Indiana dropped its fifth straight recreation, falling 70-67 to Michigan on Saturday afternoon at Simon Skjodt Meeting Corridor. The Hoosiers at the moment are 14-10 general and 5-8 in Huge Ten play.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the loss to the Wolverines:
One other poor begin for the Hoosiers
Torpid. That’s one of the simplest ways to explain Indiana’s effort within the first half in opposition to Michigan.
The Hoosiers dug an 11-point gap early and trailed by as many as 18 factors within the opening 20 minutes in opposition to the Wolverines. These kinds of begins have been a theme of Indiana’s disappointing 2024-25 marketing campaign and Saturday was the most recent instance.
Repeatedly falling behind is not any recipe for profitable video games within the Huge 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 cause, we’ve dug a gap. I’ve accomplished a horrible job in actually placing them in the most effective place potential to win, I believe.”
Woodson’s incapability to get this group of Hoosiers to point out up persistently is certainly one of many causes this season shall be his final in Bloomington.
Myles Rice benched for the second half
Washington State switch Myles Rice was alleged 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 complete second half.
Rice completed with two factors on 1-for-6 taking pictures. His closing 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 incapability 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 clarification provided 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 precise items in play. And I believe our guys acquired great intentions, man, they usually do need to win. However 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 superb state of mind and hopefully one thing good will click on. And we have to get a recreation below their belt to allow them to begin feeling good about themselves.”
Mackenzie Mgbako carries Indiana within the second half
Indiana was capable of 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.
Nevertheless, Mgbako’s 3-point taking pictures in Huge Ten play continues to underwhelm. After taking pictures 37.8 % from distance in Huge Ten video games as a freshman, he’s simply 18-for-65 (27.7 %) 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 measurement 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 closing 11 seconds to clinch the win for the Wolverines, their tenth in Huge Ten play.
The Hoosiers may very well be preventing simply to make the Huge Ten event
With losses in seven of its final eight video games, Indiana is now firmly within the backside half of the Huge Ten standings.
The Hoosiers nonetheless have some respiration room above the underside three within the Huge 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 Huge Ten losses, Indiana is only one recreation 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 Huge Ten event subsequent month in Indianapolis.
Filed to: Michigan Wolverines
