Indiana had to work for a while before Tennessee Tech finally bent, but once the Hoosiers settled in, the game turned into a comfortable 90-66 win that might be their most convincing showing of the season so far.
The first half was messy enough to raise some eyebrows. Darian DeVries seemed intent on using Indiana’s size early, getting Samet Yigitoglu involved inside as much as possible. At times, it almost felt like the Hoosiers were swinging too far the other way after their last game, especially with the offense struggling whenever Yigitoglu wasn’t on the floor.
But the second half brought a different look. Indiana’s guards began to score, the older players handled the full-court pressure better, and a few shots finally started to fall. The momentum didn’t come all at once, but it arrived in time for Indiana to pull away, open up the lead, and clear the bench in the final minute or so.
There’s still a lot of season left, and that was the bigger takeaway from a night like this. It’s not even halfway through November yet, and while Arkansas and Kentucky are looming, there’s still time for this group to define itself before Big Ten play begins.
That identity is the real project for DeVries right now. Indiana’s roster has enough moving parts that the early weeks are about figuring out who this team wants to be.
Against Tennessee Tech, the Hoosiers looked uncertain in the opening half. Markus Burton and Darren Harris, who combined for 20 points apiece against Syracuse, were held scoreless in the first half here.
The rhythm just wasn’t there. The decision-making wasn’t either.
They didn’t look sure when to attack, when to move it, when to speed up, or when to slow down.
That kind of thing doesn’t get solved overnight, even when a team has talent. Indiana’s final margin was as good as, if not better than, what KenPom and Bart Torvik projected, which at least points in the right direction.
One thing that does already look promising is the bench. Indiana has started the same five players in all four games so far, even if that could still change, and some roles are beginning to take shape.
Bryce Lindsay has already shown he can be a real weapon off the bench, and Sam Alexis gives the Hoosiers more experience and production than a lot of teams can throw in reserve minutes. Trevor Manhertz is part of that conversation too.
Lindsay’s value has been easy to see. He scored 11 points in 25 minutes off the bench against Syracuse and again gave Indiana a productive lift Thursday, leading the bench in both minutes and points. That kind of output matters for a team trying to find its footing.
Alexis, on the other hand, had a rougher night. Indiana can’t afford too many stretches like that, especially when shots are being missed at the free throw line. The Hoosiers need more from him than they got against Tennessee Tech.
And then there’s Manhertz, who is starting to look like much more than a freshman filling space. He came into the night averaging 6.7 points per game, then nearly matched that in a burst that lasted less than 30 seconds of game time. A dunk followed by a four-point play in rapid succession was the kind of sequence that hints at real upside for a modern forward.
That said, there’s a cautionary note there too. Trent Sisley also started fast last year, including a 15-point outing in a blowout win over Marquette, before his minutes faded as the season went on.
That isn’t a knock on either player. It’s just what can happen when a freshman tries to settle into college basketball.
Still, with Indiana’s bench expected to matter this season, Manhertz’s growth could wind up being a major part of the bigger picture.
In Other News...
USCs Injury Problems Could Change Everything Against Indiana
USC heads into its Week 11 trip to No. 9 Indiana still trying to sort through injury issues that could reshape the way the Trojans approach one of their biggest games of the season. The situation has opened the door for younger players to matter more than they might have expected this early, with freshman running back Shahn Alston and wide receiver Ethan Feaster among the names drawing attention as USC looks for answers and depth.
For Indiana, the matchup figures to be decided in the trenches as much as anywhere else. The Hoosiers have built a strong defensive line, and that puts extra pressure on USCs running game and its own defensive front seven to hold up on the road. If the Trojans are going to keep pace, they may need those developing pieces to contribute quickly while the injury picture continues to hang over the week. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Gets One Encouraging Sign Before Must Win USC Matchup
Josh Hoover appears set to give Indiana a needed boost heading into a must-win matchup with USC. After being left off the teams initial injury report, the quarterback is expected to be available, and coach Curt Cignetti said he would be in uniform as long as he stays clear of the report. For a Hoosiers team trying to steady itself late in the season, simply having Hoover on hand changes the conversation at the most important position on the field.
The rest of the injury picture is less reassuring. Leading rusher Turbo Richard and defensive end Kellan Wyatt have already been ruled out, while cornerback A.J. Harris and linebacker Rolijah Hardy are listed as questionable. Cignetti has not named a starter, so Indiana still has some decisions to sort through before facing USC, but Hoovers status at least gives the Hoosiers a chance to enter the game with a little more stability than they might have had otherwise. [Read more 🡒]
Urban Meyer Just Reignited Indianas CFP Respect Debate
The latest College Football Playoff rankings gave Indiana a jolt even without the Hoosiers taking the field in Week 10, and Urban Meyer wasted little time turning that into a broader discussion about where they really belong. The FOX analyst and former coach pointed to Indianas slide from No. 4 to No. 9, using it as a springboard to question whether the committee had overvalued the Hoosiers in the first place, especially given the quality of their wins and the strength of schedule they have faced.
Meyers comments land at a time when the playoff picture is tightening around the Big Ten and Big 12, with Notre Dame and UCLA also climbing in the latest rankings. For Indiana, the issue is no longer just where it sits in the poll, but whether its early respect was earned or simply a product of a committee that is still sorting out how to weigh unbeaten records against the week-to-week reality of who teams have actually beaten. [Read more 🡒]