Indiana men’s basketball (9-3, 1-1 Big Ten) will host Winthrop University at 4 p.m. Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall with hopes of answering concerns raised in its latest showing.
Despite a 74-65 win against the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Dec. 21, the Hoosiers let a 13-point lead shrink to as few as four late in the second half. Fortunately for Indiana, a conveniently timed week-long hiatus will provide much needed rest in preparation of a daunting conference slate.
“I feel like this break will help us out and clear our minds and we'll come back ready to work and get ready for Big Ten play,” junior forward Malik Reneau said following the win over Chattanooga.
However, before the remaining 18 Big Ten games begin, the Hoosiers will need to take care of business in their final nonconference matchup against the Eagles.
Winthrop entered the season ranked second in the nine-team Big South Conference preseason poll and has built a solid resume to start its season. The Eagles are 10-4 and nearly upset power-conference opponent Virginia Tech on Nov. 11 in a six-point loss.
Under the direction of head coach Mark Prosser, a high-powered Winthrop scoring attack is led by a trio of veterans. Three seniors — forward Kelton Talford, forward K.J. Doucet and guard Kasen Harrison — average over 13 points per game.
Unlike other mid-major teams Indiana has faced, the Eagles don’t do most of their damage from beyond the arc but rather at the charity stripe. Winthrop attempts 32.1 free throws per game, which ranks first in Division I by a considerable margin –– the University of Missouri is second with 30.2 attempts per game.
The recipe has worked well for the Eagles, who average 86.2 points per game, fourth among mid-major programs.
Indiana will also welcome a familiar face back into Assembly Hall as junior center Logan Duncomb will make his return to Bloomington.
Duncomb appeared in 18 games in the Cream and Crimson during a two-year stint with the program, and after spending last season at Xavier University he joined Winthrop through the transfer portal. The former Hoosier has only appeared in six games with the Eagles.
Regardless of who’s on the floor, Indiana head coach Mike Woodson will strive to get his team off to a fast start, after failing to do so against Chattanooga. The Hoosiers trailed by as many as 7 points in the first half against the Mocs, highlighting inconsistency which has become a theme through the first half of their season.
“Well, I mean, that's been a mystery,” Woodson said after the Chattanooga victory. “We have had games where we have jumped on teams, and we've had games where we started slow. So, I got to find an even ground somewhere where they come out and start out well and sustain it.”
The first-ever matchup between Indiana and Winthrop will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa) and columnist Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
