IU basketball: Indiana 69 Incarnate Word 61 — Three keys, highlights, final stats

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana defeated Incarnate Word Sunday evening at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall by a final score of 69-61.

The three keys to the game, highlights and final stats are below. For Darian DeVries, Tucker DeVries and Sam Alexis postgame, GO HERE.

Indiana led 35-19 at halftime. They were led in the game by Sam Alexis with 16 points. Tucker DeVries added 14.

Now 4-0, the Hoosiers will host Lindenwood on Thursday evening.

Stay tuned to The Daily Hoosier for more coverage of the game.

THREE KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Hoosiers get strong bench production. With their top scorers struggling, Sam Alexis and Trent Sisley stepped up off the bench. Alexis scored a team high 16 and Sisley added 10 for the Hoosiers. They also tied for a team high eight rebounds. Alexis and Sisley were the only two to score off the bench for IU, but their production accounted for 38% of IU’s points and certainly was needed on a night when Tucker DeVries and Lamar Wilkerson combined to 6 of 19 from the field.

2. First half defense bails out Indiana. On a night when nothing seemed to go in on the offensive end, Indiana’s defense held Incarnate Word to just 20.7% from the field and 5 turnovers in the first half. That allowed the Hoosiers to build enough of a margin to hang on. The defense wasn’t nearly as good in the second half, as the Cardinals shot 54.8% from the field. But it wasn’t enough to close the 16-point halftime margin.

3. The ball still moves despite shots not falling. The shots weren’t falling, but Indiana had plenty of open looks. And the Hoosiers assisted on 18 of 23 makes. Starting guards Tayton Conerway and Conor Enright combined for 12 assists against three turnovers. While the Hoosiers were just 5 of 24 from three, they did convert on 18 of 29 (62%) from two.

HIGHLIGHTS