IU used that streak, and 16 successful 3-pointers, to beat Austin Peay 102-76 at Assembly Hall.
“It came because of really good movement of the ball, and our spacing was much better tonight than it was this past Friday night,” IU Coach Tom Crean said.
Crean said he didn’t realize the Hoosiers were on a streak. Neither did senior guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell, who had a game-high 22 points, including seven during the streak. He also had a game-high nine assists with three coming during the second half stretch.
Ferrell made four 3-pointers in Monday’s game, the same as Blackmon Jr., who scored 20 points. In total, six Hoosiers made a 3-pointer Monday night while four scored in double figures.
The Hoosiers leader in 3-pointers was senior guard Nick Zeisloft, who made five from behind the arc for all 15 of his points, four of which came after he had to leave the game in the first half with a pinkie finger injury.
Zeisloft said his pinkie was fixed right away by the training staff. He only had to sit out six minutes after the injury, but for a lot of that time he was sitting at the scorer’s table waiting to check in.
During the stretch of perfect shooting, Crean said the Hoosiers were doing a good job of playing fast and loose, finding open shots in transition and moving the ball. Ball movement was the most important thing the Hoosiers did during the streak, Crean said.
IU made seven 3-pointers during the stretch of just more than 12 minutes. Troy Williams dunked three times, all without any defender contesting him. IU just got open looks and made them.
In a night where he said he couldn’t find much to criticize, Crean eventually talked himself into thinking the Hoosiers were too careless with the ball and on defense.
He said he was happy with the 14 steals and the 57 deflections, but those came at a price of giving up too many open shots in the paint.
Austin Peay outscored IU in the paint 22-16 despite its tallest player being 6-foot-8.
Carelessness was the change from the first half, when the Hoosiers were turning the ball over and allowing too many open looks inside.
“They were playing very loose, but effective and efficient,” Crean said. “Loose and reckless is bad, we got that a little bit in the first half with some of the turnovers. But loose and efficient and really utilizing the whole court is where we’re at our best.”
