Indiana dropped its fifth straight sport, falling 70-67 to Michigan on Saturday afternoon at Simon Skjodt Meeting Corridor. The Hoosiers at the moment are 14-10 total and 5-8 in Massive Ten play.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the loss to the Wolverines:
One other poor begin for the Hoosiers
Torpid. That’s the easiest way to explain Indiana’s effort within the first half towards Michigan.
The Hoosiers dug an 11-point gap early and trailed by as many as 18 factors within the opening 20 minutes towards the Wolverines. A lot of these begins have been a theme of Indiana’s disappointing 2024-25 marketing campaign and Saturday was the newest instance.
Repeatedly falling behind is not any recipe for successful video games within the Massive Ten, however Indiana has made a behavior of it in Mike Woodson’s fourth season in Bloomington.
“We haven’t been the identical group for some time,” Woodson stated postgame. “And for no matter motive, we’ve dug a gap. I’ve executed a horrible job in actually placing them in the most effective place potential to win, I believe.”
Woodson’s lack of ability to get this group of Hoosiers to indicate up persistently is one among many causes this season will likely be his final in Bloomington.
Myles Rice benched for the second half
Washington State switch Myles Rice was purported to be the reply for Indiana at level guard.
However 24 video games into the season, Rice has been a disappointment as a rule. On Saturday, Rice performed 12 minutes and was benched for the whole second half.
Rice completed with two factors on 1-for-6 taking pictures. His ultimate stat line: two factors, one rebound, one help, one steal and two fouls.
Benching Rice – and Oumar Ballo – for many of the second half allowed the Hoosiers to climb again into the sport. One of many key storylines of this season has been Indiana’s lack of ability to suit collectively its expertise right into a cohesive, functioning basketball group.
In his postgame press convention, Woodson was requested why the expertise hasn’t translated into success. His rationalization supplied little readability.
“I want I knew,” Woodson stated. “Because the coach, your roster is altering yearly, and that’s no excuse. And also you suppose you’re placing the appropriate items in play. And I believe our guys acquired fantastic intentions, man, and so they do wish to win. Nevertheless it hasn’t labored the final three, 4 weeks for our ball membership.
“So my job, once more, because the coach is to proceed to push them and preserve them in a great way of thinking and hopefully one thing good will click on. And we have to get a sport underneath their belt to allow them to begin feeling good about themselves.”
Mackenzie Mgbako carries Indiana within the second half
Indiana was in a position to climb again into the sport largely as a result of second-half play of sophomore Mackenzie Mgbako.
The 6-foot-9 ahead scored all 15 factors within the second half. He was 5-for-7 from the sector and didn’t come off the ground within the second half.
Mgbako has scored 15 or extra factors in 5 straight video games.
Along with his scoring, Mgbako was as engaged on the glass and defensively as he’s been all season within the second half. The Gladstone, New Jersey native had six rebounds within the second half and was energetic as a defender.
Nonetheless, Mgbako’s 3-point taking pictures in Massive Ten play continues to underwhelm. After taking pictures 37.8 p.c from distance in Massive Ten video games as a freshman, he’s simply 18-for-65 (27.7 p.c) this season from past the arc.
Indiana had no reply for Danny Wolf
Michigan junior Danny Wolf is among the hardest matchups within the nation due to his dimension and flexibility.
On Saturday, he was the most effective participant on the ground in Meeting Corridor.
The Yale switch completed with 20 factors, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and a blocked shot in 35 minutes. When Michigan wanted a key play down the stretch, Wolf made it.
He transformed a layup and was fouled with Michigan clinging to a two-point lead with 1:25 left. Wolf made the free throw, pushing the result in 5 at 66-61.
And Wolf made 4 free throws within the ultimate 11 seconds to clinch the win for the Wolverines, their tenth in Massive Ten play.
The Hoosiers may very well be preventing simply to make the Massive Ten event
With losses in seven of its final eight video games, Indiana is now firmly within the backside half of the Massive Ten standings.
The Hoosiers nonetheless have some respiratory room above the underside three within the Massive Ten, however the schedule doesn’t get any simpler from right here.
Indiana is an underdog in 5 of its final seven video games, in accordance with KenPom. The following three video games: at Michigan State after which UCLA and Purdue in Bloomington.
With eight Massive Ten losses, Indiana is only one sport within the loss column forward of convention cellar dwellers Penn State and Washington, who every have 9 losses.
There’s a logjam of groups with eight losses, however the Hoosiers have work to do to make the 15-team Massive Ten event subsequent month in Indianapolis.
Filed to: Michigan Wolverines
