LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The Indiana University basketball team has not attacked with a guard that the Big Ten feared since Yogi Ferrell left Bloomington.
That was also the last time — 2016 — the Hoosiers made the NCAA Tournament. It is a legitimate launching point to discuss why Archie Miller will be paid more than $3 million not to coach the Hoosiers next season.
Enter Mike Woodson, whose first IU team is primed to depart for the Bahamas where the Hoosiers will play two exhibition games against BC Mega.
That is the Serbian professional club team that produced NBA MVP Nikola Jokic — and has another likely 2022 first-round pick in Nikola Jovic, a 6 foot 10 center.
If Jovic plays in the Bahamas, he’ll be a legitimate test for IU forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Hoosiers’ best player. Woodson complimented Jackson-Davis on his improved conditioning and aggressiveness this summer.
Jackson-Davis averaged 19.1 points and 9 rebounds last season. Even if he bumps those numbers to 23 points and a dozen boards, Jackson-Davis can’t get the Hoosiers where they want to be. Indiana needs guards that the Big Ten fears.
Does Woodson have any?
Can he and his staff develop several?
Woodson played one season with Isiah Thomas at IU. He knows ordinary guard play won’t win in the Big Ten.
“This team last year, they weren’t a great offensive team in terms of getting the ball where is has to go,” Woodson said. “I just see some differences in how we are approaching it now.”
The games from the Bahamas will not be televised and video highlights will be limited to 2-minute clips because of Big Ten media regulations. But Woodson has seven guys scrambling to fill IU’s backcourt minutes.
These are the guys who need to deliver if Indiana basketball expects to succeed next season:
Rob Phinisee, senior —Woodson said that he has seen good things from Phinisee this summer — and he needs to see those things.
His shooting percentages as well as his rebounding, assist and steals averages all declined last season. There were five games when Phinisee failed to make a field goal and nine when he had fewer than two assists.
“Rob has been playing well on both ends of the floor, which is kind of nice to see,” Woodson said. “He’s kind of changed his game a little bit. I like what he’s done.”
Phinisee said that he has worked on rebuilding the confidence he appeared to lose while battling through injuries. In fact, Phinisee said that he has been reading a book, “Intentional Mindset: Developing Mental Toughness and a Killer Instinct” to assist that process.
Phinisee said that believes a lot of people have counted him out but that the new coaching staff has helped to rebuild his confidence.
Xavier Johnson, senior transfer from Pittsburgh — A dynamic, attacking athlete who got to the free throw line 209 times as a freshman, Johnson has point guard skills.
But there are two flashing lights in his statistical profile: His turnover rate was 23 percent or higher all three seasons at Pitt and he made only 32.1 percent of his 3-point shots last season. Johnson brings an Alpha personality, another factor IU lacked last season.
“There are a lot of things that come with being a point guard,” Woodson said. “I’ve probably been on him more than anybody on the team because I think the point guard position is so valuable in terms of where you’re going to go as a ball club.”
“He’s super crafty,” Phinisee said. “There’s not a lot of Big Ten guards like him.”
Anthony Leal, sophomore — Leal appears to have added strength during off-season conditioning. But he was a 30-percent 3-point shooter who took only a pair of 2-point attempts in 232 minutes. If he develops on his promise as a shot-maker, Leal could make the biggest jump in the group.
Khristian Lander, sophomore — Lander’s uneven freshman season was a powerful reminder that skipping your senior year at Evansville Reitz High School to play in the Big Ten can swallow a 5-star recruit.
Lander never looked comfortable shooting and never looked capable of staying in front of his man. Competing against Phinisee and Johnson at point guard should inspire improvement, although Woodson seems open to having 2 point guards on the court.
"I'm trying to get Rob, Xavier and young Khristian, to learn how to be point guards and run your team," Woodson said.
Trey Galloway, sophomore — Galloway averaged 3.6 points in nearly 20 minutes because he struggled to contribute on the offensive end after every defense played to eliminate his drive, generally to the right side of the floor.
He’s a creative passer and solid rebounder but shot-making is likely to determine his minutes this season.
Parker Stewart, senior, transfer from Tennessee-Martin — Although Stewart was with the team most of last season, he practiced without playing.
During one season at Pitt and another at UT-Martin, Stewart made better than 36 percent of 372 attempts from distance. IU hasn’t had a guard with that profile since James Blackmon Jr.
“Parker has been solid,” Woodson said. “Early on he was probably the best player in the gym. And then he just took a back seat.
“I’m trying to get him back to how he was playing early.”
Tamar Bates, freshman — As a late signee following his decommitment from Texas, Bates is sometimes overlooked because he is the only guard without college experience. But as the No. 27 player in the 2021 class, Bates and Lander (ranked 27th in the 2020 class) are the two highest ranked recruits on Woodson’s roster.
“He’s added about 12 pounds, which is a bonus because he was a little light in the butt,” Woodson said.
“He’s a cocky kid that’s not scared. I kind of like that about him.”
Bates, 18, has a reputation as a dynamic offensive player who made 40 percent of his shots from distance after he transferred to prep school power IMG Academy for his senior season.
“It will be a test for our ball club to see if we can play at a high level,” Woodson said.
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