Indiana basketball is back.
For the first time in 232 days, Indiana will return to the court to host Marian University in an exhibition game. Despite not counting towards the Hoosiers’ official record, there are a few implications and keys to the game that are important to keep in mind leading into the regular season.
Injuries
Exhibition games are normally a good time for coaches to let most of their players see the floor and get a good feel for what the regular season rotation might look like. In Indiana’s case, the Marian matchup will be an opportunity for last year’s secondary scorers to step up offensively.
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Indiana head coach Mike Woodson said Friday that star senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis is “a little banged up” and breakout candidate sophomore guard Tamar Bates hasn’t participated in the last couple practices. While Jackson-Davis was listed as a probable starter in Saturday’s game notes, Woodson noted he would be a game-time decision, and nothing is set in stone.
If Woodson decides to air on the side of caution and sit the Preseason All-American in a game that doesn’t count toward the Hoosiers’ record, players like junior forward Jordan Geronimo and freshman forward Malik Reneau will most likely get a lot of touches in the paint and could assert themselves as strong offensive weapons.
Starters and rotation
In terms of predicting Indiana’s regular-season rotation, Woodson said the two upcoming exhibition games are the perfect opportunity to work with different lineups. Players have noted both Bates and sophomore center Logan Duncomb, who both saw limited minutes last year, made a big leap in their offseason progress, so those two could get valuable time on the floor, if healthy.
“I don't know how many minutes guys will play. I've got to get a rotation in play before we open up,” Woodson said. “I'll be using these two games to look at different combinations and just see where we are.”
The game notes list super-seniors Xavier Johnson, Race Thompson and Miller Kopp and freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino as probable starters with Jackson-Davis. Woodson has alluded to a possible 10-man rotation in the past, which could likely include Bates, Geronimo, Duncomb, Reneau and junior guard Trey Galloway as the primary reserves. The game against Marian will also provide valuable insight to which Hoosiers will be the first off the bench during the regular season.
Perimeter defense
In Marian’s season-opening win against Saint Xavier University on Oct. 27, 51 of the Knights’ 92 points came from beyond the 3-point line. Both junior guard Josh Bryan and senior guard Hayden Langkabel drained five long-range shots, and the team as a whole shot an impressive 47.2%.
[Related: Trayce Jackson-Davis named to Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List]
Indiana’s most tenacious returning guard defender, Johnson, will most likely be tasked with the assignment of Marian senior point guard Christian Harvey, a player who ever-so-slightly resembles former Purdue star Jaden Ivey in playmaking style. So, Bryan and Langkabel will present an interesting proposition for Hood-Schifino and Kopp, and strong defensive performances from those two at the outset of the game could very well dictate the tone of the matchup.
Indiana head coach Mike Woodson said Friday he believes his team can improve upon this facet of the game, something at which they were already pretty good.
“We're longer this year than we were last year, adding the freshmen, and we're a little more athletic than we were last year,” Woodson said. “Hopefully, we can make up some ground and be rangy and long and be able to do things better from a defensive standpoint, which we weren't that bad last year defensively.”
One of the biggest keys to the game for Indiana will be its ability to force Marian to play from the inside, despite being potentially understaffed without Jackson-Davis. A team that shot five more 3-point field goals than 2-point shots in its first game can’t get too comfortable outside, and the Hoosiers can easily make the outing pretty miserable for the Knights with strong perimeter defense.
Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Assembly Hall, and the game will be broadcast on BTN+.
