A few poor shots, a few missed defensive assignments, some fortuitous shooting by the opponent, ill-advised and unforced turnovers, some missed freethrows, and just like this it was 25-9 Minnesota barely ten minutes into the game. The Hoosiers got no closer than 13 the rest of the way. I would like to say more about the final 30 minutes, but in what seems like a good metaphor for this season, I fell asleep (yes, at 8:30 on a Saturday night. I'm kind of a big deal). In looking at the box score, it does appear that IU gained control of the turnover issue: only 9 total for the game after three in the first five minutes. Still, this is an ugly box score otherwise: IU shot 32 percent to Minnesota's 55 percent; IU shot only 63 percent from the line. IU's rebounding numbers were decent but not overwhelming: the Hoosiers' superficially respectable 15 offensive rebounds accounted for only 1/3 of IU's 45 OR opportunities. Minnesota's 10 OR came on only 27 opportunities. Here's the box score.
Individuals:
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Devan Dumes scored 20 points, but had to chuck nonstop (17 attempts in 27 minutes) to get there.
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Jeremiah Rivers was 4-6 from the field and 2-2 from the line, but had four turnovers.
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Verdell Jones III got to the line enough to score 10 points, but he was only 208 from the field.
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As he generally has done against teams with quality big men, Christian Watford struggled, shooting only 1-10 from the field.
Nothing positive came from this one. Crean was sufficiently disgusted with his big men that he went with Watford and four guards for most of the night. I don't envy Crean's position. There isn't much more that can be done with this team. IU has four games remaining. The trip to Purdue is hopeless. The home game against Wisconsin is close to hopeless. Still, the Hoosiers have a road trip to improving but still not-very-good Iowa, and a Senior Night home game against oops-we-finally-remembered-were-Northwestern. The Wildcats humiliated IU in Evanston, but NU has managed to lose to Iowa and Penn State in the last few days and has only two true road wins this season. All we can do is hope for progress.