Once again, sophomore guard James Blackmon Jr. had a good night shooting the basketball. He made an open three-pointer, a contested three-pointer and a three-pointer in transition.
In total, he made four of six of his three-pointers for 12 of his team-high 19 points in IU’s 86-65 win against Creighton on Thursday night at Assembly Hall.
However, Blackmon did more than what he’s most known for — making three-pointers. He also rebounded the ball seven times, four times for an offensive rebound, to tie for the second most rebounds for IU with freshman center Thomas Bryant. His backcourt mate, senior Yogi Ferrell, led the Hoosiers with nine rebounds.
Two of Blackmon’s offensive rebounds were put back up into the basket, once while drawing a foul with 6:33 left in the game to score three points in a style Blackmon isn’t known for.
“That’s a key to some of our games,” Blackmon said. “Me, Yogi, Rob (Johnson) and Nick (Zeisloft) getting in there and getting those rebounds to take the pressure off of our big men. I feel like every time we do that we come out with the win.”
That layup and the foul were also indicative of a different approach for Blackmon. He’s driving the basketball more often and attacking the rim.
Something else created by Blackmon attacking the basket wasn’t evident in his point total. Oftentimes he would penetrate the lane, draw the attention of another defender for just a moment before laying the ball off to a teammate for an open look around the basket.
Blackmon had four assists Thursday night, with three going to a cutting Troy Williams before the junior forward finished an open layup. All came when Blackmon got inside the three-point arc and spotted Williams cutting toward the basket along the baseline.
Blackmon’s other assist came with 15:10 left in the game when he drove into the paint, drew Bryant’s man before Blackmon passed to an open Bryant for an open dunk.
Bryant said the play of not only Blackmon, but all the Hoosier guards Thursday, created offense. The Hoosiers have implemented a high-low offense this season with the addition of Bryant, a big man IU didn’t have last season. Bryant could set a screen and roll to the basket, catch a pass like Blackmon’s and dunk like tonight.
He could also set the screen, watch Blackmon’s man travel underneath him to guard against the drive and then watch his guards make open three-pointers, like Blackmon did on a few occasions Thursday.
This has taken some time for not only Blackmon, but also sophomore guard Rob Johnson, because this offense wasn’t used last year without a player like Bryant. As the Hoosiers’ season continues, the offense will become more polished and Blackmon will have more opportunities to make open three pointers or a pass to a rolling Bryant or another Hoosier big man.
Bryant also stressed the importance of Blackmon and the other guards’ rebounding. That also creates offense, open layups for big men running the floor and, potentially, more opportunities for Blackmon to do what he’s known best for.
“With us rebounding and also with the guards rebounding it gives us a lot of transition offense that will lead to rim runs which we had tonight,” Bryant said. “Also, open three-point shooters and also executing the plays faster and getting into them faster.”
