There’s so much to love about how No. 16 Indiana has carried out in the course of the opening weeks of the season.
However the Hoosiers are removed from happy as they assess their good outcomes going into Thursday night’s matchup with UNC Greensboro in Bloomington, Ind.
“We have got to get higher at defending off the bounce,” Indiana coach Mike Woodson mentioned, “the place we’re not permitting groups to play within the paint towards us.”
The Hoosiers (3-0) will play their fourth dwelling sport of the season and are coming off an 87-71 dealing with of South Carolina on Saturday.
UNC Greensboro (2-1) has proven indicators of excellent protection, together with in its 99-54 romp Saturday in its most up-to-date sport towards Division III North Carolina Wesleyan.
Dealing with Indiana shall be a unique job.
“Going right into a hostile surroundings towards a extremely good crew, a extremely well-coached crew goes to be a problem for us,” Spartans coach Mike Jones mentioned. “I am trying ahead to placing our guys in place to go in there and compete for a win.”
Indiana’s Myles Rice posted 23 factors towards South Carolina. He hit three of the Hoosiers’ eight 3-point baskets.
Regardless of the massive level complete towards the Gamecocks, there have been some voids on offense for Indiana. Woodson seen the crew’s 12 assists as too few.
“We have now to be higher in that space,” Woodson mentioned. “That will not get it (carried out). … There have been occasions we had been stagnant, and the ball wasn’t transferring. I’ve to assist us get higher in that regard.”
Rice insisted he can get the Hoosiers higher organized.
“We did not have the crispness of how we need to run the performs,” mentioned Rice, a switch from Washington State. “That is on us. Put it on me.”
Indiana’s backcourt is beginning to jell, one thing Woodson mentioned was a precedence in the course of the offseason. Three video games into the season, he mentioned he is snug with what he has seen.
“Get sufficient guys in case somebody acquired damage,” Woodson mentioned. “We have now sufficient perimeter gamers this season. I be ok with everyone if somebody goes down. I really feel good that somebody can step in and make basketball performs.”
The Hoosiers have proven a knack for perimeter scoring, hitting 8 of 17 photographs from 3-point vary within the newest sport after drilling six 3s in every of the primary two video games. The 47.1 p.c clip on 3-pointers towards South Carolina was a very good mark, Woodson mentioned, nevertheless it’s a matter of creating consistency past the arc.
“We have simply acquired to maintain working at it,” he mentioned.
Jones mentioned the Spartans should be sharp defensively in coping with the Hoosiers.
“We have got to do a greater job of being extra alert,” he mentioned. “We’re good at it. We’re simply not nice at it but. We have got a methods to go.”
UNC Greensboro had 22 assists on 36 subject objectives vs. North Carolina Wesleyan, in order that was a plus offensively.
“That is actually the one rule we now have on offense is simply share the ball,” Jones mentioned. “We have been emphasizing taking part in with somewhat bit extra tempo, and I believed we had some possessions there the place we performed with nice tempo and acquired some nice alternatives.”
–Area Stage Media