PORTLAND, Ore. — Mike Woodson stood on the sideline together with his arms crossed and a clean expression on his face watching Tommy Kuhse shoot free throws. It wasn’t even halftime but — that was nonetheless 4 minutes away. The foul photographs solely put Saint Mary’s up by 4, nevertheless it stopped any momentum Indiana needed to regain the lead it possessed simply 4 minutes earlier than.
The Hoosiers would by no means take again the lead. As a substitute, Saint Mary’s piled the factors on handy Indiana its worst NCAA match loss in historical past — 82-53.
Indiana received off to a very good begin — main for seven of the 11 first minutes. However the remainder of the sport consisted of moments that left Woodson scratching his head.
To everybody however the group itself, it appeared just like the Hoosiers ran out of gasoline.
“First ten minutes, I didn’t assume we had been nice defensively,” St. Mary’s head coach Randy Bennett mentioned postgame. “After that, we did. I believe we wore them down, and I believe all of the components got here into play with them taking part in Tuesday and having to journey.”
It was true. It was Indiana’s fifth recreation within the span of every week. The Hoosiers had been tasked with a cross-country journey after defeating Wyoming on Tuesday, and it wasn’t a simple one. Their flight was delayed three hours on prime of the already-lengthy five-hour flight to Portland. Then, Indiana needed to play No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s nearly 36 hours later.
None of that mattered to Woodson, although. His reasoning for his group’s loss was easy — Saint Mary’s was the higher group Thursday.
“I’ve by no means been a coach that makes excuses,” Woodson mentioned. “Touring had nothing to do with it.”
Woodson took the blame, saying he needed to do higher. However he by no means attributed his group getting blown out to fatigue.
Indiana shot poorly — making simply 18 of its 53 area objective makes an attempt. Woodson was the primary to confess his group’s capturing wants main work. However he knew it wasn’t uncharacteristic of his group.
What was not like Indiana was its protection. Indiana got here into the sport ranked 18th in adjusted defensive effectivity by KenPom. That’s what Woodson chalked the blowout as much as — he mentioned they had been a step gradual on protection.
However Bennett mentioned what Woodson couldn’t — Indiana didn’t have an opportunity.
“I do know Indiana received’t use this as an excuse, however the state of affairs they’d is hard,” Bennett mentioned. “They had been simply taking part in Wyoming, they’re making an attempt to get that win. They simply completed their convention match. They actually didn’t have any likelihood to organize for us.”
All of these components manifested in methods past simply failing to protect the wings on protection. It was missed rebounds, unforced turnovers and pointless fouls, too.
Within the opening minutes of the sport, Xavier Johnson had a defensive rebound bounce proper to him however he waited for another person to seize it — and that individual was on Saint Mary’s.
“What’s improper with you?” a fan screamed from the stands.
It didn’t cease there. Indiana gave up 10 offensive rebounds for 11 second-chance factors. For the sport, Saint Mary’s grabbed eight extra rebounds than the Hoosiers.
There have been nonetheless 13 minutes to play when Trayce Jackson-Davis received his shot blocked by Dan Fotu. Jackson-Davis didn’t even make an try on the offensive board.
“I don’t assume it had something to do with legs,” Jackson-Davis mentioned. “Clearly, while you begin taking part in loads of minutes, you get drained regardless.”
When issues appeared bleak, Johnson moved at a hurried tempo to try to make one thing occur. His pace labored towards him.
Johnson tried to push the tempo three minutes into the second half after a missed Saint Mary’s shot, in search of Miller Kopp on the fitting wing. As a substitute, he launched a laser that discovered Dane Fife on the bench. That was simply one among his 5 turnovers of the day, including to the group’s complete of 13.
The turnovers simply added to Indiana’s foul depend. Indiana moved too quick on offense and threw the ball away, then it couldn’t get again quick sufficient on protection — so it fouled.
It was apparent to everybody besides the group. The Hoosiers discovered themselves in too deep a gap and didn’t have the power to discover a approach like they did every week in the past towards the Wolverines within the Huge Ten match.
“You could possibly see it on their faces,” Bennett mentioned. “They had been gassed, like most likely at halftime.”
(Picture credit score: IU Athletics)
Filed to: 2022 NCAA tournament, Saint Mary’s Gaels
