Hoosiers lack perimeter defense in loss

IU junior guard Verdell Jones said Saturday’s outcome was a result of two things: energy and focus.

And with neither occurring on the defensive end, the Hoosiers dropped their fourth consecutive game, 70-64, to Northwestern at Assembly Hall.

“It looked like guys out there didn’t want to play,” Jones said. “We just played too lackadaisical to win. We got to play smarter.”

The biggest issue on defense came from the perimeter.  

Northwestern (16-10, 6-9) hit 11 3-pointers — including seven in the first half — to take an early lead that was never relinquished.

It also shot 45 percent from beyond the arc, something that Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said was an improvement for his team.

“We don’t have much of an inside game, so you have to do what you are pretty good at,” he said. “We haven’t shot threes well on the road, but most teams don’t shoot well on the road. We were 11-for-24 throughout the game and we average 10 (3-pointers) per game.”

Pacing the Wildcats was senior guard Michael Thompson, who finished with 22 points on 4-of-13 shooting. His long-range proficiency in particular pushed Northwestern ahead in the first half.

With the Hoosiers (12-15, 3-11) ahead 19-16 with 8:43 remaining in the first half, Thompson hit a 3-pointer to tie the game. He then put Northwestern in front on the next possession with a second 3-pointer.

The game’s turning point, though, came with the score tied at 22 with 6:36 remaining in the first half.  

Thompson dribbled down the left side of the court and proceeded to sink a 3-pointer while being fouled by IU junior guard Daniel Moore. The free-throw made moments later were the start to an 18-10 run to finish the first half.

“I think a lot of it was a lack of communication,” IU sophomore forward Derek Elston said of his team’s early play. “Everybody was trying hard to get through screens, but it was just whether or not we were calling them out. Everything was just a communication problem.”

The Hoosiers’ inability to guard from the outside was also seen in the second half.  

IU had a few chances to cut the lead and swing momentum, but each time Northwestern put an end to that.

With 16:45 remaining in the game, IU junior forward Tom Pritchard’s reverse layup started a 6-0 run by the Hoosiers to make the score 44-43 in favor of the Wildcats.  

But Northwestern forward John Shurna quieted the crowd by calmly burying a 3-pointer to extend his team’s lead.

Similar Hoosier runs were answered down the stretch, including baskets beyond the arc from Alex Marcotullio and Drew Crawford.

The Wildcats were able to make the big shots when needed, while IU could not do the same.

Much of that, IU coach Tom Crean said, stemmed from a poor defensive mindset from his players.  

“Our biggest problem tonight was exposed in the first half when there’s not enough team accountability on the defensive end,” he said. “Defensive-minded players do not accept when teammates on the court are not defending the way they need to defend. It has got to be a mindset that players bring to one another.
“Those are the things that I’m tired of seeing, and we’ve got to keep working to correct it.”