That was rough. Indiana’s record sits at 7-2 after an embarrassing collapse in Madison. ICYMI, you can read the recap here. Let’s dive into which player combinations worked, which didn’t, and what takeaways Mike Woodson and his staff can keep in mind going forward.
Notes:
- Indiana’s best lineup on the night included Xavier Johnson, Tamar Bates, Miller Kopp, Jordan Geronimo, and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Sadly, they played together for just a 44-second stretch early in the first half. This group found success with their combination of shooting and athleticism.
- The Hoosier lineup that was most directly responsible for IU’s implosion was the combination of Johnson, Anthony Leal, Parker Stewart, Race Thompson, and Jackson-Davis. They went -9 from the 5:13 to go mark of the second half until 0:23 were left. The Badgers outscored the Hoosiers 11-2 in that stretch, turning a 57-50 deficit into a 61-59 lead.
- Woodson was clearly looking for unorthodox answers late in the game as IU’s lead was gradually slipping away. More Geronimo and less Thompson may have been the wise way to go. Geronimo led IU at +9 and deserved more than his mere 10 minutes of playing time. Meanwhile Thompson brought up the rear at -13 in his 29:45.
- Geronimo and Jackson-Davis exhibited great chemistry in the frontcourt in the first half. They played just 1:54 together, but IU outscored Wisconsin 8-3 in those minutes. Geronimo and Jackson-Davis did not play together in the second half.
- Bates tied Geronimo at a game-high +9.
- IU went -16 in 12 second-half minutes with Johnson at PG. Along the same lines, IU went -6 in eight minutes with Phinisee at PG. Giving Khristian Lander some run wouldn’t have been the worst idea.
- IU’s offense was at its best with Geronimo in the game. In his 10:02, IU scored 19 points, or 1.89 points per minute (PPM). In the 29:58 he sat, IU scored 40 points, or 1.33 PPM.
- IU’s defense was also at its best with Geronimo on the court. In his 10:02, IU allowed 10 points, or 1.00 PPM. In the 29:58 he was sidelined, IU allowed 54 points, or 1.67 PPM.
- While Johnson and Kopp will get a lot of criticism from IU fans, they succeeded prosperously when on the court together at Wisconsin. In 21:13 together, the guys went +9.
- Woodson played 16 different lineups on Wednesday, the most since the St. John’s game.
Featured Photo: Associated Press / Andy Manis