Indiana basketball has plenty to improve, but should feel good about one tandem
· Yahoo Sports
BLOOMINGTON — Markus Burton noticed and appreciated the applause that met his introduction during pregame ceremonies Monday night, ahead of Indiana’s season-opening 91-57 win against Eastern Illinois.
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A Notre Dame transfer originally from South Bend, it meant something tangible to Burton to hear his fanbase embracing him so quickly.
“That was really cool,” Burton said. “Obviously, I’m an Indiana kid. Hearing the recognition and hearing how loud it got, that was crazy.”
The more telling applause, however, for IU’s new No. 5, came as he exited that game, in the final minutes of the second half.
Burton’s last contribution had been diving on the floor, out of bounds, stretching for a loose ball. As he walked off to a waiting high five from IU coach Darian DeVries, Burton did so to an even louder ovation from his new home crowd.
On what evolved into a largely as-expected evening for DeVries’ second Indiana (1-0) team, it was the performances of both Burton and Villanova transfer Bryce Lindsay — the Hoosiers’ primary ball handlers — that offered this season’s earliest reasons for optimism. Because while a team so dramatically remade as this one is bound to look incomplete for a while, knowing they have trustworthy hands at the wheel should keep those Hoosiers’ confidence high here in the early going.
“Those guys,” DeVries said, “are going to be critically important to us all year.”
Darian DeVries takes good with bad in IU basketball opener
DeVries did not leave without talking points.
Despite comfortably outclassing former Hoosier Marty Simmons’ Eastern Illinois (0-1), Indiana still struggled at times from the field, and more noticeably on defense. In the second half in particular, DeVries acknowledged IU gave the Panthers too much of the lane and too much of the rim.
At one point, Indiana’s second-year coach even called a timeout during its malaise, to remind his team of his expectations at the defensive end of the floor.
“Overall, (the defense) was good,” DeVries said, “but you can’t allow a team just to parade right to the rim. We did it way too many times in the second half.”
DeVries enjoyed more the nearly eight-minute stretch of scoreless basketball Indiana inflicted on Eastern Illinois near the end of the first half. And he liked enough of what he saw offensively as well — while the Hoosiers did not shoot the ball prolifically, their willingness to rebound, their eagerness to run and their impressive depth all offered encouraging glimpses of this team’s potential.
After some issues with ball security in the preseason, DeVries will also feel good about committing just 11 turnovers in 67 possessions. He might feel even better about his defense forcing twice that many.
“Overall, I was really pleased with the offensive stuff, and again the offensive rebounding,” DeVries said. “It's something we talk about every day. It's got to be a strength of ours.”
IU will build around its star guard tandem
Broadly speaking, though, there were no dramatic moments or headlines Monday night. That will do just fine for DeVries and his staff. Games like these should pass without much incident.
What they must do is allow Indiana, in measured steps, to develop the rapport and chemistry that can only come with time. To polish the rough edges of a talented roster still learning about how it best fits together and where its strengths lie, both individually and collectively.
No team, not least this one, should look anywhere near complete so early in the calendar. DeVries can harp on defense, or ball security, or rebounding all he wants. Really, what he needs at this stage is growth, and a group eager to get better.
And what he has at the head of that group are a pair of high-major-experienced ball-handling guards. Each distinct in his own way, each capable of running the show, making the right decisions, creating and scoring in equal measure, and keeping Indiana on track as the Hoosiers fit so many other pieces into place.
“A lot of new guys, obviously,” Burton said. “It’s gonna take time for us to just come out and be efficient. But today was a learning experience.”
For those lead guards, a good one. Burton paced his team with 19 points and five assists Monday night. Lindsay scored 14 off the bench. Each hit three 3s.
Other than Burton’s foul trouble, there was little to complain about from the Hoosiers’ primary point guards. As Indiana settles into the rhythm of whatever this season is to become, so long as it can count on such steadiness from the players bound to have most of the ball, then so much else should naturally mature around those two.
“We’ve got a full team of guys that can get in the paint and create for our teammates,” Burton said. “Just making my teammates better, that’s what I’m here to do.”
Few on this team do it better than DeVries’ two primary ball handlers. He will hope for more low-drama, big-applause performances from Markus Burton and Bryce Lindsay in the weeks to come.
“To have two guys like that, they’re both different in how they attack and what they bring on the offensive end,” DeVries said. “I like having both out there, one out there. If you need to sub one, you know there’s not gonna be a drop-off.”
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana basketball has plenty to improve, but should feel good about one tandem