Film Session: Minnesota
Indiana posted its most efficient offensive performance of the Big Ten season in its win against Minnesota on Sunday night (1.23 points per possession). It was Indiana’s second-best offensive performance all season.
Shot-making, a struggle for Indiana’s offense in 2021-2022, was a big reason for the strong performance. Indiana hit 10-of-21 from 3-point range (41.7 percent), made 15-of-16 on dunks and layups and shot 70 percent from the line (14-of-20).
But beyond more shots just simply falling, a look back at the film reveals an Indiana team varying its attack. On Trayce Jackson-Davis post-ups, the Hoosiers tried different end games to those possessions instead of just a shot from TJD down low or a 3-pointer from whomever he happened to pass it to out to on the perimeter.
And Xavier Johnson pushed the pace in transition when appropriate to find teammates for good looks as he attracted the defense.
We’ll take a look at two plays from each scenario in the latest edition of Film Session:
Here’s a familiar situation for the Hoosiers. As things are getting tight down the stretch, they go to Jackson-Davis on the right block.
As you can see at the beginning of this video, Mike Woodson calls out “floppy, let’s go floppy!” This means Miller Kopp and Parker Stewart will cut out of the paint to the wings and get down screens from Race Thompson and Jackson-Davis.
Johnson passes to Stewart, who enters the ball to TJD down low on the right block.
E.J. Stephens eventually digs down off Stewart onto Jackson-Davis and Payton Willis sinks down to the lane in help position off Johnson at the top of the key. With the paint packed, Jackson-Davis passes the ball back out to Stewart on Stephens’ dig.
But here’s where things look different for Indiana’s offense.
Stewart shots fakes the 3-pointer and drives left on Stephens’ recovery. He’s able to get past Willis’ stunt and so Sean Sutherlin comes off Thompson on the help. Stewart is able to throw the tough pass around Sutherlin and Thompson dunks it home.
Really great stuff here from Stewart to shot fake and go and then find Thompson for the score here.
Filed to: Minnesota Golden Gophers