Iowa Basketball: Hawkeyes vs. Hoosiers

The Iowa Basketball team will travel to Bloomington, IN tomorrow for a showdown with the Indiana Hoosiers. This game will either create a three way tie at the top of the Big Ten, or Iowa will tighten it’s grip on the regular season conference title. Who has the upper hand?

Indiana comes in with a 19-5 overall record and a 9-2 conference record. Iowa comes in at 19-4 overall with a 10-1 conference record. So, the resume’s are pretty similar.

Iowa is coming off a three game stretch where they played three bottom feeders in the Big Ten. They had no trouble handling Northwestern, Penn State, and Illinois since that road loss to Maryland. Indiana is coming off a game in which they shot 36% and turned the ball over 15 times, which would ultimately put a check in the loss column for the Hoosiers as they dropped their second Big Ten game to the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Some think that the loss only fuels the fire for Indiana as it sets up a pretty important game for them. On their remaining schedule they have; Iowa at home, Purdue at home, at Michigan State, at Iowa, and at home against Maryland, so this game can really decide where the Hoosiers go in terms of ranks in the Big Ten.

More from Dear Old Gold

They’ve shown every indication that they can hang with the Big Ten’s best and it was clear when they went on a 25-0 run to end the first half at Michigan not too long ago. When James Blackmon got injured and was done for the season, I didn’t think Indiana really had a shot, but they’ve proved me wrong.

They’ve done it by shooting 51% from the field, which is good for 2nd in the nation behind St. Mary’s, and averaging a league best 84 points per game. While the Hoosiers score at an impressive clip, Iowa is one of the teams that can keep pace with them. Iowa is second in the conference averaging 81 points per game. The main reason IU’s field goal percentage is so high is because Thomas Bryant shoots 72% from the field.

Iowa is going to need to prepare for the Hoosiers on the glass. Indiana has some pretty good athletes that crash the boards and that could make it tough on Iowa. Troy Williams is going to be the main Hoosier to keep off the glass. He averages around 6 rebounds per game, but is capable of much more. Their 8.3 rebounding margin is good for 3rd in the conference, Iowa sits in the 9th spot.

Next: Iowa Basketball: A Look at Jordan Bohannon

X-FACTORS

For Iowa, it’s Adam Woodbury. Indiana can be so tough on the glass and staying out of foul trouble will be a big key for Woody. He’s the only one that is going to be able to keep Thomas Bryant in check and if he gets into foul trouble and Dom Uhl is forced to guard Bryant, we could have a repeat of the Maryland game when Diamond Stone had a field day. Woodbury has turned in double digit rebounding numbers in 4 of his last 5 games and he’ll need another for Iowa on Thursday night.

For Indiana, it’s Troy Williams. Williams is a very athletic player. I’ve always thought he could be one of the best players in the conference with how athletic he is, but he just hasn’t quite gotten there. However, he is still a dangerous weapon. I assume he and Jarrod Uthoff will guard each other, which could pose problems for Jarrod. He was bothered by the length of Maryland’s Jake Layman and Williams is the same type of athlete. If Williams has a good game offensively and holds Uthoff in check, Indiana has a much better chance to win.

PREDICTIONS

I think Anthony Clemmons checks Yogi Ferrell and makes life difficult for him, while Woodbury has another impressive performance on the glass. Uthoff will get Williams into early foul trouble, making him a non-factor. This frees up Uthoff to do as he pleases. Jarrod will go for twenty tomorrow night.

Iowa 80, Indiana 74

The Hawkeyes and the Hoosiers tip off tomorrow at 8 p.m. CT inside Assembly Hall.

Stay locked into Dear Old Gold for constant coverage of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Home/Iowa Basketball

Iowa Basketball: Hawkeyes vs. Hoosiers – Who Has the Upper Hand?

By Dylan Burn | Feb 10, 2016

More from Dear Old Gold