11/14/2021 basketball Edit

Mike Woodson figuring out rotations with a now healthy roster

Alec Lasley • TheHoosier

Senior Writer

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Chemistry has been one of the bigger questions marks about Indiana and Mike Woodson's roster as this year gets underway. Not because the players don't like each other, but just simply due to the fact that they haven't been on the floor much in their Indiana career's.

On Friday, IU finally had all of its pieces on the floor at the same time -- seemingly the first time since they had all arrived on campus. And Mike Woodson finally saw his roster in order.

"I just thought tonight it was a total team effort," Woodson said. "I thought everybody that played tonight gave us effort and did exactly what we asked them to do, which was kind of nice to see."

Indiana now looks to figure out its rotation with a roster of full health. (IU Athletics)

The Hoosier have been without transfer center Michael Durr, transfer forward Miller Kopp, transfer guard Xavier Johnson, freshman center Logan Duncomb and guard Tamar Bates and. second-year guards Khristian Lander, Anthony Leal and Trey Galloway all at some point this offseason.

Michael Durr, Logan Duncomb and Anthony Leal all missed time in the Bahamas and Durr and Tamar Bates didn't play in the preseason scrimmage against Belmont.

Durr and Duncomb saw their IU debut on Friday, helping to strengthen the IU bench. Anthony Leal and Khristian Lander saw their first minutes this season as well.

"They haven't spent a lot of time together," Woodson said of his roster. "This is Mike's (Michael Durr) first game back. He's probably been practicing probably now a week and a half coming back. And Tamar too. He hadn't been out there very much this season.

"But what I did like, they were poised and from a defensive standpoint they stayed the course in terms of our coverages. And when you do that, that lets me know that you listened and you're doing all the necessary things to help us win. And offensively they shared the ball. I mean, it was kind of nice to see how they played offense which was kind of nice."

Indiana's bench saw five players receive double-digit minutes, including four players with more than 17 minutes. In total, seven of the eight bench players who saw minutes, scored.

Khristian Lander played just seven minutes but tied a bench-high with seven points, alongside Anthony Leal and Trey Galloway. That trio was 8-of-15 from the field.

"I can't promise minutes to anybody but I always tell these guys whatever minutes you get you make it the most important minutes to help us win basketball games," Woodson said. "And that's what they're doing right now."

"We've been dealing with some injuries," Galloway added. "Guys have been in and out of the rotation in the preseason. And I think it's been like the next guy who's ready. And we're all staying ready; we've all got to stay ready because never know when your jersey is going to be called."

Indiana's defense has been way ahead of the offense up to this point - to no surprise to Mike Woodson. But, the offense started to click in game two.

The Hoosiers shot 48.2 percent from the field, 34.8 percent from three and 76.7 percent from the line. They shot 41.9 percent from the field, 16.7 percent from three and 60 percent from the free throw line in the opener.

"It was better tonight," Woodson said of the offense. "Again, we didn't have that moment where we just went stale. I thought the ball moved. They forced our hand a little bit by pressing. So it gave us an opportunity to push the ball and get quick strikes that way, which I'm fine with that as well. But I thought tonight we really did a pretty good job executing in the half-court game."

Indiana faces its first big test of the season on Wednesday as St. Johns comes to Assembly Hall.