Indiana fell 85-68 Friday night time to Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena, which dropped the Hoosiers to 8-3 total and 1-1 in Big Ten play.
Here are 5 takeaways from the loss to the Huskers:
Despite its expertise upgrades, Indiana’s protection remains to be damaged
Indiana turned over a lot of its roster from final season’s 19-14 marketing campaign. The expertise, a minimum of on paper, is improved.
The protection remains to be damaged. As is often the case beneath Mike Woodson, when the Hoosiers are crushed, they’re crushed soundly. Friday’s efficiency was the identical.
Nebraska scored 1.233 factors per possession for 85 factors. It was the same defensive efficiency to Louisville (89 factors, 1.233 PPP) and Gonzaga (89 factors, 1.195 PPP).
Through 11 video games, the Hoosiers have the 66th-best protection nationally. That ranks twelfth amongst Big Ten packages.
Unless Indiana can present significant progress defensively – and there’s no signal at this level that it’ll – the ceiling is an NCAA event bubble staff by season’s finish.
Indiana had no reply for Brice Williams
Indiana struggled to supply defensive resistance towards Brice Williams from the opening tip.
The 6-foot-7 wing acquired the place he needed on the ground and delivered an environment friendly offensive efficiency. Williams completed with 30 factors on 8-for-12 capturing on 2s, 2-for-3 capturing on 3s and 8-for-11 from the free throw line.
It didn’t matter who Indiana placed on Williams, the Hoosiers had no reply.
While Indiana was lauded within the offseason for including assist in the backcourt in Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle, together with Oumar Ballo within the put up, its protection on the wing is underwhelming.
Mackenzie Mgbako had foul points from the beginning attempting to include Williams, Bryson Tucker couldn’t guard him and neither might Luke Goode.
Indiana has no constant chief
Myles Rice and Trey Galloway are Indiana’s captains. But the Hoosiers haven’t any constant chief on the ground.
Indiana recovered from adversity early on towards Nebraska by getting just a few stops and flattening perimeter photographs. But with the sport within the steadiness and the Hoosiers trailing 68-67 with 6:51 to play, the on-court management was missing.
Outside of Rice, who scored 14 of his 20 factors within the second half, Indiana’s most skilled gamers delivered little within the second half.
Galloway was 1-for-8 with two turnovers in 14 second-half minutes. Goode was 1-for-5 in 13 second-half minutes. Malik Reneau was 1-for-4 in 9 second-half minutes. Mgbako was 1-for-4 in 13 second-half minutes. Remarkably, Ballo didn’t try a shot within the second half.
These performances won’t ship wins, significantly away from Assembly Hall.
Hoosiers hoist 35 3-pointers and solely join eight instances
Nebraska got here in with the plan of forcing Indiana to take perimeter photographs and the Hoosiers tried a season-high 35 makes an attempt.
The variety of makes an attempt was essentially the most for this system beneath Woodson since his arrival within the 2021-22 season.
While many seems have been clear and Indiana merely missed, many have been comparatively early in possessions and never in rhythm. Indiana’s greatest 3-point shooter, Mgbako, solely tried one 3-pointer, and its worst 3-point shooter, freshman Bryson Tucker, tried 5 photographs from the perimeter.
“I assumed we had attractiveness tonight, we simply didn’t make them,” Woodson mentioned postgame. “I don’t care in case you take 30, 40, 50 threes, while you take them, you’ve acquired to make them.”
Indiana additionally tried 5 photographs that have been lengthy 2s (from 17 ft to only contained in the 3-point line) and went 2-for-5 on these makes an attempt.
This was Nebraska’s fourth straight win towards Indiana by 15 or extra factors
Dating again to final season when it beat Indiana 3 times, Nebraska has gained 4 straight video games within the sequence.
And not one of the video games have been shut.
The Hoosiers have given up a minimum of 85 factors in all 4 losses and a minimum of 1.197 factors per possession. The common margin of victory for the Huskers in these 4 video games? 18.8 factors.
This domination by the Huskers is one other information level as an instance the Hoosiers are removed from competing close to the highest of the Big Ten. Woodson’s said purpose upon his arrival to Bloomington and once more within the preseason was to compete for convention and nationwide championships.
Currently, this system is a great distance from each objectives.
(Photo credit score: Nebraska Athletics)
Filed to: Mike Woodson, Nebraska Cornhuskers
