IU's film reveals streaky behavior

Finger pointing isn’t usually the way to solve problems.

The stigma with zeroing in on mistakes rarely makes it into the film room. The idea wasn’t left at the door for the IU video session, either.

IU coach Tom Crean and his players went through tape in preparation for Sunday’s 6 p.m. game against Iowa. Judging from the results of IU’s past nine games, one could guess it wasn’t pretty.

One of IU's large problems was revealed on tape, placing the many streaks opposing teams go on to end the first half on display.

“The bottom line with us is we’ve got to stop these little streaks and we saw that on film as well,” Crean said. “That’s a mental toughness, that’s a lack of leadership, that’s understanding, ‘Hey, that ball is going in a certain spot right now.’”

IU has failed to understand how to respond and play circumstantial basketball in recent weeks. When the Hoosiers come out with the energy that has evaded them in some instances, they often stick with the better teams. They seem to be in a threatening position.

Then, the streak happens. It came against Wisconsin. It came against Michigan State.

Both games ended in blowout losses for IU.

The root of the Hoosiers’ problems in that moment lies within its inability to maintain offensive efficiency.

For example, IU trailed Wisconsin 16-14 with a little more than eight minutes left in the first half. The Hoosiers began the game shooting a mere 5-of-17, and the Badgers also struggled from the field.

The problems came when Wisconsin picked up its offensive effort, and IU couldn’t reciprocate.

But the lack of defensive consistency allows for the substantial leads to mount and turn into historical defeats, like the 78-46 Wisconsin loss, the largest in Assembly Hall history.

“We’re not making a ton of shots,” Crean said. “When you’re not making a ton of shots, that hurts your confidence level big time. That’s what we’ve just got to bear down and get these streaks stopped.”

While dissecting the streaks, players pointed out their own part in what became team losses.

Few had ever been forced to take ownership of mistakes the way Crean had them in film session. Crean said pointing out their mistakes before the coaches did, showing that they wanted to improve, was the key for his players.

Freshman forward Christian Watford said he hadn’t experienced the bluntness offered in the gathering.

“I’ve never done it that way,” Watford said. “It just makes you take ownership of what you did as a player.”

Freshman guard Jordan Hulls also said he thought the tape session would positively affect the team’s psyche moving forward.

“I thought it was really good for us to see what mistakes we’re making, for us to see it ourselves and call it out to the team,” Hulls said. “I think we’re taking a lot out of it.”