After a first half with little offense from either side, Indiana pulled away after the break against Wisconsin on Saturday with a flurry of scores.
The Hoosiers appeared to mix in a combination of set plays with some read-and-react concepts, and for a while everything was clicking as IU opened the second session with an 18-2 run.
How’d they awake from the first half slumber?
Let’s take a look with another edition of film study.
FREEING UP TJD’s LEFT HAND
Indiana started the second half with a four-out set with Trayce Jackson-Davis positioned on the low block. Jalen Hood-Schifino made the entry pass from the slot, and Wisconsin immediately brought a double-team.
The keys to making this play work were Jackson Davis’ ability to get low enough to score, and the positioning of the four man. Jordan Geronimo started this play out on the opposite wing, meaning his man could only help from the high side. And that high side double meant Trayce could still turn quickly and score over his right shoulder, which is obviously his preferred approach.
If Trey Galloway’s man tried to get to Jackson Davis’ right he could quickly pass it out for an open three. A lob to Geronimo was also an option, but Jackson Davis turned right and banked in a jump hook to open the second half.
BAD KOPP GOOD KOPP
Miller Kopp’s limited offensive repertoire is a frustration for some fans, but Indiana found a unique way to use it against Wisconsin.
Indiana brought Jackson-Davis out of the lane, and that brought Wisconsin’s lone shot blocking threat with him. The Hoosiers cleared out a side so only Kopp remained on one wing. Jalen Hood-Schifino was able to turn the corner in Kopp’s direction and get downhill for a drive to the paint. Because he is a threat to make threes, Kopp’s man was glued to him, meaning Hood-Schifino’s man got no help even though he was playing catch up. Hood-Schifino was able to use his four inch size advantage to score over Chucky Hepburn with a floater.
THE WISCONSIN KILLER?
This play appeared to be a horns action involving a pair of high ball screens. Wisconsin’s defensive strategy for years has been to take away the 3-point line and the paint, and force teams into mid-range twos.
Hood-Schifino started where Mike Woodson is, and he ran Hepburn off a Geronimo screen at the slot and then a Jackson-Davis screen at the top of the key. That sequence had Hepburn chasing again, and Hood-Schifino drilled one of his many mid-range jumpers on the day.
BETTER GET A T.O. BABY
This play appeared to just be a quick read-and-react opportunity before Wisconsin could get fully set in their defense. Note the shot clock.
Jackson-Davis brought the ball up the court as he often does off his own rebounds, and he dribbled to Trey Galloway for a hand off. Galloway’s ability to turn the corner allowed him to get past his man and downhill quickly, and put Wisconsin in a 3-on-2 bind. If either Geronimo or Jackson-Davis’ man helped, it was a likely dunk, as they repositioned to the block and roll man, respectively No one helped, and Galloway laid it in.
This one forced a Wisconsin timeout.
A GREAT SEAL BY GERONIMO
Now up 11, Indiana went back to Jackson-Davis in the post, and this time his right shoulder was taken away. But that wasn’t what IU was looking for.
Geronimo’s man came in for the quick double, and Tamar Bates’ man tried to rotate over to take away Geronimo. But Bates had filled up from the baseline to the wing, meaning his man had to get around Geronimo to cut off the passing lane. Geronimo sealed off Bates’ man and Jackson-Davis was able to get the pass over the double team.
Because there is no one positioned on the opposite baseline, there is no help once Geronimo catches the pass. He made the shot and earned a free throw.
JACKSON-DAVIS ISOLATION
As you’ve already seen here and know well, finding ways to get Jackson-Davis scoring opportunities with his left hand is critical to his success.
Here Indiana started with five out of the paint, and Jackson-Davis caught a pass very early in the possession about 15 feet from the basket on the baseline. Attacking early in possessions seemed to be a point of emphasis, and here, with two shooters positioned behind-the-arc on his side of the court, Jackson-Davis had space to drive with his left hand to the paint.
Geronimo’s man never came to help this time, which gave Jackson-Davis a left handed jump hook from the top of the restricted area that he softly bounced in.
That forced a second Greg Gard timeout, and the game was effectively over.
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