IU basketball Q&A vs. Marian: Malik Reneau looks ready, more 3s please & more

BLOOMINGTON – Basketball's back.

IU eased past NAIA opponent Marian 78-42 on Saturday, with impressive performances from a handful of newcomers. It's just one game (that doesn't count), but here's what was on your mind:

Not for me. The box score is a mess at time of writing (it says IU won 111-60), so I don't trust the 28 3-point attempts it credits Indiana. Nine per half is nowhere near enough though.

There is, in my view, real value in the Hoosiers shooting 3s even when they aren't going in. Taking 3s isn't a substitute for making them, but not even being willing to put them up is worst of all. This team averaged fewer than 18 attempts per game from behind the arc last season. Not only did opponents not have to respect Indiana's accuracy. They didn't have to respect the 3 at all.

Saturday is a one-exhibition game sample, so it's not the end-all. But what we saw suggests this team has more confidence in its collective (and per-player) 3-point shooting ability this season. That needs to be reflected in a willingness to shoot them, whether that involves consistently making a bunch of them or not.

Concern? Not really, aside from Trayce Jackson-Davis' injury, which doesn't seem like a long-term issue.

Surprise? I wouldn't go as far as surprise, but there were a few assorted things I made mental note of. In no particular order?

>> Malik Reneau looks like he has the strength and smoothness to function at this level already, and ought to up the production from Indiana's second unit.

>> Jalen Hood-Schifino has a nice mid-range jumper. That's not always a good shot but if you can hit it, in the modern game, it's a weapon, especially in late-game situations (think, Johnny Davis).

>> Race Thompson making three 3s has to be a welcome development for any IU fan watching.

>> You can see what teammates see in Logan Duncomb in Year 2. He's hardly pushing Jackson-Davis for minutes but the backstop of the frontcourt should be a lot sturdier this year.

I don't know about adjusting expectations, largely because there are proven players in front of him that, when healthy, will always put a ceiling on Reneau's playing time. And one exhibition game does not an all-league freshman team make. But I think Saturday at least legitimizes what we've heard from his teammates this offseason about Reneau, that he's ready for this level both physically and skills-wise.

He doesn't have quite the same length Jackson-Davis does, but developmentally he seems to be in a similar spot. His lower body and core strength are both already college level, with the upper body still to work on. He plays with good pace and smoothness, and while like any freshman he's probably got to get better defensively, he's already ahead of the curve a bit there.

What's probably best to say is that early returns suggest IU is in good hands in the post even as Thompson and Jackson-Davis approach the ends of their respective careers.

Depends!

Would you like to be whistled for a foul?

If yes, do this in a nonconference game November. If no, do it in a Big Ten game in February.

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana basketball: Malik Reneau looks ready, more 3s please & more