Indiana’s lackluster performance just enough to scrape by Chattanooga

Games like Indiana’s contest on Saturday afternoon are one any team dreads to play. Noon tipoff, no students on campus and a pesky mid-major looking to play spoiler make it hard to get up for a game.

So, the Hoosiers played accordingly.

IU took the floor looking like it had just woken up, playing sluggishly and with little defensive effort. When the Mocs made their fourth 3-pointer of the game just eight-and-a-half minutes in to take a 7-point lead, trouble loomed.

However, Indiana rallied and defeated Chattanooga 74-65. Although they achieved the desired result, the Hoosiers’ consistency and overall effort have yet to be fully realized, with one non-conference matchup remaining. As the team’s 17-point loss at Nebraska revealed, that level of play won’t cut it in the Big Ten.

Early on in the contest, Chattanooga’s shooters were getting open at ease and knocking down looks. Trey Bonham – the team’s leading scorer – was practically unchecked to start the game. He scored the Mocs’ first six points and knocked down a second 3-pointer a few minutes later.

The Mocs started the game 8-for-13 from the field, including four threes, but the same defensive errors that have haunted Indiana all season were visible. Trouble staying in front of the ball, poor communication, slowness in fighting through screens and failure to close out open looks on the perimeter all contributed to a sluggish showing.

“I thought just their movement caused problems for us,” Mike Woodson said postgame. “You know, the back door cuts and things of that nature… those are the things you’ve got to eliminate, especially against good teams.”

In a game where the starting five was “atrocious,” according to Woodson, the bench unit produced key contributions to fight back. The defense tightened up some, but the offensive side started to create. While some open 3-point looks didn’t fall, IU attacked the basket more and began to produce.

Leading 41-38 at halftime, the defensive effort couldn’t have been much worse. When the Hoosiers started picking it up on that side of the ball in the second frame, they sacrificed the offense in the process.

Indiana came out swinging, looking more like the talented team. A 10-4 spurt led to a 9-point advantage and soon after, a second mini run put the Hoosiers up 13. Malik Reneau came alive and dominated inside and a pair of triples from the Hoosiers made it appear that the game was under control.

Once again, the wheels fell off and a lengthy offensive dry spell struck – something that has been a staple in recent years. After a monstrous Reneau dunk at the 12:37 mark that made the lead 13 points, IU went nearly 10 minutes without a field goal with a six-plus minute scoring drought sandwiched between.

“We’re trying to do a lot of things, but we’re not executing or doing it the way Coach wants,” Reneau said of the offensive drought. “Just slowing down and trying to execute… not trying to rush anything and making sure we get a good shot every time we come down the court.”

Although the defense on Bonham locked up, it was a different Mocs guard’s turn to terrorize. Honor Huff connected on four second-half 3-pointers and the Hoosiers’ 13-point lead got cut down to as low as four on several occasions.

IU seemed to get selective in when to pour its effort in. At times, the defense was a stalwart and the offensive rhythm flowed. However, the Hoosiers ran through the motions for most of the contest and didn’t get after it consistently

In the end, Indiana’s defense did just enough to survive its offensive struggles and hold on for the 9-point victory. While the result held against Chattanooga, it likely wouldn’t hold up in a conference game and Woodson knows it.

“I’m trying to get us there on a 40-minute basis every night they step out on the floor,” he said. “We’re not there yet. Nowhere near it. So, I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Indiana’s problems are plentiful but still fixable. The talent level is up to par with nearly any team in the country, and if applied correctly for 40 minutes, it could win the program many games. However, time continues to tick as Big Ten play looms.

The Hoosiers wrap up their non-conference schedule against Winthrop on Dec. 29 before delving into the full Big Ten schedule against Rutgers on Jan. 2.

“I feel like we’re in a good space,” Reneau said. “We’ve definitely got to improve on a lot of things coming up, but this break will definitely give us a chance to clear everybody’s minds and get back to it and come back with a spark.”

Category: Media

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