Five takeaways from IU basketball’s loss at Minnesota

Reed Bailey attempts a shot at Minnesota.

IU basketball dropped its first game of the Darian DeVries era on Wednesday night, falling 73-64 to Minnesota at Williams Arena.

Here are five takeaways from the loss to the Gophers:

Indiana’s 3-point shooting falters

Indiana’s offense is built to take and make 3-pointers in rhythm. On Wednesday night, a poor shooting performance proved costly for the Hoosiers.

Minnesota was determined to keep Lamar Wilkerson and Tucker DeVries smothered beyond the 3-point line and the pressure on IU’s two leading scorers never let up.

Rather than getting the quality looks from distance that its offense had generated frequently through the first seven games, the Hoosiers looked rushed and uncomfortable all night.

The result? Indiana shot 8-for-27 on 3s, good for just 29.6 percent.

The Gophers deserve credit for executing a stellar game plan and for not laying down after three straight losses before Wednesday night. But Indiana can’t be that easy to disrupt and expect to win games on the road in the Big Ten.

Minnesota got what it wanted offensively in the paint and at the rim

Despite limited rim protection, Indiana had been stingy defensively when it came to 2-point field goal percentage through seven games.

Minnesota, however, got what it wanted against the Hoosiers in the paint and at the rim. And most of it was the result of ball handlers getting too deep with their drives.

The Gophers shot 15-for-26 on 3s against Indiana, good for 57.7 percent. It was just the second time an opponent has finished better than 50 percent on 2s against IU this season.

Given IU’s lack of capable shot disrupters at the rim, the defense has to be solid at the point of attack. On Wednesday, it was not.

Minnesota’s starting guards, Isaac Asuma and Langston Reynolds, combined to shoot 10-for-16 on 2s against Indiana and most of the looks came at the rim.

Gophers win the free-throw battle

Minnesota’s strong free-throw rate (FTA/FGA) has been a strength of its offense early in the season.

The Gophers entered Wednesday averaging 10 more free-throw attempts than their opponents.

Minnesota got to the line 27 times against Indiana and its free-throw rate of 57.4 percent was the highest the Hoosiers have allowed this season.

Overall, Minnesota attempted seven more free throws than Indiana and outscored the Hoosiers by seven from the line.

The Gophers finished 19-for-27 from the line, good for 70.4 percent, compared to 12-for-20 for IU, a 60 percent mark.

Indiana’s inability to finish defensive possessions proves costly

The final total of Minnesota’s offensive rebounding percentage on Wednesday isn’t eye-popping.

The Gophers rebounded 33.3 percent of their missed shots against Indiana, finishing the game with 10 offensive rebounds.

But those extra opportunities were a big part of Minnesota’s offense in their win.

The Gophers finished with 14 second-chance points compared to only seven for Indiana.

As the competition level picks up in league play and in upcoming non-conference tests against Louisville and Kentucky, Indiana must do a better job on the defensive glass.

The Hoosiers aren’t going to win any rebounding battles with size and athleticism, so doing a better job of finding and making contact with bodies for blockouts when shots go up will be pivotal.

Indiana needs more consistency from Reed Bailey

It appeared that Reed Bailey had turned a corner with a 21-point performance against Kansas State on Nov. 25.

Bailey, however, struggled against a Minnesota frontcourt that will be one of the worst IU faces in conference play this season.

There are plenty of things to like about Bailey’s game – he can get to the line, he’s a good passer and decision-maker from the perimeter and he can run the floor and handle the ball.

On Wednesday, he shot just 1-for-5 on 2s and looked timid on most of his takes at the rim.

Bailey was viewed in the preseason as a potential floor spacing option for the Hoosiers after making 17-for-41 3s last season at Davidson. Through eight games, he’s attempted just two 3-pointers.

The Davidson transfer does do a solid job of drawing fouls, but bigger and stronger defenders are going to continue to give him trouble in the paint and at the rim.

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

See More: Five Takeaways, Lamar Wilkerson, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Reed Bailey, Tucker DeVries