Column: Starters ignited 1st-half performance

Despite beating the No. 8 team in the nation, No. 5 Indiana’s 88-81 victory against Minnesota left IU fans feeling confused about what should be made of the Hoosiers’ performance.

After dismantling Minnesota during the first 20 minutes, the Hoosiers turned an easy game into a nail-biter by blowing a 23-point halftime lead with a lackluster second-half performance.

Post-game, Cody Zeller, Jordan Hulls and Victor Oladipo said a win in the Big Ten is a win ­— no matter if it is pretty or ugly. However, if you were in the room with them, you would notice their body language looked as if they had just lost the game.

Nothing will come easy in the Big Ten this season, which is why the Hoosiers’ 52-point first half was special.

But, at the same time, the disparity of execution between the halves leaves fans wondering if it will be a recurring problem.

Whether you put more stock in the first half, or if the second half raises a red flag for you, what should not be missed from the first half is the strength of IU’s foundation and the starters’ ability to play together when they are at their best.

For the first time this season, the Hoosiers’ starters — Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell, Hulls, Oladipo, Christian Watford and Zeller — truly carried the team without bench scoring.
The Hoosiers’ starters combined made 85 of the team’s 88 points, including all of the 52 points IU scored in the first half.

In fact, it took until the 11:34 mark in the second half for Remy Abell to end the bench’s scoring draught with a free throw to put IU at 67-50.

During the Hoosiers’ 18-2 run in the first half that took the lead from 16-15 to 34-17, all five of IU’s starters contributed moves that are trademarks of their games.

Hulls started it off by hitting a long 3-pointer that ignited the Assembly Hall crowd. He finished the half with 12 points by shooting four out of five from downtown.

Oladipo suffocated Minnesota’s Andre Hollins whenever he brought the ball in the first half and eventually forced two steals that resulted in break-away baskets.

Zeller was his high-flying self and finished a number of dunks against the Golden Gophers’ big men. His defense made Trevor Mbakwe a moot point in the first half by only allowing four points and two rebounds to Minnesota’s sixth-year forward.

Watford always gets the crowd excited with the “Wat-Shot,” but he can also use his physicality to score down low.

Watford finished two baskets around the net — one with a hook shot — and he also drilled 2-of-2 from behind the arc to add 10 points in the first 20 minutes.

Finally, freshman Ferrell impressed us with great ball-handling and spectacular passing, while recording seven of his eight assists and eight of his 13 points in the first half. Meanwhile, he only turned the ball over twice in the game.

Watching these five starters blend their games together is like listening to a beautiful symphony. Each person’s game is an instrument that adds a different element to the overall effort.

When Hulls hits a three or Zeller runs the floor for a dunk, the crowd gets excited, and the players feed off their energy even more.

Trademark plays like these filled the first half against Minnesota.

“There’s guys that have certain things that just bring people out of their seats and their teammates, as well,” IU Coach Tom Crean said.

Maybe that is why Hoosier fans felt so confused after the game.

In the first half, IU was able to execute its offense and suffocate its opponent, while dazzling the crowd with exciting plays that have almost become routine.

The second half showed that a proud and competitive Minnesota team could battle back to make the ending interesting.

Is Minnesota as bad as IU made them look?

Of course not, but Indiana’s second half should not take away from how great the Hoosiers played.

To put it simply, the Hoosiers’ starters made their first-half success look too easy.

There most likely aren’t more than three other teams in the NCAA that could produce a half like IU’s first half on Saturday, and it all came from the starters.

So, as this feeling of confusion lingers above the Hoosiers’ victory over Minnesota, this game will be remembered for the brilliance of the starters.

They represent the foundation of the program, and, against the Golden Gophers, they showed they can produce one of the most breath-taking halves of basketball Assembly Hall has seen.

­— mdnorman@indiana.edu