Indiana takes on five seed Arkansas at Assembly Hall on Saturday after bulldozing Saint Francis in the first round of the NIT.
This will be the second time the Hoosiers face the Razorbacks this season, with Arkansas winning the first contest 73-72 all the way back in November. However, this game will be very different than the last.
Indiana was dominated in the first game by Arkansas’s elite big man, Daniel Gafford, who tallied 27 points and 12 rebounds. Thankfully for Indiana, Gafford will be absent as he has declared for the NBA draft and is abstaining from NIT competition. Gafford was the heart and soul of Arkansas, and they lack significant talent aside from him.
Guards Isaiah Joe and Mason Jones combine to average 27.7 points per game, but Gafford’s averages of 16.9 points and 8.6 rebounds will be sorely missed.
Indiana may also be without a key player in Romeo Langford, who is still suffering from a sore back.
Langford had arguably his best performance of the whole season against Arkansas, scoring 22 points and adding 10 rebounds.
Juwan Morgan will be expected to pick up the offensive slack from Langford’s absence, which will be much easier without the interior defensive presence of Daniel Gafford.
Absent in the first matchup, Devonte Green – averaging 15.6 points per game over his last five games – comes in with a lot of confidence on both ends of the floor and looks to keep that going on Saturday.
Indiana has superior talent to Arkansas, and they should win unless they come out similarly to the way they did in the first half versus Saint Francis.
Keys to the game
Defend the three point line. Arkansas is an extraordinarily average three point shooting team, even when Daniel Gafford is there to draw double teams and free up shooters. Since Arkansas is without Gafford, there is no excuse for allowing a large amount of threes this game. We have seen throughout the season, however, that Indiana is capable of making poor shooters look like elite marksmen. The Razorbacks though, are coming off of a 10-for-21 shooting game behind the arc against Providence in their NIT opener.
Play through Juwan Morgan. Since Gafford is gone, 6-foot-8 freshman forward Reggie Chaney will likely be the one to guard Morgan. Chaney only averages 16 minutes per game, and is completely outmatched by Morgan in terms of skill and experience. Morgan should take at least 15 shots Saturday.
Make foul shots. Arkansas is one of the absolute worst teams in the nation when it comes to committing fouls, averaging 20 per game. There will be plenty of chances at the line, and Indiana can make things a lot easier on themselves if they convert on those easy opportunities.
Despite Romeo Langford’s doubtful status, Indiana possesses far more talent than a Gaffordless-Arkansas. If the Hoosiers play with the same effort level as they did in the second half of the game against Saint Francis, then they should walk away with a victory fairly easily. If they play with the same effort level as they did in the first half of the Saint Francis game, then things could get interesting.
What you need to know
What? Indiana 18-15 (8-12) vs. Arkansas 18-15 (8-10)
When? Saturday, March 24th, 12:00pm ET
Where? Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, IN
TV? ESPN
Radio? Indiana Radio Network
Prediction? Indiana 78, Arkansas 64