Logan Duncomb's Offseason Development Leads To Double-Double Against Marian

Duncomb arrived at Indiana as a four-star recruit and the No. 73 player in the class of 2022. With Thompson and Trayce Jackson-Davis, there wasn’t a pressing need for Duncomb to play major minutes as a freshman, and he wasn’t ready, either.

When asked if he could push Duncomb around last season, Thompson said, “Yeah. I think it bothered him a little bit.” On Saturday, Duncomb was honest about his freshman year, saying he didn’t play much because he didn’t put in the necessary work.

This summer, Duncomb trained with Indiana’s Director of Athletic Performance Clif Marshall to change his body. Thompson noticed a locked-in Duncomb taking his diet and work in the weight room more seriously.

The first on-court indication of Duncomb’s development came early this summer during a practice when Thompson felt someone push his back. He turned around, and there was Duncomb. Throughout the summer, Thompson saw a different Duncomb – smiling, playing hard and even talking some trash.

“I was like 'Alright, Logan. Here we go,'” Thompson said. “He’s heavy now, and last year he wasn't that heavy. You could move him around, and this year he's holding his ground. I think it's really exciting to see him put that into his game. It's really important for him to play at this level to be able to move somebody and not get pushed around, so I think he'll be able to help us this year."

With Duncomb fit to contribute as a sophomore, Indiana boasts a frontcourt with high-level talent at the top and necessary depth off the bench. Jackson-Davis – the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year and a preseason AP All-American – was out with a wrist or hand injury during Saturday’s exhibition game, but Indiana didn’t skip a beat down low. 

Thompson was his usual, physical self in the paint, but also displayed improved versatility by splashing 3-of-4 attempts from 3. Freshman Malik Reneau led the Hoosiers with 14 points, and “passed with flying colors” in his first game, according to Woodson. Duncomb notched his first double-double, and Jordan Geronimo added six points and three rebounds.

“We just really push each other to be great in practice, always encouraging each other and playing hard,” Geronimo said. “It's at a point where we have enough depth and talent that the second squad is as good as the first squad.”

Duncomb said this performance made him more comfortable on the court, and he’s feeling confident about where his game stands heading into the season.

“It's the first step in a long journey this season,” Duncomb said.