Indiana Basketball: Keys for a road upset against Michigan in 2018-19

1. Win the turnover battle

This key, in my opinion, will be the most important facet of the game for Indiana to focus on. With Rob Phinisee, the team’s starting point guard, out for this one, the Hoosiers will need many players to step up on the perimeter to help them win the turnover battle. Statistically, Michigan has the advantage in this area of the game but Indiana can definitely force errors better than most teams in the nation.

When Indiana has the ball, though, they have struggled to take care of the ball to this point in the year. On the whole, the Hoosiers rank 244th in the nation in offensive turnover percentage, coughing the ball up on 20.2% of total possessions. And while Michigan’s defense might not center around forcing mistakes, their opponents are turning the ball over on 20.8% of possessions (98th nationally). They are more than capable of pressuring opponents into poor decision-making.

On the other end of the floor, Indiana is one of the better teams in the nation at creating turnovers defensively. With plenty of defensive playmakers on the perimeter and inside, the Hoosiers can get out and run in transition thanks to their 21.2% defensive turnover rate. Indiana may struggle forcing turnovers in this matchup, though, as Michigan boasts the seventh-best offensive turnover rate (just 14.6%) in the nation.

In order for Indiana to leave Ann Arbor victorious, they will need to win the turnover battle, in my opinion. Considering how elite Michigan’s defense is, Indiana will need to take care of each possession and try to earn as many transition opportunities as possible.