Game Day Essentials: Game #19 vs Indiana

Indiana Info

Head Coach: Mike Woodson
Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Hoosiers

Rotation Depth: 8+

Last Game: Loss at Iowa

KenPom: 26
Line: Indiana by 8

Other:  

• Indiana won the last matchup on Dec 4th 68-55. Race Thompson had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Alonzo Verge finished with a game high 15 points though that came along with 6 turnovers
• Alonzo Verge Jr. needs 19 points to reach 1,000 career points.
• Indiana is 11-0 at home, 1-0 on a neutral court, 0-4 on the road

Player to watch: Trayce Jackson-Davis

TJD certainly could have left for the NBA last year but has come back to anchor Mike Woodson's 4 out offense. The pre-season All-American is averaging 22 points and 8.9 rebounds as well as a B1G best 3.8 blocks.  He recently beat Steve Alford's Assembly Hall scoring record by putting up 43 against Marshall. Last time out vs Nebraska he had 14 and 7.

Player to watch:  Indiana PG

You look at the difference between this team winning and losing and it's probably been the inconstant PG play, especially on the road.  Xavier Johnson and Rob Phinisee have been shaky in conference play while freshman Khristian Lander hasn't seen playing time.

Possible Hoosier Starters

0 Xavier Johnson 6-3 200 G Sr./Jr. 

45 Parker Stewart 6-5 210 G Grad/Jr. 
12 Miller Kopp 6-7 215 F Sr./Jr. 

23 Trayce Jackson-Davis 6-9 245 F++ Jr./So. 
25 Race Thompson 6-8 228 F+++ R-Sr./Jr. 
 

Probable Rotation

53 Tamar Bates 6-5 180 G Fr./Fr. 

1 Rob Phinisee 6-1 187 G+++ Sr./Jr 
2 Michael Durr 7-0 250 C Sr./Jr, 
4 Khristian Lander 6-2 185 G+ So./Fr. 

22 Jordan Geronimo 6-6 220 F+ So./Fr. 

Bench

3 Anthony Leal 6-5 210 G+ So./Fr. 
5 Michael Shipp* 6-3 190 G++ Jr./So. 
11 Shaan Burke* 6-3 185 G Fr./Fr. 
14 Nathan Childress* 6-6 212 F++ Jr./So. 
15 Sebastien Scott* 6-2 185 G So./Fr. 
32 Trey Galloway 6-5 210 G+ So./Fr. 
51 Logan Duncomb 6-9 235 C Fr./Fr. 

The Rest of the Roster

Miller Kopp and Parker Stewart are the 3pt shooters Indiana puts around TJD. Stewart is a stationary shooter whereas Kopp will drive inside. Race Thompson will be a problem in the paint, especially on the boards. 5 star freshman wing Tamar Bates is the 6th man and shows flashes of greatness; had one of his best games of the season vs Nebraska.  Rob Phinisee and Khristian Lander are the backup PGs but have been a drop-off from Johnson. Backup wing Jordan Geronimo can jump out of the gym. South Florida center Michael Durr is a giant human rim defender.

Probable starters for Nebraska
1  Alonzo  Verge    G    6-3

30  Keisei Tominaga    G    6-2
5  Bryce  McGowens    G    6-7

11  Lat Mayen    F    6-9

13  Derrick Walker    F    6-9

Bench

2  Trey  McGowens    G    6-4

0    C.J.  Wilcher    G    6-5

35    Eduardo Andre    F    6-11

10  Kobe Webster    G    6-0

23   Keon Edwards    G    6-7

Redshirting/Walk-ons
3   Quaran McPherson    G    6-3

33    Oleg Kojenets    F    7-0
4    Jackson Cronin    G    6-1

12    Sam Hoiberg    G    6-0
15    Chris McGraw    G    6-0
21    Jace Piatkowski    G    6-3

Injured

32  Wilhelm Breidenbach    F    6-10

14  Trevor Lakes    F    6-8

The Skinny: 

For those of you unfamiliar, Mike Woodson is the first former Hoosier to coach Indiana since 1965 along with a being former NBA coach for the Hawks and the Knicks. He's brought in assistants Dane Fife and Kenya Hunter as well as a bunch of shooters to surround Trayce Jackson-Davis.  The Hoosiers have quickly moved on from the end of the Archie Miller era.

Race Thompson was an issue for Nebraska in this one last time, but he's an issue in every game.  You can count on him and TJD to put up 30-40 points a game though keep in mind that 30-40 points alone won't be enough to beat the Huskers.  This is a game where Nebraska would be keen to keep players like Miller Kopp, Parker Stewart, and Tamar Bates from getting heavily involved in the offense.  Make Johnson and Phinisee the players Indiana needs to supplement their post scoring to win the game.

I don't know that Nebraska wins this game but this is a game I can see them winning. Maybe Trey McGowens spurs the men on to their first conference win of the season. 

Prediction: Indiana 72 - Nebraska 68