IU basketball game day essentials: Indiana hosts Incarnate Word

Game Day Essentials:

Indiana (3-0) vs. Incarnate Word (2-1)

• Tip Time: 5:30 p.m. Eastern, Sunday
• Location: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222), Bloomington, Ind.
• Television: BTN (Noah Reed, Brian Butch)
• Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
• Stream: Fox Sports
• Point Spread:  Indiana is a 25.5-point favorite
• KenPom Projected Score:  Indiana 89  Incarnate Word 66
• History: First Meeting
• Tickets (via our StubHub affiliate link)

Incarnate Word’s Shane Heirman

Shane Heirman is in just his third season as a head coach at the Division I level, with all seasons coming with Incarnate Word. So far, he has gathered a 29-41 overall record with the Cardinals and led them to the semifinals of the CBI last season.

Heirman hails from Mishawaka, Ind., and also began his coaching career in his home state at La Lumiere School in La Porte. Heirman was an assistant from 2012 to 2014 under Alan Huss before assuming the head position from 2014-2017.

Heirman was then brought on to DePaul’s coaching staff in 2017 and assumed an assistant position there until 2021. He then got a position bump to associate head coach at Central Michigan, and held that title until 2023. Following that season, Heirman was named head coach of Incarnate Word, earning a top position at just 35 years old.

Incarnate Word’s results and roster

Incarnate Word’s game notes (via Incarnate Word Athletics)

THE GUY RETURNS

• Davion Bailey was the Southland Conference leading scorer with 600 points in the 24-25 season. He lit it up behind the arc knocking down 126 3-pointers which was good for the third most in the NCAA Division I basketball last year. Bailey not only but played, but also started, each and every game for the Cardinals, putting 40+ minutes in a game 11 different times.
• Bailey’s offense helped lead the UIW to new heights winning the first ever Southland Conference and post season tournament games in UIW Division I history. There is much to be said about Bailey’s return to UIW with Shane Heirman. Several publications including Blue Ribbon Sports and Mid Major Madness have predicted DB to finish the season on the SLC First-Team and earn the title of Conference Player of the Year.

MARCUS GLOVER

• Glover has been coveted as one of UIW’s defensive anchors. During a 13-game stretch where Glover started in his sophomore season, he averaged 1.1 stocks (six steals and six blocks) against conference teams.
• He finished the season making 17 straight starts, tallying 12 steals and 14 blocks in that span.

Incarnate Word’s KenPom notable numbers:

(out of 365 teams)

Tempo – No. 269 (Offense No. 295 / Defense No. 294)

Offensive Efficiency – No. 167

• Incarnate Word’s KenPom numbers are sort of all over the place. Their effective field goal percentage sits at 44.1 percent (No. 311). As a team, they’re shooting 23.1 percent from three (No. 347) and 51.5 percent from two (No. 183).
• Although shooting numbers aren’t great, the Cardinals have been the best team in the country in taking care of the ball with a 7.6 percent turnover percentage and a 1.5 percent steals against percentage (No. 1).
• They have not been good at grabbing offensive rebounds at a 16.7 percent rate (No. 362).
• Numbers suggest they are a more inside-focused team, with a 53.1 percent point distribution on two-pointers (No. 105).

Defensive Efficiency – No. 290

• Incarnate Word’s main struggle is on defense. Teams are shooting a 74 percent effective field goal percentage (No. 365 – worst in Division I). Teams are shooting 52 percent from three (No. 365) and 69.6 percent from two (No. 364).
• The Cardinals are a very high fouling team, with a 62.5 percent free-throw rate (No. 361). That’s also where opponents are finding a good percentage of their points (27.6 percent, No. 30).
• UIW doesn’t force a lot of turnovers, with a 15.2 percent rate (No. 270).

OG’s Pick

Overall Record: 3-0

Another day, another win.

Let’s keep it going, shall we? Frankly, I cannot give Incarnate Word any chance of a win because of how poor those defensive numbers look. IU could easily have a field day in all phases of the game, but especially on offense. If a combination of Colorado State, Jarvis Christian University, and Southwestern Christian has shot for 52 percent from three, I could only imagine what Indiana could potentially do on Sunday.

PICK: Indiana 105 – Incarnate Word 61

For complete coverage of IU basketball, GO HERE.    

The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

• Find us on Facebook:  thedailyhoosier
• You can follow us on Twitter:  @daily_hoosier
• Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.