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IU basketball: Merrimack at Indiana game day essentials

December 12, 2021 Mike Schumann IUBB 2

Game Day Essentials

Merrimack Warriors (4-7) at Indiana Hoosiers (7-2)

  • Tip Time: Sunday, Noon Eastern
  • Location: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana
  • Television: Big Ten Network (Chris Vosters and Jess Settles)
  • Stream:  Fox Sports Live
  • Radio:  IU Radio Network
  • Point Spread: Indiana is around an 19-point favorite
  • KenPom Projected Score:  No. 32 Indiana 70, No. 258 Marshall 51
  • Series: First meeting

The Merrimack Players

Head Coach Joe Gallo

The eighth head coach in school history, Gallo completed a run of three NCAA Tournament appearances in three years in 2018-19 to put a bow on the program’s Division II history. He also snapped a 19-year conference championship drought when he guided the program to the 2018-19 Northeast-10 Conference Championship. Gallo boasts a 81-45 (.643) career record, the most wins ever for a Merrimack head coach over their first four seasons. Gallo led Merrimack to win the 2019-20 NEC Regular Season Championship, becoming the first team ever to win a conference title in its first season of Division I membership.

Merrimack Notes

  • Merrimack was down just 11 at halftime against Gonzaga  on Thursday night. For the fourth game in a row, Jordan Minor led the Warriors, scoring 17 points. He also pulled down seven rebounds. Ziggy Reid had one of his best games of the season so far, scoring 16 points, after knocking down four threes. Mikey Watkins chipped in with eight points, seven rebounds, and four assists in the defeat.
  • Gallo prides himself on his defensive scheme which has been called the Syracuse zone on steroids’. Gallo and co have been at the top of defensive rating chats since stepping onto the Division I scene. In the past two seasons the Warriors have caused 809 turnovers and have held opponents to under 32% from long range. The two players at the top of the zone this season Mikey Watkins and Mykel Derring have combined for close to 150 steals in their Merrimack career.
  • The Warriors return 99% of their production from a season ago. Graduate student Devon Jensen will enter is fifth season with Merrimack. Senior Mikey Watkins will run point, his second season in the starting role. Jordan Minor and Ziggy Reid will be staples on the block for a Merrimack team that will look to get back to winning Northeast Conference regular season titles.
  • The 2021-2022 season marks the third for the Warriors in their Divison One transition. In year one, the Warriors won the Northeast Conference in their first year in transition. Merrimack is still unable to compete in the postseason conference tournament as well as the NCAA tournament.

Merrimack KenPom Outliers

  • Defense is better than the offense: Adjusted offensive efficiency – No. 323, Adjusted defensive efficiency No. 142
  • Expect a slow game:  Adjusted tempo – 62.9 possessions, No. 347 (out of 358)
  • Poor shooting in the paint:  41.9 percent on 2-pointers, No. 335
  • Poor offensive rebounding:  No. 352
  • Solid at forcing turnovers:  24.9 percent of possessions, No. 18
  • Allow a lot of offensive rebounds:  No. 348
  • Block a lot of shots:  No. 63

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