Author: Aidan Kunst

What happened to the defense? That is the question on everyone’s mind as Indiana escaped in Lincoln, Neb. on Sunday night, re-claiming what was once an 18-point lead late and knocking off the Cornhuskers 84-76. From the jump this did not appear to be the same Archie Miller team we have become accustomed to seeing on the defensive end. The team that showed up in Lincoln did not have the look of KenPom’s 12th-ranked defensive squad. Instead, the Hoosiers seemed to be content to engage in an AAU style track meet with the Big Ten’s worst team. There are plenty…

Trayce Jackson-Davis once again reached Super Saiyan mode on Thursday against Wisconsin, entering the zone that we saw against Maryland and Florida State in which it seems that no one has a sliver of a chance to stop him.  But Indiana as a whole outplayed Wisconsin for much of the game, even in an 80-73 double overtime loss, not just because Trayce got into this rhythm on steroids, but because of the players around him. During this stretch of elite play from the star big man, Archie Miller surrounded him with Rob Phinisee, Anthony Leal, Al Durham, and Jerome Hunter,…

This was one the Hoosiers had to have. Indiana’s Monday night game against Maryland was one of the last games on the schedule against an opponent not ranked in the current Top 25.  And yet, in what many would consider a must-win game, Archie Miller’s team came out lifeless in the first half, unable to get anything going offensively. It was another slow start for this Hoosiers team, and when standout guard Armaan Franklin went down with an ankle injury, it seemed Indiana was in big trouble.  Then Trayce Jackson-Davis showed up. Jackson-Davis, Indiana’s unquestioned go-to guy, brought new life…

On Tuesday, Trey Galloway said he had been learning from his coaches and the older players on the team, trying to make mental notes and grow as a player any way he could. On Wednesday night in an 87-85 overtime win over Penn State, Galloway stood out, even amongst his veteran peers. The freshman had a complete game, scoring 10 points, dishing 5 assists, and playing lockdown defense. “He was fantastic in terms of his playmaking,” Miller said about Galloway. While his box score numbers may not jump off the screen like Al Durham or Trayce Jackson-Davis’ did against the…

Armaan Franklin continues to be the biggest revelation for Indiana this season, playing with a confidence that seemed implausible last season when the sophomore struggled. Against Illinois on Saturday, his stellar play continued, even in a loss. Going into this game, the same could not be said for his counterparts in the backcourt, whether it was Rob Phinisee or Al Durham. But in the beginning of the second of half of the game, something changed. The Hoosiers finally got the play they were hoping for from Phinisee and Durham.  Perhaps it was Archie Miller’s decision to replace Phinisee in the…

What more do Archie Miller and Trayce Jackson-Davis have to say? The pair’s efforts to motivate this Indiana basketball team have been well-documented this season, whether it is Miller’s halftime speech against Butler or Jackson-Davis’ words for his teammates after the Florida State game.  And yet, the Hoosiers continue to come out lifeless in the first half of games.  That trend continued Wednesday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, with Northwestern jumping on Indiana from the opening tip, and building on a nine-point halftime lead to win, 74-67. Archie Miller once again was forced to give his team an earful,…

Armaan Franklin must really enjoy playing at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. A year ago, he scored 17 and hit the game winning shot in the 2019 Crossroads Classic against Notre Dame. He followed that up with 11 points and four assists against Nebraska in the Big Ten tournament before the season was shut down.  For his career, Franklin has made 12-of-17 three-point attempts in three games inside his hometown Indianapolis arena. On Saturday, Franklin showed up in a big way for Indiana, scoring a (second-straight) career-high 20 points while hitting five threes in a 68-60 win over Butler in the 2020…

If not now, when? That was the prevailing thought after Indiana’s first-half performance against North Alabama. As the team came out flat and the guard play continued to worsen, the frustration grew. Indiana’s starting guards shot a combined 3-for-12 from the field in the first half. They combined for six turnovers. Offensive performances like that could be understood if not excused against a team with tenacious on-ball defenders like Texas, or a team with unique length and athleticism like Florida State. But against a low-major North Alabama team? Head coach Archie Miller was having none of it. “Coach got into…

It has been a tough day to be a Hoosier. On the same day that Indiana’s football team learned it would not get the chance to compete for a Big Ten title due to an unprecedented rule change by the conference’s athletic directors, the basketball team suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the 20th-ranked Florida State Seminoles, 69-67 in overtime.  The frustration inside the Indiana locker room was clear. “That was a very upset team,” coach Archie Miller said about his squad postgame.  Sophomore star Trayce Jackson-Davis was in no mood to celebrate his massive statistical evening. “I’m…

Down two seniors in Joey Brunk and Al Durham, Indiana was going to need a big game from their big man. They got it. IU controlled the game from the opening tip in Asheville, forcing a good Stanford team to play IU’s game: inside-out. For Indiana to win games against quality opponents like the Cardinal, the Hoosiers have to play through their frontcourt. And time and time again Wednesday, Indiana went to its low post star — Trayce Jackson-Davis. After Tuesday’s disappointing showing from Jackson-Davis, the preseason all-Big Ten selection showed why he is a projected top-50 pick in next…