Indiana University Athletics
Friday, January 31
West Lafayette, Ind.
8 p.m.
Indiana University
at
Purdue
IU Seeks to Find Gold in Closing Basketball Stretch
1/31/2025 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana Hoosiers aren't giving up. Guard Anthony Leal made that clear amid four-losses-in-five-games disappointment. Opportunity is there despite a brutal upcoming four-game stretch of road contests against No. 10/10 Purdue, No. 17/17 Wisconsin and No. 7/7 Michigan State, and a home game against previously ranked Michigan.
"Those are golden opportunities for us to get over the hump, figure it out, and continue learning how to win," Leal said. "If we string some of those wins together, it changes everything."
Change is a priority in the wake of a 5-5 Big Ten record, 14-7 overall, and it starts with defense. Coach Mike Woodson believes defensive dominance is within reach for his Hoosiers. He's seen it in flashes, even from the 3-point line, but consistency remains elusive.
If Woodson can get IU to sustain it, if it clicks in to becomes the 40-minute norm, then it has chance Friday night at Purdue (16-5, 8-2); it has a chance in these final 10 regular games to make a huge closing statement.
"We haven't been the defensive team that I thought we should be the last two games," Woodson told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during Monday night's radio show. "We have not guarded the 3-point shot very well and that's mind boggling to me."
IU has allowed at least 11 three-pointers in each of its last five games. Woodson told Fischer defensive mistakes in "critical times" were major factors. He said he took "full responsibility," but added the players must be better in late-game situations.
Maryland coach Kevin Willard said the offensive key against Indiana is to "make shots."
"The way they play defense is they really collapse the paint," he said following the Terps' 79-78 victory on Sunday. "They do it as well as anybody in college basketball, so you have to make shots.
"We told our guards, stop going in the paint and challenging (IU center Oumar Ballo). Just shoot 3s. We got some open ones and made them."
IU's Maryland loss was a disappointment given it came at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and that the Hoosiers had taken a four-point lead with 38 seconds remaining on Leal's three-point play.
"Anytime you lose a game like that," Woodson told Fischer, "Morale is a little low. I don't have time for that as a coach. I'm not made like that.
"It's not going to always go your way. People are not always going to cheer for you. I get all that. I can't concern myself about it and (our players) can't either.
"You've got to figure it out. You've got to get them back feeling good about themselves. We've got a big game coming up. We've got to get them ready to go."
Purdue is coming off a 91-64 win over then No. 21 Michigan. That was its sixth game in 16 days, including a West Coast trip to Oregon and Washington. It won five of those games, the only loss coming to Ohio State, which snapped its 26-game winning streak at Mackey Arena.
The Boilers' strength of schedule is ranked No. 2 nationally by KenPom, behind only Alabama. They have ranked wins over then No. 2 Alabama, No. 23 Ole Miss, and No. 13 Oregon, and losses to then No. 15 Marquette, No. 17 Texas A&M, and No. 2 Auburn.
Preventing point guard Braden Smith from recording a double-double is crucial. Purdue is 17-0 over Smith's career when he has a double-double. He has eight this season.
Smith averages 15.4 points and 4.8 rebounds. He has 187 assists against 58 turnovers. He leads the Boilers in assists, 3-point baskets (47), and steals (50).
Forward Trey Kaufman-Renn leads the team in scoring (18.1 points) and rebounding (6.3). Guard Fletcher Loyer averages 14.0 points.
Eight Boilers average at least 16.0 minutes a game.
Purdue is in Big Ten title contention -- it's second behind Michigan State (9-0) -- despite the loss of two-time national player of the year Zach Edey, who is now in the NBA.
Woodson told Fischer that Smith and Kaufman-Renn have ensured the Boilermakers haven't "missed a major beat" without Edey.
Purdue won both meetings last season after the Hoosiers swept the series the previous year. Woodson is 3-3 against the Boilermakers.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana Hoosiers aren't giving up. Guard Anthony Leal made that clear amid four-losses-in-five-games disappointment. Opportunity is there despite a brutal upcoming four-game stretch of road contests against No. 10/10 Purdue, No. 17/17 Wisconsin and No. 7/7 Michigan State, and a home game against previously ranked Michigan.
"Those are golden opportunities for us to get over the hump, figure it out, and continue learning how to win," Leal said. "If we string some of those wins together, it changes everything."
Change is a priority in the wake of a 5-5 Big Ten record, 14-7 overall, and it starts with defense. Coach Mike Woodson believes defensive dominance is within reach for his Hoosiers. He's seen it in flashes, even from the 3-point line, but consistency remains elusive.
If Woodson can get IU to sustain it, if it clicks in to becomes the 40-minute norm, then it has chance Friday night at Purdue (16-5, 8-2); it has a chance in these final 10 regular games to make a huge closing statement.
"We haven't been the defensive team that I thought we should be the last two games," Woodson told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during Monday night's radio show. "We have not guarded the 3-point shot very well and that's mind boggling to me."
IU has allowed at least 11 three-pointers in each of its last five games. Woodson told Fischer defensive mistakes in "critical times" were major factors. He said he took "full responsibility," but added the players must be better in late-game situations.
Maryland coach Kevin Willard said the offensive key against Indiana is to "make shots."
"The way they play defense is they really collapse the paint," he said following the Terps' 79-78 victory on Sunday. "They do it as well as anybody in college basketball, so you have to make shots.
"We told our guards, stop going in the paint and challenging (IU center Oumar Ballo). Just shoot 3s. We got some open ones and made them."
IU's Maryland loss was a disappointment given it came at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and that the Hoosiers had taken a four-point lead with 38 seconds remaining on Leal's three-point play.
"Anytime you lose a game like that," Woodson told Fischer, "Morale is a little low. I don't have time for that as a coach. I'm not made like that.
"It's not going to always go your way. People are not always going to cheer for you. I get all that. I can't concern myself about it and (our players) can't either.
"You've got to figure it out. You've got to get them back feeling good about themselves. We've got a big game coming up. We've got to get them ready to go."
Purdue is coming off a 91-64 win over then No. 21 Michigan. That was its sixth game in 16 days, including a West Coast trip to Oregon and Washington. It won five of those games, the only loss coming to Ohio State, which snapped its 26-game winning streak at Mackey Arena.
The Boilers' strength of schedule is ranked No. 2 nationally by KenPom, behind only Alabama. They have ranked wins over then No. 2 Alabama, No. 23 Ole Miss, and No. 13 Oregon, and losses to then No. 15 Marquette, No. 17 Texas A&M, and No. 2 Auburn.
Preventing point guard Braden Smith from recording a double-double is crucial. Purdue is 17-0 over Smith's career when he has a double-double. He has eight this season.
Smith averages 15.4 points and 4.8 rebounds. He has 187 assists against 58 turnovers. He leads the Boilers in assists, 3-point baskets (47), and steals (50).
Forward Trey Kaufman-Renn leads the team in scoring (18.1 points) and rebounding (6.3). Guard Fletcher Loyer averages 14.0 points.
Eight Boilers average at least 16.0 minutes a game.
Purdue is in Big Ten title contention -- it's second behind Michigan State (9-0) -- despite the loss of two-time national player of the year Zach Edey, who is now in the NBA.
Woodson told Fischer that Smith and Kaufman-Renn have ensured the Boilermakers haven't "missed a major beat" without Edey.
Purdue won both meetings last season after the Hoosiers swept the series the previous year. Woodson is 3-3 against the Boilermakers.
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