[Postgame 3-2-1] What We Learned From Indiana's Defeat at Wisconsin
[Postgame 3-2-1] What We Learned From Indiana's Defeat at Wisconsin
Here are three key stats, two observations, and one lingering question from Indiana's 91-79 loss to Wisconsin at the Kohl Center.
The streak continues.
Another trip to Madison, and Indiana goes home without a victory yet again.
If you thought the performance against Purdue earlier in the week was the lowest point of the season, last night decided to throw its hat in the ring with the Hoosiers being dominated from start to finish by the Badgers.
Indiana went on a quick 9-0 run in the early minutes of the second half to cut the lead to seven, but Wisconsin stormed back with an 18-2 run of their own. Most of the points came from Max Klesmit, who had 18 in the first seven minutes of the 2nd half alone.
A key moment that occurred during the Badgers’ run is something we have seen way too often recently with this team: CJ Gunn elbowed Klesmit in the face and got ejected with 12:50 left in the game.
Despite another magnificent performance from Malik Reneau, who scored 28 points, Indiana never got back in the game and ultimately lost by 12.
Here are three key stats, two observations, and one lingering question from Indiana’s performance in Madison.
Did you miss yesterday's edition of the postgame show?
3 Meaningful Stats
1. Indiana turned the ball over just ten times.
It may not mean much, but Indiana was more careful with the basketball last night.
The Hoosiers had four turnovers at the first media timeout of the evening. Still, Indiana played a much cleaner game after the timeout, with only six giveaways in the final thirty-six minutes.
Despite the low turnover rate, and even considering the Hoosiers’ gaudy points per possession number for the game, it would be fair to say that Indiana was not good on the offensive end of the floor.
A mere seven of the Hoosiers’ 28 made baskets were assisted. In victories this season, IU typically assists on at least half of their made baskets. There was way too much selfish basketball played last night, and it cost the cream and crimson in the long run.
An assist-to-turnover ratio below one will almost always lead to defeat.
On top of the Hoosiers’ struggles to share the basketball, there was a severe lack of communication on defense as well.
The Badgers scored 52 points in the second half, leading to a 91-point performance.
“Who’s playing defense? Nobody” Woodson said.
Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard had the same sentiments after the game, describing the second half as an NBA All-Star Game.
Communication on the floor is far from the most concerning thing for Indiana, but it is certainly up there and must be fixed.
2. The Hoosiers took six long 2s in the first half.
There was a time when we would make fun of how ancient Wisconsin’s offense style of play could be.
Last night, it was Indiana that played an ugly brand of basketball.
The Hoosiers shot and missed six shots from just inside the 3-point line in the first half alone. It has become tough to watch at this point in the season.
Low percentage looks happen, but not that early in the shot-clock, and never as often as last night.
“We’re a young team,” Woodson said. “We’re still trying to figure each other out.”
This quote from Coach Woodson is alarming, mainly because it is the 19th game his team has played this season.
On top of that, the Hoosiers just completed their eighth Big Ten game. Another crucial week has passed for Indiana’s tournament hopes, and their tournament hopes are slowly slipping away.
The Hoosiers have eight days off before they take on a stout Illinois program in the State Farm Center.
If things don’t turn around soon, it will be an anguishing six weeks of Indiana basketball.
3. Wisconsin’s bench outscored Indiana’s bench 21-10.
When the four guys that come off the bench for your team combine to shoot 3-7 from the field in 40 minutes, there is a minimal chance that the team will come away victorious.
Xavier Johnson led the bench, scoring 8 points on 2-4 shooting from the field and 4-6 from the charity stripe. He played a solid 24 minutes off the bench.
“I thought he was better tonight,” Woodson said of his sixth-year senior. “We’ll look hard at it this week to see if he can earn his spot back.”
Anthony Walker was nonexistent though, with only one basket in his 7 minutes.
“I didn’t think Walker was very good,” said Woodson. “Those are things that are correctable that we got to clean up if we’re gonna stay in the hunt.”
If Indiana doesn’t get more production from their bench starting with the game in Urbana-Champaign, there won’t be many more wins for the cream and crimson this season.
2 Important Observations
1. Don Fischer is embarrassed, and we should be too.
Whether you think he was baited into it or not, what CJ Gunn did to Max Klesmit was unacceptable. It has happened way too many times this season and is starting to become embarrassing.
Don’t take it from me. Take it from Don Fischer, the voice of Indiana Basketball for 51 years.
