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(02/10/18 7:10am)
Indiana's 80-56 trouncing of Minnesota was more than simply an emphatic victory. The Hoosiers demolition of Minnesota was expected and warranted, but also important.
The Hoosiers showed everyone across the Big Ten the way in which Archie Miller intends to win basketball games for the rest of his tenure at Indiana.
Coming into their game against Minnesota, the Hoosiers were a modest 72nd in the nation in defensive efficiency. It's a ranking that doesn't pull you out of your seat, but it's a ranking that seemed nearly impossible at the season's open. A ranking that seemed nearly impossible after Indiana gave up 90 points in its home opener to Indiana State of all schools.
Now, after Indiana held Minnesota to 33% shooting from the field and, the Hoosiers sit at 55th in the nation.
In Indiana's last two games, they have held Rutgers and Minnesota to a total of 99 points. Nine more points than Indiana State.
"Well I think that Archie is a terrific coach and it's clear what his identity is," Minnesota Head Coach Richard Pitino said. "They are going to defend. They are going to play hard. They are going to rebound."
It's that identity in which Pitino harps upon that fueled this victory in every way. Minnesota is a team decimated with injuries and suspensions, so winning the game was never the accomplishment. Indiana importantly handled the clear task at hand and strove for excellence. Indiana ran with an approach that has fueled the team for weeks now. An approach that will follow this program as long as Archie Miller is in charge of it.
"We locked down on defense, and as we did that, it opened up our offense." Juwan Morgan said.
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/962168084432916480[/embed]
It's a simple idea, but allowing defense to lead to offense has cut out the Hoosiers turnovers, improved Indiana's ball movement, and allowed Indiana to find much easier shots. It all comes from this team's adjustment to the energy level needed to play the pack-line defense.
"The energy level is up," Archie Miller said. "Guys are really working on the ball, which is something we struggled with at times this year, just not tough enough on the ball. From a positioning standpoint, from an energy level off the ball, guys are really aware. You see a lot more deflections, a lot more blocked shots. I think defensively we've done a better job just understanding how we play. We've got more experience playing with one another now."
The key element to this increased defensive intensity is Indiana's recently established starting lineup. Devonte Green sits at 227th in the nation in steal percentage and Zach McRoberts is remarkably 22nd in the nation at 4.1-percent.
"I have three guys on this team that are really good defenders," Miller said. "They've become better defenders. Juwan is playing out of position, but he's being asked to do a lot. He's blocking shots. He's defensive rebounding. He's covering ground. And Zach and Rob, those two guys have stacked up against every guy in this league, and they're playing really hard. You've got some talent over there right now as well."
Indiana's defensive fire held Minnesota to realistically having only three real scoring options all game in Nate Mason, Jordan Murphy and Isaiah Washington.
The effort on the defensive side of the ball helped to transition to an offense that moved the ball more effectively than it had all season. The Hoosiers had 21 assists on 30 baskets and were led by elite guard play.
"Rob guards the other guy's best player the whole game," Miller said. "He's locked in on that end, which is great to see. I think tonight, if you look at him, he made a lot of really good passes -- four assists, zero turnovers, he was unselfish, and he defensive rebounded for us...He's a leader. He's a rock. And he's earned the right to play well at this time of the year with how he's approached things."
In addition to Robert Johnson's play, Devonte Green continued his improved play that has been highlighted by playing a more simplistic style.
"For him to be playing the way he is right now is a really good step for our team," Miller said. "We're getting quality play-making ability, if you look at his last four games, maybe five, I'm not sure, his assist totals on those. He's a guy that can really start to make things better for us, and low and behold, that's giving him confidence in other areas."
It was a win the embodied the way Archie wants to play for the years to come. Indiana didn't need a superstar performance from Morgan like it had needed in games prior. Indiana just needed defense, and everything else came with it.
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/962173337542774786[/embed]
(02/09/18 5:56pm)
After three seasons spent rebuilding the University of Maryland Volleyball program, Steve Aird was hired at Indiana University to do the same. In this conversation we spoke about his experience as a player and coach at Penn State, his rebuild at Maryland, and how he plans do the same and more at Indiana. This means changing the environment at Indiana Volleyball matches, pushing an elite recruiting pitch, and striving for excellence with his staff.
(02/06/18 2:50pm)
.@ChefBoyArGreen is currently playing the best basketball of his career. He's using his defense and his passing to open up opportunities to use his impressive ball-handling skills as an iso-scorer. Here is two minutes of just that. #iubbStory: https://t.co/iXwtXW2h6d pic.twitter.com/cdgiyrhKGe
(02/01/18 9:36pm)
(02/01/18 9:36pm)
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(02/01/18 9:36pm)
(01/31/18 4:01pm)
This game was a blatant waste of everyone’s time.
