Of all the logical fallacies that ensnare sports fans, the idea that a certain team deserves to win a game is probably the most foolish. The notion that some karmic balance determines which group of athletes emerges victorious is entirely baseless.
That being said, IU men’s basketball absolutely did not deserve to beat No. 8 Iowa 67-65 on a magnificent jump shot by sophomore guard Armaan Franklin with a second left in the game.
Related: [IU men’s basketball comes up short against No. 12 Illinois 75-71]
The story of the 2020-21 Hoosiers has been a cycle of hope and desperation. Sunday’s contest was a perfect microcosm of that cycle, complete with double-digit scoring runs and droughts to rival those of ancient Egypt.
All eyes were on the marquee matchup between IU sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis and Iowa senior center Luka Garza. However, the two big men combined for just 6 first-half points in what looked like a meeting between a fairly stoppable force and an extremely movable object.
The Hoosiers shot under 30% from the floor for the first fifteen minutes, but the Hawkeyes weren’t exactly sharpshooters either. If you discount its long-range attempts, Iowa shot an equally abysmal 25%.
The ball went through the hoop as easily as medicine down a stubborn dog’s mouth. Only Iowa junior guard Joe Wieskamp seemed to have the deceptive hunk of peanut butter to trick the rim into accepting his jumpers, netting 15 points in the opening frame.
The Hawkeyes appeared to be in total control until a steal by freshman guard Khristian Lander, a Jackson-Davis dunk, a block by junior forward Race Thompson and a Lander 3-pointer catapulted the Hoosiers to a 33-31 lead before halftime.
This 9-0 scoring burst seemingly materialized out of midair, a cruel reminder of how good IU could be if it wasn’t constantly throwing away open looks.
The Hoosiers tend to survive almost entirely on runs. Unfortunately, this means repeatedly chasing opponents from behind, a strategy destined to result in the same sort of exhaustion IU loyalists have felt for the better part of the season.
Case and point, the Hoosiers took all that momentum into the locker room and came out with none of it, quickly surrendering a 14-0 run.
I have to imagine IU would find more success if it simply tried to incorporate more motion and passing, but I also understand the temptation to keep feeding Jackson-Davis.
Sure, it might take him a dozen errant bricks off the backboard to find his rhythm, but a monster performance always feels right around the corner.
That’s exactly what happened for IU’s star, who logged 17 points and snagged 12 rebounds by the final whistle. His physicality in the post, combined with Thompson’s four blocks, kept a lid on the Hawkeye’s attack in the second half.
By the time Franklin dribbled to the top of the key in isolation and nailed a 2-point dagger with 1.5 seconds remaining to seal a Hoosier victory, the last 39 minutes of inconsistency were all but forgotten if not forgiven.
IU very well may be the best 10-8 team in the nation, but that’s like claiming to be the most fuel-efficient Hummer stretch limousine. The Hoosiers will never earn national prominence in a single outing if they’re fighting tooth and nail for conference relevance in every game.
I want to be clear that I feel nothing but excitement for Franklin and his teammates. There is nothing unlikable about IU’s players, no matter how much enmity the phrase “IU basketball” can inspire.
Still, if you’ve chosen to dedicate your attention and invest yourself emotionally in the Hoosiers, you’re either going to learn how to process anger in a productive manner or more likely throw the occasional temper tantrum.
IU men’s basketball — incredibly frustrating in defeat, somehow even more infuriating in victory.
