Indiana wins fifth straight, commanding Ohio State

What a distinction 17 days have made in Indiana’s season. The Hoosiers have gone from 1-4 within the Big Ten after a loss to Penn State on Jan. 11, to a 6-4 staff within the league and taking part in a lot nearer to unique expectations. 

Order is restored in Bloomington, and the imaginative and prescient of a significant March is again in play as Mike Woodson’s staff received its fifth in a row Saturday night time, 86-70, over Ohio State. Here are 5 immediate takeaways. 

The Hoosiers need to have a quantity subsequent to their title on Monday 

Indiana was the second staff out of the AP Top 25 on Monday, however with 5 consecutive victories within the deepest convention in faculty basketball, the Hoosiers are deserving of being ranked on Monday. Among their wins on the current surge? An 80-65 drubbing over an Illinois staff in Champagne, the one defeat the Illini have suffered within the final seven video games. Saturday marked the fourth time on Indiana’s profitable streak that the Hoosiers received by double-figures. They aren’t simply profitable; they have been controlling groups within the NCAA Tournament dialog. This staff is starting to appear to be the squad we thought they might be within the preseason after adjusting from accidents. 

Indiana’s freshmen can change the Hoosiers into a special gear 

Trayce Jackson-Davis stated within the preseason that the Mike Woodson period already felt completely different due to the kind of expertise the Hoosiers head coach was buying. He was referring to five-star prospect Jalen Hood-Schifino and four-star freshman Malik Reneau, who each scored in double-figures in Saturday night time’s win.

Hood-Schifino was the story of the primary half. While Ohio State acquired off to a stable begin, the 6-foot-6 Pittsburgh native was lighting it up from downtown to the tune of six triples. He scored 20 of his game-high 24 factors within the opening stanza and put Indiana in place to complete the primary half on a 15-0 run that gave them a 46-30 lead on the break.

The 6-foot-9 product Reneau continued a powerful week and confirmed off his all-around skillset with 15 factors, eight rebounds and three assists. For a Hoosiers staff that’s in search of bench manufacturing, Reneau is usually a sixth man who offers the spark in that function. For a staff that typically is missing offensive consistency and perimeter rhythm, Hood-Schifino specifically is so essential on that finish of the ground. He hit Indiana’s common in threes made per sport within the first half.

The Hoosiers have additionally gotten again to their defensive roots 

Indiana has solely allowed 61.2 factors per contest on the five-game profitable streak. The Hoosiers have been twenty fourth in defensive effectivity a 12 months in the past, the highest mark within the Big Ten, however that finish of the ground was a part of their points earlier within the 12 months. They’ve gotten on monitor on that finish of the ground, taking part in extra of the way in which Woodson has strived for his groups to have success. 

Ohio State is in free fall mode 

The Buckeyes have been a Top 25 staff earlier this month. After an offseason of main turnover for Chris Holtmann and the lack of EJ Liddell, it seemed as if Ohio State was going to remain afloat and play an element within the Big Ten. It’s been a nightmare of a final three weeks for this program, they usually’re trending in the direction of lacking the NCAA Tournament. The Bucks have misplaced six of their final seven video games and have struggled defensively. They’re counting on youth and inexperienced gamers in the primary roles to provide for them, and it has not labored. Mike Decourcy had them within the “next four out” in his bracket projection on Friday. It’s hazard time for OSU, and a must-win sport comes Thursday in Columbus towards Wisconsin (7 p.m. ET, FS1).

Trayce Jackson-Davis is taking part in in addition to anybody in America and holds the keys to Indiana’s March potential 

This is why TJD got here again to Bloomington for one closing season. We’re watching it proper now, together with his newest type of greatness coming Saturday night time. The senior went for 18 factors, 10 rebounds and 6 assists within the win. On the profitable streak, he is averaging 25.4 factors, 13.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per sport. That’s nationwide participant of the 12 months stage manufacturing, and sure, there’s an argument for the truth that faculty basketball’s prime two gamers by way of manufacturing are from the Big Ten with Zach Edey and Jackson-Davis battling it out for prime honors. That’s a enjoyable particular person race to look at within the weeks forward.

Up subsequent for Indiana: a visit to Maryland for a Tuesday showdown at 9 p.m. ET.

John Fanta is a nationwide faculty basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports. He covers the game in quite a lot of capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to offering commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.

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