Change in starting lineup sparks new energy
Indiana sophomore point guard Rob Phinisee got his first start of the season against Ohio State on Saturday, and it paid off in a big way for the Hoosiers. The sophomore knocked down three three-point attempts in fewer than four minutes.
More than just Phinisee, though, there appeared to be an urgency with which the Hoosiers began the game. The ball was moving around, and Ohio State appeared to be on its heels. Trayce Jackson-Davis was able to find a few early opportunities around the rim against a physical Ohio State post.
That start gave Indiana a healthy lead, but, as few first-half leads have, this first half lead didn't last until halftime.
That same group - Justin Smith, Al Durham, Joey Brunk, Jackson-Davis and Phinisee – began the second half as well, after only spending six minutes on the floor together in the first half, and ended the scoring drought and took back the lead in a big way.
The Hoosiers went on an 8-0 run with that group before the under-16 timeout with scores from Brunk, Phinisee and Smith. Brunk and Jackson-Davis also forced Kaleb Wesson into foul trouble, triggering two quick fouls to bump him out of the game with three personal fouls by the 16-minute mark of the second half.
First half scoring drought
Scoring droughts strike most teams in nearly every game in college basketball, but Indiana has seen its fair share in its last few games.
A scoring drought hit the Hoosiers in the first half that saw Indiana hit just one of its final 17 field goal attempts to end the first half, going 9:57 without a field goal following a Devonte Green layup.
Indiana also ended the first half shooting just 53 percent from the free throw line.
Indiana would end that drought to begin the second half, where most first-half scoring droughts have followed the Hoosiers.
Ohio State's physicality in the post
Archie Miller said Ohio State's physicality "amazed" him, and it had an affect on Indiana on Saturday.
Jackson-Davis and Brunk battled Kaleb Wesson, Kyle Young, EJ Liddell and Andre Wesson inside all game, and, following the 8-0 scoring run by Indiana and Kaleb Wesson returning to the game, Ohio State collectively pushed Indiana physically. By the under-12 timeout, Jackson-Davis, Brunk and Durham all had three personal fouls apiece.
At one point, Indiana was able to come away with a steal, but its transition offense was sped up so quickly that a miscommunication resulted in Durham launching the ball out of bounds.
Indiana hadn't played, and likely won't play, an interior as strong as Ohio State's was and is, and whether it could outlast that physicality seemed to be the deciding factor.
Entering the under-8 timeout, Jackson-Davis had three personal fouls and Brunk had four. Those two contributors needed to remain in the game to outlast the Buckeyes.
Missed free throws
In a game that was expected to be hard-fought and Archie Miller anticipated a need to play smart and physically, every point was going to count, but Indiana was dry at the free throw line.
The Hoosiers shot 17-of-32 from the line as of the final minute of the game.
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