IU men’s basketball hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament under head coach Archie Miller, and the team’s last two losses won’t help it find its first tournament berth in five years.
IU fell to Rutgers for the second time this season Wednesday night, losing in blowout fashion 74-63 in Piscataway, New Jersey.
“Our team has really looked fractured, where we didn't know how to compete, what to do,” Miller said. “And that goes back to me. I have to figure this out and get our team back up off the mat here.”
But the Hoosiers’ loss wasn’t just a hiccup. In fact, it came just four days after IU blew multiple double-digit leads to Michigan State and let the Spartans come out on top.
IU fell into the same traps Wednesday as it did against Michigan State. Despite a 15-point first half lead during both games, the Hoosiers couldn’t sustain the lead because of the usual suspects — turnovers, momentum loss and a defensive collapse.
Not only did the Hoosiers give up a 15-point lead, but they let the Scarlet Knights turn that into a 35-point swing. IU’s weak defense and a stalling offense erased the progress of its quick start after four 3-pointers from senior guard Al Durham and multiple dunks from sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Much like their first game against the Scarlet Knights, the Hoosiers let Rutgers guards Geo Baker and Ron Harper Jr. have their way on offense — combining for 40 points. Harper Jr. was 1-27 from 3-point range in his last seven games, but against IU, he connected on four shots from behind the arc.
It wasn’t just the Rutgers guards, though. The forwards bullied IU down low, scoring 36 points in the paint and slamming down nine dunks.
The real killer for the Hoosiers was turnovers — again. Miller has said throughout the season that he needs his team to turn the ball over fewer than 10 times in a game. On Wednesday night, IU gave up the ball 13 different times and let Rutgers score 13 points off those mistakes.
But these inconsistencies aren’t new. IU’s loss to Rutgers just exposed the program’s history of consistent inconsistencies. They have permeated throughout the entirety of Miller’s tenure and have been the reason why his IU teams haven’t been a part of March Madness.
The issue isn’t talent. Miller has brought three different Indiana Mr. Basketballs, the highest award in high school basketball, to Bloomington three years in a row. Instead, it’s come down to effort and leadership.
“I definitely think it's something right now that's been lacking,” Miller said. “Staying focused is something we got to get a hold on.”
This second loss in a row now drops the Hoosiers to 7-9 in Big Ten Play and teetering on the edge of .500 with an overall record of 12-11.
Under Miller, the Hoosiers haven’t had a winning conference record or a winning record percentage of more than 63% in the last three years.
The Hoosiers have just three regular season games left to change the tone of their season and prove themselves to the selection committee.
“We got to find a way to stick together to be able to make sure we stay together,” Durham said. “We got to be able to stay together, lock in and be able to rally on the defensive end and execute on the offensive end.”
