NASSAU, Bahamas – As Indiana basketball trailed by 30+ points in a thumping against Louisville to open the Battle 4 Atlantis Wednesday, head coach Mike Woodson stood still, arms on his hips, before taking a seat on the bench for the remainder of the game. All the while, first-year Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey continued to bark orders and directions to his team.
In an 89-61 game whose final score generously understated the true product, Woodson’s Hoosiers looked hopelessly unprepared and unable to make key adjustments. With another two games to play in the next two days, this raises concerns about how competitive Indiana will be in closing out the neutral-site tournament.
“It was beyond schemes,” Woodson said postgame. “As a coach, I’ve got to get this team more ready to go, and I’m talking beginning to end.”
Louisville opted to start smaller and more perimeter-oriented than usual – although Kelsey later admitted starting big man James Scott didn’t start due to being late to shootaround – and Woodson stayed with his usual two-big lineup. When Oumar Ballo was stripped by Chucky Hepburn, which led to a transition layup on the game’s first possession, it was a bad omen of what was to come.
Hepburn and Louisville’s guards had Indiana’s backcourt locked up in chains and the Hoosiers’ size was the only offensive facet keeping them alive. Despite the size advantage, Indiana still struggled to keep up with the Cardinals, even in areas where its only advantage should have shown. For example, Louisville completely outhustled the Hoosiers for four offensive rebounds on one possession early.
It was prevalent early on that Kelsey and the Cardinals had a plan of attack on how to shut down the Hoosiers: space the floor, get out in transition and control the pace of the game. Defensively, it was to prevent Indiana from getting transition momentum.
“We just thought our advantage was being able to space the floor, play with great pace and generate offense that way,” Kelsey said. “You know, every team is going to play to their strengths.”
On the contrary, Woodson and the Hoosiers did try to play to their strengths and relied on the post offense. However, even once it became clear that adjustments were needed in order to compete with Louisville, there was no change in approach.
Despite looking outmatched and being outplayed…