Mike Woodson’s first Indiana crew was constructed on protection.
In response to KenPom, the Hoosiers completed the 2021-22 season with the nation’s Twenty fourth-best protection. The protection allowed IU to beat a below-average offense in Huge Ten play.
That Indiana crew completed Huge Ten play with the league’s prime protection at 1.008 factors per possession allowed. The Hoosiers ranked third within the convention in 2-point discipline aim proportion protection (46.7) and first in block proportion (13.3).
Defensively, that season was the excessive level up to now throughout Woodson’s tenure in Bloomington.
Indiana’s protection has moved backward within the final two seasons. Within the 2022-23 season, Indiana completed with the nation’s Forty fifth-best protection and allowed 1.041 factors per possession in convention video games.
Final season, the Hoosiers slipped to 84th nationally defensively whereas permitting 1.079 factors per possession in opposition to Huge Ten opponents.
The previous two seasons have proven deficiencies defensively for this system. Within the 2022-23 season, Indiana ranked eleventh in defensive turnover proportion, twelfth in defensive rebounding proportion and 14th in opponent free throw fee (FTA/FGA) in convention video games.
Final season, the Hoosiers ranked tenth in defensive turnover proportion, ninth in defensive rebounding proportion and eighth in opponent free-throw fee in league video games.
Turnover proportion in Huge Ten play: 14.3 % in 2022-23; 14.3 % in 2023-24Defensive rebounding proportion in Huge Ten play: 29 % in 2022-23; 30.5 % in 2023-24Opponent free throw fee in Huge Ten play: 32.6 % in 2022-23; 34.3 % in 2023-24
The opponent free throw fee has been constantly poor over the past three seasons — it was 31.1 % in his first season — however defensive rebounding and turnovers have taken a step again the earlier two seasons. In IU’s first season below Woodson, the Hoosiers had the fourth-best defensive turnover fee within the league (17.5) and seventh-best defensive rebounding proportion (26.1).
Because the Hoosiers put together for the 2024-25 season and expectations to compete close to the highest of the Huge Ten, returning the protection to the close to the shape it exhibited in Woodson’s first season is essential.
Rebounding needs to be close to the highest of the record of priorities for Indiana to shore up. Regardless of having the 4th tallest crew within the nation final season, Indiana ranked simply 211th within the nation on the defensive glass. Indiana misplaced its greatest rebounder from a season in the past – Kel’el Ware – however changed him with Oumar Ballo, who’s even higher on the glass. Ballo will once more be one of many nation’s greatest rebounders, however Indiana must do higher round him on the glass.
Reversing its fall in forcing turnovers would additionally present a lift defensively. After forcing a turnover on 17.7 % of its possessions in Woodson’s first season, that proportion fell to 16.3 in season two and 14.9 final season.
With no scarcity of proficient guards coming into the season in Myles Rice, Kanaan Carlyle and Trey Galloway, higher ball strain and producing extra alternatives to attain in transition is a possible space for enchancment. Rice, particularly, seems able to serving to on this space. He completed final season with 56 steals and a strong steal proportion of two.9. Trey Galloway led Indiana final season with 36 steals.
Indiana would even be nicely served to enhance its fouling points. Attending to the road has been a constant energy below Woodson, however the Hoosiers additionally ship their opponents to the road an excessive amount of. Final season, Indiana tried 696 free throws (21 per sport) and its opponents tried 637 (19.3 per sport). Malik Reneau averaged 4.3 fouls per 40 minutes, a quantity too-high for such an important piece within the frontcourt.
There’s no expectation that Indiana can be an elite defensive crew subsequent season, as Bart Torvik’s present projections have the Hoosiers with the 51st-best protection coming into the season. However modest positive aspects on the defensive glass, forcing extra turnovers and reducing down on fouls might reverse Indiana’s fall the final two seasons as this system seeks to return to March Insanity.
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