With two weeks off until league play resumes, this Indiana team is going to have to figure out how to stay locked in for a full 40 minutes.
Much like Saturday, the Hoosiers started strong, opening up an 11-0 lead four minutes into the game. An 8-0 run to end the first half gave IU a comfortable 26-point advantage at the break. IU’s comfort became a problem. Siena worked the lead down to 16 midway through the second half, and Indiana could never really impose their will after the break.
Let’s take a deeper look at how Indiana won 81-60 with our latest edition of The Report Card.
The Hoosiers (10-3) will return to action on Jan. 4 when Big Ten play resumes against Washington.
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OFFENSE (B-)
The Hoosiers tied a season-low with 24 attempts from three. Their focus inside the arc led to a season-high 30 free throw attempts, and IU converted at the stripe, making 26 of those opportunities. It was a different way to achieve fairly normal results. In the end IU scored 1.18 points per possession — in line with their season average.
With 40 total fouls called, the game never had much pace or flow, and that favored a Siena team that likes to slow things down.
IU moved the ball well in the first half, and had nine assists and shot 7 of 16 from three.
Siena extended their defensive pressure in the second half and did more switching to take away 3-pointers. That seems to be IU’s kryptonite as we turn back to Big Ten play. Indiana shot twice as many twos vs. threes in the second half, and the offense wasn’t nearly as effective beyond 18 second half free throw attempts.
IU shot 53.8% in the first half and 37.5% in the second. They had five turnovers in the first, eight in the second.
DEFENSE (B-)
IU was far less effective on the defensive end in the second half too. The Hoosiers looked like a team that felt they had done their job by halftime, and Siena looked like a team with something to prove after the break.
Siena shot 24.1% from the field overall in the first half, and 42.9% in the second. The Saints had seven first half turnovers and just two in the second. IU gave up twice as many points in the second half compared to the first. Siena is not a good 3-point shooting team, and that’s something they never got going.
Indiana’s tendency to foul excessively resurfaced as Siena’s free throw rate (FTA/FGA) hit 49.1%, well above the Hoosiers’ 37.6% average that ranks No. 226 nationally.
The Hoosiers continue to be on a downtrend when it comes to forcing turnovers. Their three lowest forced turnover rate games have been their last three. Not forcing turnovers and sending teams to the line will keep games closer than they should be.
In the aggregate IU allowed .87 points per possession and a 36.0 effective field goal percentage. Those are winning numbers against almost anyone. But as we’ve seen, those numbers will go up considerably against better competition, and an inability to stay focused for a full game will cost this team in the standings.
MORE GAME COVERAGE
- IU men’s basketball struggles in second half against Siena, highlighting a growing concern
- Watch: Tayton Conerway and Darian DeVries discuss win over Siena
- IU basketball: Indiana 81 Siena 60 — Three keys, highlights, final stats
THE PLAYERS (*starters)
*Tucker DeVries (B-) DeVries’ ability to be productive on the glass seems like a key for this team as he often mans the four spot. He produced 11 boards in this one, while still not shooting the ball the way he’s capable of.
*Lamar Wilkerson (A-) Wilkerson had about as good of a first half as anyone could. He read close-outs and drove when appropriate, wasn’t sped up, played off two feet, finished at the rim and found shooters. He also rebounded at a high rate, made his free throws, and of course made threes.
*Sam Alexis (B-) Alexis has been a bit too turnover prone of late. He has the highest turnover rate on the team beyond the two primary ball handlers. You’d like to see him be a bit more physically dominant against opponents like this. But he did make all his shots and free throws, and had six rebounds in 21 minutes.
*Conor Enright (C+) Enright competed at a high level as always, but didn’t stand out too much otherwise in this one. His five defensive rebounds show he’s bought in on trying to improve Indiana’s weakness on the glass on that end.
*Tayton Conerway (B) Conerway’s ability to get to the rim and finish was the answer to IU’s offensive struggles in the second half. He scored more than a third of Indiana’s second half points by focusing on getting downhill. Conerway was impactful on the defensive end as well.
Reed Bailey (C) Bailey remains inconsistent, especially when it comes to rebounding and finishing over/through contact. He did earn eight free throws, but nights like this won’t translate in the Big Ten.
Trent Sisley (C) Sisley played a season-low nine minutes and wasn’t able to make a significant impact. It isn’t clear if he’s losing minutes to Nick Dorn or just had an off night.
Nick Dorn (B) Dorn continues to prove he’s a major threat from long range, making 3 of 6 from deep. He leads the team at 44.7% from three on about half the attempts of Wilkerson and DeVries. He did earn a trip to the line on a drive, something Big Ten teams are going to force him to do.
Jasai Miles and Aleksa Ristic saw limited action.
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Andrej Acimovic did not play — coaches decision.
Jason Drake and Josh Harris were out with injuries.
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