Indiana could lose one of their most important assets in O.G. Anunoby
By Jordan Maly
Indiana Basketball pulls off the win in the final seconds of regulation against Penn State, but loses their star forward, O.G. Anunoby, to injury.
During pre-game warm-ups, news broke that sophomore forward Juwan Morgan would not dress. He showed up to pre-game shoot around in a walking boot. The Hoosiers depth in their lineup has been one of their strengths as a team this year.
Just before halftime, sophomore forward O.G. Anunoby was helped off the court. An apparent non-contact knee injury, many fear the worst and hope for the best. There were tears coming from the locker room as Tom Crean described in his post game interview.
"“There were a lot of tears in that locker room because no one knew what was going on with one of their fallen brothers. And I had to leave a guy who was crying and that wasn’t easy. But we found a way to win the game so I’m proud of them for that.” – Tom Crean"
That’s exactly what the Hoosiers did. They led by as many as 13 points under five minutes to play. A series of turnovers and fouls put the Nittany Lions on 17-4 run with just seconds left in regulation. Then James Blackmon Jr. delivered a buzzer-beating three pointer to give Penn State their 8th loss of the season.
"What. A. Finish.https://t.co/KRd2wIC0fA— Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) January 19, 2017"
As of 4pm ET, there has been no update on Anunoby’s injury. Their have been reports that the injury is “too early to tell”, according to Justin Albers. Some other opinions include former San Diego Chargers Team Doctor David Chao:
Limited video on phone but appears to he classic ACL tear mechanism. Hope player can get lucky here. #FingersCrossed https://t.co/EMC9dcheIP
— David J. Chao - ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) January 19, 2017
What this team looks like without Anunoby…
If Indiana inevitably loses one of their most versatile players in O.G. Anunoby for any length of time, the dynamic of this team shifts. It would be a major loss for Indiana to lose Anunoby for the season, hoping for the best and a return this season.
One of the most important factors for Indiana will be the health of Juwan Morgan moving forward. If they can keep him healthy and productive on the floor, it will help with filling the void of Anunoby’s injury. Another player who will have to see more time on the floor is freshman forward De’Ron Davis. He has been quite impressive with the minutes he has been given. He has shown life of being a rim protector and shot blocker.
Freddie McSwain Jr., who has seen limited minutes the past few weeks will more than likely see an extension in minutes.
It’s extremely difficult to replace Anunoby’s defense prowess. He length in combination with speed to the basket is something that Indiana will truly miss. Indiana has dealt with injuries all season, and the mentality seems to be “next man up”. Tom Crean praised the team’s willingness to fight after the win against Penn State…
"“Oh yeah. They’re getting better…they’re definitely getting better. It’s a product of the games, but it’s also a product of the way they work in the practices.” – Tom Crean"
Let’s not forget the type of talent that remains on this team. The resourcefulness of Tom Crean’s ability to adjust lineups is a strength. Much like last night’s victory, the team is going to depend on James Blackmon Jr., Thomas Bryant, and Robert Johnson.
What should be encouraging is Blackmon’s confidence. One would hope that last night’s win starts a shift for this Indiana team. It will be interesting to watch how Tom Crean and his team handles what could be a season-ending injury for Anunoby. Indiana has the tools to still contend in the Big Ten.
Next: Update on four-star recruit Jordan Tucker
The resilience this team can show over the next few weeks will determine their fate. Over achieving is an ability Tom Crean has shown to push out of his young players when situations arise. Robert Johnson was the most recent product of that after Blackmon went down last season.