Indiana opened the season with an 80-61 win in opposition to SIU Edwardsville on Wednesday at Simon Skjodt Meeting Corridor.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the win in opposition to the Cougars:
Mackenzie Mgbako was dominant
Expertise has by no means been a query for Mackenzie Mgbako. There was, nonetheless, an adjustment interval final season as a freshman for Mgbako.
By season’s finish, he was one of many nation’s higher freshman scorers and earned co-Huge Ten freshman of the yr honors.
Mgbako’s season-opening efficiency confirmed why there’s optimism he can take one other leap ahead as a sophomore. The 6-foot-9 ahead – sure, he reportedly grew an inch within the offseason – was a matchup downside instantly for the Cougars.
Along with his dimension on the wing, Mgbako can comfortably get his shot in opposition to smaller defenders. He shot a scorching 4-of-5 on 3s on his technique to a career-high 31 factors in 28 minutes.
Extra importantly, Mgbako was extra aggressive going to the glass. And he was engaged defensively. That wasn’t at all times the case final winter. He completed with 9 rebounds – a team-high – together with three on the offensive finish.
It was an encouraging, confidence-building efficiency for Mgbako, who has NBA aspirations. On a staff filled with offensive weapons, Mgbako confirmed himself as potent as any on the roster.
It’s early, however IU’s free throw capturing seems improved
There are solely three video games – and two have been exhibitions – however the numbers up to now say Indiana is improved from the free throw line.
On Wednesday, the Hoosiers shot 14-for-17 from the road, good for 82.4 p.c. Together with the exhibitions, Indiana is 34-for-46 (73.9 p.c) from the road over 120 minutes of basketball.
If that enchancment continues, it’ll increase IU’s offense. Final season, the Hoosiers shot simply 66.4 p.c from the road.
Attending to the road has at all times been a spotlight for Mike Woodson’s offensive sport plan. However the Hoosiers have by no means ranked higher than 205th nationally in free throw proportion.
Whereas the Hoosiers are anticipated so as to add some new wrinkles offensively in Woodson’s fourth season, attending to the road will proceed to be an emphasis.
Turnovers maintain again offense from an much more explosive night time
Wednesday was a strong offensive efficiency general for Indiana. The Hoosiers shot 52.6 p.c from the sphere, 37.5 p.c on 3s and scored 80 factors.
Indiana missed the mark in caring for the ball, which made the ultimate rating nearer than it ought to have been.
The Hoosiers turned the ball over 16 occasions within the win, for a turnover proportion of twenty-two. Woodson’s aim since his arrival in 2021 has been 12 or fewer turnovers per sport.
“Myles (Rice), he had 5 turnovers,” Woodson mentioned postgame. “Three of them was the place there simply wasn’t nothing there. He tried to separate two and three guys and misplaced the ball. These are issues which can be correctable.”
Along with the 5 turnovers by Rice, Oumar Ballo had 4 turnovers and Mgbako and Trey Galloway had two every.
As Woodson mentioned, the problems are correctable, however Indiana must make progress shortly.
IU’s defensive rebounding was poor
Indiana’s indifference to competing on the defensive glass was extra alarming than the turnover points.
Regardless of their far higher dimension and athleticism, the Hoosiers have been crushed to the ball repeatedly. When pictures went up, Indiana was caught watching reasonably than discovering a physique to dam out.
The end result was 16 offensive rebounds for SIUE and an offensive rebounding proportion of 32. Thankfully for Indiana, SIUE solely scored 13 second-chance factors.
“We simply couldn’t maintain ’em off the glass. That’s not an enormous staff,” Woodson mentioned. “I obtained to get us blocking out and getting higher in that space.”
Indiana’s poor defensive rebounding was a theme final season. Regardless of having the nation’s fourth-tallest staff, Indiana ranked 211th nationally in defensive rebounding proportion. Wednesday was not a superb begin to bettering in an space that can be an Achilles Heel if it’s not addressed.
Trey Galloway and Oumar Ballo discovered synergy within the second half
Indiana has, to its detriment, pressure fed the ball to Oumar Ballo early within the season.
The energy of Ballo’s offensive video games comes when he has his man sealed off within the put up early in a possession or in pick-and-rolls when he has momentum going to the rim. The Hoosiers have typically tried to search out Ballo within the put up and let him go to work, which isn’t his sport.
After Ballo shot simply 1-for-4 within the first half, Indiana did a greater job within the second half using him.
Reasonably than attempting to put up Ballo, he was out on the ground setting ball screens for Galloway, who was capable of finding him for simple buckets.
The Mali native was an environment friendly 5-for-6 from the sphere within the second half and Galloway had six of his 9 assists in 9 second half minutes. 4 of these assists for Galloway have been to Ballo within the sport’s ultimate 7:22 when the Hoosiers put the sport away.
Filed to: Mackenzie Mgbako, Oumar Ballo, SIU Edwardsville Cougars, Trey Galloway
