Good evening from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, where Indiana and Syracuse are set to meet at 6:30 p.m.
Indiana comes in at 2-0, and Syracuse is also 2-0. The Hoosiers’ starting five: Darren Harris, Jaeden Mustaf, Markus Burton, Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu. Syracuse counters with Garwey Dual, Gavin Doty, Mark Morano, Sadiq White Jr. and Luke Wilson.
We’re underway in Indy, and Syracuse won the tip.
Indiana was a little loose early, with two turnovers and a few other possessions that felt like giveaways even if they didn’t show up that way in the box score. Still, Sherrell knocked down a three that helped settle things down.
At the first media timeout, Syracuse was ahead 8-7.
Sherrell then found himself in early foul trouble, picking up a second foul before the break. Darian DeVries was not pleased with the first one, an over-the-back call.
Syracuse had the cleaner offensive start, making more shots and more threes. Indiana, meanwhile, was doing solid work on the glass, but that only matters if it turns into points and a run.
The Hoosiers answered after the under-12 timeout with a 7-0 burst that forced Gerry McNamara to call timeout. That stretch became an 8-0 run after the stoppage, and the game has gone back and forth since then.
Jaeden Mustaf was active during that push, but Markus Burton has been the main driver. He had nine points on 4-of-5 shooting at that stage.
Syracuse then moved back in front, 18-11 at the first half under-12.
The game tightened again as Indiana went into the under-8 down two, 24-22. From there, the Hoosiers kept hanging around.
At the final media timeout of the first half, Indiana led 34-33.
Since trailing 18-11, IU has outscored Syracuse 23-15. Given Sherrell’s foul trouble, Darian DeVries has had to adjust, and the Hoosiers have found a way to stay in it.
Mustaf and Burton each have nine points for Indiana. Mustaf also leads the team with four rebounds. Burton and Samet Yigitoglu both have two assists, and Burton also has a team-high two steals.
Indiana is shooting 25 percent from 3-point range, and that number likely has to climb if the Hoosiers want to win this one.
In Other News...
Indiana Faces A Huge USC Test With National Respect On The Line
Indiana gets another chance to prove its rise is for real when USC comes to Memorial Stadium for a top-20 matchup in Bloomington. The Hoosiers are sitting at No. 4 with an 8-1 record, and the Trojans arrive ranked No. 20 at 7-2, giving this one the kind of national-stage feel Indiana has spent all season trying to earn.
It is also the first meeting since USC joined the Big Ten, which adds a little extra intrigue to a game that already has plenty riding on it. The betting line has Indiana favored by about a touchdown, but rankings and odds only matter so much when a program is trying to protect its place in the national conversation and keep building momentum in November. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces An Early Test Against A Team That Keeps Pushing Back
Indianas first real measuring-stick game of the season arrives quickly, with Syracuse bringing a 2-0 record into Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for a matchup that should tell a lot about both teams. The Orange are already under the direction of first-year coach Gerry McNamara, a familiar name in Syracuse circles after a decorated playing career there and a run of school records that still hangs over the program.
For Indiana, the challenge is less about the venue than the style of opponent. Syracuse has already shown it can keep games moving in its direction early in the year, and the historical backdrop between these programs only adds a little more edge to a nonconference meeting that has enough intrigue to feel bigger than a routine November date. The Hoosiers get a chance to answer some early questions, while Syracuse gets another shot to show McNamaras version of the Orange can travel and compete with a high-major team on a neutral floor. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Gave Indiana A Huge New Big Ten Opening
Ohio States slide in the AP Top 25 has created a fresh opening in the Big Ten race, and Indiana has every reason to pay attention. The Buckeyes landed at No. 21 after their third loss of the season, their lowest ranking since 2014, a drop that reflects how much ground they have lost in a conference picture they once seemed to control.
For Indiana, the bigger takeaway is what this does to the leagues path to the College Football Playoff. Ohio States hopes now appear to hinge on winning the Big Ten Championship, and even then the Buckeyes no longer control their own fate. It is a notable shift for a program that has been a regular playoff presence under Ryan Day, and it opens the door a little wider for everyone else in the conference. [Read more 🡒]