[Postgame 3-2-1] What We Learned From Indiana's victory against Chattanooga
We break down three key stats, two observations, and one lingering question from Indiana's 74-65 win against Chattanooga.
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA. — In its penultimate non-conference game of the regular season, Indiana hosted Chattanooga on Saturday afternoon in Bloomington.
The game began as a track meet, with both teams well into double figures by the first media timeout. The two teams combined to shoot 52% from the field, and the Hoosiers led the Mocs 41-38 into the halftime break.
Indiana struggled offensively in the second half, but the defense held Chattanooga to 27 second-half points to stave off the upset bid with a 74-65 win.
“Tonight we started down that same road again, you know, looking, and not being sharp offensively,” Indiana head coach Mike Woodson said postgame. As a coach, I got to get us over that hump, get them comfortable knowing you're going to be in close games and you got make plays coming down the home stretch.
Malik Reneau and Mackenzie Mgbako led Indiana with 14 points as nine different Hoosiers scored.
With the victory, Indiana moves to 9-3 and will have a few days off for the Christmas holiday before its final non-conference game against Winthrop.
Here are three stats, two additional observations, and one lingering question from Indiana's 74-65 victory against Chattanooga.
Did you miss yesterday's edition of the postgame show?
3 Meaningful Stats
1. 9:00+ Minute FG Drought Nearly Costs Indiana.
As Indiana's defense picked up in the final period of play, the offense vanished. At one point in the second half, Indiana went nearly seven minutes without a point and nearly 10 minutes with a field goal.
Freshman Bryson Tucker hit a pair of free throws with 10:46 to play in the second half. Indiana didn't score again until Trey Galloway went 1-for-2 at the charity stripe six minutes and 23 seconds later.
In the field goal department, Indiana failed to convert a basket for nine minutes and 47 seconds between a Malik Reneau dunk and a Mackenzie Mgbako layup.
"That's two games in a row we've had stretches like that," Indiana head coach Mike Woodson said postgame. "I don't know if guys are just looking over their shoulders based on the Nebraska game. We didn't play bad in Nebraska. Just that last six-minute mark couldn't make shots."
2. Indiana bench scores 25
In the season’s first two months, Indiana’s starting five has carried the bench.
Roles were reversed on Saturday afternoon as the Indiana bench was well balanced, out-scoring the Chattanooga bench 25-15.
Though he’s happy with the production of his bench, Woodson was displeased with the play of his starters.
Woodson told Don Fischer postgame that his first five were “atrocious” all afternoon long.
“Hell, our bench was pretty good tonight for us,” Woodson said. “They came in and played solid I thought. Probably should have played them the whole game and sat the starting unit down.”
The Hoosiers have yet to reach that perfect storm of consistent play from both the starters and bench, and now they have one game to right the ship before conference play restarts.
3. Indiana shoots 20 threes
A depressing three-point performance on the road in Lincoln was followed up by another uninspiring effort from behind the arc for the Hoosiers.
Indiana shot 5-of-20 from deep on Saturday, failing to convert on open looks all afternoon long.
“At the end of the day, I got to get all guys that are -- get them all clicking when they're on the floor playing,” Woodson said. “It's a work in progress still, but we still have a long way to go. I got to keep pushing.”
If Indiana continues to be poor from three into conference play, the Hoosiers won’t come out on the winning end of many games this season.
2 Important Observations
1. Defense guided Indiana across the finish line
Most teams find themselves trailing after going nearly ten minutes without a bucket, but Indiana's defense remained stout throughout that stretch, never allowing the Mocs to get within one possession.
When Mackenzie Mgbako eventually broke the seal with a driving layup at the 2:50 mark, Chattanooga had only mustered up 13 points in ten minutes, missing a golden opportunity to capitalize on a dreadful stretch of play from the home team.
Reneau, who had three of the team's four steals, knows that long stretches without a basket are unsurvivable if not for a focused defensive effort.
"[Defense] is definitely important, especially coming down in this Big 10 stretch we're about to have," Reneau said. "If we're not scoring the ball at a good rate, then we got to be able to stop people and get stops down the stretch when it comes down to these games."
2. Luke Goode needs sets run for him
During the second half, Woodson was seen arguing with Luke Goode about something that happened on the defensive end. After a brief shouting match between the two, Woodson had some choice words and told Goode to stand in the corner.
Goode started and remained in the corner for most of Indiana’s half-court possessions on Saturday.
When Woodson ran plays to get the sharpshooter open, the Illinois transfer converted open looks, gaining confidence.
As previously mentioned, Indiana has struggled from beyond the arc and refusing to allow your best shooter to get going is a recipe for disaster. Because of his veteran status, Goode will be the x-factor in Big Ten play and Indiana has to let the Fort Wayne native to flourish.
1 Lingering Question
Can Indiana use the Christmas break as a reset button?
At the end of the postgame press conference, Woodson outlined what the eight-day break will look like for his program.
“Well, guys have a few days off,” Woodson said. “We come back on the morning of the 26th and we'll practice that evening and get ready for our next opponent.”
The time off will allow everybody, including Reneau, time to hit the reset button before the real season begins.
“We definitely got to improve on a lot of things coming up, but this break will definitely give us a chance to clear everybody's minds,” Reneau said. “Like I said, get back to it and come back with a spark when we come back from that break.
Indiana has a lot on its wishlist, including a few quad-one victories to boost a resumê without a signature win.
To finish on a personal note, I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and happy holidays. I am thankful for Jerod and Assembly Call for allowing me to do what I love for the best community around. I can’t wait to see what’s to come in conference play.
I think I've decided that the only way for me to go through the rest of the season without being angry or disappointed most of the time is to watch the Hoosiers like I did when I was 10..
That means focusing on the wins and losses and not the metrics. Maybe also cheering on some of my favorite players (Reneau, Galloway). Will we end up with a tournament bid? Who knows -- I won't think about it till Selection Sunday.