Indiana Basketball: 5 takeaways from Umass Lowell win

Indiana’s offense picked up right where they left off in the Kansas game. They eclipsed the 100 point mark for the second straight contest in their dominating 100-78 win over Umass Lowell on Wednesday.

1) Get to the basket, OG!

When OG Anunoby took his first shot of the game, it marked his 8th attempted 3-pointer of the season. While we are all hoping OG has no reserves shooting from deep, at that point he had yet to shoot anything but. The Anunoby we all know and love scraps for offensive rebounds, throws down stylish dunks on fast breaks, and backs down defenders with skilled post moves.

Nov 16, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Massachusetts River Hawks guard Rinardo Perry (1) goes up for a shot against Indiana Hoosiers guard James Blackmon Jr. (1) and forward OG Anunoby (3) during the second half at Assembly Hall. The Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Massachusetts River Hawks 100-77. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

He figured it out half-way through the game, because he ended up taking 11 shots inside the arc, hitting 7 of them. Compared to his 1-4 shooting from behind the three-point line, he was much more effective. The man with the short-shorts should be taking a lot of threes, but he is not the type of player to pull up with a defender in his face like he has occasionally been doing. Now that he is essentially playing the 4 spot, he is better suited cutting through the lane or being active on the boards. Last night one of the commentators made a comment about how OG should be making a living at the free-throw line. So far he has only taken 4 – all from the Kansas game.

2) JBJ can shoot the ball. Really well. We already knew this… but wow.

One of my initial concerns about this team was the guard play. I wasn’t alone. Many analysts were wondering what the hangover effect of losing Yogi Ferrell would be. On top of that, James Blackmon Jr. had received a lot of scrutiny for the way Indiana played defensively during his time off caused by a knee injury. Would he be the same when he returned? Would he be able to drive to the hoop and shoot as effectively coming off surgery? These were all real concerns. Well, JBJ, I’m sorry I doubted you.

This kid is magic. When IU was struggling to break away from Umass Lowell, Blackmon Jr. decided to take over, carving the River Hawks for 20 first half points. He is hardly missing, too. Last night, he shot 8-12 from the field, with his only misses coming from behind the arc, where he still hit more that 50 percent of his shots. If you needed another reason to be amazed by his early performances, he is averaging 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He will have to compete with some heavy contenders, including players on his own team, but he has a real shot at winning Big Ten Player of the Year.

3) Can Josh Newkirk shoot?

Beats me. Though he did look pretty impressive last night, hitting both of his 3-point attempts. When I learned about the Pitt transfer, I was a little skeptical. Going from one of the best point guards in Indiana Basketball history to an ACC reject? My concerns were justified. But I learned my lesson to never doubt Tom Crean when it comes to recruiting. Other than his performance against IU last season, where he scored 16 points with 8 assists, I hadn’t heard too many positive things about the then sophomore.

Nov 16, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Josh Newkirk (2) shot is blocked yt Massachussetts River Hawks forward Stefan Borovac (3) during the first half of the game at Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

I wish someone would have reassured me that he hustles like no-other. Newkirk is active on both sides of the court and doesn’t let up just because we are up big. He is crafty inside, and dishes out impressive assists. He recently told the Indy Star that he was “happier than ever,” after Indiana’s win over Kansas. We are happy to have you here, Josh. You can’t blame me for being pessimistic – I am a Hoosiers fan.

4) Thomas Bryant with the step-over, and Robert Johnson with the sneaky 16.

Late in the game, Thomas Bryant came out of nowhere to stuff a Umass guard’s breakaway layup, fouling him in the process. After, he did his best Allen Iverson stepping over Tyronn Lue impression. Some said it was unintentional, but given the emotional aspect of Bryant’s game, I think it was safe to assume he was sending a message. His energy is always welcome, but that isn’t quite the message that Indiana wants to be sending as a program. I’m sure he got an earful from Tom Crean, who is never anything but a pleasant guy, so it isn’t that big of a deal. However, it is a reminder to keep your cool. With most of the other players adopting a silent-assassin persona, Bryant’s actions on the court are what people will associate with this Hoosiers team.

It was unfortunate that Robert Johnson fouled out of the Kansas game shortly after he missed two free-throws that would have ended it. He is a crucial part of the team, and it was a shame he wasn’t on the court when the final whistle blew. But he came back in this one, putting up an impressive 16 points on 7-11 shooting, with 5 assists. He was also extremely efficient on the boards, snagging 5 rebounds that probably should have gone to a Umass player. I don’t know whether it’s because he’s not a showboater or what, but Johnson’s performances always seem to fly under the radar. Shout out to Robert “rise-and-fire” Johnson.

5) Tim Priller scored a bucket and grabbed 2 rebounds.

Back in my day, it was cool to chant “Tom Pritchard,” whenever the game was all but over. Well it isn’t quite the same because Pritchard was pretty effective, especially in his early years when we were garbage, but a new fan-favorite “TP” has arrived in Tim Priller. They goofy walk-on, now on scholarship, came on late in the game and made his presence felt. Sort of. In his minute of game time, he managed to score on a put-back, and grab to offensive boards.

Honorable Mentions

Curtis Jones once again looked confident with the ball. Although he missed, he had an ankle-breaking, highlight-reel worthy, step-back shot that deserves a mention. Devonte Green’s confidence is exactly what you want to see out of a freshman. In his 10 minutes, he was able to accumulate 4 steals, turning a couple of those into fast-break points – one being an impressive dunk.

On a more serious and concerning note, Indiana once again was disappointing in the paint on defense. Losing the game was never a real possibility, but giving up 78 points to one of the worst teams in the country is not what Tom Crean wants to see. Especially when a lot of those points are coming from guards driving into the lane, where IU has two impressive forwards in Anunoby and Bryant. With only a few games before they take on North Carolina, that is something they’ll want to clean up.

Having said that, Indiana looks like a top team. They spread the ball extremely well on offense and almost every player has a lethal jumper. Yogi Ferrell recently stated that this team is more talented than last seasons’, and they made an exciting run to the Sweet 16. It is early, but there is no reason not to get hyped about this team’s potential.