HOOPS Preview: No. 18 Notre Dame Vs. Indiana
NOTRE DAME (8-2, 0-0 ACC) VS. INDIANA (5-5, 1-1 Big 10)
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
Rankings: Notre Dame is ranked No. 18 in the AP poll.
Time/TV: 2:30 p.m. ET/FOX
Last Meeting: Dec. 19, 2015. Indiana 80-73.
Series Info: Indiana leads the all-time series 49-22.
Notre Dame and Indiana will meet the fourth time in the annual Crossroads Classic with the Hoosiers holding a 2-1 advantage.
Archie Miller will get his first taste of the event and playing a Mike Brey program as head coach of the Indiana program.
The Hoosiers are looking to get back on track after losing three of its last four games while Notre Dame is hoping it turned the corner last Saturday against Delaware.
Here is a quick preview of each team heading into the matchup.
NOTRE DAME OVERVIEW
The Irish are coming off their bounce-back win against Delaware which the team shot 56.9 percent from the field (33-of-58) and 56.5 percent behind the arc (13-of-23) to take down the Blue Hens 92-68.
Senior point Matt Farrell led all scorers with 24 points while sophomore guard TJ Gibbs notched his fourth 20-point game scoring 21 points. Senior forward Bonzie Colson added another double-double to his total with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Senior big man Martinas Geben continued his strong play with eight points and 12 rebounds, and junior guard Rex Pflueger added 10 points.
It was a much neede confidence booster for the Irish after a three-game stretch that included losses to Michigan State and Ball State. Notre Dame decided to push the tempo a little bit more on made baskets and misses which Brey attributed some of their success against his former program to.
The talent level takes a step up against the Hoosiers, so this game will be a better barometer in terms of if the Irish have turned the corner and found a solution to be more consistent offensively.
Notre Dame’s bench could be the x-factor against the Hoosiers as the unit scored eight total points in the team’s two losses to the Spartans and Cardinals. In all but one of eight wins has the unit failed to score at least 10 points.
Mike Brey has stated multiple times the team needs to get freshman DJ Harvey (6.3 points) rolling over the next three games before the conference slate begins. Sophomore John Mooney could play a role in this matchup given Indiana is strong in the frontcourt. The stretch-forward is another role player Brey would like to get a little more involved offensively.
This will be Notre Dame’s last test before the team enters ACC play on Dec. 30 when Georgia Tech travels to South Bend.
INDIANA OVERVIEW
For Indiana, it starts in the frontcourt with junior forward Juwan Morgan and sophomore big man De’Ron Davis.
Morgan leads the team in both points (14.1) and rebounds (6.6) through the team’s first 10 games. The 6-foot-8 forward is more of a faceup player and can stretch the floor, but has not done as much this season as a junior.
Davis more of a back-to-the-basket type of player and is second on the team in points (11.5) and rebounds (4.4). The 6-foot-10, 250-pounder will be a guy to watch as he matches up against Geben. This a matchup the Hoosiers will look to take advantage of in the post.
Indiana’s backcourt is led by two senior guards — Josh Newkirk and Robert Johnson. Newkirk is fourth on the team in points per game (8.2), but is tops the assists category (2.8) while contributing 2.4 rebounds. Johnson is putting together a solid season at 11.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest.
Freshman guard Aljami Durham has joined the starting lineup over the past few games and averages 7.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists so fa early in his career.
Sophomore guard Devonte Green is the top option off the bench at the moment with 8.0 points and 2.5 assists. Senior forward Collin Hartman puts up 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game right ahead of sophomore forward Justin Smith at 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds to round of the team’s top eight players.
The Hoosiers can go 10-deep as senior forward Freddie McSwain Jr. (3.0 points, 4.3 rebounds) averages about 10.6 minutes of action and junior guard Zach McRoberts contributes almost eight minutes to the rotation.
Through the team’s first 10 games, Indiana averages 74.2 points (t-202nd) while allowing 73.6 points (t-209th) defensively. According to KenPom.com, the Hoosiers rank 118th nationally in effective field goal percentage (52.5 percent), but sit 236th defensively (53 percent).
Indiana is struggling to knock down shots behind the arc shooting 32.3 percent while allow oppoents to shoot 40.1 percent (320th).
One matchup Indiana can take advantage of is on the offensive glass as the Hoosiers’ offensive rebound percentage is 33.4 percent which puts the team 65th in the country.
GAME OUTLOOK
On paper this seems to be a matchup Notre Dame would be able to take advantage of some of Indiana’s deficiencies especially at the three-point and defensive efficiency where the Irish rank among the top 60 nationally.
But Indiana is strong in an area Notre Dame has struggled in which is on the offensive class. Notre Dame allows a 31.7 percent offensive rebound percentage (256th) while Indiana puts up a 33.4 percentage which is 65th.
How Notre Dame combats Morgan and Davis in the post will be a big key in the outcome. Both teams have talent in the starting units, but if foul trouble becomes an issue it opens the opportunity for the other to take advantage.
Prediction
Notre Dame 77, Indiana 71
This could be more of an away game for the Irish than a neutral site game with the expected crowd of the Indiana faithful.
I think Notre Dame will be able to make good use of the three-point line and keep the Hoosiers off the offensive glass just enough to secure a tough win in the Crossroads Classic.
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