‘They’re game changers’: Mike Woodson wanted to play a specific style. Now Indiana basketball has the guards to do so

Much has been discussed over the last year about the style of play that Mike Woodson has rolled out with Indiana basketball. In ways, it was an old fashioned way of playing basketball and one that was very difficult to set the tone in early stages of games. But, it appears that’s in the past and a new, more dynamic version of Indiana will take the floor this season.

Since the season ended, Mike Woodson and his staff prioritized a few skills in the transfer portal — dynamic guards and shooting. Two positions that Indiana clearly lacked over the last few seasons.

With notable additions to the roster, Woodson not only believes this is the deepest but also the most talented roster he will put on the floor since he arrived in Bloomington four years ago.

“It is. There’s no doubt it’s the best talent and best roster we’ve had,” Said Woodson on the ‘College Hoops Today’ podcast with Jon Rothstein. “And that’s not taking anything away from the last three previous seasons. But we’re deeper than we have been in the past and that’s important. I think when you go through a grueling season, especially the Big Ten, I feel good now if somebody happens to trip a little bit and can’t play, there’s someone there to back him up and give him some support until he’s able to get back.”

So, what will that yield?

Well it will give Indiana numerous potential lineups to play with but more notably, the skillsets necessary to change the way Woodson wants to play. Now aiming for a quicker, more athletic and smaller lineup.

“I’d like to play a little bit quicker this year, where we’re not walking it up,” Woodson said at Indiana basketball media day last week. “There were times we had fast break points that we made off of turnovers with our defense. But I’d like to play a little bit faster on makes. That’s something we’ve been working on since we put this team together this summer.”

That quickness starts and ends with guard play and the additions of Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle, specifically, have had a direct impact on that style of play.

Both players coming over from the Pac-12, Rice averaged 14.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game at Washington State while Carlyle averaged 11.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season at Stanford. Both are known for their quickness, playmaking ability at the rim and their ability to open up the floor for their teammates.

The duo of Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle will be the first backcourt pair under Mike Woodson to have a 20+ percent assist rate as well.

And the early returns are clear — this duo will spearhead the new-look style for Indiana basketball.

“They’re game changers,” IU guard Trey Galloway said. “Both of them can really score the ball and do many things to help the team win. They bring a different feel the way they push the pace and doing so many things on the offensive end. I’m excited to have these guys alongside us.”

And that was one of the main pitches for Mike Woodson when targeting both Rice and Carlyle in the portal.

“Playing a faster pace,” Carlyle said of what will be different with IU this year. “Me and Myles playing together on the defensive end and being able to pick up the ball 94 feet and then being able to push the ball on the offensive end, get to the rim and make plays for each other and other teammates.”

Woodson has been open about his desire to have his team play like they did when he was with the New York Knicks. Now, it appears that could be a similar style Indiana fans see this season.

“I’d like to get to some small ball this year like I had in New York,” Woodson said. “Where Mack (Mackenzie Mbgako) and (Luke) Goode can play some four, and we can still be athletic enough out on the floor with one of the bigs able to compete at a high level.”

“The way we want to play, everybody’s capable of handling the basketball. And we struggled in that area a little bit last season, with certain players. And Galloway can handle it, Carlyle can handle it, Myles can handle it … So I mean, that’s important, with the style of play and how we want to play. Everybody’s got to feel comfortable in handling the basketball.”

Indiana averaged 72.3 points per game last season which was 215th in the country. It also ranked 122nd in tempo.

It’s clear the style of play Mike Woodson had been playing wasn’t going to lead to deep success nationally. And now it’s clear, quick and small is where he wants to be.

What’s the first step? Well, it’s already started.

“It all starts with our conditioning and everyone getting into shape so we can play fast,” Myles Rice said. “Getting out in transition and getting easy buckets.

“We got a bunch of guys who are going to come out and compete every night … you’re not going to get nothing easy over here.”

SEE ALSO: ‘You want a shot at it’: Mike Woodson facing high expectations head on with Indiana basketball — He also has his best roster yet to achieve them.

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