01-07-2018, 06:40 AM
MINNEAPOLIS â Did Indiana find its watershed basketball moment?
Can the Hoosiers sustain the toughness from their 75-71 victory at Minnesota for a Big Ten run?
Will they finally rebound to their potential?
Coach Archie Miller has hope.
"The key is to get back to Assembly Hall and let's not go 0-3 coming off a positive opportunity for our team," Miller told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during the post-game radio show. "Let's bottle this up and get ready to go against Penn State."
The last two times IU, which hosts Penn State on Tuesday, had significant wins, over Iowa and Notre Dame, it lost the next game.
But these Hoosiers (9-7 overall, 2-2 in the Big Ten), without De'Ron Davis and Collin Hartman, showed that inconsistency might be over.
For instance â¦
This was the senior guard Robert Johnson Indiana has needed all season â decisive, aggressive, confident with his shot, and everything else. He had a career-high 28 points, plus seven assists and seven rebounds, and was huge down the stretch.
This was the freshman forward Justin Smith few expected to see this season â fearless, relentless and tenacious. He had a career-high 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting, plus grabbed three rebounds while playing solid defense.
This was the junior forward Juwan Morgan the Hoosiers have counted on all season â and the three-point beast they didn't. He had 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks. He was 3-for-4 on three-pointers after having made just 2-of-17 entering the game.
"I'm proud of our guys," Miller told Fischer. "We came in here a little bit short-handed. As in the case when that happens, it's opportunities for a lot of guys. Justin Smith was absolutely fantastic in his role. We could not have won without him.
"Rob and Juwan were big time. I can't say enough about their response and looking themselves in the eye after the Wisconsin. There was an attack mode about us."
IU had no choice but attack given its already thin frontcourt had taken a major hit with the leg injury to Davis, who averaged 9.6 points and 4.3 rebounds. He's out indefinitely after being hurt during Thursday's practice.
It didn't help that Hartman, coming off a career-high 18 points four days earlier at Wisconsin, was battling a sore right shoulder, and also didn't play.
That meant the old next-man-up approach and the Hoosiers bought into that in a big way.
"We endured a lot the last couple of days," Miller said. "It was a downer with De'Ron. Then Collin was not able to go.
"We stuck together. When you're tough and together, good things usually happen."
Morgan was the catalyst and it started with Thursday's practice, IU's first team workout after Tuesday's loss at Wisconsin.
"Juwan was really ready," Miller said. "He was disappointed after the Wisconsin game and the way he played.
"He practiced hard. Never asked for a break. He was a big motivating factor. To get a double-double on the road was impressive. He was a big part of the win."
He had plenty of company.
Zach McRoberts started and had seven rebounds, four steals and three assists to show, once again, you can make a difference without scoring a point.
"He was fantastic," Miller said. "He made a couple of huge plays when they made a run against us. He had a huge steal. He continues to give us wining plays."
Forward Freddie McSwain Jr. came off the bench for eight rebounds, five points and an assist in 16 minutes.
"Freddie played longer stretches," Miller said. "Without him, we wouldn't have been able to do it."
Freshman guard Aljami Durham took over for Josh Newkirk down the stretch and contributed two assists and two points.
"Al held down the fort the last 14 minutes at point guard to give us stability," Miller told Fischer. "A lot of guys stepped up."
Minnesota (13-4, 2-2) had its own frontcourt issues. Forward Amir Coffee, perhaps the Gophers' best overall player, was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Still, the Gophers had double-double machine Jordan Murphy, who was going for a NCAA-record tying 17 straight double doubles.
He got it with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but the Hoosiers didn't care. They won the rebound battle, 45-35, huge for a team that has struggled in that area all season.
"We were able to get second shots," Miller said. "That was something we didn't do at Wisconsin, and it cost us in the second half. We did a much better job. Freddie had a lot to do with it. Rob getting six defensive rebounds was big."
IU lost its way for about a seven-minute stretch ending the first half and beginning the second. It was outscored 25-8 and fell behind by eight points.
It could have broken the Hoosiers.
It did not.
In the end, it was Minnesota that broke.
Indiana started strong and led most of the first half. It built leads as large as nine points until a late 8-0 Minnesota run cut the Hoosiers lead to 32-31 at halftime.
The Gophers kept that momentum to push ahead 48-40. The Hoosiers pushed back with hustle by Morgan and McRoberts, and offense from Johnson, to take a 55-51 lead
Minnesota surged ahead 67-62 with less than five minutes left.
Could the Hoosiers produce a final, decisive run?
Yes.
Johnson and Smith hit huge shots as IU edged ahead 71-70.
Minnesota missed a couple of free throws. The Hoosiers hit a couple.
Indiana had survived.
