LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Four games into Mike Woodson’s third season as the Indiana University men’s basketball coach, two check engine lights continue to flash:
*The Hoosiers have consistently been non-competitive in games against top opponents outside the Big Ten.
*Woodson has minimal interest or ability to incorporate the 3-point shot into Indiana’s offensive plan of attack.
Connecticut, No. 5 in the country, beat the Hoosiers, 77-57, Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Huskies led by as many as 24.
“I think this was a wake-up call for our ball club,” Woodson said on his post-game radio show. “I’ve got a lot of work to do still with this team …
“… I’ve got to do a much better job of getting them in better position to score the ball.”
Let’s see if it’s also a wake-up call for Woodson because what he’s been doing has not worked against elite competition outside the Big Ten.
Toss Sunday’s result in a nasty pile with the 29-point loss to Saint Mary’s (2022 NCAA Tournament); 14-point loss to Arizona (last season); 22-point loss to Kansas (last season) and 16-point loss to Miami (2023 NCAA Tournament).
That’s 0-5 by an average margin of defeat of 20.1 points, all by 14 or more. That’s not being competitive against the big boys.
As they have been all season, the Hoosiers were awful from the 3-point line. They took 13. They made 3.
As they have all season, the Hoosiers do not attempt enough shots from distance — and they do not make the ones they take.
As they have all season, the Hoosiers were outscored from the 3-point line. This time the gap was only 21-9.
But for the season, Woodson’s team has been outscored by 90 points from distance — in four games. For the season, Indiana is 14 for 53 from distance. That’s 26.4%.
That’s 1924 basketball, not 2024 basketball.
“When we get stagnant, we kind of look around and it’s hard to get shots,” IU guard Trey Galloway said.
Indiana is 3-1 because they won their first three games against teams ranked outside the Top 150 in Ken Pomeroy’s computer power rankings.
Disclaimer: Three-point shooting is not the only reason the Hoosiers flopped against the Huskies, the 2023 NCAA champions.
Connecticut got better shots outside the arc — and inside the arc.
UConn had nearly as many offensive rebounds (15) as Indiana had defensive rebounds (18). That’s a losing formula. Danny Hurley’s more aggressive team outworked Indiana by 20 on the glass.
“When you look at the rebounding, that was the difference in the ball game,” Woodson said. “Our guards are not rebounding. We’ve got to get tougher. We’re not tough enough …
“It was glaring tonight that we just got out-toughed. I don’t like that. I’ve got to figure that out.”
Indiana had six assists on 17 field goals. The passing and ability to set teammates up for effective shots is not there.
“That might be one of the lowest since I’ve been here, in terms of ball movement and making shots,” Woodson said.
Indiana had zero second-chance points. Luck? Effort? Style of play?
Choose your favorite explanation. All of them will get you beat.
Xavier Johnson and Malik Reneau took themselves out of the game with foul trouble. Johnson played 3 minutes in the first half because he earned two whistles in the first 131 seconds.
Can’t happen.
Reneau led Indiana with 18 points. He scored 15 in the first half but only 3 in the second half because he earned four fouls in 9 minutes. Reneau was the only IU player UConn struggled to defend.
Without Reneau, Indiana scored 27 points in the second half. They made 7 field goals. Only one was a 3-pointer, a set shot by Trey Galloway with 7:38 to play. The Hoosiers had three field goals in the last 13 minutes.
Considering Indiana trailed by double figures for most of the second half and considering Indiana labored to established itself on the glass, the inability to convert jump shots, especially deep ones, made it impossible for the Hoosiers to put any legitimate game pressure on the Huskies.
The sequence that confirmed how this game was going to finish developed about 7 minutes into the second half. IU cut the UConn lead to 50-43 on a jump shot by Johnson.
C.J. Gunn knocked loose a steal and the Hoosiers looked clear for a fast-break advantage.
Until … UConn’s Tristan Newton stole the ball. He scored. He was fouled. He missed the free throw. UConn grabbed the rebound. UConn scored again.
Instead of cutting the lead to 50-45, Indiana trailed 54-43. The margin was never less than 10 the rest of the afternoon.
“I thought that was the biggest play of the game,” Woodson said.
“We competed the first half. Then the start of the second half we kind of dropped the ball.”
It’s difficult to play from behind against a formidable team like UConn. It’s more difficult when the 3-point shot is a shot your team does not like — and does not make.
Will anything change? Tune in Monday afternoon when the Hoosiers will play either Louisville in Madison Square Garden at 4:30. The game will air on ESPNU.
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