Indiana Basketball: Poise from Rob Phinisee shows promise for future

It’s that time again where we take a look at the Indiana basketball roster and break down the season of each player. Today is Rob Phinisee.

Previous Reviews: Juwan Morgan | Zach McRoberts | Evan Fitzner | De’Ron Davis | Devonte Green | Justin Smith | Al Durham

Who would have expected a freshman from Lafayette, Indiana to have stepped into the starting lineup at a storied program and have the poise of a senior.

Coming into the year as a part of the first recruiting class brought in by head coach Archie Miller, Rob Phinisee was also the fourth best ranked prospect out of the five incoming freshman.

As a traditional pass-first point guard, Phinisee’s tremendous poise in the backcourt provided ball security for an Indiana team that regularly struggled with turnovers.

Here’s what the team gained from Phinisee in 2018-2019 and what Hoosier fans can expect from his sophomore campaign.

2018-19 Season in Review

Coming into the season as a part of a highly touted recruiting class, Phinisee was overshadowed by the potential stardom of fellow incoming freshman Romeo Langford.

After being thrust into the lineup for the first regular season game against Chicago State, he provided a solid six points and five assists in his first ever collegiate basketball game.

This set the tone for what Rob would be able to bring to the program, as he averaged 6.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He also posted a solid 1.3 turnovers a game while also playing the fourth most minutes per game on the team.

While his season statistics might not jump off the page, Phinisee had some of his top performances when the team needed it most.

In the teams first true nonconference road test, at Arkansas, the freshman guard helped bring his Hoosiers back from a deficit. With the Hoosiers down three with under a minute to go, Phinisee pulled down a defensive rebound and hit a three pointer to tie the game up at 72.

While the Hoosiers ended up losing to Arkansas by 1 point, the freshman guard’s play proved to be invaluable to the team.

Probably the most memorable performance from Phinisee came against Butler in the Crossroads Classic.

After an Indiana timeout, the Hoosiers looked to get the ball to Langford, but were denied, ultimately resulting in a blown up play. But Phinisee then got the ball several feet behind the three-point line and made the buzzer beating shot to give the Hoosiers the win over Butler.

Despite the early success, Phinisee was slowed down by concussion that held him out for three games. However, he would bounce back to provide stability at the point guard position. In the teams loss to Northwestern, he chipped in a career high 13 points.

His defensive versatility was crucial in the Hoosier’s sweep over Michigan State this season. Slowing down Big Ten Player of the Year in guard Cassius Winston was no easy task, but Phinisee was up to the challenge and his defense played a major part in the team wins.

Winston wasn’t the only talented guard he was tasked with guarding, as Purdue’s Carsen Edwards, Iowa’s Jordan Bohannon, and Michigan’s Zavier Simpson all challenged the young point guards defensive abilities.

What’s Next?

Rob Phinisee will need to continue his offensive developement and become more assertive as the team’s top two players will likley be gone for the upcoming season.

Along with senior-to-be Devonte Green, he will be expected to have an increase in minutes played and bring some leadership having been an experienced starter the year before. Potential guard acquisitions in the form of incoming freshman or transfers will also call for both guards to guide the new players to buy into Miller’s system.

His offensive and defensive versatility will need to take a major leap of improvement if the Hoosiers wish to compete in the strong Big Ten Conference. Look for Phinisee to come back stronger and become more assertive in his sophomore year.