Film Session: Iowa

  • 01/07/2023 7:40 am in

Kris Murray (21) and Filip Rebraca (12) scored 33 combined points in the second half of Iowa’s comeback win against Indiana.

The duo accounted for nearly two-thirds of Iowa’s 51 second-half points.

There was a lot made of Indiana’s defensive issues over the final 20 minutes of action, a half it gave up 1.45 points per possession, and rightfully so. But a look at the film reveals less a team breakdown and more the Hawkeyes exploiting the loss of Race Thompson, as Murray feasted against Jordan Geronimo in the half-court. Rebraca also got buckets against Geronimo and Malik Reneau, while snagging key rebounds against a smaller IU lineup.

We’ll take a look at Murray and Rebraca’s efforts in the latest edition of Film Session:

With Thompson guarding him in the first half, Murray scored just five points, three of those coming on a well-contested 3-pointer by Thompson. (Technically another bucket Murray scored also came with Thompson on him, but that offensive rebound putback came while Thompson was down on the floor with his knee injury.) Murray also got off just two shots in the first 11-plus minutes of the contest.

But he immediately went to work against Geronimo in the second half. Out of the left corner, Murray simply took his time, got into the paint and spun on Geronimo for a lay-in. Later he cut off the left wing behind Geronimo, received the pass and dunked it home. Geronimo then completely lost Murray on the right wing, allowing him to hit a 3-pointer with plenty of space. Murray’s second 3-pointer came with Geronimo overhelping a bit at the nail. Indiana’s philosophy is to help off the shooter on the wing to stop the ball handler on a high ball screen, but Geronimo didn’t really have a driver to stop and it allowed Murray space to connect once again.

Miller Kopp gave a better effort in his time on Murray, but we see the limits of his abilities on the left low block. Kopp fronts Murray, which allows the pass to come over the top. Kopp contests the shot well, but Murray grabs his offensive rebound for the bucket. Kopp also once could only foul Murray as he went by him. Murray then made one of two at the line.

Due to matching up in transition, Hood-Schifino got caught on Murray under the basket. Trey Galloway comes on the help, but Murray scores, gets fouled and hits the ensuing free throw. With just under three minutes to play, Murray also got free in transition and Hood-Schifino doesn’t even bother to contest his shot at the rim.

Tamar Bates got switched onto Murray and all he could do was foul him when he went by. Murray hit 1-of-2 at the line.

Murray’s final points of the half came with 10 seconds left, hitting two crucial free throws after getting fouled immediately after he blocked Hood-Schifino’s shot.

Rebraca sealed off Geronimo in transition and scored over him, scoring the and-1 to boot. On a sideline out-of-bounds play, Iowa seemed to run a play to get Rebraca isolated against Malik Reneau and he scored. Rebraca also bested Trayce Jackson-Davis once down low. The rest of Rebraca’s scores come via his rebounding. He got an offensive rebound putback against a group of Indiana rebounders he had size on. He then got fouled twice late in the game after coming down with a defensive rebound — once by Galloway, once by Jackson-Davis — and hit 3-of-4 at the line to help seal the game.

Filed to: , ,