3 Keys to a deep Big Ten Tournament run for Indiana Basketball

After a rocky regular season, Indiana basketball finds themselves on the NCAA Tournament bubble heading into the Big Ten tournament.

The Hoosiers enter the tournament with a 19-12 record (10-10 in Big Ten play), but a 4-12 Quad 1 record holds their resume back.

Indiana’s win over Ohio State in the season finale was big, but they still have some work to do heading into the Big Ten tournament.

While the Hoosiers could potentially lose their opening matchup to Oregon and still make the NCAA tournament, they would need a lot of help from other bubble teams and as few bid stealers as possible.

A win against Oregon and a deep run in the conference tournament is the only way Indiana basketball could truly feel safe heading into Selection Sunday next week.

Here are three keys to a deep tournament run for Indiana Basketball ahead of the tournament.

Finishing at the rim

It’s no secret that Indiana basketball wants to attack the paint. Their roster has struggled to shoot it from beyond the arc and they have focused on getting to the rim with their big duo of Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau.

While most of the Hoosiers’ shots have come at the rim, their inconsistency at finishing layups has been an issue.

On Sunday against Ohio State, Indiana made just 5-of-16 layups in the win. In a loss against Oregon last week, they made just 8-18 of their layups. The Hoosiers failed to surpass 70 points in both games.

With such a heavy focus on attacking the rim, the Hoosiers have to do a better job of finishing those chances.

In their previous three wins against Purdue, Penn State, and Washington, Indiana basketball converted 36-50 layup attempts and surpassed 70 points in all three wins.

Indiana is going to get another chance against Oregon on Thursday, but they will have to do a better job of finishing at the rim if they are going to get their 20th win of the season and make a run in the Big Ten Tournament.

Win the rebounding battle

Indiana Basketball has done a good job on the glass this season after a slow start in that area.

With multiple willing rebounders and a lot of size, there is no reason the Hoosiers should not out-rebound opponents. While Ballo and Reneau lead the way, Indiana has gotten solid contributions from Luke Goode, Mackenzie Mgbako, Anthony Leal, and others on the boards.

The Hoosiers are averaging nearly 11 offensive rebounds per game which have been crucial due to their inconsistency on offense. With the lack of outside shooting, many of their best looks from three have come from offensive rebounds.

Indiana has played with a different toughness over this stretch of the season on the defensive end led by Leal’s effort, but finishing those possessions is crucial.

They held Oregon to under 40% from the field, but 15 offensive rebounds and 23 second-chance points killed Indiana’s chances of winning on the road.

Normally in college basketball, you don’t get second chances, but Indiana’s opening matchup against Oregon is a rare opportunity that the Hoosiers will have to make the most of and that starts on the glass.

Finish Games

Indiana basketball has the talent to compete with every team in the Big Ten. Their road win over regular-season champion Michigan State is indicative of that.

The biggest issue has been their inability to close games. The Hoosiers have had a lot of chances to solidify their tournament chances but have lost several games due to their late-game struggles. 

Indiana was a stop away from beating Maryland and Purdue on the road. They gave up a 10-0 run over the final 90 seconds to lose by 9 to Oregon. They lost by two to UCLA, three to Michigan, and blew a second-half lead against Northwestern. 

The Hoosiers’ late game play is the difference between them being a bubble team and being a top 25 team and competing for a Big Ten regular season championship.

Indiana will have just one chance in the Big Ten tournament and they can’t fumble it. 

The good news for the Hoosiers is outside of their loss to Oregon, they have been much better late in the season. Indiana took care of business in a close game against Michigan State and has beaten Penn State and Ohio State in close games over the past two weeks.

While Penn State and Ohio State are not as good as Oregon and the other top teams in the Big Ten, the Hoosiers know they can compete with the Ducks after a close battle on the road.

SEE ALSO: Indiana basketball set for a possible redemption vs Oregon in the Big Ten Tournament

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