Indiana erased a 16-point second half deficit to beat Maryland 83-78 on Sunday afternoon on the Xfinity Heart. The win improved the Hoosiers to 16-13 total and 8-10 in Massive Ten play with two common season video games remaining.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the victory in opposition to the Terrapins:
Mackenzie Mgbako dominated within the second half
Indiana freshman wing Mackenzie Mgbako performed his finest half of basketball over the ultimate 20 minutes in School Park.
After a primary half the place he shot simply 2-for-7 in 14 minutes, Mgbako had an offensive explosion down the stretch in opposition to Maryland.
The 6-foot-8 freshman scored 18 of his game-high 24 factors within the second half. Mgbako performed all 20 minutes within the second half. A few of Mgbako’s harm got here in transition as Maryland struggled to search out him on the break. And IU additionally ran extra motion to liberate Mgbako, realizing he had the recent hand.
“Properly, he made pictures, and as soon as he began to make pictures, we began operating performs to direct the ball to him somewhat bit extra,” Mike Woodson stated postgame.
Mgbako completed an environment friendly 8-for-15 from the sphere, together with a 4-for-8 efficiency from 3-point vary. He was additionally 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
Indiana made 3-pointers and free throws at a excessive proportion
Making pictures at a excessive proportion from 3 and the free throw line has alluded Indiana for many of the season. In a stunning efficiency on Sunday afternoon, the Hoosiers shot it properly from distance and the road.
Indiana was 7-for-16 (43.8 %) on 3s and 14-for-17 from the free throw line (82.4 %).
Along with Mgbako’s stellar 4-for-8 3-point capturing efficiency, three different Hoosiers every made a well timed 3-pointer. Gabe Cupps made his solely triple early within the sport. Xavier Johnson and Anthony Leal made back-to-back 3s within the first half to tie the sport.
“It’s one thing that we’ve lacked this season,” Woodson stated. “We’ve struggled to place the ball within the gap. Tonight, all of it got here collectively somewhat bit.”
The free throw capturing was equally essential for Indiana.
Whereas Maryland shot a stellar 9-for-10 from the road, Indiana obtained to the road for seven extra makes an attempt than the Terps. And the Hoosiers, the worst free throw capturing workforce within the convention, cashed in on their alternatives on the stripe. Six totally different Hoosiers made a free throw within the win.
The backcourt delivers
IU’s backcourt play has been underwhelming this season, however the duo of Trey Galloway and Xavier Johnson delivered when it mattered in Sunday’s win.
Johnson performed almost your complete second half and completed with 13 factors, six assists, three rebounds and only one turnover.
Galloway additionally stuffed the stat sheet with 12 factors, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, two steals and two turnovers in 38 minutes.
“I simply thought that ‘X’ was Xavier Johnson,” Woodson stated. “He did lots of good issues on the ground from a defensive standpoint and managed the sport out entrance with him and (Trey Galloway), our two seniors. I’ve missed that this season, I actually have.”
With Johnson enjoying one in all his finest video games of the season, it allowed Indiana to have two scoring and facilitating threats within the backcourt on the ground concurrently.
“It was in addition to they’ve performed collectively since I’ve had them collectively,” Woodson added. “These had been most likely two finest video games they’ve had. To see them play collectively tonight and lead like they did as seniors, that was sort of good.”
The second half was Indiana’s finest 20 minutes of the season
Indiana’s offensive numbers within the second half had been exceptional.
Towards one of many Massive Ten’s finest defenses in Maryland, the Hoosiers put up 50 factors. Indiana shot a scorching 19-for-26 (73.1 %) from the sphere.
The Hoosiers scored on 24 of their 34 second half possessions and had 1.47 factors per possession after halftime.
Indiana additionally did a significantly better job taking good care of the ball within the second half, committing simply 5 turnovers after 9 within the first half.
But it surely wouldn’t have been an entire efficiency if the Hoosiers didn’t again up the offensive outburst with a stable defensive effort. After permitting 43 factors within the first half, IU was rather more sharp defensively within the second half.
Maryland shot simply 44.8 % within the remaining 20 minutes.
“I believed tonight we performed a horrible first half however we by no means stop,” Woodson stated. “We got here out within the second half, and I believed defensively we had been large.”
Indiana performed higher the final two video games, however the season remains to be a serious disappointment
The Hoosiers have given the fanbase one thing to cheer about within the final two video games. A house win in opposition to Wisconsin and a street victory in opposition to Maryland are stable outcomes.
Indiana nonetheless has two common season video games left and an opportunity to rewrite the narrative within the Massive Ten event.
However profitable two video games late within the season doesn’t change the truth that Indiana has underachieved in Woodson’s third 12 months.
The Hoosiers are preventing to remain out of a Wednesday’s sport within the convention event and may end no higher than .500 in Massive Ten play. These aren’t info to be celebrated in Bloomington.
At No. 95 KenPom and No. 101 within the NCAA’s NET rankings, this system is much from even being thought-about for the NCAA event.
(Picture credit score: IU Athletics)
Filed to: Mackenzie Mgbako, Trey Galloway, Xavier Johnson
