Justin Smith is always there.
Certain moments make the junior forward more noticeable, like when he records one of his team-leading 28 steals or commits a series of maddening turnovers with the ball in his hands.
But whether he’s front and center of the action or faded into the background, Smith is omnipresent, a common cog in an IU lineup featuring a rotating cast of frontcourt players and guards that deliver inconsistent showings from game to game.
Sunday’s 68-60 home upset win over No. 9 Penn State saw Smith play 31 minutes, tied with freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis for the most on the team.