Three Things To Watch As Indiana Takes On Nebraska

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana’s men’s basketball team has been gradually eliminating nonconference road games from its season schedule. For the second year in a row, the Hoosiers will not play a true nonconference road game.

With the way the Big Ten schedule laid out, it means the Hoosiers will play their first road game at 8 p.m. ET on Friday at Nebraska. It’s the latest first true road game for the Hoosiers since the 2014-15 season when Indiana played in an enemy gym for the first time on Dec. 31, 2014, also at Nebraska.

As it is with so many things related to the Mike Woodson coaching era at Indiana, the Hoosiers record in first true road games of the season is mixed.

In 2021-22, Woodson’s first season, Indiana lost its first nonconference road game in a 112-110 double overtime marathon against Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. The Hoosiers also fell in their Big Ten road opener, a 64-59 defeat at Wisconsin.

Indiana got a split in the 2022-23 campaign. The Hoosiers earned an 81-79 victory over Xavier at Cintas Center, an exciting road contest that ended Indiana’s participation in the Gavitt Games series with the Big East Conference on a high note for Indiana. However, Indiana ended a 7-0 start to the season when it was hammered 63-48 by Rutgers at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J.

As it is this year, Indiana did not play a nonconference true road game in the 2023-24 season. The Hoosiers did win their first Big Ten road contest, a 78-75 victory at Michigan.

So when overall and Big Ten openers are combined, the Hoosiers are 2-3 in the Woodson era. Indiana will be hoping to get to .500 in one fell swoop at Nebraska’s Pinnacle Bank Arena on Friday.

Here are three things to watch for from the Hoosiers when they face off against the Cornhuskers:

1. Will Indiana Attack From The Perimeter?

Indiana's Luke Goode (10) shoots a three-pointer during the Indiana versus Sam Houston men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Woodson tends to think of matchups in what pressure his lineups can put on the opposition rather than what opposition weaknesses can be exploited. There’s nothing wrong with that. It shows a belief in the talent on the roster.

Given that, Indiana will no doubt try to attack the rim with Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau. There’s nothing that isn’t sensible about that either. Ballo and Reneau combine for 28.7 points and 15.5 rebounds.

However, Nebraska is pretty good at defending inside the arc and not so good above it. The Cornhuskers rank 14th nationally in 2-point shots allowed, giving up just 28.3. Meanwhile, Nebraska is almost dead-last nationally in 3-point shots allowed, 31.1, and opponents have shot 33.3% against them, also in the lower half of Division I.

No one will blame Indiana for attacking with its bigs, but the Hoosiers rank 105th nationally in 3-point shooting (35.9%), but only take 17 3-point shots per game, ranked 353rd nationally. That’s an imbalance that needs to be straightened out and this might be a good opponent to do it against.

2. Can Indiana Defend Without Fouling?

Sam Houston State Bearkats guard Dorian Finister (2) shoots the ball while Indiana Hoosiers forward Malik Reneau (5) defends in the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

One area in which the Cornhuskers excel is getting to the free throw line. Nebraska ranks in the top 25 nationally in every major free throw category as the Cornhuskers average 20 of 26 per game at the line.

Indiana’s defense has not done a great job of avoiding fouling. The Hoosiers average 16.5 fouls per game. However, Indiana can do itself a world of good by showing some defensive discipline to keep Nebraska from getting its average of 20 points at the line.

It won’t be easy. Playing with discipline on the road is one of the hardest things for any team to pull off. If Indiana can be disciplined it will take the Hoosiers far.

3. Will Mackenzie Mgbako Get His Groove Back?

Sophomore swingman Mackenzie Mgbako started the 2024-25 season on fire. He averaged 22 points in the first three games of the season. He also had a 25-point game against Providence at Battle 4 Atlantis.

However, Mgbako has cooled off of late. His shooting touch is off in the last two games as he is 7 of 19 from the floor, including 1 of 6 from 3-point range. He scored 13 against Minnesota on Monday, so it’s not as if he’s disappeared, but consistency is what Mgbako needs to try to get a handle on in his second season of college ball.

The good news is that Mgbako has done this before. Prior to his 25-point game against Providence, Mgbako had a three-game stretch where he was 28.6% from the floor. A Big Ten road game would be a very good time for a similar revival from Mgbako.

1. Will Indiana Attack From The Perimeter?

2. Can Indiana Defend Without Fouling?

3. Will Mackenzie Mgbako Get His Groove Back?

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