Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Support the IDS in College Media Madness! Donate here March 24 - April 8.
Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

sports

Trio of freshmen step up as injuries mount for IU

Freshman guard Devonte Green swings up for a layup on the Rutgers net.  The Hoosiers beat Scarlet Knights 76-57 Sunday.

Heading into the game against Penn State, IU was already missing sophomore forward Juwan Morgan, who left the previous game against Rutgers with a foot injury.

With just a few seconds left in the first half, sophomore forward OG Anunoby fell to the ground with an apparent knee injury.

The injuries piled up, but IU still notched its first road win of the season and beat Penn State, 78-75.

The Hoosiers needed three of their freshman to step up and play bigger roles Wednesday. Forward De’Ron Davis and guards Devonte Green and Curtis Jones were called upon with Morgan and Anunoby out of the game.

The freshmen’s continued development is key for the Hoosiers, and IU Coach Tom Crean praised their growth Sunday after the win against Rutgers. Crean also said they had room to grow.

In IU’s win against Penn State the freshman trio got extended minutes. The three combined for 42 minutes. Even though IU had 17 turnovers, the trio only combined for one turnover the whole game.

“A bunch of young guys stepped up,” Crean said in the IU radio post-game show with Don Fischer. “Like I said to Curtis, we wouldn’t have been in position to win the game earlier in the game without the way Curtis played in the game. The missed free throws are a part of the game. I wouldn’t trade putting him back up there either. At the end of night James Blackmon missed two free throws.”

Davis fouled out of the game, but he was critical in providing a presence both with and without sophomore forward Thomas Bryant on the court. Davis was strong in the post once again. He scored seven points and skillfully drew contact. He drew three shooting fouls and made five of six free throws.

His defense was also strong, and he went plus 12 against the Nittany Lions for the Hoosiers’ highest plus/minus.

While IU’s junior guards Rob Johnson and Blackmon helped the cause with 17 points apiece, whenever they needed a rest, IU turned to Green and Jones.

The offense didn’t miss a beat when the youngsters were in the game, and they helped IU turn the tide in the first half when the offense was struggling through another slow start.

Green came into the Penn State game averaging 12.1 minutes and 3.8 points per game. After only playing 6 minutes in the loss to Butler, he has played double-digit minutes in six of seven games. His role has increased, and he has done a good job running the offense as a point guard when he is on the court.

Green finished with five points and one assist, and Jones finished with four points. Jones had the second best plus/minus, a plus nine, for the Hoosiers on 
Wednesday.

All three will have to continue to play significant minutes with the health of Morgan and Anunoby being big question marks moving forward.

“We earned this,” Crean said. “We beat a good team. We overcame a lot.”

Get stories like this in your inbox
Subscribe