"We outscored them 11-4 in the last four minutes," Miller told Fischer. "That's a pride thing. That's a big step for our team to finish the game."
http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2018/1/6/mens...esota.aspx
Can the Hoosiers sustain the toughness from their 75-71 victory at Minnesota for a Big Ten run?
Will they finally rebound to their potential?
Coach Archie Miller has hope.
"The key is to get back to Assembly Hall and let's not go 0-3 coming off a positive opportunity for our team," Miller told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during the post-game radio show. "Let's bottle this up and get ready to go against Penn State."
The last two times IU, which hosts Penn State on Tuesday, had significant wins, over Iowa and Notre Dame, it lost the next game.
But these Hoosiers (9-7 overall, 2-2 in the Big Ten), without De'Ron Davis and Collin Hartman, showed that inconsistency might be over.
For instance â¦
This was the senior guard Robert Johnson Indiana has needed all season â decisive, aggressive, confident with his shot, and everything else. He had a career-high 28 points, plus seven assists and seven rebounds, and was huge down the stretch.
This was the freshman forward Justin Smith few expected to see this season â fearless, relentless and tenacious. He had a career-high 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting, plus grabbed three rebounds while playing solid defense.
This was the junior forward Juwan Morgan the Hoosiers have counted on all season â and the three-point beast they didn't. He had 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks. He was 3-for-4 on three-pointers after having made just 2-of-17 entering the game.
"I'm proud of our guys," Miller told Fischer. "We came in here a little bit short-handed. As in the case when that happens, it's opportunities for a lot of guys. Justin Smith was absolutely fantastic in his role. We could not have won without him.
"Rob and Juwan were big time. I can't say enough about their response and looking themselves in the eye after the Wisconsin. There was an attack mode about us."
IU had no choice but attack given its already thin frontcourt had taken a major hit with the leg injury to Davis, who averaged 9.6 points and 4.3 rebounds. He's out indefinitely after being hurt during Thursday's practice.
It didn't help that Hartman, coming off a career-high 18 points four days earlier at Wisconsin, was battling a sore right shoulder, and also didn't play.
That meant the old next-man-up approach and the Hoosiers bought into that in a big way.
"We endured a lot the last couple of days," Miller said. "It was a downer with De'Ron. Then Collin was not able to go.
"We stuck together. When you're tough and together, good things usually happen."
Morgan was the catalyst and it started with Thursday's practice, IU's first team workout after Tuesday's loss at Wisconsin.
"Juwan was really ready," Miller said. "He was disappointed after the Wisconsin game and the way he played.
"He practiced hard. Never asked for a break. He was a big motivating factor. To get a double-double on the road was impressive. He was a big part of the win."
He had plenty of company.
Zach McRoberts started and had seven rebounds, four steals and three assists to show, once again, you can make a difference without scoring a point.
"He was fantastic," Miller said. "He made a couple of huge plays when they made a run against us. He had a huge steal. He continues to give us wining plays."
Forward Freddie McSwain Jr. came off the bench for eight rebounds, five points and an assist in 16 minutes.
"Freddie played longer stretches," Miller said. "Without him, we wouldn't have been able to do it."
Freshman guard Aljami Durham took over for Josh Newkirk down the stretch and contributed two assists and two points.
"Al held down the fort the last 14 minutes at point guard to give us stability," Miller told Fischer. "A lot of guys stepped up."
Minnesota (13-4, 2-2) had its own frontcourt issues. Forward Amir Coffee, perhaps the Gophers' best overall player, was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Still, the Gophers had double-double machine Jordan Murphy, who was going for a NCAA-record tying 17 straight double doubles.
He got it with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but the Hoosiers didn't care. They won the rebound battle, 45-35, huge for a team that has struggled in that area all season.
"We were able to get second shots," Miller said. "That was something we didn't do at Wisconsin, and it cost us in the second half. We did a much better job. Freddie had a lot to do with it. Rob getting six defensive rebounds was big."
IU lost its way for about a seven-minute stretch ending the first half and beginning the second. It was outscored 25-8 and fell behind by eight points.
It could have broken the Hoosiers.
It did not.
In the end, it was Minnesota that broke.
Indiana started strong and led most of the first half. It built leads as large as nine points until a late 8-0 Minnesota run cut the Hoosiers lead to 32-31 at halftime.
The Gophers kept that momentum to push ahead 48-40. The Hoosiers pushed back with hustle by Morgan and McRoberts, and offense from Johnson, to take a 55-51 lead
Minnesota surged ahead 67-62 with less than five minutes left.
Could the Hoosiers produce a final, decisive run?
Yes.
Johnson and Smith hit huge shots as IU edged ahead 71-70.
Minnesota missed a couple of free throws. The Hoosiers hit a couple.
Indiana had survived.
"We outscored them 11-4 in the last four minutes," Miller told Fischer. "That's a pride thing. That's a big step for our team to finish the game."
http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2018/1/6/mens...esota.aspx