Finally Healthy, Indiana's Rob Phinisee Prepared for Big Season

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Two things have been a problem for Indiana's basketball team that past couple of years. For one, they didn't have enough guards and, secondly, they've played through many stretches without any healthy guards.

That doesn't work, especially in this day and age as basketball has morphed more and more into a perimeter game.

That's finally changed as Indiana prepares to open its 2020-21 basketball season on Wednesday night against Tennessee Tech. Veteran guards Rob Phinisee and Al Durham are healthy, and freshmen Khristian Lander, Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal will provide an immediate impact.

It starts with Phinisee, the point guard from Lafayette who has battled through some nagging injuries during his first two years. Because of that, he hasn't really hit his groove yet. He's been good, but just not great.

That's about to change.

'I feel great,'' Phinisee said Tuesday when he met with the media for the first time since practice started last month. "It's the best I've felt in a while. I'm ready to play."

Not only is he ready to play, but he's ready to play in a different way, too. For the first time during Archie Miller's four years at Indiana, he has a roster that's capable of playing the way he wants, often with three guards playing at a faster pace. They can attack the basket, stretch the floor and being dangerous from three-point range.

Phinisee will be a big part of that, along with Durham. Lander is a five-star point guard from Evansville who graduated a year early to get here in Bloomington, and Galloway and Leal are both solid ball-handlers as well. They will give the Hoosiers a different look this season.

"Having three guys who can bring the ball up the court is very valuable," Phinisee says. "We can play a lot faster. We have a lot of matchup nightmares for other teams. We will be really hard to guard."

Phinisee has averaged just 7.0 points and 3.2 assists during his first two seasons and has shot 32 percent from three-point range. Those numbers are all depressed by not being able to play at 100 health. He also missed a lot of practice time last year with a nagging abdominal injury, and that unquestionably slowed his growth.

He's quick, he has great ball skills and he's got experience now, too. He's ready to attack, no matter who's on the floor with him.

"We're going to attack the basket; that's very important," he says. "That's one of the main things for the offense, and me getting into the paint will open things up for everybody. I can score or kick it out to my teammates.

"It's important for me to be more of a scorer. Be more aggressive. The more aggressive I am, the more I can create for myself and my teammates. I want to be more consistent."

As a junior, Phinisee is also embracing his leadership role. It doesn't matter one bit to him that Lander might eat into a few of his minutes, though not has many as you'd think, because they are going to play together often.

Still, it's on Phinisee and the older guys to show the freshmen the ropes. They're a necessary piece if the Hoosiers want to get to the NCAA Tournament.

Still, Phinisee's biggest growth will likely come beyond numbers.

"My experience has really helped me,'' Phinisee said. "'My leadership can help. I have confidence, too, and I know what to expect. Coach has emphasizes to the older guys that we need to teach the younger guys. That's how they learn the best. We've been through it.''

"The main thing for a lot of freshmen is the physicality and the speed of the game. Take it day by day, learn everything you can and soak everything in."

This has been a trying year with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing guys to keep a distance. But Phinisee and the other leaders on this team, especially All-American candidate Trayce Jackson-Davis and senior Joey Brunk, have helped change the attitude in the Indiana locker room.

This team will be different from past incarnations, he said,

"We have a lot of young guys, so taking control of the team is important. I need to be that leader that we need to have. Everyone is holding everyone accountable. Everyone wants to win. Whatever happens, everyone will stay together."

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