He was a coveted recruit in his own right — a top-50 recruit nationally — but Blackmon’s commitment, decommitment and eventual recommitment to IU drew bigger headlines.
In his second exhibition game at Assembly Hall, Johnson established himself as more than a Plan B. The 6-foot-3 guard excelled on both ends of the court in Monday’s 76-63 victory against the University of Indianapolis.
He started the game as the Hoosiers’ primary ball handler, pushing junior Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell off the ball and onto the wing. He was IU’s leading rebounder. He shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers, and made his only free throw attempt.
While the freshman filled the stat sheet, IU Coach Tom Crean said Johnson’s final stat line — 15 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal — didn’t fully encompass his impact on the game.
“He’s attacking, he’s learning his speed,” Crean said. “He plays with a very low center of gravity. He can attack. The biggest thing is he’s getting his head up and he’s playing with better vision all the time.”
In preseason practice and IU’s summer trip to Montreal, Crean praised Johnson’s willingness and ability to affect the game without scoring. In five games in Canada, Johnson didn’t score a single point but drew recognition.
“I think that was a great trait,” Crean said at last month’s Hoosier Hysteria. “When a player can play through what’s not happening for them offensively and continue to impact the game on both ends, that makes them a really valuable player.”
In a game where IU played with only one true post player, Johnson helped the Hoosiers end possessions by pulling in defensive rebounds, often leading the transition offense directly off the glass.
Crean said Johnson’s rebounding and effort was what most impressed him Monday night.
“The thing tonight is he really understood he’s got to be aggressive on the boards,” Crean said. “Robert’s got to continue to learn that that’s a big part of it. But I love his upside. I love the desire to get better. He’s an absolute 365- day a year guy right now.”
Once on the offensive end of the floor, Johnson looked little like the player who failed to score in Canada. His 15 points came aggressively but efficiently, alternating drives to the rim with spot-up jump shots.
Johnson said looking for his own shot made a difference in the Hoosiers’ offensive success. He added that he and Blackmon welcome an added scoring burden.
Johnson may have come to Bloomington in Blackmon’s shadow, but now the two will have to step up ?together.
“I think it’s definitely easier,” Johnson said. “We know we have to be a big part of the team as far as our offense.”
