Indiana Basketball: Hoosiers bring balanced attack to daunted December schedule

The Indiana basketball program will look to improve on its 7-0 record as we turn the calendar to December, and it’s led by a balanced offensive attack.

As we turn the calendar from November to December, the Indiana basketball program will learn a lot about themselves early and often over the next couple of weeks with the schedule that lies in front of them.

After starting 7-0, the first time since 2012-13 when they started 9-0, the Hoosiers will get a huge step up in competition starting on Tuesday when Florida State comes to Assembly Hall. While Indiana hasn’t played a top-level schedule up to this point, the Hoosiers have been able to ease into the season and become familiar with each other, and slowly find their respective roles.

What has been so impressive and refreshing for the Hoosiers has been their balance on the offensive end. With four different leading scorers through seven games, Indiana has been able to rely on everyone to score the ball.

After the past few seasons where the Indiana offense was limited to just two players in double-figures, Indiana now finds itself with four players averaging 10+ points per game, with an additional two players with over nine points per game.

Why is that so important? Besides the obvious, ‘more players can score’, it also allows for others to play a lot more freely and within their role instead of trying to play a role they aren’t comfortable in, which was the case the past few years.

With Al Durham, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Justin Smith all averaging at least 14 points per game, all three have had games of at least 20 points, all at different times. Beyond that, Indiana has had six different players add at least 10 points in a game, five of which are coming off of the bench.

As Trayce Jackson-Davis has started to cement himself as a true go-to player, what is phenomenal about the start to the season for the Hoosiers is through seven games, Devonte Green has yet to lead the team in scoring. Averaging 12.3 points per game, fourth on the team, he is shooting 49 percent from the field. With the reduced pressure that Green has faced as the top returning scorer for Indiana, he has been able to let the game come to him and pick his spots, knowing he has four to five other players on the roster that can go off at any time.

With the depth and offensive balance that Archie Miller has at his disposal, it has carried Indiana to No. 7 in the NCAA in points per game (86.4), and second in the Big Ten. Going up against defensive minded teams like Florida State and Wisconsin, the Hoosiers of old would have no idea where the scoring would come from, now they just have no clue which player is going to go off in a given game, a luxury problem to have when facing a top caliber team.