In the game of basketball, one player can make all the difference in the world. If you need any proof, look no further than this year's Indiana Hoosiers. When Xavier Johnson is healthy and playing well, it's a completely different team. The man they call "X" is the true "X factor" for the cream and crimson this season.
Mike Woodson called Johnson's performance "awful" in the loss to Nebraska last week. The sixth-year point guard followed that up with a great outing in the win over Ohio State. In Saturday's victory, Johnson had 18 points, played solid defense, and didn't commit a single turnover. The legend Don Fischer joined Indiana Sports Beat Radio on Monday, and had this to say about the IU point guard:
"The thing that I liked was the return of Xavier Johnson to his previous form compared to what he did in the Nebraska game," Fischer said. "His first time out, he looked like a lost puppy, and he was trying to do way too much. He went out there on Saturday night and I thought he just performed brilliantly. He was under control. He just played really good basketball and didn't have a single turnover in the ballgame. It points out how much this team has missed him. When he wasn't there, Indiana just didn't have that same burst. It factors into this ball club, there's no question about it. He's an alpha male. He's the guy running the show and you have to have that player out there. With Xavier back, and if he continues to perform like he did against Ohio State, Indiana's going to be just fine."
The numbers back up the notion. Indiana is 6-2 so far this season when Johnson has been on the court. In the wins, Johnson has averaged 12.8 points, while shooting 47% from the field, and has averaged just 1.3 turnovers. In the losses, Johnson has averaged 2.0 points while committing 3 turnovers in just 14 minutes per game.
Last season? It was more of the same. Johnson averaged 11.3 points, 4.6 assists, and shot 52% in eight victories, while averaging 6.3 points on 19% shooting in the three losses.
Going back to his only full healthy season at IU in '21-'22, Johnson averaged 12.6 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.1 turnovers while shooting 44% in wins, and averaged 11.4 points, 3.5 turnovers, while shooting 35% in losses.
As Johnson goes, Indiana goes. Offensively, and defensively.
"We consider him the last two years as kind of the head of the snake in terms of initiating our defense up front," said Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson. "I went into the (Nebraska) game the other night knowing that he wasn't going to play a lot of minutes because we couldn't play him a lot of minutes. He hadn't played much in practice. He wasn't real happy about that. He only played, I think, 14 minutes, but it was an awful 14 minutes. I kind of shared that with him yesterday because, hey, he was trying to do too much in the short period of time that he played. He's just got to let it come to him and relax and play."
Johnson himself, who is older than Pacers' star Tyrese Haliburton, knows how important he is to this team.
"I got to grow up, and I grew up tonight and have got to keep growing up and not turn over the ball because my team needs me to make the right play every time," said Johnson. "I did feel like I was out of rhythm. I only had a couple practices. I can't make that excuse though. I'm a sixth-year guy. The team and Coach Woodson expects a lot out of me, and I'm going to give everything I got from the rest of the year on out."
A lot of fans and analysts have been pessimistic about this team. You can certainly understand their reasoning. At the same time, the Hoosiers are 11-4 and 3-1 to start conference play. They don't have any resume-building wins yet, but have managed to stay away from bad losses as well. The rest of the season will likely be full of highs and lows. But one thing is abundantly clear: "X" is the X-factor.
They need him to stay healthy. They need him to play under control. They need him to lead. And they need him to produce.
It's a different team with a higher ceiling if those things happen.
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