Still Fighting
Before this game, if you would have asked me to visualize what a 2 p.m. tip between teams fighting to avoid playing on Wednesday of the Big Ten Tournament, this is probably the game I would have envisioned.
For at least five minutes of the first half, Indiana had nearly twice as many turnovers as made baskets, looking every bit like a team that could cost a coach his job after just three seasons. Down 10 at halftime, it didn’t look like there was a path back into this game.
Then Indiana toughened up on defense, got out into transition, and saw some shots fall for the first time in what feels like months. For the second game in a row, the Hoosiers gutted out a close second half against another Big Ten team that was desperate for a win.
The real story today was the turnover margin. In the first half, Indiana turned it over nine times while only forcing three Terrapin turnovers. In the second half, Indiana forced seven turnovers and committed just five, scoring 15 transition points in a five point game.
As with the last game, this wasn’t a win against a tournament-bound team that will be impactful come Selection Sunday. Consequential or not, it’s been nice to see Indiana string together two in a row.
Here are Three Observations:
Mackenzie Mgbako
Mackenzie Mgbako had a career-high 24 points tonight, going 4-8 from 3-point range and a perfect 4-4 at the free throw line. This is now the third time in the last five games that he’s broken the 20 point mark.
His development may be too late to get him fully back onto the NBA radar, but it’s now clear why he was such a highly touted recruit. He’s always had a good looking shot from deep, so now that he’s gotten comfortable creating for himself off the bounce, he’s emerged as a top scoring threat in the conference.
Today also exemplified one of Mgbako’s best qualities – his confidence in his own ability to get a bucket when needed.
He knocked down a pair of threes in the first half, but missed his first three attempts from inside the arc. Rather than back down like most freshmen would, Mgbako turned up the intensity in the second half, scoring 18 of his 24 points and playing in all 20 minutes.
Alongside Kel’el Ware, Mgbako has come to Indiana and developed into a professional-caliber player, whether it’s this year or further on down the line.
Xavier Johnson
This is a game that Indiana does not win without Xavier Johnson.
For the first time since January 27th and just the sixth time this season, Johnson reached double figures in scoring, while also tallying six assists versus just one turnover in 31 minutes today. He finished with a plus/minus of 14 today, tied with Malik Reneau for the lead on the team.
Despite coming off the bench today, this was the version of Johnson that Mike Woodson opted for over portal guards this season. He defended well, beat his guy off the dribble, and knocked down a 3-point shot when he was left open.
For a number of reasons, this hasn’t been the Johnson that Indiana’s gotten in a lot of its losses this year. Between injuries and his inconsistent play, Woodson has had to rely on a rotation of guards that lack his playmaking ability and experience in the Big Ten.
It may be too little, too late for this season, but in evaluating the overall trajectory of the season and program, it’ll be important to remember what Johnson – an early portal addition for Mike Woodson – has been for Indiana over the last three seasons.
Fight
Against all odds, this Indiana team has not given up on this season. This group had plenty of reasons to quit before this game started, and then again down 10 at halftime, and it’s refused to.
Whatever this means in the big picture, it’s starting to look like this team hasn’t quit on Mike Woodson as much as large portions of the fanbase have. It may not be enough to will Indiana into the tournament, but could still be a good sign that things are not as bleak as they’ve felt at points this season.
At the very least, it’s more fun to watch. Indiana has now hit more than 40% of its 3-point attempts in back-to-back games and has won consecutive games for the first time since December.