It has been harped upon all season. It’s the broken record that has no fix. It’s an overstated sentiment that I hate to over perpetuate, but it would be disrespectful to the result of this game to not acknowledge the true story here.
This basketball game should never have been played and the fact that it was is a violation of basic human justice.
After getting one day to rest after an emotionally demanding loss to Purdue on Sunday, Indiana looked lethargic from the very first moment of this game. On the other side of the spectrum, Ohio State, a basketball team that had not played since Thursday, looked fresh and completely in-sync.
It was transparently obvious from the onset that this actual game was futile.
Genuinely, what’s the point?
I don't believe a fully rested Indiana Basketball team beats Ohio State on the road, but I will never really know.
Ohio State is an elite team that is only one game behind Purdue for the top spot in the Big Ten. No matter what, Ohio State’s length and size was going to be a matchup problem for Indiana, but that doesn’t warrant taking away Indiana’s fighting chance.
“They set the tone very early with their physicality…knocked us on our heels pretty quick and we were working uphill from there most of the night,” said Archie Miller
Against Purdue, Indiana supplemented their size issues with energy and grit to fight for 31 rebounds. Against Ohio State, Indiana had none of those intangibles in their arsenal as the Hoosiers were out-rebounded 39-26.
Why? Why do we do this to student athletes? We learn nothing from these basketball games with an unbalanced rest structure. This isn’t an Indiana issue, this is a Big Ten problem.
While Indiana was getting out run against Ohio State, at the same time Rutgers lost to Illinois 91-60. Both Rutgers and Illinois can be quite abysmal at times, but the two shouldn’t be separated by 31 points. Illinois last played on Wednesday, January 24th. Rutgers’ last game prior to Tuesday was on Saturday, January 27th.
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/958556904749522944[/embed]
The argument in defense of the Big Ten’s truncated schedule is that every team has to go through tough stretches of games. The issue with this hilariously weak argument is that these tough stretches of games don’t align. If Indiana is playing on one day of rest, then Ohio State should be playing on one day of rest. Every game in the Big Ten shouldn’t be a disastrously uneven predetermined result.
“There’s no excuses,” said Miller. “We’re all going through our different rhythms in the league.”
Archie Miller has refused to make excuses all season in what seems like an effort to cap for his new conference. At some point, you have to acknowledge reality.
“It’s difficult,” said Miller. “Seven in 17 days or four in eight days…for us we just need to get back and get on our feet.”
It was evident from the other side of the court, that this game wasn’t warranted.
“Indiana had some tired legs,” said Chris Holtmann. “I recognize that. I think that’s just reality.”
This basketball game was unfair to all the fans of college basketball that watched. This game was unfair to Archie Miller and Chris Holtmann. This game was unfair to the referees that had to experience that lethargy. This game was unfair to every student athlete involved in it.
This game was pointless.
(01/31/18 4:11am)
With only a day of rest, Indiana took on the second best team in the Big Ten. Indiana struggled to run with the Ohio State Buckeyes and fell in defeat 71-56 on the road at Value City Arena. The Hoosiers fell to 12-11 and 5-6 in the Big Ten. Here we have full reactions from Archie Miller, Devonte Green, Juwan Morgan, Jae'Sean Tate, Kaleb Wessen, and Chris Holtmann:
Archie Miller
[embed]https://youtu.be/H_JsQxki6ro[/embed]
Devonte Green and Juwan Morgan
[embed]https://youtu.be/3KYGBBR8_R4[/embed]
Chris Holtmann
[embed]https://youtu.be/VFAztRZO9qE[/embed]
Jae'Sean Tate and Kaleb Wesson
[embed]https://youtu.be/BY1HeoQA3XU[/embed]
(01/31/18 1:56am)
Indiana had a tough task from the moment this game was scheduled. With only a day of rest, the Hoosiers took on the second best team in the Big Ten. Indiana struggled to run with the Ohio State Buckeyes and fell in defeat 71-56 on the road at Value City Arena. The Hoosiers fall to 12-11 and 5-6 in the Big Ten. IU faces Michigan State at home Saturday night.
