Hoosier State of Mind
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Indiana Basketball: Predicting the lineups for the 2019-2020 season

By Trevor Gersmehl

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 02: Devonte Green #11 of the Indiana Hoosiers during a game against the Michigan State Spartans in overtime at Breslin Center on February 2, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 02: Devonte Green #11 of the Indiana Hoosiers during a game against the Michigan State Spartans in overtime at Breslin Center on February 2, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 15: Joey Brunk #50 of the Butler Bulldogs looks to the basket while defended by De’Ron Davis #20 of the Indiana Hoosiers in the second half of the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 15, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Indiana won 71-68. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 15: Joey Brunk #50 of the Butler Bulldogs looks to the basket while defended by De’Ron Davis #20 of the Indiana Hoosiers in the second half of the Crossroads Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 15, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Indiana won 71-68. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

2. The Spark Plug Lineup

Rob Phinisee 

Al Durham

Justin Smith

Trayce Jackson-Davis

Joey Brunk

I doubt that this lineup sees a ton of action next season, but it’s an intriguing one.

Instead of having Rob Phinisee orchestrate the offense on the bench, you have him enter into the lineup, giving Devonte Green the Manu Ginobli role of being a spark plug off the bench.

In this case, Green wouldn’t get any fewer minutes than he would as a starter, but he’d be able to provide scoring to the bench unit and get to play with more of that freelance style that he’s known for.

It sounds like the plan for next season is to pound the ball inside with Trayce Jackson-Davis, De’Ron Davis, and Joey Brunk. If the backcourt isn’t the emphasis of the offense, then it wouldn’t hurt as much to have a player with the talent of Green coming off the bench.

The downside of bringing in Green as a spark plug is that the Hoosiers would lose their best scorer and arguably their best player in the starting lineup. I think that Green will play more within the offense this year and have less over-the-top isolation ball blunders. Although, if a change needs to be made at some point this season, it would be an interesting tweak to consider.

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