Indiana Basketball: 5 keys to a successful 2018-19 Big Ten schedule
5. Improve at the free throw line
The Big Ten is arguably the best conference in the nation this season. With Michigan and Michigan State both holding down top-10 rankings and the bottom of the conference improved compared to normal standards, every game is going to pose a different challenge. And while Indiana basketball is expected to be one of the better teams in the league, it would be a mistake to think that they will dominate in every game. Because of this, it is fair to assume that the Hoosiers will play in many close games in the coming months.
And this is where Indiana’s biggest weakness might reveal itself. To this point in the year, the Hoosiers have struggled tremendously from the free throw line, shooting just 63.5% from the stripe. This mark ranks at 314th in the nation and will need to improve over the course of the coming months if this team wants to continue rising up the rankings. Considering the Hoosiers get to the line at a high rate (131st nationally), they need to take advantage of their attempts.
The problem with improving in this facet of the game, though, is that every single player needs to improve. To this point in the year, the entire nation is combining to shoot 69.6% from the free throw line. Yet, only two players on the entire Indiana roster are shooting above that mark and neither is an “elite” free throw shooter: Durham (76.2%) and Green (72.2%). Having said this, the entire team needs to take strides in this facet of the game in order for IU to consistently win tight games.
Already a top-25 team in the nation, Indiana basketball has high hopes for the rest of the season. As long as Archie Miller’s team continues to grow, there is no reason why this team cannot reach the second weekend (or further) in the NCAA Tournament. This is definitely a team to watch moving forward.