What we learned from Indiana basketball’s 94-61 exhibition win over Marian

BLOOMINGTON — After securing an exhibition win over UIndy that was closer than expected on Sunday, the Indiana men’s basketball team dominated Marian, winning 94-61 on Friday.

In the first men’s game held in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall since the passing of legendary coach Bob Knight, IU dominated the Knights. Led by a 20-point performance from sophomore Kel’el Ware, IU held the lead for over 37 out of the game’s 40 minutes.

Here are three key takeaways from the Hoosiers’ final exhibition before their regular-season opener against Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday.

This team excels in transitioning from defense to offense

Mike Woodson has emphasized a fast-paced style of play since his arrival at Indiana. Although the team showed glimpses of this in Woodson’s first two seasons, several factors prevented them from consistently adopting a run-and-gun approach.

However, since the second half of the UIndy game on Sunday, IU has exhibited the speed of a track squad. Against Marian, the Hoosiers had a 27-0 advantage in fast-break points. The team’s length has allowed them to create turnovers, which quickly turn into scoring opportunities on offense.

“Playing offense from a defensive standpoint by disrupting opponents with steals and fast breaks is a significant advantage,” Woodson stated. “That’s how the game should be played.”

Marian committed 15 turnovers on Friday. Three IU players recorded multiple steals and wasted no time initiating plays after gaining possession through steals.

One notable transition sequence occurred after a missed shot. Ware grabbed a rebound and swiftly passed it to freshman Gabe Cupps. Cupps and CJ Gunn executed a two-on-one fast break that concluded with a lob pass to Gunn for an impressive two-handed slam dunk. Cupps accumulated six assists during the game.

“Whenever I see an open floor, my goal is to push the ball and create easy scoring opportunities for my teammates,” Cupps said. “Transition plays can be demoralizing for the opposing defense. With our ball pressure and defensive anticipation, we have the ability to run effectively.”

Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal are the only players remaining on the team whom Woodson did not recruit. Woodson now has the chance to fully implement his preferred style of play, which emphasizes a fast tempo.

Drawing fouls will be pivotal for this team

IU attempted 25 free throws against Marian, with 18 of them coming in the first half when the starters played the majority of minutes.

In the 2022-23 season, Indiana had a free-throw rate of 29.5% (according to KenPom), which was below the national average. Apart from star center Trayce Jackson-Davis, no other player on the team consistently drew enough fouls.

Not getting enough free-throw attempts limits the effectiveness of an offense. The only shots more efficient than free throws are wide-open layups or dunks. Therefore, getting to the foul line is crucial, even for a team like IU that has not been above average in free-throw shooting since 2016-17.

When Xavier Johnson suffered a season-ending foot fracture last December, the Hoosiers lost a player who excelled in drawing fouls. Johnson, a sixth-year guard, has an average of 4.9 free-throw attempts per game in his career, with a 76.8% success rate. Although first-round draft pick Jalen Hood-Schifino performed well in Johnson’s absence, he never possessed Johnson’s ability to consistently get to the free-throw line.

Johnson made 4-of-6 free throws on Friday. His return, along with the added athleticism of freshman Mackenzie Mgbako at small forward, should result in more free-throw attempts for IU this season.

IU also has big men Malik Reneau, Ware, and Payton Sparks (who missed the Friday game due to a lower-body injury). Although they are not on the same level as Jackson-Davis, they are all difficult to guard legally when they establish solid positioning in the paint.

This edition of the Hoosiers should be much better at getting to the free-throw line, and if they succeed, Indiana’s offense will benefit immensely.

Indiana must improve its rebounding

Although IU controlled most of Friday’s exhibition, they struggled to secure defensive rebounds. Marian grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, while the Hoosiers only managed seven. This follows a game against UIndy where IU only out-rebounded their opponents by one (11 to 10).

While Ware did his part by recording 11 rebounds (9 defensive), the rest of the roster struggled to contribute on the glass.

Sparks’ absence made it more challenging for IU to secure rebounds. Despite playing strong defense, Indiana’s efforts are futile unless they consistently end their opponents’ possessions.

Indiana’s first significant non-conference challenge will come against No. 5 UConn on November 19. Last season, the Huskies ranked 12th in the nation with an average of 13 offensive rebounds per game. To have a chance in that game in New York City, Indiana must focus on improving their rebounding in the first three regular-season contests.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What we learned from IU basketball’s 94-61 exhibition win over Marian