BLOOMINGTON – Mike Woodson’s Hoosiers eased past Marian on Friday to complete a perfect pair of preseason exhibitions, Indiana winning 106-64 in its first swing through Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall this season.
The evening was emotional for Woodson, who welcomed back longtime fried and Marian AD Steve Downing, as well as first-year Marian coach Pat Knight. Here are three observations from a straightforward evening of basketball:
Pushing pace
It won’t always translate given opponents’ styles and the complexion of games. But Indiana’s desire to push the pace, particularly early in halves, is pronounced.
Multiple times during the first half, whoever caught the ball started the break. Even Oumar Ballo hustled the ball up the floor once or twice, and added three first-half assists for his trouble. Myles Rice obviously set the tone but other teammates contributed meaningfully, be it with the dribble or skipping the ball ahead for quick possessions.
It wasn’t just for show, either. Multiple times, the Hoosiers pulled up for quick-fire 3s or attacked the rim downhill, looking for buckets or contact or both.
All the usual caveats about exhibition season apply, and again, pace won’t work equally against all opposition. But Mike Woodson’s preseason promise that the Hoosiers want to play fast was on full display Friday.
Bryson Tucker’s promising debut
After sitting out the win at Tennessee with a minor injury issue, the freshman McDonald’s All American was first off the bench Friday, and he got involved quickly.
Showcasing explosiveness toward the rim and the midrange game around which he fashioned his offense in high school, Tucker scored eight points in the first half and 19 for the game. He found his offense with and without the ball, making good use of ball screens and getting in on that transition game with an open-floor alley oop off a Rice lob pass.
Woodson will probably still push Tucker’s boundaries defensively, to take advantage of his frame and athleticism. It was easy to see, in his preseason debut, why the Indiana staff is high on the freshman from Maryland.
3-point shot still coming around
Indiana fans will be concerned about this until it’s proven fixed, and it’s hard to blame them.
The Hoosiers shot 6-of-25 from behind the arc Friday, including just 1-of-11 in the first half. There are some performances they shouldn’t sweat much. Luke Goode, for example, will shoot better long term than he has this preseason. Mackenzie Mgbako probably the same, and he still sank a handful over these two games.
And the volume should once again be encouraging, especially given how many looks Indiana hunted in transition. But in the aggregate, after years spent waiting for a team to shoot well from distance again, IU fans will understandably reserve judgment over a modest preseason performance in that area.
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