IU-Penn State: The Aftermath

IU got a much needed win today in Bloomington against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Although they won by 19, they trailed by two at halftime and their offense looked stagnant, other than Cody Zeller. Jumpers weren't falling, specifically from Jordan Hulls and Christian Watford, they were getting killed on the offensive glass, and they were letting Tim Frazier score pretty much at will.

So what changed in the second half?

Well, essentially everything listed changed. Frazier still ended up with 21 points, but as a whole, their defense stayed aggressive throughout. They allowed 29 points in the first half and 25 in the second half, and 54 total points is the fewest they've allowed in Big Ten play. This isn't to say that IU's defense is now great, since Penn State's offense is not very good, but it's a very positive sign, especially since Penn State scored 82 during their last meeting.

The defense was consistent throughout. The biggest reason for IU's "comeback" (they were only down two at halftime) was their offense finally woke up.

In the first half, IU's shooting was atrocious. Most of their offense was run through Cody Zeller in the post, which is probably how it should be. But IU is one of the top teams in the nation in terms of field goal percentage, and I believe they ARE the best in terms of three-point field goal percentage. I'm not sure exactly what their percentage was in the first half, but it was...well, bad. But in the second half, Hulls and Watford both hit a couple of threes, and Roth added two of his own, and IU finished 7-16 from downtown; a 43.8%, which is not bad at all.

Their offense as a whole looked much more fluid than it has in a long time. Even during the first Penn State game, where IU scored 88 points, most of it was done behind the three-point line by Hulls and Roth. The fact that they were able to establish an inside game (not just by Zeller) is a good sign as well.

So, what did we learn?

We didn't learn much that we didn't already know. This was more a game for IU to find their stride again, for a couple of guys to shoot their way out of funks, and to gain an edge of sorts. They've lacked that fire and intensity they had in non-conference play, most likely because they're worn down from Big Ten season, but they played with a lot of aggression today. I liked what I saw today. I'm not ready to declare them the favorites for the national championship yet, but I am feeling more confident than I was after the Nebraska game.

Now that they've got their swagger back, hopefully they can start playing like the team we saw pre-Minnesota again.