Here’s our rapid reaction:
Indiana looked tired
The Big Ten Conference’s condensed schedule has been a story-line all season. The argument in defense of the of the schedule is the understanding that every team in the conference has to deal with playing on short rest. The problem with that assertion is the fact that each program’s periods of short rest doesn’t matchup. Tonight we saw what happens when one team is coming off a day of rest after an extremely demanding rivalry game and another team has four days rest. The problem for Indiana tonight didn’t seem to be motivation. The Hoosiers just lacked the physical energy to compete. The team as a whole shot 36% from the field and had eight turnovers. Defensively, Indiana lacked the energy to get consecutive stops and unlike against Purdue, the Hoosiers were out-rebounded 39 to 26.
Juwan Morgan needed more support
It seems to be the same sentiment every game, but Juwan Morgan does everything for this team. Morgan had 15 points and six rebounds in a game where his supporting cast seemed nonexistent other than Devonte Green. As odd as it may seem, Green was Indiana's leading scorer was with 20 points. Those 20 points mostly came in the second half after the game was out of reach. The players that Indiana needs to be successful just didn’t have it tonight. Robert Johnson and Justin Smith were both held to 2 points, and Josh Newkirk didn't get a single basket.
Indiana couldn’t handle the size of Ohio State
At 6’9” and 270 pounds, Kaleb Wesson is able to create issues for a lot of teams down low. That size also neglects to acknowledge Wesson’s pure length. Wesson used his long arms to agitate Indiana on the boards and in the paint. Wesson seemed to do everything with ease going seven for seven from the field and putting up 14 points. The Hoosiers truly had nobody to guard Wesson as Juwan Morgan had to focus a majority of his effort on offense and spent time guarding Keita Bates-Diop. While I mention Keita Bates-Diop, there was no stopping him either. The potential Big Ten Player of the Year had 13 points and 13 rebounds, as he dominated in almost every facet.
(01/29/18 1:51am)
About three minutes into this basketball game, I had goosebumps. It's the nature of the Indiana-Purdue rivalry. No matter where either program is in its season, it seems as if every matchup between the two teams is destined for chaos and beauty.
This game was no exception. Purdue entered Assembly Hall as the third best team in the country with the best three-point shooting on planet earth. Purdue entered Assembly Hall as the heavy favorite that outmatched Indiana in every conceivable facet. And yet, for moments in Assembly Hall, the two seemed like equals. Temporarily perceived equals, that were never really equal.
Indiana's effort against Purdue was its best of the season. Indiana played its best basketball game of the season, and yet it wasn't enough to beat Purdue with the Boilermakers winning its 17th straight game of the season 74-67.
It was never going to be enough.
Despite the fact that the tallest player on the floor for Indiana was 6-foot-8 Juwan Morgan, Indiana out-rebounded Purdue 31-30. The Hoosiers out-rebounded a Purdue team that consisted of two monstrous 7-footers in Isaac Haas and Matt Haarms, by simply out hustling the Boilermakers in the low-post.
Indiana held a Purdue team that usually shoots 44-percent from three-point range to an uncharacteristic 28-percent. Indiana came into the day as the worst team in the Big Ten at defending the three, but today they made it a focus to close out on the perimeter.
"From a three-point perspective, they had been shooting the ball at an unbelievable level that at some level you would hope the numbers would come back," Archie Miller said. "They missed some good ones. But I thought for the most part our guys did a good job of being on shooters and challenging shots when we could."
Juwan Morgan had another almost mind-boggling performance that seemed to be driven by his unrelenting will to win. Morgan out hustled every player on the floor and dominated offensively in the post with 24 points and seven rebounds. The junior forward even put up a remarkable defensive performance while attempting to handle the size of Isaac Haas by adding two blocks.
Robert Johnson seemingly played one of the best games of his career, hitting contested jumpers almost every time Indiana needed a basket. He also was incredibly intelligent in his shot selection by consistently passing up tough threes to drive to the basket. Johnson also showed once again why he is one of the best perimeter defenders in the country, tightly controlling Purdue's guards and denying the ball off hand-offs. This led to Johnson putting up 21 points and six rebounds.
"Rob is really ready to play," Miller said. "He's a great leader; wants to do well; wants our team to do well. He's about all the right things. I thought he really set the tone very early about how aggressive he was going to be. He made big shots, tough shots for us throughout the game. His defense for 36 minutes was really, really good. I thought he really battled defensively. To me, Rob is an Iron Man for us. I think he is just a senior who has been doing things the right way. I think he just wants to finish as strong as he can. "
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/957773827647459329[/embed]
While Johnson put together one of his best games of his career, Freddie McSwain Jr. had the best game of his career by far. McSwain had eight points by taking advantage of Purdue's loose pick and roll defense and he also played a pivotal role in the defense of Isaac Haas.
