Indiana lost to Syracuse by a final score of 112 to 110 in double overtime at the Carrier Dome on Tuesday evening.
Syracuse led 49-33 at halftime, the game was tied 88 at the end of regulation, and 97 at the end of the first overtime.
The Hoosiers (6-1) will begin Big Ten play against Nebraska on Saturday in Bloomington at Noon Eastern.
See also: Mike Woodson post-game
THREE KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Turnovers. Turnovers. Turnovers. The Hoosiers had 12 first half turnovers and dug a big hole because of them. For a while they had things under control, but a late flurry of miscues led to 22 at the end of regulation and they ended up with 25 for the game. Forwards Race Thompson and Trayce Jackson-Davis had 13 of the 25, as they struggled with back side help from the Syracuse zone as well as passing out of post. Indiana’s second half run to force overtime was fueled by better ball security, but they couldn’t maintain it.
2. Indiana perimeter defense struggles. Indiana’s defense wasn’t good on the ball and they didn’t adjust to ball screens well. Syracuse’s Buddy Boeheim, Jimmy Boeheim and Joe Girard combined for 75. Syracuse put Indiana’s guards in isolations and ball screens and while the defense improved in the second half, it was never at a high level. The effort overshadowed Miller Kopp and Parker Stewart combining for 48 points including 10-of-21 from three, and a second straight 30-plus point performance by Trayce Jackson-Davis.
3. No bench production. Of Indiana’s 110 points, just 10 came from the bench despite two starters fouling out. Khristian Lander played 10 minutes after Rob Phinisee and Xavier Johnson fouled out, and he scored four points including a three-pointer in the last thirty seconds of the second overtime to pull IU to within one. But Tamar Bates, Jordan Geronimo, Michael Durr and Phinisee had a total of six points.
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