Insider: Freshmen provide spark as IU dispatches Rutgers

BLOOMINGTON — The first 5 minutes of Josh Newkirk’s second half Sunday were his best. IU’s redshirt junior point guard tossed in six quick points, handed out an assist and played as aggressively as he had all afternoon.

He played like a man who didn’t want to look at his bench and find a freshman replacing him.

Indiana’s 76-57 home win against Rutgers on Sunday was rarely anything but comfortable, the Big Ten’s worst team simply unable to match the Hoosiers (12-6, 2-3 Big Ten). James Blackmon Jr. scored a team-high 16 points despite shooting 6-of-18, symbolic of his team’s uncharacteristically poor afternoon from the floor.

There was one moment to worry, and it came early, when Rutgers (11-8, 0-6) raced ahead 13-6 to start. Indiana couldn’t keep the Scarlet Knights out of the paint. Defense was slack, as Rutgers relentlessly attacked IU with ball screens.

So coach Tom Crean turned to freshmen. Fortunes steadily changed.

“They bring energy,” Blackmon said postgame. “When they’re locked into the game plan and they come out like they did today, it really gives us a lift.”

Crean has spoken repeatedly this season about the process associated with young players growing into roles. Sunday provided a close examination of what that means for IU’s freshmen.

At 14:44 in the first half, Devonte Green and sophomore OG Anunoby went into the game. Not 90 seconds later, De’Ron Davis joined them. Curtis Jones went in after the under-12 timeout. Within a minute of his arrival, Indiana led for the first time, and never trailed again.

“They’re getting better,” Crean said of his freshmen. “They’re improving, but a long way to go. Long way to go maturity-wise, long way to go understanding that urgency, and long way to go when it comes to understanding how efficient you have to be, possession by possession.”

Statistically, none of IU’s three primary freshman bench players excelled Sunday. Jones had six points, including a confident step-back 3-pointer. Davis had four points and five rebounds. Green had four as well, and a pair of slick assists.

But it’s not really points Indiana needs from those three.

It can get points from Blackmon and Robert Johnson. It can get rebounds from Anunoby, Thomas Bryant and Juwan Morgan. And so on. You get the point.

What Indiana needs from its freshmen is exactly what it got Sunday. Facing an admittedly outclassed opponent, the Hoosiers started sluggish. A team still working out those “roles,” still learning to communicate well and still searching for consistent leadership needs a shot in the arm from time to time.

Crean favors the phrase “play on demand” when he talks about his bench.

“Be ready to go into the game and impact the game with your energy, impact the game with being in the right spot, move the ball, and just literally play hard,” Crean said. “Playing hard means I’m locked into the game, I’m locked into talking to my teammates. I’ll let the game come to me on offense, but I’m gonna bring my intensity and my awareness to the defensive end.”

He needs quick impact. That’s what he got Sunday.

The broad concept of maturity will always linger over young players. Crean was visibly upset postgame with Green after the freshman guard tried to throw a lob dunk to Freddie McSwain in the final seconds of a 19-point win.

But the best benches fill gaps, boost performances and — sometimes most importantly — keep starters honest.

None of Curtis Jones, Devonte Green or De’Ron Davis did headline work Sunday. That was still the purview of IU’s more recognizable faces.

And yet, there was tangible impact from all three, and tangible response from their more veteran teammates. Newkirk wasn’t the only one who got the message.

Morgan suffers freak injury

Sunday's win was dampened by yet another injury for Indiana, this one suffered in a thoroughly unusual way.

Sophomore forward Juwan Morgan, elevated to the starting lineup recently, appeared to trip over a referee's feet near IU's bench in the second half. He left the game and received treatment, returning with 12:38 left in the game. But he couldn't last a full minute before needing to be pulled back out, and he ended his day seated at the end of IU's bench, his left foot wrapped in ice.

"Juwan had a tremendous game before he got hurt," Crean said postgame. "I don't have any update on that right now, so I can't give you anything more there."

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.