"Freddie did a really good job," Miller said. "He played strong. Obviously I thought he battled. Then from an offensive perspective he gave us some great activity on the offensive glass withe some taps and a couple finishes. So Freddie really came and helped us today. He's going to need to. I think Collin will be out for an extended period of time, so we'll need to move J-Mo back maybe to the small forward position and have Freddie in there a little bit more with Justin."
As a team, Indiana did a great job moving the ball only accumulating 10 turnovers.
Justin Smith stepped up to the occasion of the game with four rebounds in first four minutes of the game and even Al Durham found himself ready for the moment with a crucial three-point play in the second half.
In it all, Indiana was also backed by an Assembly Hall crowd that was as loud as it was all season, pushing the Hoosiers through constant adversity.
Indiana played its best game of the season in every facet and yet, it was never going to be enough. Indiana could have cured a major disease at halftime, and it was never going to be enough. It's an unfortunate sentiment, but the current injury ridden status of the team makes it a reality. Indiana played its best game and no matter how well they played, there was always going to be a ceiling.
Today, that ceiling was 7-foot-2.
"The big fella was the difference," Miller said. "He neutralizes the game. Matt (Painter) does an unbelievable job of just getting him the ball where he doesn't need to do a lot to catch and score. He's so big. And we knew that coming in and that was going to be a problem."
Indiana had the best approach possible to handling Haas, but it was never going to stop him. The Hoosiers held faith in McSwain and Morgan to defend Haas one-on-one in the post and the two did the best that they could. Indiana tried to double in the post and quickly realized that it wasn't viable thanks to Haas' passing ability, and with that the Hoosiers let Haas score 26 points.
There was no stopping him and there never was going to be a way to do so. With Indiana not fielding a single player within five inches of Haas, the destiny was always going to be at least 26 points for the Boilermaker big man.
"We didn't do a good enough job in our post coverage," Miller said. "At times, we had to stay in between him and the basket and make him earn tough baskets at times when we trapped. But when we post trapped tonight, it really cost us. I mean it really cost us. Our perimeter guys were completely non-existent on post traps."
The Hoosiers did everything they could and still only shot three-for-16 from three-point range. Indiana got open looks, but the blatant lack of talent shooting the ball was always going to hold Indiana back.
The Hoosiers seemed to have answer for every Boilermaker run, until the very end. They had answer for everything until the final two minutes of the game, when it all came crumbling down and talent outweighed the hustle.
"It was just organization," Miller said. "You can put it on me. The last two minutes, I probably should have gotten ourselves into a few timeout situations, where it could have helped out our team. Purdue is obviously tough to score on anyways. I could have had our guys more organized in the last couple minutes and call a timeout and make sure we get a shot. We didn't do that, that killed us."
It's a tough status to be in, but with the unique scenario of a program simply looking to build for the future, all Indiana was left to do was to look for the positives. Archie Miller and the Indiana Hoosiers had to find positives from a game that never really gave them a chance.
“We competed. It's big time. This is February. You're playing against the best teams in your conference," Miller said. "Without question, I thought we played extremely hard. I think you're looking at a team that understands this type of competition level, what you have to do. I don't think anybody left the arena tonight and said those guys didn't bring it. I thought we played really, really hard today, so that's the positive. Disappointing thing is it's about winning.”
(01/25/18 8:35pm)
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(01/25/18 8:35pm)
(01/25/18 8:32pm)
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(01/25/18 8:32pm)
(01/25/18 5:42am)
"You gotta be able to make more than that," said Archie Miller.
It's unjustified to expect a basketball team to outperform its talent level. A team can push the limits and play beyond the constraints of its athleticism and skill, but that only comes with good fortune and high effort. It can happen, but expecting it is unwarranted.
With that in mind, all that you can truly expect from a team lacking in the talent component of the game is to follow the simple coaching cliche of "controlling the controllables." Tonight, and realistically all season long, Indiana failed to control one of basketball's greatest "controllables."
In a game that Indiana quite simply couldn't lose, 13 missed, uncontested shots from 15 feet away from the basket stole Indiana's hopes at even approaching a tournament bid.
Coming into tonight, Illinois had lost all eight of its games against Big Ten opponents. Without question, Illinois was and still remains the worst team in a terrible conference. The "Fighting Illini" serve the Big Ten by providing teams an opportunity to relax and carefully restore their stamina during a rigorous Big Ten schedule. With the 148th best adjusted offensive efficiency in the nation, Illinois serves the Big Ten as that game on everyone's schedule labeled "Easy Win." For Indiana, this game should have been labeled as a "Must Win."
