Indiana’s Myles Rice (1) drives through the Indiana versus South Carolina males’s basketball recreation at Simon Skjodt Meeting Corridor on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. There’s lots to love about how No. 16 Indiana has carried out through the opening weeks of the season.
However the Hoosiers are removed from glad as they assess their good outcomes going into Thursday night’s matchup with UNC Greensboro in Bloomington, Ind.
“We have to get higher at defending off the bounce,” Indiana coach Mike Woodson mentioned, “the place we’re not permitting groups to play within the paint in opposition to us.”
The Hoosiers (3-0) will play their fourth residence recreation of the season and are coming off an 87-71 dealing with of South Carolina on Saturday.
UNC Greensboro (2-1) has proven indicators of fine protection, together with in its 99-54 romp Saturday in its most up-to-date recreation in opposition to Division III North Carolina Wesleyan.
Going through Indiana might be a special job.
“Going right into a hostile atmosphere in opposition to a very good staff, a very well-coached staff goes to be a problem for us,” Spartans coach Mike Jones mentioned. “I am wanting ahead to placing our guys in place to go in there and compete for a win.”
Indiana’s Myles Rice posted 23 factors in opposition to South Carolina. He hit three of the Hoosiers’ eight 3-point baskets.
Regardless of the big level whole in opposition to the Gamecocks, there have been some voids on offense for Indiana. Woodson considered the staff’s 12 assists as too few.
“We have now to be higher in that space,” Woodson mentioned. “That will not get it (finished). … There have been instances we have been stagnant, and the ball wasn’t shifting. I’ve to assist us get higher in that regard.”
Rice insisted he can get the Hoosiers higher organized.
“We did not have the crispness of how we need to run the performs,” mentioned Rice, a switch from Washington State. “That is on us. Put it on me.”
Indiana’s backcourt is beginning to jell, one thing Woodson mentioned was a precedence through the offseason. Three video games into the season, he mentioned he is comfy with what he has considered.
“Get sufficient guys in case somebody obtained harm,” Woodson mentioned. “We have now sufficient perimeter gamers this season. I be ok with everyone if somebody goes down. I really feel good that somebody can step in and make basketball performs.”
The Hoosiers have proven a knack for perimeter scoring, hitting 8 of 17 pictures from 3-point vary within the newest recreation after drilling six 3s in every of the primary two video games. The 47.1 % clip on 3-pointers in opposition to South Carolina was a great mark, Woodson mentioned, however it’s a matter of growing consistency past the arc.
“We have simply obtained to maintain working at it,” he mentioned.
Jones mentioned the Spartans must be sharp defensively in coping with the Hoosiers.
“We have to do a greater job of being extra alert,” he mentioned. “We’re good at it. We’re simply not nice at it but. We have a methods to go.”
UNC Greensboro had 22 assists on 36 area targets vs. North Carolina Wesleyan, in order that was a plus offensively.
“That is actually the one rule we’ve got on offense is simply share the ball,” Jones mentioned. “We have been emphasizing taking part in with a little bit bit extra tempo, and I believed we had some possessions there the place we performed with nice tempo and obtained some nice alternatives.”
–Discipline Stage Media
