Indiana's Basketball Struggles Revealed in Friday's Loss

Not Enough Stops - A Defensive Dilemma

In this game, Indiana was able to force some Nebraska turnovers, with a total of 14. However, when Nebraska got their shots, they were extremely accurate. They started the game 7 - of - 7 from the field and finished with an overall shooting percentage of 61.2%, including 57.1% from three-point range. The Huskers made some tough shots, and regardless of good defense or not, the shots just kept going in. This made it extremely difficult for the Hoosiers to keep up with the pace.

Even though Indiana tried their best to stop Nebraska, the Huskers' shooting prowess was too much to handle. It showed the importance of consistent defensive efforts and the need for Indiana to find ways to disrupt Nebraska's shooting rhythm.

Second Half Shooting and the Inside Game

Nebraska had extra defenders in the paint, effectively taking away Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo. As a result, they only took a combined nine two - point shots throughout the game. With so much attention focused on the inside, the Huskers dared Indiana to take three - point shots. And it worked in their favor.

The Hoosiers took a season - high 35 three - point shots but made just eight, resulting in a shooting percentage of only 22.5%. In the final minutes of the game, IU made just one of their last 18 shots. The game was tied at 62 with 10 minutes left, but Nebraska went on a 23 - 6 run to secure the victory. This highlights the importance of a balanced offensive game and the need for Indiana to find ways to attack the paint when faced with tough interior defense.

Brice Williams - A Tough Cover

Nebraska wing Brice Williams is a modern three - level scorer, and Indiana struggled to find an effective way to stop him. Williams got Mackenzie Mgbako into early foul trouble, taking him out of the game. This contributed to IU's poor shooting night as Mgbako, their best three - point shooter, only played 13 minutes.

Williams ended up with 30 points and scored in various ways - in the paint, from the mid - range, from three - point range, and from the free throw line. Indiana often had a hand in his face, but it seemed to have little effect on his performance on this particular night. This shows the challenge of defending a versatile scorer like Williams and the need for Indiana to adjust their defensive strategies.

After this loss, Indiana will have the week off before hosting Chattanooga next Saturday. They will need to work on their defensive stops, improve their shooting in the second half, and find a way to contain opponents' key scorers if they want to bounce back and have a successful season.