Tonight, Indiana did the inexcusable. The Hoosiers relinquished an "Easy Win" by shooting 16-for-29 from the free throw line, giving away 13 points, which would have easily made the difference.
"It seems to become something for our team that’s a little bit contagious," Archie Miller said in regards to Indiana's free throw shooting.
It's the simplest things which make you the maddest. Tonight, Archie Miller appeared agitated and honestly confused, but not from the onset.
The game started how it should have. Indiana had a 16 to 8 lead after nine minutes of basketball and Juwan Morgan appeared to be prepared to carry his team once again to victory with nine points in that time. In the entirety of the first half, the Hoosiers looked like the aggressor. The ball movement mimicked the performance of Indiana's last win against Maryland, Indiana controlled Illinois' biggest strong suit which was offensive rebounding, and Indiana even found scoring support for Juwan Morgan from Zach McRoberts and Robert Johnson as the two combined for points in the first half.
Then, it all evaporated, and with that agitation followed.
By the end of the game Indiana found itself with 18 turnovers, surrendering 22 points off of those miscues. Indiana also went an entire seven minutes in the second half without a basket.
Indiana seemingly did everything they could to giveaway this basketball game in the second half. Yet, the Hoosiers still had a chance because Illinois is a basketball team that had yet to have beaten a Big Ten opponent. Illinois is a basketball team that will let you make mistakes. Illinois is a basketball team that only requires one thing from its opponents.
All Indiana had to do was the simplest facet of basketball. All Indiana had to do was hit three more free shots.
"You have pride in your individual game, then you gotta get in the gym a little more," said Archie Miller.
It's a simple sentiment, but it says it all. Free throws aren't indicative of talent level. It wasn't absurd to expect the Hoosiers to convert on the basic opportunities in which they were given. It hasn't been absurd to expect that all season. Even with those expectations, the Hoosiers haven't delivered. Shooting 67 percent from the free throw line, Indiana has squandered the simplest facet of the game all season.
In the face of a unique season, defined by chaotic change, the simple things let Indiana down. Unlike the 15 foot shot that has hampered the Hoosiers, now the NCAA Tournament is a long shot.
(01/23/18 2:49pm)
Robert Johnson looks up at the shoot clock to see his window of opportunity decaying at a scary pace. With 15,000 watching in fear of a late collapse in a pivotal conference game, Johnson dribbles towards the key. The shot clock hits "06" and the game clock reads "12:08."
In that exact moment, with Indiana down 53 to 50, Johnson’s pursuit of the basket is halted by not one, not two, but three Maryland defenders. Johnson in a place of no return and with two feet squarely planted inches behind the free throw line, looks to his left for some little ray of hope.
What he found, was a game changer.
Johnson lofted a pass into the left corner just inches in front of the Indiana bench. His intended target grabs the oblate spheroid with grace. He then proceeds to send that spheroid, which many know as a basketball, into motion towards the circular Plexiglas in front of him with a form that one could only describe as "textbook." After releasing the basketball, he doesn't look at it. Rather, he runs from it before it ever reaches the rim, running to the other end of the court to play defense.
Seconds later, the crowd erupts into a frenzy that hadn't been heard all game.
Zach McRoberts hit a three that shifted the momentum of the game at a crucial time. He changed the game, and yet, he never even looked at. In one of the biggest moments of the game, McRoberts acted like a trained basketball robot, running to get back on defense before the basketball even approached the rim.
This is Zach McRoberts. Zach McRoberts is more than a “Glue Guy.” Zach McRoberts is a straight “X-factor.”
In Indiana’s 71 to 68 victory over Maryland, McRoberts did more than just knock down that one three. In fact, he seemingly did everything.
In the five games prior to this matchup against Maryland, McRoberts took a lofty total of three shots and scored two points. He did that while still seemingly remaining one of the most important basketball players on the court at all times.
What makes McRoberts such a difference maker are the activities that are generally known as the “little things.” The issue with that sentiment is the fact that those activities are the opposite of little. Against Maryland, McRoberts’ unrelenting hustle provided Indiana the spark it needed to pickup a crucial conference win at home.
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/955633197810937856[/embed]
The reason McRoberts’ activities are often labeled as “little things” is because rarely do they get personified in the stat sheet. Unfortunately for McRoberts, there is no stat for every ball he saved from soaring out of bounds. There is no stat for every deflection he had. There is no stat for every time he provided help defense. There isn’t even a stat for his great defensive stop while playing defense without one of his shoes (there should be).
