Big 2nd Half Helps Hoosiers Get 5th Straight Win
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — It took a while to get rolling, but once Indiana got its act together Wednesday night, it had no trouble running away from Princeton. The Hoosiers got their fifth straight victory to open the season, winning 79-54.
It was the first time in six years that the Hoosiers had opened a season with five straight wins. Princeton, considered to be one of the better teams in the Ivy League, fell to 0-4.
Indiana's Joey Brunk and Devonte Green led the Hoosiers in scoring them, getting their points in very different ways, of course. Brunk did a great job finding space inside, and he had 16 points and eight rebounds.
"He's a problem down low,'' Green said of Brunk. "He knows what he's doing down there, and he can get to the basket. He was a huge help. The other team had a good big man and we needed somebody to answer the call. And Joey stepped up, and he was big for us on both sides of the ball.''
Green, coming off the bench in just his second game after missing the first three with a hamstring injury, also had 16 points. He made 2 of 3 shot from the 3-point line, and was the only Hoosier with multiple 3-pointers.
The Hoosiers attempted only 10 3-pointers all night, making three. It was rare that they were so quiet from deep, because they had been averaging 17.3 shots from 3-point range in the first four games.
Forwards Justin Smith and Trayce Jackson-Davis also were in double-figures, scoring 14 and 11.
The Hoosiers had a hard time finding any rhythm early, and never could find a groove in he first half. They led for most of the period, but never by much. Their biggest lead was seven, and they actually trailed by one on a couple of different occasions late in the half.
Even though Indiana shot 50 percent for the half, no one really had a hot hand. Brunk, the grad transfer from Butler, was probably Indiana's most effective player, getting to the basket quickly. He had six first-half points and five rebounds.
"I told our guys they were going to come out and make it difficult on us early, and they did,'' Indiana coach Archie Miller said. "This was a really good win against a good team. For us to get to 5-0 is important, and it's good to have a happy locker room.''
It was a different story for Indiana in the second half, though, going on an 10-1 run to build an 13-point lead at 53-37 with 12:37 to go. Another 9-1 run made it 72-49 and the Hoosiers cruised home from there.
The Hoosiers shot 62.1 percent in the second half, and held Princeton to just 28 percent shooting. Indiana was also much better at guarding the 3-point line, holding Princeton to just 22 percent shooting (6-for-27) from deep.
"It's huge ( having a better second half). In a game, we're going to make a hundred adjustments,'' Green said. "We did a good job of that, the way they were defending us. I think we were smarter with the ball, too.
Green, the Hoosiers' most creative players, is still feeling his way back, but he looked better and better as the game went on.
"I'm feeling a lot more comfortable after being out for a while,'' Green said. "It's good to be back out there with my teammates.''
Miller was pleased with his guard play, and he was thrilled that all four guards — Green, Al Durham, Rob Phinisee and Armaan Franklin — were all available for the first time all year. They combined for 14 assists and only three turnovers.
"They all played a great floor game,'' Miller said. "Look at Al (Durham). He didn't score like he's been, but he had six assists and no turnovers. That's great. It's what we need. We need to veteran guys to step up and play well like that every night.
"This team, it's all about rebounding and turnovers for us. If we do that, we can be pretty good. If we don't, we're done.''
So far, so good. Granted the talent level of the opponents hasn't been great — everyone has been ranked No. 218 or worse out of 353 teams in the kenpom.com national rankings — but the Hoosiers have done well in making adjustments and playing well in the second half.
RELATED: Indiana-Princeton box score
NEXT UP: Indiana plays Louisiana Tech on Monday, Nov. 25 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
