After one hard jab-step, sophomore guard Armaan Franklin was gone.
The Butler University defender tried to recover and cut off Franklin from turning the corner to the baseline, but it was no use. While he sprinted back into position, Franklin slammed on the breaks with a between-the-legs crossover, sending the defender flying by. After taking a second to collect himself, Franklin confidently rose up from the elbow and drained the mid-range jumper.
On the sideline, IU head coach Archie Miller furiously clapped as he sprinted down the sideline towards midcourt while yelling out the Hoosiers’ defensive assignments.
Franklin’s jumper was one of many early second half buckets that ignited a 26-8 run, as the Hoosiers outlasted the Bulldogs 68-60.
In the first half, the Hoosiers struggled on both sides of the court.
On defense, Butler’s size and physicality was an immediate issue. Sophomore forwards Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jerome Hunter couldn’t hold their ground against the Bulldogs' forwards as the Hoosiers gave up a flurry of easy layups.
“They kind of maneuvered and manhandled us inside. They really did,” Miller said. “They controlled the game. They were able to perimeter post us from the perimeter, they were able to post one-on-one, and really they just had a lot of success playing one-on-one in the post. They took advantage of our lack of help and they took advantage of our lack of physicality.”
On offense, IU lived by the long ball.
Just as IU struggled to combat Butler’s size on defense, it limited the team’s ability to get the ball inside to Jackson-Davis or junior forward Race Thompson.
The Hoosiers entered the game shooting just 32.1% from beyond the arc, but after two quick 3-pointers in the team’s first two possessions, the team’s confidence was apparent. Franklin led the way for IU making four of his five 3-point attempts, as they shot 50% in the half.
However, Butler created some separation going into the half, going on a 13-3 run down the stretch to take a five-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
“In general, our group was disappointed at halftime,” Miller said. “We knew how to answer the bell. There wasn't a whole lot of hooting and hollering and what not. It is what it is. We were getting outworked.”
IU sprinted out of the gate in the second half, erasing its deficit within the first three minutes and never slowed down.
“I thought our guys did a much better job of responding,” Miller said. “We cut the lead fast and then were able to grab a lead, and I think momentum shifted our way.”
IU’s identity all season has been strong defense that leads to quick-hitting offensive opportunities in transition. In the second half, IU’s defense was suffocating as it held Butler to only 26.7% from the field in the half, blocking seven shots and forcing eight turnovers.
As the Hoosiers’ defense settled in, the offense regained its touch. After shooting just 45.6% in the first half, IU made over 60% of its shots in the second half.
“We got back into it and then we started playing our ball,” Jackson-Davis said. “The second half we started getting engaged more. We were really locked in on the defensive end, and when you start getting stops and getting out in transition, it starts carrying over and you wear teams down with that.”
Butler was limited to single digits in the second half until just over six minutes remained in the game.
After another game in which IU had to overcome some growing pains, Miller said he was happy with how the team responded to adversity and ultimately played. As the Hoosiers now head into Big Ten play, he said the team needs to continue to get better, but he is confident in its ability to grow.
“We've just got to keep getting better,” Miller said. “We have a coachable group. They're in it for the right reasons. We've worked hard. Haven't had Joe all nonconference and guys have stepped up, and we're going to need more guys to continue to step up and develop.”
