BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WDRB) -- Archie Miller discussed his fourth Indiana University basketball team for nearly 13 minutes Tuesday afternoon.
Unless the novel coronavirus has other plans, the Hoosiers will play host to Tennessee Tech (without head coach John Pelphrey, a virus victim), at 8 p.m. Wednesday in empty Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Miller said Al Durham, his senior guard, has been terrific all fall. Durham said his confidence was through the roof.
He said Rob Phinisee, his junior point guard, was finally healthy.
“Once you’re healthy, that clears up a lot in your head, too,” Phinisee said. “Just being healthy puts a lot more confidence in you.”
Miller said Armaan Franklin, a sophomore guard, had added nearly 15 points and was performing with confidence.
He said Jerome Hunter was making three-point shots.
He said Joey Brunk, his senior center, was dealing with a tender back.
He even gave love to his four freshmen, suggesting all of them would get minutes.
Guess which player went unmentioned — by Miller or by Durham and Phinisee?
Indiana’s most dynamic player: Trayce Jackson-Davis, a guy who could average a double-double, one of the five best players in the Big Ten and 20 best players in America.
Do not consider it a slight to Jackson-Davis. He’ll earn plenty of love, attention and headlines this season. Consider it further confirmation that the Hoosiers are committed to changing their offensive style of play.
More emphasis on the perimeter. Less focus in the paint. More determination to shoot the ball effectively from distance. Less tolerance to let opposing defenses surround Jackson-Davis with two or more defenders.
“Overall, we do have so many more guys who can stretch the floor,” Miller said.
More pace. Less walking the ball up-court. More assists. Less acceptance of the outlandish turnovers that made Miller reach for the antacids the last two seasons.
“There’s nothing more important to this team this year than taking care of the basketball,” Miller said. “Our guards have to dominate the game in terms of taking care of the ball.”
Nobody mentioned a likely starting lineup. Give me Phinisee, Durham, Franklin, Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson (considering Brunk’s tender back) in the office pool.
Definitely a three-guard look designed to incorporate improved three-point shooting and also create space for Jackson-Davis.
“I feel like (our style of play) is really fast,” Phinisee said. “It really fits the way we play, and it will surprise a lot of people.”
“I feel like (the offense) will be hard to guard,” Durham said. “I think it will fit us and will work for us."
This was only Miller’s third media availability since IU’s 2020 season ended with a victory against Nebraska, IU’s 20th win, in the Big Ten Tournament. But every time Miller has leaned into the microphone he has made a crack about turnovers. He’s tired of them. He said turnovers will be the No. 1 enemy of this team.
Stuff your new wave analytics in a sweaty sock. For Miller, assist-to-turnover ratio will be critical.
At the risk of sounding hopelessly Old School, I will note that Dean Smith, the legendary North Carolina coach, always wanted guards who A) got to the foul line and B) averaged 2 assists for every turnover.
Not one IU player averaged 2 assists for every turnover last season. Phinisee did it as a freshman in 2019.
As a team, the Hoosiers finished last season with only 11 more assists than turnovers. In Big Ten games, IU ranked 13th in turnover percentage.
“It’s all about the assist-to-turnover ratio for our backcourt,” Miller said, just as he has been saying since this team assembled in June.
“We know what coach wants,” Phinisee said. “We’ve really emphasized not to turn the ball over and just run the offense.”
If they do that, then people can return to talking about Jackson-Davis.
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