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I fully believe that the Indiana Hoosiers are the worst match-up of the year for Rutgers. Today they travel to Assembly Hall to try and prove me wrong.
Questions:
1. Can Rutgers defend the three pointer? The Hoosiers are the best 3 point shooting team in the conference, and they're ornery. They've lost two straight after starting off 5-1 in the league. Rutgers is a middle of the pack defending team against the three, but have been burned a ton recently--Minnesota and Penn State destroyed them from beyond the arc. If Rutgers can't slow down Indiana's shooting, it's going to be a long afternoon.
2. Can Myles Mack and Kadeem Jack find a second wind? Mack was taken completely out of the game against Michigan State--and with only Bishop Daniels healthy to compliment him, he's still going to be playing major minutes. Jack has also been playing a ton of minutes, and his exhaustion was visible at the free throw line. These two are the key to Rutgers' season and if they're going to spring another upset, Jack and Mack have to play at a high level.
3. Can Rutgers get a road win? The Scarlet Knights looked to be a better road team than home team in the out of conference portion of the season. Now, that has flipped and Rutgers has really struggled after traveling. The Scarlet Knights are one of 4 teams to not win on the road. There are only 9 games left, and 5 more road attempts including today.
4. Will someone secure the ball? Rutgers' rebounding was downright awful against the Spartan. Teams don't make 100% of their shots, but giving them second chances makes it even worse. Greg Lewis, Shaquille Doorson, D.J. Foreman, Bishop Daniels--everyone has to crash the boards on missed shots. Box out and secure the ball.
5. Maybe you want to slow down the transition game too? Rutgers' offense isn't great. We know that, but turnovers and long rebounds lead to oppositional run-outs. Rutgers has to get back on defense, and limit turnovers. The fewer easy baskets Indiana gets, the harder it'll be for them to score.