU guard Gabe Cupps is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery for what a university official called a pre-existing, nagging lower body injury. Injuries have limited him to four games and 25 total minutes.
As for Nebraska, it is 5-0 at Pinnacle Bank Arena this season. It beat the Hoosiers three times last season, each by at least 15 points. This year, the Cornhuskers have won at then No. 14 Creighton 74-63. They scored 103 points against North Florida. They lost at No. 21 Michigan State 89-52.
Guard Brice Williams averages 17.5 points and shoots 37.9% from 3-point range. Guard Connor Essegian, a Wisconsin transfer, averages 13.0 points and shoots 42.6% on 3-pointers. Forward Juan Gary averages 10.6 points
Coach Fred Hoiberg, who brought in six college transfers, continues to emphasize 3-point shooting, although this team isn't as successful as last year's group. Nebraska is shooting just 29.8% beyond the arc. Still, it averages 6.8 made 3-point baskets per game.
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