1/12/2021 basketball Edit

Quick Hitters: Takeaways from IU's win over Nebraska

Alec Lasley • TheHoosier

Senior Writer

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Indiana finished a tough week with a third game in seven days and its second straight road game on Sunday with a win over Nebraska.

While IU led for the majority of the game, it had to make some major adjustments late after Nebraska took a three-point lead.

The Hoosiers now sit at 8-5 (3-3) and face Purdue on Thursday.

Here are the main takeaways from Indiana's 84-76 win over Nebraska on Sunday.

IU escaped with a win over Nebraska on Sunday, picking up its third Big Ten win. (IU Athletics)

Rob Phinisee has career day: It was another very good performance for junior guard Rob Phinisee who poured in a career-high 18 points. He had 14 points in the first 10 minutes and then went down late in the first half with a knee injury. Fortunately, he returned for the second half. It has been a performance many people have been waiting for. An aggressive Rob Phinisee adds an entirely different dimension to the Indiana offense and it was a great sight to see on Sunday.

IU can't go a half with just 1 FGA from Jackson-Davis: I'm not sure I would ever see the day that IU went a full half and Trayce Jackson-Davis would have just one shot attempt - which he did in the first 20 minutes against Nebraska. His first made field goal didn't come until the 16:43 mark of the second half. IU needs to make him a priority and make sure he gets a touch on every possession. Nebraska played IU a lot differently than any other team this year, making the Hoosiers too reliant on the deep ball and that's how they lost their lead.

Al Durham playing best stretch of his career: The senior guard has now scored in double-figures in four straight games - averaging 15.8 points over that span. Over that same span, he has 14 assists to seven turnovers. He had 17 points against Nebraska and went 38 minutes without a turnover. He is also shooting 38 percent from deep.

Jerome Hunter emerging as bench threat: Hunter continued his confident play, with nine points and six rebounds. He is averaging nine points over the last three games and is shooting 41.7 percent form three. He is also becoming more of a threat on the glass, highlighted no more than his putback late in the second half on Sunday after getting his own offensive rebound after he missed a three. He is averaging 5.3 rebounds over the last three outings. His ability to rebound allows him to play the 4 and provide much needed versatility to the frontcourt.

Mental lapses, but Hoosiers find a way to finish: IU saw an 18-point lead turn into a three-point deficit midway through the second half and then it was a dogfight the rest of the game. It was IU's third game in seven days, including the backend of a two-game road trip. Also, coming off of a double overtime loss to Wisconsin. Indiana failed to convert late in the game against the Badgers but flipped the script and made winning plays when it needed to on Sunday, a good sign moving forward.

Still have yet to see a full 40-minute game: It's either the offense is firing or the defense is locked in. There has not been a game where both have been true. IU's offense was great on Sunday, building an early double-digit lead and maintaining that for the first 30 minutes of the game but then faltered in the second half. IU's defense was the opposite - nonexistent in the first half, but then eventually holding Nebraska to just one made field goal in its final 10 shots.