Indiana came into Rupp Arena with momentum and a hot shooting hand, but what started as a promising night quickly unraveled into a 72-60 loss to Kentucky. The Hoosiers led by as many as nine, but a second-half collapse exposed familiar issues that continue to plague this team on the road. Let’s dig into five key takeaways from Indiana’s disappointing showing in Lexington.
1. Road Shooting Woes Rear Their Head Again
Just four days ago, Indiana lit it up from deep against Penn State, knocking down 17-of-31 from beyond the arc in a performance that suggested maybe the Hoosiers were turning the corner offensively. But that version of IU didn’t make the trip to Lexington.
Against a long, athletic Kentucky defense that contested nearly everything, Indiana’s perimeter game vanished. The Hoosiers hit just 4-of-24 from three - a season-low 16.7 percent - and were never able to find a rhythm from distance.
It’s not just that they missed shots; it’s that they couldn’t create many good ones. Lamar Wilkerson, one of IU’s most reliable shooters, spent most of the night battling foul trouble, and without his presence, the floor spacing took a hit.
This team is built to shoot - it’s part of the identity. But when the shots aren’t falling, the offense stalls, and the results have been consistently ugly. This wasn’t just a cold night; it was another example of how dramatically this team’s ceiling drops when the perimeter game disappears.
2. Turnovers Gifted Kentucky Easy Buckets
Kentucky came into this one needing a spark offensively - and Indiana handed it to them on a silver platter. The Hoosiers turned the ball over 18 times, their highest total of the season, and many of them were unforced. The Wildcats didn’t have to press or trap to create chaos; IU did most of the damage to itself.
Those 18 turnovers led to 23 Kentucky points - a massive swing in a game decided by 12. To put it in perspective, Kentucky had been forcing turnovers on just 15.7 percent of opponent possessions coming into the game, ranking near the bottom nationally. Indiana gave it away on nearly 27 percent of its trips down the floor.
It wasn’t just the quantity, either - it was the timing. Sloppy ball-handling and poor decisions came in bunches, especially during critical stretches when Kentucky made its run. For a team that’s trying to establish itself as a contender, these kinds of lapses are killers.
3. Defensive Rebounding Still a Major Issue
Indiana’s defensive rebounding was a concern coming into the season, and Saturday night only reinforced why. Even with Sam Alexis logging 30 minutes - a move meant to bolster IU’s interior presence - the Hoosiers were overwhelmed on the glass in the second half.
Kentucky pulled down nine offensive boards after halftime and turned them into 11 second-chance points. For the game, the Wildcats held an 18-6 edge in second-chance scoring. That’s not just a stat - that’s a storyline.
IU’s defense often did the hard part: contesting shots, forcing tough looks. But too often, the job wasn’t finished. Whether it was a missed box-out or simply getting outmuscled, Indiana gave Kentucky too many extra possessions, and the Wildcats made them pay.
4. Tayton Conerway’s Inconsistency Remains a Concern
Tayton Conerway showed flashes of what makes him such an intriguing piece in the first half. He was steady, efficient, and turnover-free as Indiana built a seven-point lead heading into the break. But the second half told a different story.
Conerway committed four turnovers in just 11 minutes after halftime, including two during a pivotal stretch when Kentucky seized control. IU was still up seven when it coughed it up on five straight possessions - a stretch that flipped the game and gave the Wildcats a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
There’s no question Conerway brings value as a playmaker and scorer. But for Indiana to take the next step, he has to be more consistent when running the offense.
The Hoosiers can live with a few mistakes - they come with the territory when you have the ball in your hands. But the simple plays need to be made more reliably, especially in tight, high-stakes moments.
5. Lamar Wilkerson’s Foul Trouble Changed the Game
When Lamar Wilkerson was on the floor, he was Indiana’s most efficient offensive weapon. He finished with 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-5 from three and 3-of-4 from the line. But the problem was he wasn’t on the floor enough.
Wilkerson picked up three fouls in the first half and his fourth just over two minutes into the second. At that point, Indiana led 42-35.
By the time he returned with 9:30 left, the game had completely flipped - Kentucky had the lead and all the momentum. During that eight-and-a-half-minute stretch, IU managed just nine points.
His absence was felt not just in scoring, but in spacing and shot creation. Without him, Kentucky was able to collapse inside and force Indiana into tougher looks. It’s not an overstatement to say his foul trouble was a turning point in this game.
Final Thought:
This was a game Indiana had within reach - a road win over a marquee opponent that could’ve been a statement. Instead, it turned into a reminder of the issues that continue to hold this team back: cold shooting on the road, careless turnovers, and a struggle to finish possessions. The talent is there, but the consistency isn’t - and until that changes, nights like this will keep slipping away.