Rematch against Iowa to focus on defense

The IU men’s basketball team scored 103 points when it faced Iowa on
Jan. 29.

The 103-point outburst was the most points scored by IU in a Big Ten game since 1995. No Big Ten team has scored that many points in conference play since Michigan State scored 103 on March 2, 2008.

But all IU Coach Tom Crean wanted to talk about was that his team allowed a season-worst 89 points in the first meeting with Iowa this season. Crean said it will be the main area of concern when they square off at 6 p.m. Sunday in Iowa City, Iowa.

“We know when we get to Iowa, we’ve got to be way better defensively,” Crean said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Lost in the shuffle of No. 18/20 IU’s (20-6, 8-6) 14-point win was Iowa’s (13-13, 5-8) 79-percent shooting (19-of-24) in the second half. Iowa freshman guard Josh Ogelsby, who is averaging six points per game, went off for a career-high 24 points.

It was a trend Crean said IU cannot afford to repeat Sunday.

“We allowed them to shoot too high a percentage,” he said. “There were times when they really earned shots, especially Ogelsby when he had people in his face.
 
“There were also times we let their team get way too comfortable in the game, whether it be in the post or on the perimeter.”

Since that first meeting, IU has improved defensively.

The Hoosiers have allowed an average of 66.5 points in the 3-1 stretch since the Iowa game.

To continue that trend, Crean said IU needs to come out with that same defensive intensity.

“We’ve got to make sure we understand that our defensive mindset, our defensive energy and, most importantly, starting that defensive transition have got to be really, really high in that game,” Crean said.

IU has scored at least 71 points in all of its Big Ten wins this season.

Crean said that just because IU will likely push the tempo doesn’t mean it wants to let Iowa do the same.

“I’m sure it’ll be a fast-paced game, but we can’t be in a situation where we go on the road and try to trade baskets with a high-powered team like Iowa,” Crean said.

IU has 20 wins for the first time with Crean. The team is riding its second three-game conference win streak this year, but is also 0-3 at Hawkeye Carver Arena in the Crean era.

For IU to get over that hump, Crean said it all comes back to the defense.

“We want to build on this, especially on the road to a team you allowed to shoot 80 percent even though you got the win,” Crean said. “We’ve got to have a great defensive mindset on Sunday in Iowa.”