When Spartan men’s basketball fans look back to MSU’s 83-65 loss to Indiana on Jan. 8, a few images come to mind.
People might remember Hoosier guard Tom Coverdale’s three-point barrage in the first half to bury the Spartans. Maybe MSU fans remember Indiana guard Dane Fife’s long-range stroke that led to his 14 points.
But, one thing the No. 23 Hoosiers (18-8 overall, 10-3 Big Ten) have pressed into the minds of every Big Ten opponent is the presence of stifling defensive pressure.
“(Our defensive philosophy is to) make it the toughest game the other guy has ever been in,” Indiana head coach Mike Davis said. “You can talk about help-side defense, you can talk about contesting shots, you can talk about a lot of things. But the main thing is you better make it a tough game for your opponent.”
The Hoosiers downed No. 19 Ohio State 63-57 on Wednesday to move into sole possession of first place in the conference. Indiana had been tied with the Buckeyes (18-6, 9-4) before defeating them at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind.
And while Spartan fans may remember the Hoosiers’ hot shooting, it’s been their defense that has them on top of the Big Ten.
Davis said versatile defenders keep the Hoosiers out of matchup trouble.
“We have (forward) Jeff Newton and (forward) Jared Jeffries who can match up with anyone in the nation, inside and out,” Davis said. “When we play teams that may have one big guy who can shoot the basketball, we don’t have a problem matching up with them.”
With an ensemble cast of role players surrounding Jeffries, the Hoosiers’ defensive efforts have impressed top college basketball analysts, such as ESPN’s Jay Bilas and ABC/ESPN commentator Dick Vitale.
Bilas said the Hoosiers‘ defense might be underappreciated nationally.
“I don’t think most people like to talk about defense - people like to talk about scoring,” Bilas said. “They’ve always been a team that’s scored, and their scoring is down. But because they guard so well their scoring margin is so good, and in the end that’s the important number.”
The Hoosiers outscore their conference foes by 12.5 points a game, by far the best in the Big Ten.
Vitale said it hasn’t been the streaky outside shooting or the superstar presence of Jeffries that has pushed the Hoosiers to the top of the conference - it’s been team defense.
“They’ve been an outstanding defensive team, and that’s why they’re in the position they’re in,” Vitale said. “It’s why they’re in the position to challenge for the Big Ten title.
“Every guy’s contributing and that’s what you need to have to win a championship.”
The Hoosiers have been able to hold their conference opponents to an average of 59.8 points a night by using a combination of tough perimeter defenders and shot-blocking presence on the inside.
Against the Spartans on Jan. 8, Jeffries rejected six MSU shots. Newton led the Hoosiers in blocked shots the past two seasons, and is ahead of center George Leach and Jeffries in the category this year.
“(Having shot-blockers) really helps them,” Bilas said. “Jeff Newton, Jared Jeffries, George Leach - they’re really long.
“It’s not so much the blocked shots, it’s the changed shots.”
The shot-altering ability of the Hoosiers has allowed their perimeter defenders to play more aggressively and pressure the ball.
“That’s the key. In the past we’ve had a tendency to foul guys off the dribble,” Davis said. “My point to them is that you don’t need to foul a guy on the floor when you’ve got Newton, Jeffries and Leach and those guys behind you who can block shots.
“Just because they get a step by you, it doesn’t mean you’ve gotten beat.”
And getting beat doesn’t happen often in Hoosier-land, but if it does happen, Davis said someone else steps in.
“If you get by one guy, another guy is there,” he said.
