Indiana’s exhibition game Sunday in Evansville had the feel of a test, not a tune-up. The Hoosiers trailed Western Kentucky by 11 with 14:31 left, then closed the game with a 39-23 surge to escape with a 79-74 win at the Ford Center.
That finish came with an unusual look on the floor. Coach Darian DeVries went with Sam Alexis for Aiden Sherrell with 6:22 remaining and Indiana down 62-59, and Alexis stayed out there with Bryce Lindsay, Vaughn Karvala, Prince-Alexander Moody and Trevor Manhertz to finish the game. That group sparked the comeback, with the three freshmen accounting for 14 of IU’s last 39 points.
Lindsay was the big scorer again. After going for 26 in the exhibition win over North Carolina, he led Indiana with 20 against Western Kentucky, knocking down 6 of 11 shots and 4 of 8 from three. He also finished with three rebounds, three assists and one turnover.
Indiana needed every bit of that help because much of the starting group never got comfortable. Markus Burton had a rough afternoon after slipping early and appearing to hurt his hand, and he finished 1-of-11 from the field. Darren Harris missed all five of his shot attempts, Jaeden Mustaf committed three turnovers, and Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu combined for just four points on 1-of-4 shooting.
The shooting numbers across the board were ugly. Indiana made only 13 shots inside the arc, hit 32.3% of its three-pointers and connected on just 62.2% of its 37 free throws.
Western Kentucky’s pressure had a lot to do with that. The Hilltoppers hedged ball screens aggressively, sent double-teams and kept Indiana out of rhythm, forcing late-clock possessions and contributing to 14 turnovers against 15 assists. That same pressure also put WKU in foul trouble, which is how Indiana got to the line so often.
The rebounding battle also tightened up for a while before Indiana separated late. The Hoosiers finished with a 49-39 edge, including 14 offensive boards, but midway through the second half the margin was much closer before IU finally asserted itself on the glass.
Western Kentucky still had one player who could bend the game. Teagan Moore, who averaged 18 points last season, scored 30 and made life difficult for Indiana all afternoon. He also drew 11 free-throw attempts.
Even with the offensive slog, Indiana’s defense held up. The Hoosiers limited Western Kentucky to 36.9% shooting, marking the third straight exhibition in which IU has held an opponent under 40%. Indiana also forced 13 turnovers, though fouls sent the Hilltoppers to the line 25 times, where they made 18.
Indiana opens the 2026-27 season on Nov. 2 against Eastern Illinois in Bloomington.
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