What the box score can tell us is that McRoberts did have three steals. It can also tell us that McRoberts’ matchup for the night, Kevin Huerter, did have five turnovers. It can also tell us that Indiana as a whole forced 18 turnovers on the night, thanks in part to the defensive efforts of McRoberts.
“I know guys hate getting guarded by Zach,” Juwan Morgan said. “And that kind of takes them out of their zone, takes them out of their game. And every stop he gets, even if it's just a little deflection that goes out of bounds and they get the ball back, that's enough for us to get in their head.”
This is what McRoberts has done all season for Indiana, and every game it only seems to amplify in importance. McRoberts’ role on the floor for Indiana arguably makes him one of the best walk-ons in the country.
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/955652948113190912[/embed]
At the same time, McRoberts is an offensive liability, but not for the reasons one may normally think. Offensively, the issue for McRoberts is that he is too selfless.
McRoberts seven points can’t be a fluke for Indiana moving forward. He needs to feel confident in his own ability to score the basketball. When McRoberts becomes too selfless, it allows defenses to forget about him. His crucial three in the second half represents the value he can bring if he allows his confidence to take advantage of that defensive disrespect.
After a year at Vermont of shooting 35.3-percent from three-point range, and two years at Indiana of shooting 36-percent, there is no reason to expect hesitance shooting the ball moving forward.
McRoberts’ three in the second half served as just a moment among many in which McRoberts provided a much needed spark for the Hoosiers. It was a moment that represented it all. A moment in which McRoberts was too defensively focused to appreciate and a moment special for fans not to.
(01/21/18 5:25pm)
Indiana's performance against Michigan State on Friday left little room for optimism. The Hoosiers were realistically dismantled by a team vying to make a run at a National Championship. Indiana was outplayed in almost every facet of the game, and the team's best player, Juwan Morgan, was sidelined with an ankle injury. As difficult of a loss as it was for Indiana, there was still one positive that clearly shined through.
Senior guard Robert Johnson, in the midst of chaotic roster fluctuation and straining tournament hopes, has found himself.
Against Michigan State, Johnson had a team leading 21 points while shooting 4 for 6 from three-point range. In addition, Johnson added seven rebounds against a Spartan team fueled by front court size.
Johnson's performance on Friday served not only as a glimmer of hope, but also as a continuation of previous success.
[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="http://www.thehoosiernetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/00118.mp4"][/video]
Johnson's 21 points helped to cement his best four game stretch of the season, and arguably of his career. Statistically, the 76 points that Johnson has scored in the last four games have been the most he has ever scored during a four game stretch in his career. In addition, his 23 defensive rebounds during that time also ties his career high for a four game stretch.
On a team that seemingly has been unable to find its shot from behind the arc all season, Johnson has stepped up the face of a need, shooting 42-percent from beyond the arc during the past four games.
Along with all of the offensive numbers in which Johnson has been accumulating, the most underappreciated facet of his game has continued to flourish. Defensively, Johnson had two steals against both Minnesota and Penn State, and against Northwestern, he shut down the Wildcats leading scorer Scottie Lindsey. Johnson held Lindsey to an abysmal one-for-15 from the field with four turnovers.
Johnson is playing the best basketball of his career and it is coming at the most important time in his career.
The questions surrounding him in the past have seemingly always been mental. Whether it be this fear of him never reaching his full potential or this everlasting concern for Johnson's ability to become a leader, Johnson's mental make-up has always been at the forefront. Now, it appears as if a new found level of confidence and support has pushed those questions to the side.
"It's the guys around me, the coaching staff, my teammates," Johnson said after Indiana's victory over Northwestern. "They never lost faith or confidence in my ability to shoot the ball, so I give all the thanks to them."
The questions of mentality reached their peak last year when Johnson heard his greatest criticism come from then Indiana head coach Tom Crean. When talking to legendary Indiana Broadcaster Don Fischer last February, Tom Crean found himself in a very odd position. With the season practically in shambles, Crean found himself defending former player Thomas Bryant. In doing so, Crean deflected blame to James Blackmon Jr. and Johnson.
“Thomas is really trying to lead the team, and he’s not getting a lot of help. He’s not getting a lot of help at all,” Crean said. “I’m not going to blame Thomas. He’s wearing the weight of the world on his shoulders, didn’t have a lot of fun playing today, which is not good. But he’s trying to make up for a group of juniors that just really have no ability right now to see past themselves when it comes to what it takes for us to be successful as a team, when it comes to communication.”
