Indiana Basketball: 3 takeaways from win vs North Alabama

1 of 4

DAYTON, OH – MARCH 24: Indiana Hoosiers fans yell from the crowd in the second half against the Temple Owls during the third round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 24, 2013 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

The Indiana basketball program used a strong second half to take down the Lions of North Alabama to improve to 3-0 on the young season.

Despite not playing its best 40 minutes of basketball, the Indiana basketball program wore down North Alabama en route to a 91-65 blowout.

Though the final score didn’t show it, the Hoosiers were up just seven points at the half and were sluggish for about 25 minutes of action on Tuesday night.

Improving to 3-0 is still nothing to take for granted however, as on the same night that the Hoosiers won, No. 1 Kentucky lost in a monumental upset at home to Evansville. So, a win is a win, but Indiana definitely needs to get better in some areas.

While the offense continued to get better, something that has been inconsistent throughout Archie Miller’s tenure in Bloomington, it has been the defense that has lacked energy and efficiency thus far in the season.

Though it won’t show in the final score of most of these early games, Indiana has a long ways to go on that side of the floor, if finishing in the top half of the Big Ten and reaching the NCAA Tournament is in mind.

For Miller and co. regardless of the slow start, the second half was nearly flawless as the Hoosiers clamped down defensively and continued to use their size and athleticism on the offensive end of the floor.

Even though it wasn’t pretty, the Hoosiers came up on the good end and here are the three takeaways from Tuesday’s win.

Home/Indiana Basketball