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Indiana snapped a five-game shedding streak with a 74-64 win over Maryland on Thursday evening at Simon Skjodt Meeting Corridor. The win improved the Hoosiers to 17-10 general and 8-9 in Huge Ten play.
Listed here are 5 takeaways from the win over the Terrapins:
Offense breaks out after weeks of struggles
It’s no secret that Indiana’s offense has been the rationale for its demise late in video games in latest weeks.
Coming into Thursday’s sport, the Hoosiers hadn’t eclipsed the one level per possession mark since a Jan. 26 victory over Penn State in Bloomington. That win over the Nittany Lions was additionally the final time Indiana had scored 70 or extra factors in a sport previous to Thursday.
Indiana lastly broke out of its hunch with considered one of its most well-rounded offensive efforts but in convention play.
The Hoosiers posted an efficient subject aim share of 64.9, its highest mark of the season. It shot 59.6 from the sector, additionally a season-best. 4 of its 5 starters shot higher than 50 % from the sector. At one level, Indiana made 13 straight photographs within the second half.
It was the kind of efficiency that Indiana goes to want to construct off of if it hopes to achieve its said aim of getting again to the NCAA match for the primary time since 2016.
Hoosiers dominate within the paint and capitalize off of Maryland turnovers
A fast look on the stat sheet exhibits two areas the place Indiana dominated Maryland: factors within the paint and factors off of turnovers.
The Hoosiers outscored Maryland 44-24 within the paint on Thursday after outscoring them 36-20 within the paint within the first assembly on Jan. 29 in Faculty Park.
Indiana shot a season-best 67.6 % on 2s within the victory and was 20-of-25 (80 %) on dunks and layups. Maryland shot solely 11-of-23 (48 %) on dunks and layups.
Maryland’s carelessness with the ball additionally fueled Indiana’s offense. The Terps dedicated 16 turnovers which led to 22 factors for the Hoosiers. Indiana turned it over 11 instances, which led to solely 10 factors for Maryland.
Indiana as soon as once more frustrates Maryland’s Donta Scott
One main cause for Indiana’s success this season in opposition to Maryland is the work it has achieved defensively on Donta Scott.
The 6-foot-7 ahead is among the extra versatile frontcourt gamers within the league who possesses the flexibility to play inside or out.
However Scott, who earlier within the season dropped 25 factors in a win over Illinois, was by no means comfy in both sport this season in opposition to the Hoosiers.
An enormous cause for that was the defensive work of Race Thompson, whose versatility allowed him to stick with Scott each on the perimeter and within the paint.
Scott was simply 1-of-7 from the sector and scored solely seven factors in IU’s 68-55 win over Maryland in Faculty Park. He wasn’t significantly better on Thursday in Bloomington. Scott was 3-of-11 from the sector and scored 10 factors in 36 minutes. He missed all 5 of his 3-point makes an attempt.
Thompson’s capacity to dominate Scott in each matchups was a serious cause the Hoosiers earned the season sweep in opposition to Maryland. In two video games, Thompson completed with 37 factors and 21 rebounds in comparison with simply 17 factors and 9 rebounds for Scott.
Xavier Johnson carries Indiana in second half offensive explosion
Xavier Johnson’s struggles throughout Indiana’s shedding streak had been nicely documented.
Over 4 video games within the five-game skid (Johnson didn’t play at Northwestern), he shot 13-of-46 from the sector.
By way of the sport’s first 20 minutes, it appeared Johnson’s influence on the end result could be minimal because of foul bother. He performed solely seven minutes within the first half and had 4 factors, two assists and a turnover.
His second half efficiency, nevertheless, was almost flawless.
Johnson performed all 20 minutes after halftime. He shot 8-of-8 from the sector, 7-of-8 from the free throw line and made all three of his 3-point makes an attempt. He additionally didn’t commit a foul, dished out 4 assists, had a steal and dedicated solely two turnovers. His dunk with 16:53 to play confirmed simply how explosive he might be when he’s engaged and attacking the rim.
“He needs to be nice,” Mike Woodson stated postgame of Johnson.”He performs — he competes, man. He’s a competitor. That’s what he does.”
Indiana stored its at-large NCAA match hopes alive
Indiana’s win over Maryland didn’t transfer the needle a lot by way of its NCAA match resume. The win falls in Quad 3 and improved the Hoosiers to 12-0 in opposition to Quad 3 and 4 groups this season.
Sunday’s sport at Minnesota can be a Quad 2 alternative and its closing house sport subsequent Wednesday in opposition to Rutgers will possible fall into Quad 3. Its lone remaining Quad 1 opponent within the common season is Purdue, which can be the ultimate common season sport for each groups.
Whereas a lot will depend upon what occurs with different bubble groups and with potential bid thieves within the mid-major leagues, Indiana stored its at-large hopes alive with a win over Maryland.
The Hoosiers, who had been close to the reduce line in most bracket projections coming into Thursday’s sport, in all probability have to win two of their closing three video games to remain within the at-large image.
“We wish to play within the match,” Thompson stated Thursday. “None of us have ever performed within the match. And that’s a aim we’re all making an attempt to achieve as a unit.”
(Photograph credit score: IU Athletics)
Filed to: Maryland Terrapins, Race Thompson, Xavier Johnson
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