Indiana men’s basketball knew it faced a challenge as it entered the new year. Ahead of the start of conference only play, Indiana head coach Darian DeVries emphasized the importance and need for his team to improve in the turnover department.
Considering the Big Ten conference consists of five Associated Press top-25 teams and two others receiving votes, the value of taking care of each possession was elevated.
And to start the new year, the Hoosiers looked to translate what they practiced over the holiday break into game play. In its first game back from the 13-day break, Indiana recorded a season-low four turnovers in its 90-80 victory over Washington on Jan. 4.
However, that performance didn’t become a trend. Turnovers returned to the Hoosier’s play, and in turn, conference opponents began making the Cream and Crimson pay.
Against Nebraska on Jan. 10, the Hoosiers led by as many as 16 points in the second half. Yet, after committing 14 costly turnovers throughout the night, Indiana found itself looking at a six-point defeat.
Similarly, against No. 12 Michigan State on Tuesday at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan, Indiana couldn’t take care of the ball. It committed 14 turnovers, which the Spartans converted into 29 points and an 81-60 victory.
Through the first 10 minutes of contest, the Hoosiers were largely in control and got out to as much as a seven-point lead over the Spartans. However, the Spartans were able to put together multiple small runs through the next 10 minutes of the half that allowed them to take a seven-point lead of their own at halftime.
Despite Michigan State stealing the momentum from the Hoosiers and taking a lead, the game was still within single digits. Indiana had a legitimate chance to pick up its first signature win of the season on the road.
And to start the second half, Indiana played right with the Spartans, even tying the game at 53 with 11 minutes remaining. However, over the next 11 minutes of action, Michigan state exploited the Hoosiers' mistakes to open a 19-0 run and take a 72-53 lead. During that run, the Hoosiers were unable to get a basket and committed five turnovers, allowing the Spartans to get out and run in transition.
“So, I thought the turnovers tonight was what flipped it again in the second half,” DeVries said postgame. “Once we went from that tie game to, all of a sudden, they're playing in transition, and now you've got the crowd going, and the energy.”
And while the Hoosiers were faced with one of the top teams in the country, DeVries described a lot of his team’s mistakes as “self-inflicted activity.”
Yes, the Spartans were getting deflections and traps, but many of Indiana’s errors were attributed to “decision-making” turnovers.
And with Indiana’s veteran squad, DeVries said the situation and types of turnovers were“disappointing.”
In the Hoosiers' last two contests, they have been paired with two top-15 teams. In both, they have been right there in control before letting the game slip away. The Cream and Crimson won’t win Big Ten games if the pattern of sloppy and costly mistakes continues to plague them.
“You just can’t allow those types of runs if you're going to be a good team,” DeVries said.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and Nathan Shriberg (@NShriberg and naashri@iu.edu) and columnist Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki8773 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
