Hoosier State of Mind
Fansided

Indiana Basketball: 3 takeaways from loss vs Wisconsin

By Trevor Gersmehl

BLOOMINGTON, IN - DECEMBER 08: Archie Miller the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers gives instructions to his team against the Louisville Cardinals at Assembly Hall on December 8, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - DECEMBER 08: Archie Miller the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers gives instructions to his team against the Louisville Cardinals at Assembly Hall on December 8, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – FEBRUARY 02: Head coach Mark Archie Miller of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts during a game against the Michigan State Spartans in the second half at Breslin Center on February 2, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – FEBRUARY 02: Head coach Mark Archie Miller of the Indiana Hoosiers reacts during a game against the Michigan State Spartans in the second half at Breslin Center on February 2, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

First Half Woes

The first half of the game on Saturday was some of the worst basketball I’ve seen in quite some time. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, the game already felt over.

It started out poorly from the opening tip. The Badgers started out hot at all three levels. Joey Brunk let Nate Reuvers get to his spots on offense and shoot any shot he wanted. All it took was one or two screens for Wisconsin to completely shake defenders and get a mid range pull up with incomprehensible space from the nearest defender.

Wisconsin sophomore Kobe King tallied 17 points in the first half on 8-of-10 shooting as the Badgers finished the first half with 47 points, shooting 63 percent from the field. They had started out the season not shooting the ball well at all and it was only a matter of time before they started hitting, but to have the floodgates open the way they did was not because of their sudden golden shooting hand, but of Indiana’s effort on defense.

It looked as if IU was playing both defense and offense wearing concrete shoes. Wisconsin shooters and cutters had wide open looks more often than not as a result of total miscommunications on the defensive end by Indiana. Wisconsin’s offensive strategy is no secret to anyone, but the Hoosiers look completely underprepared in this game.

It hasn’t been the first time this season that the Hooisers are had a slow start to the game, something that has become a pattern through the first nine games of the season. Whether it be all mental or the lack of energy by the starters, something has to change moving forward.

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