Indiana didn’t get the clean, early runaway it might have wanted, but it handled Tennessee Tech well enough to keep the night from turning into a trap.
The Hoosiers had to work through a choppy first half before pulling away after the break and rolling to a 90-66 win. With bigger games looming, IU avoided the kind of low-major slip that can linger. The next stop is New York, where Indiana will face Arkansas at Madison Square Garden.
The first half never really let Indiana breathe. The Hoosiers’ largest lead through the opening 15 minutes was only six points, and even after they stretched it to 10 late in the half, Tennessee Tech trimmed it back to four by halftime. Then came the stretch that decided everything: a 26-9 start to the second half that gave Indiana the cushion it needed and then some.
Offensively, the free throw line carried the load early. Indiana got to the stripe again and again, putting up 23 free throws in the first half and 13 more after the break. That volume was the highest free throw rate of the Darian DeVries era, and it helped IU stay afloat while the game was still messy.
Once the Hoosiers settled in, the offense opened up. Indiana shot 66.7% from the floor in the second half, going 18-for-27 overall and 15-for-18 on shots inside the arc. DeVries said the adjustment was to create more movement and space.
“In the second half we wanted to ball screen more and get those (big) guys out in space and then get them in rolls because they were trapped,” IU coach Darian DeVries said. “I thought that opened up the floor a lot more and gave us driving lanes, and then we were still able to throw it inside and give us advantages that way.
That approach paid off inside. Indiana, which had a clear size edge, finished with 67.6% shooting on 2-pointers.
Six players reached double figures, another sign that this group has multiple ways to score. The one area that lagged was on the glass and from deep: IU posted its lowest offensive rebounding rate of the season so far, and the three-point shooting never really got going.
Defensively, Indiana had to deal with a dangerous shooting team. Tennessee Tech entered averaging 100 points per game and hitting 41.2% from three on heavy volume, so this was no sleepy tune-up. IU’s defense held up throughout, even if there were some shaky moments in the first half when the Golden Eagles were able to chase down some loose misses and collect a few offensive boards.
“I thought overall defensively, I was pretty pleased,” DeVries said. “The offensive rebounding for them was the big setback for that. But first shot defense, I thought was one of our better outputs.”
After halftime, the defense tightened even more. Tennessee Tech shot just 31.6% in the second half and made only 3 of 13 from beyond the arc.
For the game, Indiana allowed .87 points per possession and held the Golden Eagles to a 40.7 effective field goal percentage. One of the more encouraging signs: IU limited Tennessee Tech to 38.5% shooting on 2-pointers, an area that had been a problem earlier this season.
Aiden Sherrell led Indiana on the glass with eight rebounds, though he was just 1-for-4 from 2-point range. He did, however, go 6-for-6 at the line and chipped in some solid defense.
Samet Yigitoglu was efficient and physical, showing toughness after getting stitches mid-game. He was especially effective when he caught the ball in the paint, where Tennessee Tech’s size disadvantage showed.
Jaeden Mustaf attacked the rim with no fear and drew 10 free throws, though he had some careless moments with the ball. He also contributed on the defensive end.
Darren Harris didn’t get many chances, taking only four shots after a string of strong outings. Still, his plus-minus led the team, a hint that his presence helped create room for others.
Markus Burton’s night changed after halftime. He was scoreless in the first half, then poured in 12 in the second while also leading the team with five assists. Two fouls limited his first-half run, but he avoided any more after the break.
Bryce Lindsay gave Indiana a needed spark off the bench and helped create the separation that finally broke the game open in the second half.
Sam Alexis added five rebounds and two blocks in 18 minutes, staying active around the ball as usual.
Trent Sisley played limited minutes but still grabbed three rebounds in 10 minutes, and he had a few open looks from deep that he’ll want another crack at.
Trevor Manhertz battled through an injury and left the game a couple of times, but when he was on the floor he made an impact. He drove baseline for a dunk, hit a three while drawing a foul, and made a couple of smart passes in the paint. In 14 minutes, he finished with 10 points and five rebounds.
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