Source: Kirk Irwin / Getty
BLOOMINGTON, Ind.–The Indiana Hoosier men’s basketball team will try and avenge a loss to 2nd ranked Purdue back in January when they face the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday in West Lafayette.
Back on January 16, Purdue Center Zach Edey scored 33 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and made 11 of 12 free throws in Purdue’s 87-66 win over Indiana at Assembly Hall. Indiana Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Woodson says the team will have to guard him better in this rematch.
“You gotta bang some with him because if you don’t, then he’s going to embarrass you. He’s embarrassing a lot of teams. He’s a lot better player than he was last year and he was Player of the Year last year,” said Woodson on Thursday.
In the last game, the Hoosiers had several players get in foul trouble. Woodson says that can’t happen again.
“We’ve got to go in with the mindset that hopefully we can stay out of foul trouble, play aggressive like they do, and see what happens,” said Woodson.
That’s why Woodson says Indiana’s front line players will have to battle.
Also lately, the Hoosiers have gotten very little production out of CJ Gunn and Kaleb Banks lately. Woodson says that’s going to have to change.
“When I put them in there, maybe I’m putting too much pressure or they’re feeling too much pressure to perform. I don’t want them to feel that way. That part of it I have to figure out,” said Woodson.
Woodson said guard Xavier Johnson is out indefinitely. Indiana Center Kel’el Ware appeared to injure his leg late in the game against Ohio State. Woodson says he’ll know more about Ware’s status for Saturday’s game in the next couple of days.
You can hear the full news conference with Mike Woodson below.