No matter how volatile things may have become last season, Crean's sentiments still had to be taken seriously. It's ever so rare to hear a coach be that blatantly critical of his or her own players, and in that moment Crean single-handedly attempted to drain all hope that one could have for Johnson.
Now, Crean's sentiments only make Johnson's current play more surreal.
Even to open the season, he struggled to find a comfort level. Johnson simply furthered Crean's ideas by shooting poorly and looking deflected in the process. Now, when his team needs him to step up, it seems like everything is finally clicking. Johnson has found himself among the complex world of College Basketball and Indiana can't afford to let him lose that.
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/954109919988518912[/embed]
The last four games can't be an aberration. Indiana's postseason hopes still remain barely intact, with the team needing to pick up a signature win against either Purdue, Ohio State or Michigan State. Even if tournament play isn't the cards, it still remains vital that Archie Miller continues to build momentum around this program moving forward.
With Indiana's inability to shoot the ball all season, and an uncertain injury to Morgan, Johnson has to remain at this elite for the remainder of the season. If he does, then he will leave a remarkably unique legacy at Indiana.
Johnson currently sits at 32nd all-time in scoring in Indiana Basketball history with 1,244 points. If Robert Johnson continues his current output, he could find himself in the top-20 by season's end, leaving the program on a positive note at a pivital time.
(01/19/18 8:03pm)
Mason Toye is a raw talent.
This past season I had the opportunity to cover and follow Mason Toye and the rest of the Indiana Men's Soccer team, and that's honestly the best way to describe what I saw. Mason Toye is a pure raw talent.
Toye is a raw talent that could legitimately become a star in Major League Soccer. The key for Toye moving forward will be how the coaching staff in Minnesota will look to develop that talent.
With the seventh pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft, Minnesota United selected the former Indiana forward Mason Toye, and in doing so, they made an investment in their future.
After one season in Bloomington, Toye made the decision to go pro after signing a Generation adidas contract with MLS. The decision honestly came as a surprise to me, and that is because of the nature in which Toye plays.
Toye makes everything look easy. His comfort level with some of the most difficult facets of soccer make you forget how talented he actually he is. So, I was originally surprised by the decision.
Now, after going back and watching Toye's highlights, I regret ever having that doubt.
Mason Toye, as only a freshman, led the Big Ten in goals with 10 and carried Indiana offensively on its way to a National Championship game.
Toye utilized an extremly wide skill-set to find success at Indiana. The goals obviously stood out, but what tends to get underappreciated is his work rate.
Toye was able to find early playing time at one of the top programs in the nation because of how quickly he adjusted to the defensive concepts of head coach Todd Yeagley. Toye used his work rate to help Indiana push an opponents backline into mistakes using a high press. It's that quick ability for Toye to learn and adjust which should serve him extremly well moving forward as the youngest player taken in the MLS SuperDraft.
The biggest concern for Toye in the future will be his strength. His biggest flaw came down to hold-up play, and that's hopefully something that will develop as he gets stronger. It's also a skill that can be avoided if we see Toye move out wide to more of a wing position rather than a striker.
In addition to the success he had on the field, Toye has a personality that Minnesota fans should grow to love. Toye found the back of the net 10 times this past season, and he followed each goal up with his signature "Milly Rock" dance.
[embed]https://twitter.com/EdwardKoton15/status/915408382827417603[/embed]
Along with the flair n which Toye showed on the pitch, he also faced every big moment with a great deal of composure. Never scared of the big moment, Toye always understood the value behind his role at this historic program.
[embed]https://twitter.com/EdwardKoton15/status/921929136645595137[/embed]
With all of this said, there are three skills in which Minnesota United fans should happily look out for with Mason Toye.
Ball Control
Toye always had this unique ability to handle the ball in tight spaces. It's what helped him overcome defenders that were bigger than him. Specifically, there was no one better at handling the ball by the goal line. He would consistently carry the ball into the box, blow beyond the left-back in front of him, and set up for a cross right on the edge of goal in a way that always created issues for opposing defenses.
[embed]https://twitter.com/TheHoosierNet/status/954408943144591360[/embed]
Pace
Toye could fly. He used his pace to stretch defenses in a way that made it nearly impossible to play a high-line. He forced the issue and made himself a lethal option on the counter attack.
