Takeaways from Indiana’s sweep over BC Mega in the Bahamas
Indiana departed the Bahamas with two victories over BC Mega, 79-66 and 64-53. These successful games provided a look into what the regular season could look like.
To start, the defense looked formidable, forcing a combined 39 turnovers. When BC Mega began to close the gap in the second game following a cold streak after IU opened with a 14-2 lead, the defense held BC Mega to just 30 points in the first half. Five minutes into the second half, BC Mega had 34 points. A total collapse from the defense was not in question, even when BC Mega tightened the gap.
"The main thing for us to win is always defense," Xavier Johnson said after the second game. "We gotta get stops."
And offensively, the team is going to get each other open, Johnson said. Though shots failed to go in the basket at the same rate as the first game, IU still created good looks, rarely hurling up a desperation shot.
Most of the time, good opportunities were thanks to Johnson, who often broke his defender and forced other BC Mega players to help, creating more space or driving to the basket and drawing fouls.
IU's offense created good looks in both games and while the first game saw more shots fall, both games combined saw a reasonably low team free throw percentage. IU went 12-of-20 (60%) at the line in the first exhibition and although slightly better in the second, shooting 12-of-17 (70%), it totaled to 24-of-37 (64%). It's extremely early, but that number will have to rise for the team to have continuous success.
One undeniable advantage BC Mega had going into the games was its size. Three players in the starting lineup for both games were 6-foot-9 and taller. For context, that's having three clones of Trayce Jackson-Davis in the starting five.
And even when two bigs Logan Duncomb and Michael Durr, did not appear in the games, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson and Jordan Geronimo stepped up. IU out-rebounded BC Mega 43.5 to 38.0. Geronimo led in rebounds in the first game with nine and Race Thompson led in the second with 13.
"I was just trying to attack the glass," Thompson told TheHoosier.com after the second game. "I tried to be aggressive and chasing after them."
The ability to effectively rebound against a tall BC Mega team shows that Jackson-Davis, Thompson and Geronimo can come up with rebounds when IU competes in the Big Ten conference, which is known for its size.
Speaking of Geronimo on the court, it was as if you could see a floating ball of energy around him wherever he went, hustling on every play and every rebound. That ball of energy was infectious, sparking enthusiasm with the team and the crowd when he knocked down a three-pointer or came up with a massive block in the second game that sent the basketball flying off the court.
"I have ... pretty high confidence in shooting the three-ball," Geronimo told TheHoosier.com after the first game. "I've worked on it over the summer a lot. Coach Woodson gave me a lot of confidence in shooting the three-ball when I'm open, so it all came together."
And in terms of rebounding, it's the biggest strength of Geronimo's game, he said.
"I came in the game with a mentality of getting rebounds because that's what I do best," Geronimo told TheHoosier.com after the first game.
True freshman Tamar Bates was another player who hugely impacted both games, combining for 25 points, the second-most on the team behind Jackson-Davis. When Bates checked into the game, the consensus was he would be able to contribute somehow.
Bates was confident and consistent, whether intercepting a pass and driving to the hoop in the first game or knocking down a critical three to prevent damage during IU's cold streak offensively in the second. He also went 7-of-8 at the free-throw line, showing fouling won't stop him from scoring.
While not an incoming freshman, Northwestern transfer Miller Kopp is still a new face and, like Bates, provided energy and points during the first game. More importantly, Kopp shot 3-of-4 from three-point territory. If that type of play continues, the team will be adding a piece they desperately needed last season.
Kopp played approximately three minutes of the second game before injuring his right ankle and sitting on the bench for the remainder of the game. However, he addressed it via Twitter saying it will be fine. And even though he was hurt on the bench, he was still vocal with his teammates, calling things out like who's going to cover the free throw shooter or praising teammates. It's a reminder of what he said before the games began.
"I just think that's one of my strengths, is my voice and my leadership," Kopp said. "My ability to think the game and help other guys see what I see. I think that's a big strength of my game is being loud and being vocal and using my voice because I've been in the game ... the Big Ten for three years."
Being vocal is a vital part of Kopp's game, but praising teammates loudly on the court while on the bench attests to this team's chemistry, which this trip strengthens.
While staying at the resort myself, it was clear that the teammates shared a strong bond. One instance was after practice when the team tried to make Kopp laugh through an open door during an interview. The second is when after the second game, Xavier Johnson said out loud, "That's my big" to Jackson-Davis, giving him a handshake and walking out of the room after Jackson-Davis answered a question.
It's those exchanges, while small, that exemplify the chemistry. During that same interview where Kopp's teammates tried to make him laugh, he ironically talked about the growing bond.
"One thing is some guys are a lot funnier than I thought they were," Kopp said. "Just off the court ... I think we have really good chemistry and it's only building every day."
Only two exhibition games have been played and there's considerable time before IU opens the season on November 9th. Still, the defense looks solid, the offense is getting good looks, there is time to improve free throw shooting, team chemistry is building and specific players are standing out.
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