Unacceptable

Following a game, whether it’s a win or a loss, I usually refrain from writing an article for awhile so I can let my emotions get in check. I don’t want to be too elated with Indiana’s good play, nor do I want to have a knee jerk reaction to them stinking up the place, but today (Saturday) I’m throwing that all out the window, because if I don’t let it out I may explode and my wife may leave me.

What the nation witnessed today from the Hoosiers is completely unacceptable…period. That’s not too take anything away from Maryland because they are a pretty good ball club, but there is no one that convince me that they are 30pts better than IU, which is what they led by at one point. The late surge by IU to make it a 16 point final deficit makes it even worse for me.

We all know that IU doesn’t have an outside shooter, but to compound that problem we now have two guys, Rob Phinisee and Al Durham who have to be forced to look at the basket if it’s not a late in the shot clock situation. Devonte Green on the other hand will jack up a step back three less than 10 seconds into the shot clock. You know, a shot that he can get at anytime in an offensive possession. And it’s not as if it’s a “heat check” type of shot either. No, he’ll do this following a couple missed shots sandwiched around a turnover.

This is not a bash Green article because he is far from the only issue right now for the Hoosiers. But a senior co-captain HAS to be a smarter basketball player. Indiana had cut an early 2nd half double digit deficit to 5pts and had the ball. What does our senior “leader” do? He races down the floor, pulls up from the top of the key and takes an off balance contested 3 pointer 8 seconds into the shot clock. 8 seconds! In what was to that point the single biggest possession of the game, that was the shot a veteran player decided was the one we needed right then.

The lead grew to 7 points, which was quickly followed by another ill timed miss and the lead grew to 9. Freshman Armaan Franklin commits a turnover following that Maryland basket which led to yet another Terrapin bucket and the lead was back to double digits and the onslaught was on. Not to let Franklin off the hook, but a freshman playing on the road in the B10 is going to make a mistake or two, it’s almost expected even. Unfortunately, the complete lack of situational basketball by some of our veteran players is something that is expected now also.

Trayce Jackson-Davis had his welcome to the B10 game as well today. Battling a complete Maryland frontline that was as big and as athletic as him was an adjustment for him. After picking up two early fouls and going to the bench a little frustrated, to his credit, when he returned he battled. He doesn’t back down. But when the 4 guards on the roster have such a hard time feeding the post and he has to come out 15 feet from the basket to get a touch in an area he can’t do anything with it, the young man is going to get frustrated and he’s going to struggle.

I’m 100% certain that we can all agree that a pure, knock down shooter would make a world of difference for this team, but the fact remains, it’s not something we have, so a different approach has to be taken. We’re at the halfway point of year three in Archie Miller’s tenure at IU and no, I’m not throwing in the towel on him and wanting a coaching change. But it may be time for the coach to change some things.

It may be time to use the bench as a motivator. I know, I know, we can’t win without our best players on the floor. Well evidently we can’t win with them on the floor either. Let’s face it, when Devonte Green is on, he’s on and he is good. But when he isn’t, head coach Archie Miller needs to recognize that and sit him for awhile, or the whole game, whichever it takes. Because Green plays in the very moment he’s in. He would make a great relief pitcher because he has a very short memory.

As a team we let our offensive deficiencies effect our defense, and that shouldn’t happen. Defense should be there every night. There is no excuse for not playing defense, and this team has shown they are capable of playing good “D.” But for whatever reason they haven’t grasped that good defense gives them the best chance to win games considering their offensive short comings.

We want to play uptempo, or so we’re told, yet Coach Miller constantly has to scream to push the ball. I don’t get it. Most kids today want to play at a faster pace, yet our guys have to be reminded to get the ball, following a make or a miss, and go. You have to put some pressure on the defense, especially when you’re so limited in your half court offense. Of course, I’m not sure we are disciplined enough to push it and then set it up if there’s nothing there.

I think it’s time for Phinisee to get back in the starting lineup too. Maybe playing alongside of him would help Green. Another change I would make is the substitutions when a player, or the team for that matter, is playing well. Having depth is one thing, best utilizing that depth is something else. Too many times it seems as though a good run and some momentum are broken due to wholesale substitutions. When Miller was hired he spoke of favoring a 7 or 8 player rotation, maybe that’s an area that needs to be addressed. Very few nights is everyone going to be ‘on’ so recognize when someone’[s not, and give them their shot the next night. That’s the real beauty of having depth.

I love coach Miller, and I think he’s building the program to be a team I love watching for years to come, but right now, I catch myself looking for individual improvement, because until he has a roster full of his players, it’s going to be painful at times. Even following last Sunday’s late game meltdown against Arkansas, I still believed that this team was oh so close to having it figured out. I’m questioning that a little more after today. But I think the thing that keeps me somewhat positive after games like this is the fact that players and the coaches know some things have to be changed. Now it’s just a matter of changing them.

Okay, now that I have that out of my system for awhile, I’m turning my attention to the Hoosiers next chance to get it figured out, which will be on Wednesday, January 8th, in Bloomington against the Northwestern Wildcats. Hope to see you all there. #iubb

Go Hoosiers!