Michigan-Indiana Preview: A Close Look At The Hoosiers

The Michigan Wolverines (15-9, 6-7 Big Ten) host Indiana (16-8, 6-7 Big Ten) in a Sunday afternoon clash. U-M has won four out of five games, and is coming off a 25-point win over Northwestern.

The Hoosiers had lost four-straight, before beating Iowa, 89-77, on Thursday. IU has won just one true road game of the season, at Nebraska.

For more insight on the Hoosiers, we caught up with Nick Baumgart of The Hoosier.

The Basics

Date: Sunday Feb. 16

Time: 1:00 PM ET

Venue: Crisler Center (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

TV: CBS

Spread: Michigan -8

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vs. Western Illinois (W, 98-65)

vs. Portland State (W, 85-74)

vs. North Alabama (W, 91-65)

vs. Troy (W, 100-62)

vs. Princeton (W, 79-54)

vs. Louisiana Tech (W, 88-75)

vs. South Dakota State (W, 64-50)

vs. Florida State (W, 80-64)

at Wisconsin (L, 84-64)

vs. UConn (W, 57-54)

vs. Nebraska (W, 96-90 in OT)

vs. Notre Dame (W, 62-60)

vs. Arkansas (L, 71-64)

at Maryland (L, 75-59)

vs. Northwestern (W, 66-62)

vs. Ohio State (W, 66-54)

at Rutgers (L, 59-50)

at Nebraska (W, 82-74)

vs. Michigan State (W, 67-63)

vs. Maryland (77-76)

at Penn State (L, 64-59)

at Ohio State (L, 68-59)

vs. Purdue (L, 74-62)

vs. Iowa (W, 89-77)

#10 - Sophomore guard Rob Phinisee (6-1, 190) — He averages 7.3 points, 3.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 38.2 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from three.

#1 - Junior guard Aljami Durham (6-4, 185) — He averages 9.5 points, 2.6 assists and 2.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from three.

#3 - Junior forward Justin Smith (6-7, 230) — Smith averages 11.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 28.1 percent from three.

#4 - Freshman forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (6-9, 245) — He leads the Hoosiers in scoring, at 14.0 points per game. He adds 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, and shoots 59.0 percent from the field.

#50 - Redshirt junior forward Joey Brunk (6-11, 245) — He averages 7.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 55.1 percent from the field.

Off The Bench

#11 - Senior guard Devonte Green (6-3, 185) — He averages 11.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in 22.5 minutes. He shoots 39.2 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three.

#25 - Redshirt sophomore forward Race Thompson (6-8, 235) — He averages 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 11.7 minutes. He shoots 53.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three.

#20 - Senior forward De'Ron Davis (6-10, 245) — He averages 2.1 points and 1.4 rebounds per game in 7.8 minutes. He shoots 40.0 percent from the field.

#21 - Freshman forward Jerome Hunter (6-7, 220) — He averages 4.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 13.8 minutes, while shooting 36.1 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three-point range.

#3 - Senior guard Zavier Simpson (6-0, 190) — Simpson averages 12.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He is second in the country in assists per game, with 8.0. He shoots 46.8 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three.

#55 - Junior guard Eli Brooks (6-1, 185) — Brooks averages 11.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He shoots 40.6 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three.

#21 - Freshman guard Franz Wagner (6-9, 205) — He averages 10.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Wagner shoots 39.8 percent from the field and 28.6 percent on three-pointers.

#2 - Junior forward Isaiah Livers (6-9, 235) — Livers leads U-M in scoring, with 13.4 points per game. He also adds 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest, while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 45.7 percent from three.

#15 - Senior center Jon Teske (7-1, 265) — Teske averages 12.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest. He shoots 49.0 percent from the field and 25.5 percent from three.

Off The Bench

#0 - Sophomore guard David DeJulius (6-0, 190) — He averages 7.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 21.2 minutes. He shoots 41.3 percent from the field and 36.2 percent on three-pointers.

#23 - Sophomore forward Brandon Johns (6-8, 235) — Johns averages 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He shoots 50.0 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three.

#51 - Redshirt junior forward Austin Davis (6-10, 250) — Davis averages 4.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in 10.1 minutes. He shoots 72.5 percent from the field.

#11 - Sophomore forward Colin Castleton (6-11, 235) — Castleton averages 3.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in 8.6 minutes, while shooting 54.2 percent from the field.

#5 - Sophomore guard Adrien Nunez (6-6, 210) — Nunez averages 2.3 points per game in 8.5 minutes per contest. He is shooting 26.8 percent from long range.

The freshman, Jackson-Davis, leads Indiana in scoring, and shoots an efficient 59.0 percent from the field. He has not attempted a three-pointer, so Livers will primarily be guarding him down low.

Livers, on the other hand, stretches the floor, and will be a lot to handle for the freshman.

Kenpom has predicted Michigan to beat Indiana, 73-66, and gives the Wolverines a 72 percent chance to win.

Q: How have you seen Indiana's season play out so far and what kind of team is this?

NB: If you polled one hundred IU fans, one hundred IU fans would have no idea what to expect from one game to the next. The only constant for the Hoosiers is that it's been a lot better at home than it has on the road.

