Indiana Basketball: Keys to success against Butler in 2018-19

1. Let Juwan Morgan go to work.

Romeo Langford might get the majority of the hype regarding Indiana basketball this season but Juwan Morgan is a beast in his own right. A 6-foot-8 monster who can score from inside and out, rebound at a high rate, and defend, Morgan is one of the most underrated stars in the country, in my opinion. I was quite high on IU heading into this season and Morgan was a major reason why. Through the first month of this season, the senior forward has not disappointed: 15.5 points and 8.0 rebounds on 64.7% shooting from the field and 42.9% from three.

Additionally, he might be the player that Butler has the toughest time matching up against this weekend. The Bulldogs only have one true “power forward” on the roster and that freshman, Bryce Golden, is yet to see a minute on the court this season. This means that either a true center or wing will be tasked with covering Morgan throughout the game. Either way, Morgan will have plenty of opportunities to either bang down low and secure rebounds (against a wing) or work from the perimeter and attack the basket (against a big).

Having said this, Morgan should be fed the ball early and often in this matchup. Butler seemingly does not have anyone who can match up against him and this could be a massive performance for the senior. And this wouldn’t be the first time he has lit up the Crossroads Classic, either. For those who forgot, Morgan dropped 34 points and 11 rebounds on Notre Dame a year ago.