The Hoosiers limited the Gamecocks to just 38.1% from the field.
Indiana men’s basketball might’ve put up 87 points in today’s win over South Carolina, but it was the defensive effort from tipoff until the end that made the largest impact on the game.
Collin Murray-Boyles, the Gamecocks leading scorer who entered this matchup averaging over 20 points per game, went to the bench in the second half after fouling out and scoring just two points on four attempts in 19 minutes.
Without Murray-Boyles to set the tone, South Carolina’s roster as a whole combined to shoot just 38.1% from the field. Morris Ugusuk was red hot from deep in the first half, hitting four of his five attempts, but only got up one shot from the perimeter at all in the second.
It was that 3-point shooting that helped keep South Carolina in the game in the first half. The Gamecocks shot a decent 7-20 but, as you can probably tell, most of that was Ugusuk. But they kept getting decent looks.
When the second half rolled around and the Gamecocks started needing those 3s to make it a game again? They only managed to get nine in the air, just one of which fell.
It’s a credit to Indiana’s defense. The Hoosiers’ system has given up its fair share of 3s, but they kept the arc locked down in the second half. South Carolina had to fall back on 2s and free throws to shrink the Indiana lead to double digits.
Mike Woodson has always rewarded players for defensive effort. If someone shows that on the court, they’re gonna get minutes. Kanaan Carlyle has done that and then some, hustling for a block from behind tin the first half after getting beaten off the dribble.
What sticks out most is that it never really felt like Indiana was losing control of the game, at least not fully. When the Gamecocks turned an 18-point deficit into single digits, the Hoosiers didn’t waver and kept them at arm’s length.
This is a game Indiana ended up winning by 16 points after all.