Indiana Pulls Away in Second Half to Defeat Indianapolis 74-52
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Coach Mike Woodson said Indiana had a "nice" halftime talk after the Hoosiers went 6-for-19 on layups, shot 10-for-31 overall and just 5-for-11 from the free throw line in the first half.
Odds are it wasn't nice, but it was what Indiana needed. Woodson thought the Hoosiers came out tight in its first exhibition game Sunday against the University of Indianapolis, and the result was a two-point halftime deficit against a Division II school.
"The real coach Woody came out," Indiana forward Anthony Walker said. "He wants us to play Indiana basketball."
The second half was much more representative of Indiana's potential. The Hoosiers dominated the second half, pulling away with a 74-52 win Sunday at Assembly Hall.
It started on the defensive end with the second unit. Freshman point guard Gabe Cupps forced a 10-second violation and got his hands in passing lanes. Anthony Leal dove for a loose ball. The length of Walker and CJ Gunn bothered Indianapolis. Payton Sparks was physical on the glass.
Indiana turned defense into offense and went on a 7-0 run around the midway point of the second half, with baskets from Walker, Cupps and Gunn and a lineup of all bench players.
The loudest roars from Assembly Hall came in appreciation of the second unit, one that Woodson believes can be a valuable asset for this year's team. He wants to play a nine or 10-man rotation this year, and Sunday's game was a step in the right direction toward that goal, especially recognizing that Indiana was without sophomore wing Kaleb Banks.
"If you followed me closely in the NBA, I've always stressed the second unit is just as important as the first unit," Woodson said. "And I've tried to build teams that way, where if you're not getting it from the first unit, you can go get it from the second unit. And I think we're deep enough, if we can stay away from injuries, that we can sustain that over the course of the season."
Offensively, the turnaround happened as layups simply started to fall. The Hoosiers flipped the script from the first half and went 11-for-14 in this category, showing that sometimes turnarounds can come from doing the easy things well. And sometimes it just takes a little extra motivation from the coach.
"I told our guys we were too soft and we got to be tougher," Woodson said of the first-half layup issues.
A potential concern with Indiana could, again, be 3-point shooting, as the Hoosiers went 0-for-4 in the first half and 3-for-6 in the second. Indiana consistently got what it wanted at the rim and when pushing the ball in transition, making outside shots less necessary than usual.
In the end, newcomers Mackenzie Mgbako and Kel'el Ware led Indiana with 14 points apiece, and six Hoosiers scored at least six. Mgbako, Ware and Johnson hit the team's 3-pointers, a potentially scary sight for opponents, given Mgbako's 6-foot-8 frame and Ware at 7-foot.
With three new starters and Johnson coming off injury, Sunday confirmed the perception that it'll take some time for Indiana to reach its offensive potential. The talent is there, but the chemistry needed to win Big Ten games is a work in progress and will only be built with real-game experience. Woodson said he doesn't want Indiana to live in a half-court offensive game this season, and he thinks he has the personnel to consistently push the pace.
Woodson has always said he wants his team's foundation to be on the defensive end, and this team has promise there. Ware showed his rim-protection skills with two blocks, and pairing him next Reneau and Mgbako gives Indiana serious length. Johnson and Galloway are plus-defenders on the perimeter, rounding out a defense unit with real upside.
Indiana finishes up its exhibition schedule Friday against Marian at Assembly Hall at 6:30 p.m. ET. Woodson said postgame that Sparks, who left the game and didn't return with an apparent ankle injury, is fine and will likely play Friday.
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