Two games stick out to Indiana fans: Maryland and Arkansas, both losses at home after having the lead late in each. IU was up on the Terps 74-67 inside 90 seconds and inexplicably lost 77-76. Indiana fans feel like the team should be 18-6 (7-6), and that would change the entire narrative of the season. As it is, fans spend hours each week discussing buyouts and whether the new Athletic Director for next year should fire Archie Miller after his third year in Bloomington.That’s where we’re at. The crowd on Thursday night was as light as it's been since North Alabama back in November, an obvious sign of displeasure and apathy in the fanbase. Purdue embarrassed Indiana a week ago in front of the bright lights in RMK's return. 40 former players returned. It was supposed to be a great afternoon. Then the team didn't do its part and was never in the game after the 17-minute mark. On Thursday, Iowa ran into a buzzsaw. I had tweeted before the game that if Indiana won, Devonte Green had a big game. He had 27 points on 7-of-11 made 3's. Indiana won 89-77. Down 9-5, he came in at the under-16 timeout and proceeded to energize his teammates. IU went up 25-16 and 51-34 at the half. Trayce Jackson-Davis was great, and 6-foot-8 sophomore Race Thompson ihas a career-high 10 points.

Injuries have played a role as they do for everyone, but for IU, it's meant a less-than-expected showing at the point guard position, further magnifying the leadership void. 6-foot-2 sophomore Rob Phinisee was thought to be on his way to a top-tier lead guard in this conference, but a malady of injuries kept him off the floor in the preseason, and he's still not all the way healed. He does have his three-point percentage at nearly 40 percent, best on the team. For Indiana fans, making the NCAA Tournament is a big deal, and in a lot of cases, the only litmus for how the season is viewed by a lot of the fanbase, whether that’s fair or not. That’s the reality.

Miller and Green have an interesting relationship, But they need each other right now. Miller needs the wins, a bid to Dance. Green needs an opportunity to save his legacy as a Hoosier, which is in jeopardy of ending on a sour note with a lot of fans. If IU were to miss the NCAA Tournament, Devonte Green and De’Ron Davis would be in the first senior class ever to not play a game in the Dance. Seven games left, four on the road. Indiana could really use four wins to get to 10 in the B1G, as could Michigan. But Indiana still has to go to Purdue, Illinois, and Minnesota after Sunday. Red-hot Penn State comes to town this week. Wisconsin and Minnesota at home close out the season. There’s not a lot of wins to be had, so it’s going to take an extra special effort if the Hoosiers end their three-year absence from the Big Dance.

Q: What is Indiana's biggest strength?

NB: Devonte Green -- Indiana's greatest potential weapon -- can also be its most self-destructive part.

When the Hoosiers are good, like really good, like good enough to beat Florida State and Ohio State, or Michigan today in Ann Arbor,, Green has to score. He can't disappear as he has had a tendency to do his whole time in Bloomington. Beyond Green, who is so up-and-down he's hard to rely on, the interior play has been the moneymaker for Miller, along with the free throw line. Free throw rate is a huge deal to this team. Second chance points are key. Indiana is also really good when it gets out in transition and pushes pace.

Q: What about Indiana's biggest weakness?

NB: The Hoosiers are a flawed team -- no senior leadership, not a lot of perimeter shooting, missing some toughness. But inconsistency is the most frustrating issue for fans in general. The two seniors have not been good leaders.

Indiana has struggled to shoot from the perimeter at times this season, which has allowed opponents to sag in the paint and grind the offense to a literal standstill at times.

Q: What should Michigan fans expect to see out of Trayce Jackson-Davis?

NB: Jackson-Davis is the son of Dale Davis, and he has a knack for getting his hands on the ball like his father. He's great in the glass, and scores a lot on putbacks and second chances. He's a strong kid who moves well. All left at this point and no perimeter threat whatsoever. He doesn’t get a lot of shots from the floor, but he’s a very efficient offensive player, and draws a ton of fouls. He shoots a lot of free throws because of that. He is solid at the free throw line. But don’t expect TJD to put the team on his back and carry it to the win, like perhaps Romeo Langford in this spot. Both Indiana Mr. Basketball’s and McDonald’s All-American’s, but very different in what they bring. IU is probably better with Jackson-Davis, but he doesn’t have the ball in his hands much.

Q: What is your prediction for a final score, and how do you see the game playing out?

NB: I think you would have a hard time finding many rational Indiana fans who feel very good about this one, or at least they shouldn't. The 11th-best offense is on the road at the third-best offense, who now has a big part of the calculus back and playing well (Isaiah Livers). Michigan has always been a really good team, and it's finding its stride. The Crisler Center has never felt friendly, to IU fans anyway,, and especially in this league this year, this doesn't set up well for Indiana. On the road this season, Wisconsin spanked IU by 20. Maryland spanked them by16, but it was 25 at one point. Ohio State spanked them 14 days ago in Columbus. Penn State didn't need a stellar performance to win at the Bryce Jordan Center.

I’m in a “show-me-someting” mindset with this team 24 games in. Michigan jumps on top early and cruises, 76-63.

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