Clinical Finishing
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Toye can put the ball in any corner of the net he wants. It seems as if every time he shoots, he is 'hold the right bumper in FIFA' and finessing the ball into the back of the net. No goal was more indicative of that then this free kick goal against Wisconsin that gave the Hoosiers a walk-off victory in the 109th minute.
(01/18/18 10:46pm)
With Indiana heading to East Lansing on Friday, it's important to look at how Indiana can try to pull off the upset. Michigan State is one of the most talented teams in the country. Fueled by future NBA talent, it’s hard to stop this high powered and extremely efficient offense. Luckily for Indiana, Michigan has provided us with a blueprint. Last week the Wolverines took down Michigan State on the road 82 to 72 and they did it by forcing 18 turnovers. This film room breaks down what the Wolverines did to frustrate Michigan State in a way that hasn’t been done all season.
(01/17/18 11:48pm)
The Big Ten is bad. It shouldn't be that simple, but at this point it's hard to argue otherwise.
The Big Ten has three to four teams that look destined for the NCAA Tournament and 10 teams dealing with different variations of mediocrity. One can at least argue that there is a unique entertainment value to watching the futility of Iowa and Illinois. Yet, that's the best semblance of value that you can find in this conference.
The lack of talent in the Big Ten is a blatant issue that shouldn't come as a surprise, and also shouldn't last too long.
Recruiting isn't everything in college basketball. A program doesn't need to field a roster of only four-star and five-star prospects to be competitive on the national stage. This is the beauty of great coaching and player development. Unfortunately for the Big Ten, this season the conference doesn't have the talent or the player development.
This futility shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. According to 247Sports, this past year in recruiting was the weakest for the Big Ten in a long time.
Last year, the only Big Ten team with a top-25 recruiting class was Ohio State. They had the 23rd best class in the nation.
Along with having only one mere top-25 class, Michigan State was the only team to bring in a five-star prospect. Jaren Jackson was the only elite talent to enter the league this season and the last time that ever happened came in 2013 when Indiana recruited the Big Ten's only 5-star at the time, Noah Vonleh.
It could be a fluke in the system, or it could be a symbol or a greater issue. An issue of branding.
If the Big Ten wants to compete with the rest of college basketball, then there is no better conference to compare yourself to than the ACC. For years now, the ACC has been labeled as arguably the best conference in college basketball. It seemingly all comes down to having some of the biggest recruiting brands in the nation.
According to 247Sports, in 2015, the Big Ten brought in three five-star recruits and 24 four-stars. In 2016, the Big Ten had two five-stars, and 15 four-stars. In 2017, Jaren Jackson and Tom Izzo saved the Big Ten from a big fat goose egg.
Through the entirety of those three years, the Big Ten has never had more than three top-25 classes. In comparison, in the past three years, the ACC has never had less than five.
For the ACC, it all comes down to brands. In the top-25, it will always have Duke and North Carolina. Throw in Louisville, prior to NCAA sanctions, Syracuse, Florida State, Notre Dame and even Miami. Right there you have a conference that has learned how to sell itself to the average 17-year-old.
In comparison, currently the Big Ten really only has the brand of Michigan State. One can argue the value of Michigan and Ohio State. However, neither can compete with the commercial successes of basketball schools in the ACC right now.
So, it begs the question, how badly does the Big Ten need programs such as Indiana to find prominence?
Recent history with Indiana doesn't get you too far in this conversation. With Indiana's previous history as a blue-blood, Archie Miller has the potential to leverage the Indiana brand in a recruiting sense to the to the same level of Michigan State. The potential is there and it has already been seen.
After the blatant failure of last year's recruiting circuit, it appears as if there is a new level of urgency in the Big Ten. It's a level of urgency, that needs to be acknowledged now and maintained in the future.
With National Signing Day still a few weeks away, the Big Ten has already brought in its best class in years. With six teams in the top-25 and 26 four-star athletes, this is the first time in the past decade where the Big Ten is actually competing with success of the ACC.
This upcoming class not only competes with level of the ACC, but it's also still growing.
According to 247Sports, the fifth best player in the nation, Romeo Langford, is still considering Indiana. The 21st best player in the nation, Moses Brown, is still considering Maryland. The 65th best player in the country, Tyger Campbell, is still considering Purdue. Lastly, the 118th best player, Tevian Jones, is still considering Illinois.
Recruiting isn't everything, and it never will be everything. With that said, your program and even your conference will always prefer to have more talent than its competitors.
This season, recruiting has to at least serve as a portion of the blame for the weakness of the Big Ten as a conference. It also has to serve as a reason for optimism moving forward.