Game Day Essentials: Game #9 at Indiana

Indiana Info

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

Rotation Depth: 8+

Last Game: Loss to Syracuse in 2OT

KenPom: 31
Line: Indiana by 11.5

Other:  

• Both teams come in off of OT losses. 
• This is the first time two former NBA players and head coaches will lead their respective teams in a Big Ten Conference game

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. He's a load.

Player to watch:  Xavier Johnson

The former Nebraska recruit finally ended up with Kenya Hunter at Indiana. It's all about keeping Johnson from driving into the paint as his weakness is his 3pt shooting.  However, he's been money out there thus far, hitting 5 of 9.

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.  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
5  Bryce  McGowens    G    6-7

23   Keon Edwards    G    6-7

11  Lat Mayen    F    6-9

13  Derrick Walker    F    6-9

Bench

32  Wilhelm Breidenbach    F    6-10

30  Keisei Tominaga    G    6-2

0    C.J.  Wilcher    G    6-5

35    Eduardo Andre    F    6-11

10  Kobe Webster    G    6-0

14  Trevor Lakes    F    6-8
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
 

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.

Defensively Indiana is going to try and run you off the 3pt line towards their shot blockers. If Nebraska can commit to running downhill it's probable that the B1G referees won't swallow their whistles every time in this one. Defensively I expect the Huskers to double team TJD when he touches the ball but he's a good enough passer that probably won't work well. 

The keys to this game will be Nebraska aggressively pursuing points in transition and aggressively attacking the rim. Turning this game into a track meet will exacerbate Indiana's turnover and hacking issues. Nebraska having to run much half court offense probably won't end well. 

This is a pretty good Hoosier team. Nebraska will need to roll with the flurry of punches this team will throw if they want to pull off the upset.

Prediction: Indiana 89 - Nebraska 72