As Nebraska junior guard Brice Williams banked in a 3-pointer to extend the Cornhuskers’ second-half lead to 20 points, Indiana senior point guard Xavier Johnson tossed his hands into the air.
Johnson, the nearest defender on Williams’ shot, summarized his night with this brief show of frustration and bewilderment.
Playing Wednesday night for the first time since aggravating an ankle injury Nov. 26 against Harvard University, Johnson looked the part of a player needing to shake off the rust – but consequently contributed to Indiana’s blowout loss.
The Hoosiers (10-4, 2-1 Big Ten) suffered an 86-70 defeat to the Cornhuskers (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten) at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Johnson drew the start and played 14 minutes in his return but failed to score, going 0-of-3 from the floor while adding three assists and two rebounds. Perhaps more concerning, Johnson had four turnovers, averaging one giveaway per every 3:45 of game action.
“Xavier, I know he's been rusty and hasn't played,” Indiana head coach Mike Woodson said on Indiana’s postgame radio show. “14 minutes, didn't give us much at all.”
Johnson, who entered Wednesday averaging 10.5 points and 2.3 assists in his six appearances, has missed Indiana’s last seven games, but Woodson had full confidence bringing him back at the resumption of Big Ten play.
“He’s our senior, our starting point guard,” Woodson said. “He’s had a few practices under his belt, and we thought he was ready to go.”
Indiana’s guards have struggled throughout the season, averaging just 29.2 of the Hoosiers’ 76.3 points per game. Johnson and senior guard Trey Galloway, who averages 11 points per game, have carried much of the scoring burden for the Hoosiers’ backcourt.
With Johnson back in the fold and freshman guard Gabe Cupps returning to his spot on the second unit, Indiana’s guard play figured to improve.
Instead, the Hoosiers’ guards struggled, as Johnson, Galloway, Cupps, sophomore CJ Gunn and senior Anthony Leal combined to score 21 points on 8-of-20 shooting with eight assists and seven turnovers.
Conversely, Nebraska senior guard Keisei Tominaga scored 28 points on his own, making 9-of-15 field goals. The Cornhuskers’ starting guard trio of Tominaga, Williams and sophomore guard Jamarques Lawrence combined for 55 points while hitting 18-of-33 attempts.
“When I look at the stat sheet and their perimeter play, they outplayed our starting two guards, and (we) were awful tonight,” Woodson said. “Their guards were really good – one, two and three.”
Guard play is often the engine of winning teams, and Indiana expects more out of Johnson and Galloway – Woodson named the duo his captains, something not taken lightly.
Instead, consistency has lacked, even when both have been on the court.
Between foul trouble and injuries, Johnson has played 14 or fewer minutes in three of his past four appearances – and failed to score more than 4 points in those three games.
Johnson has played 30 or more minutes just three times this season but he’s found success when doing so, averaging 15.7 points, 3.7 assists and two turnovers in those contests.
Of course, playing more naturally leads to better productivity, but Johnson’s numbers are drastically different, as is his efficiency. Consider further Indiana’s 3-0 when Johnson has eclipsed 30 minutes and 2-2 when he hasn’t, and it becomes clear how valuable the veteran’s presence is to the Hoosiers’ offense.
This inconsistency has been the story of Johnson’s three years in Bloomington. He found his stride late in the 2021-2022 season, playing a key role in Indiana’s NCAA Tournament push, but played only 11 games the following year after breaking his foot.
Granted an extra year of eligibility due to the injury, Johnson appeared poised to put it all together this year. After all, he’s the 24-year-old point guard and leader, destined to be the driving force behind another tournament run.
But here are the Hoosiers, firmly entrenched in conference play from here on out, battling what Woodson considers “awful” guard play – with Johnson at the forefront.
Sure, conditioning is a factor, and Johnson was hardly at full capacity Wednesday. But Woodson wouldn’t have played Johnson if he didn’t feel the Woodbridge, Virginia, native was capable of behooving Indiana’s odds.
Regardless, Johnson’s final collegiate season is now reaching the most critical stretch. Indiana, with a non-conference resume lacking a signature win, likely needs a strong Big Ten record to make a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
Johnson has the keys in his hands. The Hoosiers will only go as far as he can take them – and they’ll need much more than he provided in Lincoln if they’re to turn those tournament aspirations into reality.
Follow reporters Will Foley (@foles24) and Matt Press (@MattPress23) and columnist Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
