One more rebound.
That’s what IU Coach Tom Crean kept telling Troy Williams during a 90-65 win against IPFW on Wednesday night.
“One more rebound — really that was it,” Williams said. “He said ‘Great job on the boards,’ that I look like my old self again. So really just one more rebound.”
Williams finished with 19 rebounds — one more and he would’ve been the first Hoosier since the 2008 season to reach 20 boards in a game.
Through just the first 20 minutes, Williams had already picked up a double-double with 10 points and 13 boards. On the first possession of the second half, he pulled in the rebound off an IPFW miss for his 14th, tying his career-high.
A few plays later, the junior guard picked up his third block, tying another career high total.
“He was all over the court,” Crean said. “That’s what we need from him and that’s when he’s at his best.”
The remainder of Williams’ stat line included 15 points, five blocks and two assists in 33 minutes of play, the only low spot being his five turnovers.
While Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell took care of the Hoosiers’ offense with a game-high and career-best 38 points, Williams excelled on the defensive end.
“It was fun to watch, you know, and Yogi, too,” sophomore guard Rob Johnson said. “That’s just what they’re capable of so hopefully we keep it going and see that more often.”
Midway through the second half, Williams swatted the ball out of bounds. Freshman guard Harrison Niego, who played 12 minutes — after averaging just more than three coming into the game — flew over the IPFW bench trying to save the ball.
The effort, which broke a chair, earned an ovation from the Assembly Hall crowd.
Niego said his focus is always on defense — and that showed as his effort complimented Williams’ on Wednesday night.
Crean said when Niego was on the court, IPFW shot 5-of-20 from the floor.
The IU coach added Niego is becoming a bigger part of his team’s improvement on both the offensive and defensive ends.
“He’s got a lot to give,” Crean said. “I’m not surprised he played that way — he’s a very confident young man. I thought he came in and played to his personality and really made our team better tonight.”
With less than two minutes to play in the game, Williams blocked his fifth shot of the game — and when the Mastodons grabbed the rebound, he knocked the ball free for another steal.
Williams and Ferrell were then subbed out for the final time, receiving loud applause from the crowd as they walked to the bench.
Crean said he liked the way Williams responded — with one more rebound.
“Troy responds to different things,” Crean said. “He responded to getting better, he responded to improving. He responded to playing with even more energy.
“And the key for him is to continue to build on that.”
