Indiana Basketball: A look at Romeo Langford’s recent struggles

In the midst of a five game slide, the Indiana basketball star freshman has struggled in many ways.

Indiana, who has lost five games in a row, is looking around for answers to more questions than they can even ask.

Whether it be defense, turnovers, or lack of three point shooting, they have yet to find a conclusion to many of the negatives surrounding the program over the last month.

Recently, fans have even begun to point the finger at Romeo Langford and his struggles.

Averaging 17.8 points per game this season, Langford is shooting a clip under 50 percent from the field, at 48.5 percent, including two double-doubles. Carrying the load most of the year, with his ability to create for himself, Langford has indeed struggled as of late.

The 6-foot-6 freshman ranks in the top 10 in the conference in a handful of categories, but has recently been disengaged in the offense for more than just one series here and there.

In his last three games, Langford is averaging just 11.3 points per game while shooting an abysmal 31.3 percent from the field, including 0-for-10 from three and 63.2 percent from the free throw line.

What is even more concerning is his lack of aggressiveness. In his last two games, he has attempted only 10 shots each game, his second lowest amount of the season, a lot of times deferring to other players to make plays.

His lack of engagement in the offense was none more evident than against Northwestern when he took just the fourth most shot attempts on the team when they were making a late second half surge.

Something that could be contributing to the lack of aggression and success on the offensive end is the more off ball action he is being put in.

While Rob Phinisee was out with his concussion, Langford spent much more time on ball, running the offense. In turn, that resulted in more top of the key ball screens, opening up the floor for him to drive, as he got to the line an average of 7.6 times per game. In the last two games, that number is down to just four.

When the Hoosiers were clicking earlier this season, Langford was playing with the aggression of a lottery pick and top 10 recruit, but whether it be a loss of confidence in himself or the team, there is no question his ‘killer instinct’ is missing.

It is unclear if Indiana will turn their season around, but if they are, it will start and end with Langford’s performance.