After the under-12 media timeout, Fischer returned to the airwaves with a statement that he hadn’t ever made on air in his over half-century of broadcasting IU Basketball.
"I am embarrassed of this ball club. Not because of the score."
Of all of the things that have been said about this year’s squad, none will be as damning as what Don Fischer said last night.
Losing in embarrassing fashion is one thing, but two ejections in four games reflects on who this team is.
There has to be some accountability for these actions because right now, Indiana isn’t just a bad basketball team— they’re a dirty one, too.
2. The season is on the brink.
I haven’t had a chance to mention The General this season, but after last night’s debacle, it is time to allude to the 1986 book by John Feinstein.
After going through the results of the 1984-85 season, this stretch of play has stark similarities to what we are seeing 39 years later.
The 84-85 team went on a four-game skid in the month of January and went three weeks without winning a game. After the losing streak ended, Indiana finished the rest of the regular season 4-6, leading to a spot in the NIT.
After last night, Indiana has lost three of its last four in an ugly manner, and hope is quickly fading after each loss.
The team with Steve Alford, Uwe Blab, and the late Daryl Thomas had much higher expectations than this season’s team. Still, no expectation should be too far-fetched when playing for a program like Indiana.
Things are trending in the wrong direction right now, and an 8-day break could be what the doctor ordered Mike Woodson’s squad.
1 Lingering Question
What could possibly happen to salvage this season?
The next week of practice is vital for Indiana.
It will be an opportunity for Kel’el Ware, who got injured in practice and missed last night’s game, to get healthy so he can (hopefully) play against an Illinois team that is always tough at home.
“We got to go back to the drawing board.” Malik Reneau said. “Then we have to go from there.”
Every game will be critical for Indiana’s chances to get themselves back into being in a position to be in a position come March.
Illinois provides Indiana with another Quad-1 win opportunity at stake, an opportunity that the Hoosiers have yet to capitalize on this season.
“We got to keep working to get better. Woodson said. “That’s all you can do.”
Thanks for reading!
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Have a comment on last night’s game? Leave it below!
I thought this was the closest this team has come to playing a 40 minute game all season. But saying that, the long missed twos, lack of spacing, the lack of screening and effective use there of, lack of offensive movement which leads to an inability to generate open looks, makes this team uncompetitive. And this is on the coaching staff.
The poor decision making is on the players. Over dribbling and dribbling into heavy traffic, bad shot selection, poor hedging on ball screens, not communicating, standing around without the ball and making yourself available for better looks, all lead to inconsistencies and therefore ineffective offensive production.
They played with intensity, but do not have the discipline that coaching is supposed to instill in the team, nor the player decision making skills associated with high basketball IQ. High quality players find a way to adjust no matter the scheme. So yes, they competed but are unable to be competitive. The set up and the execution both make us easy to defend.
I know everyone, myself included, want to see more 3-point attempts and less long twos, but I still think it would border on negligence to not feed Malik. On offense he is our most effective player. And as the game progresses he just gets more comfortable and efficient. He doesn’t always look for an open man, when he is covered up, sometimes holding on too long before passing back out. But he is so good at maneuvering with his great footwork, you want to see him take charge. He is our go to guy! It would be nice to incorporate more cross screens, and maybe less lob passes to enable him to establish closer positioning to begin his moves. I believe that would make him harder to double, and give more spacing for opportunities to get open threes. At least defenders would have less time to collapse, and a longer distance to recover.
IU scored 79 points, that should win you most games, or at least allow you to complete for a win. But they gave up NINETY ONE points, that’s going to lose you most games. Whether it is a lack of discipline, or focus, or attention to details, it is just bad. Blow by’s, ball watching, recovering to shooters, continuing to over double post players even after they give up their dribble, poor defensive block outs, and a general lack of commitment to attack the boards, all and more are the cause of our defensive breakdowns. These can all be corrected. And it is on both the coaches and the players to find solutions. The one thing we can’t change this season is the roster construction, and that is best left to a post season discussion.
The one point I’d like to make about the Gunn incident, is that it was a cheep shot and an embarrassment to the entire program and fans. A gifted player can either lash out at his opponent, for whatever reason, or he can use that as a motivation to be the best player that he can be during the game. Great players do that. When on the road and you are taunted and booed, that is when you need to step up your game, not to play dirtier, but to commit to play harder and smarter. When the going gets tough the tough get going. That’s the culture change this team needs to make.
Coach Woody not only has to work hard, but needs to change the way he is approaching the game. This is college not NBA basketball. We have talent but not a true team. I agree with Don Fisher assessment.