Indiana wrapped up non-conference play with a 77-68 win in opposition to Winthrop on Sunday at Simon Skjodt Meeting Corridor.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the win in opposition to the Eagles:
Langdon Hatton delivers for a short-handed IU frontcourt
Langdon Hatton’s minutes had been restricted by means of Indiana’s first 12 video games. However with Oumar Ballo unavailable to play and Malik Reneau battling foul points, it was Hatton’s flip to make an influence in opposition to Winthrop.
And the senior from Georgetown, Indiana, delivered his finest efficiency this season.
Hatton logged a season-high 26 minutes in Sunday’s win and completed with seven factors, 11 rebounds, three blocked pictures, an help and a steal.
He was 1-for-3 from the sphere and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line.
“Being from Indiana, it’s only a dream to even be on the crew,” Hatton mentioned postgame. “So when your quantity will get referred to as, it’s like a dream come true. So it’s fairly superior. Simply excited to have the ability to assist the crew out.”
Whether or not Hatton’s play results in a much bigger function transferring ahead stays to be seen, however his essentially sound play and hustle have been a welcome addition to Sunday’s win.
With just one huge, the ground opened up for Myles Rice
With Ballo unavailable and the Hoosiers enjoying a one-big lineup all afternoon, Myles Rice had more room within the lane to function.
Rice took benefit early and sometimes on his solution to a game-high 18 factors.
The redshirt sophomore did most of his injury on the rim as he shot 7-for-10 on 2s. Rice additionally dished out three assists and had three steals in 32 minutes.
“I noticed them pressuring me just about 75 % of the size of the court docket,” Rice mentioned postgame. “They have been making an attempt to strain me at halfcourt, and to me, I discovered that like a bit of bit disrespectful simply due to my velocity and my quickness.
“And I simply noticed my alternatives to assault whether or not they have been making an attempt to love cease me from going a method and I’d simply go different manner. However any time anyone tries to strain me full court docket, I really feel like I’ve the benefit simply due to my velocity and my quickness.”
By 13 video games, Rice is taking pictures near 57 % on 2s and has six video games of 17 or extra factors.
A dismal perimeter taking pictures efficiency
Luke Goode made Indiana’s first 3-point try of the sport on the 17:04 mark of the primary half.
It might be the one time the Hoosiers related from deep all through the sport.
Indiana shot a dismal 1-for-20 (5 %) from distance and is now taking pictures 30.6 % on 3s this season. That ranks 278th within the nation.
“You’re at all times involved about them,” Mike Woodson mentioned postgame when requested if he was involved concerning the outdoors taking pictures. “We’re taking pictures them. And once more, in the event that they have been dangerous threes, then I’d actually sit right here and complain. However they have been good threes, and I be ok with the blokes which might be taking pictures them.
“So once more, ultimately, they’re going to make them. That’s how I believe.”
With non-conference play full, Indiana ranks 353rd within the nation in level distribution from 3-pointers. The Hoosiers are scoring simply 22 % of their factors off of 3s. Amongst high-major groups, solely Michigan State and Syracuse rank decrease.
Indiana finishes non-conference play with no wins of significance
Non-conference play is full,and Indiana has 18 video games remaining, all of which can come in opposition to Huge Ten opponents.
The Hoosiers have important work to do after not recording a single important win in non-conference play.
Indiana wager huge on the Battle 4 Atlantis as a chance for resume worthy wins and misplaced that gamble. The Hoosiers have been blown out by Louisville and Gonzaga after which beat Windfall, ranked simply 78th in KenPom.
The most effective win on IU’s resume is at the moment South Carolina. The Gamecocks are the lowest-ranked KenPom crew at No. 63 within the Southeastern Convention.
With this system outdoors the NCAA event subject in most projections and with only a 20.8 % probability to return to March Insanity in line with Bart Torvik’s TourneyCast, the Hoosiers might want to end a number of video games over .500 in league play to construct a tournament-worthy resume.
“Each recreation is vital transferring ahead,” Woodson mentioned postgame. “Can’t look again. Each recreation is vital. We’ve bought Rutgers coming in. That’s my solely focus proper now.”
Woodson doesn’t tackle the absence of Oumar Ballo
Regardless of being in his warm-up shirt and sweet stripe pants, Oumar Ballo by no means warmed up for Sunday’s recreation.
Ballo additionally gave the impression to be strolling round simply high quality after being listed as questionable on the Huge Ten’s availability report earlier within the day.
In his postgame press convention, Woodson was requested concerning the nature of Ballo’s absence and the way lengthy he needed to put together for it.
“I’m not going to handle that,” Woodson mentioned. “However didn’t have a number of lead time. However that doesn’t matter. You realize, guys which might be in uniform have gotten to play, and he didn’t play tonight, and you already know, we’ll sit down tomorrow and tackle his state of affairs and prepare for Rutgers.”
With Ballo out, Reneau began on the 5 and completed with 14 factors and 7 rebounds in simply 14 minutes resulting from foul hassle.
Filed to: Winthrop Eagles
