Welcome to “That’s A Wrap,” our recap of the 2023-24 Indiana Hoosiers. Yesterday, we examined Indiana’s workforce offense, and right now, we study Indiana’s workforce protection.
Earlier participant recaps: Gabe Cupps, Mackenzie Mgbako, Malik Reneau, Kel’el Ware, Kaleb Banks, CJ Gunn, Payton Sparks, Trey Galloway, Anthony Leal, Anthony Walker, Xavier Johnson
Protection (33 video games): Adjusted effectivity: 101.1 (84th), eFG%: 49.0 (93rd), TO%: 14.9 (308th), Opponent Off. Reb%: 29.7 (211th), Opponent FTA/FGA: 31.6 (a hundred and fiftieth), Opponent 2PFG%: 47.4 (51st)
After ending with a top-25 protection nationally in Mike Woodson’s first season at IU and a top-50 protection in yr two, the Hoosiers slid to 84th nationally in adjusted defensive effectivity (in accordance with KenPom) in yr three beneath Woodson.
The Hoosiers misplaced a number of key contributors from Woodson’s first two seasons, together with Trayce Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson and Miller Kopp. All three veterans knew their roles and what Woodson anticipated from them defensively on each play.
The defensive points for the 2023-24 Hoosiers confirmed up commonly within the season’s first two months. Indiana allowed Florida Gulf Coast, Military and Wright State to shoot a mixed 37-for-67 (55.2 p.c) within the season’s first three video games. Sure, the Hoosiers received all three contests, however closer-than-expected outcomes contributed considerably to IU’s slide within the pc rankings. After opening the yr at No. 50 in KenPom, the Hoosiers had already dropped 23 spots to No. 73 by their fourth sport.
“The sport is like this: Should you get stops and also you rebound the ball, you might have a possibility to get out and quick break and make performs,” Woodson stated after IU survived a scare from Military on Nov. 12. “Should you get in passing lanes and also you get simple steals the place you may generate offense that manner, it’s a fast method to get out and play quicker.
“Proper now we’re not doing none of these issues. We’re not getting stops. We’re not getting the ball out and getting up the ground and enjoying quicker.”
After permitting 77 factors on 1.156 factors per possession in a 20-point loss to UConn on Nov. 19, the Hoosiers allowed 1.399 factors per journey in a 28-point loss to Auburn in Atlanta on Dec. 9.
In a 12-game stretch from Jan. 16 by way of March 3, Indiana allowed greater than a degree per possession in each sport. The Hoosiers went 4-8 in these contests, sealing their destiny as a program that may be on the surface trying in come NCAA match time.
The issues defensively got here in quite a lot of areas. Indiana commonly allowed opponents to take and make a excessive quantity of 3-pointers. The Hoosiers allowed ten or extra made 3-pointers by their opponent 11 occasions and IU’s opponents scored 34.7 of their factors from behind the arc, the Forty eighth-highest mark within the nation.
With Xavier Johnson out and in of the lineup as a consequence of accidents, IU’s ball stress on the perimeter suffered. Whereas forcing turnovers has by no means been an enormous focus of Woodson’s defenses at IU, opponents solely turned the ball over on 14.9 p.c of their possessions, which ranked simply 308th within the nation.
Regardless of having one of many nation’s tallest groups on the frontline, Indiana commonly gave up offensive rebounds and second-chance factors. Hoosier opponents grabbed 29.7 p.c of their missed pictures on the season. A part of this may be attributed to the lengthy rebounds stemming from a excessive quantity of 3-point makes an attempt.
To its credit score, Indiana did have a stable three-game stretch late within the season towards Minnesota, Michigan State, and Penn State, the place it held three straight opponents beneath a degree per possession. However all in all, the 2023-24 season was one to overlook from a defensive perspective and represented a step backward for a program Woodson desires to be constructed with a defense-first mentality.
Backside line: When the season tipped off, it was shortly obvious that Indiana’s defensive points had been going to be an issue. The Hoosiers had far too many shut calls towards inferior competitors early within the yr and suffered a number of beatdowns to high-major competitors in non-conference play. The problems continued into league play in losses to Purdue and Wisconsin, the place the Hoosiers weren’t even aggressive due to their lackluster defensive play.
Quotable: “Whenever you quit 51 factors within the Big10 in a half, you’re not going to beat anyone. Yeah, we performed nice the second half to get again in it to chop it to 3, however we had no defensive effort I assumed the primary half. We simply weren’t as much as contact. They made some robust threes, however you may’t need to halves like that. It’s important to have a half such as you did the second half within the first half after which see what occurs. So I acquired to maintain working with them and see if I can get them enjoying two halves.” – Woodson after Indiana’s 14-point house loss to Nebraska on Feb. 21.
Filed to:
