IU Basketball vs Incarnate Word — Live Updates and Discussion Thread (FINAL)

Follow along with live updates below as the Hoosiers host Incarnate Word for the first time.

Feel free also to join the discussion thread below to share your views.

Indiana and the Cardinals tip off at 5:30 p.m. ET on BTN.

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FINAL: Indiana 69 – Incarnate Word 61

SECOND HALF

Tahj Staveskie for UIW has made his last six shots. IU can’t contain him. Indiana leads 64-59 with 1:21 left.

Not over yet. IU leads 57-50 with 4:13 left.

What seemed to be another cruise of the second half has now turned a little dangerous for Indiana. UIW is 4 of their last 5 and have cut into the Hoosier lead.
IU can’t get anything to fall outside, even with wide-open looks. Lamar Wilkerson has just five points, and DeVries is 2-11 from the field. Indiana is going to have to battle down the stretch and make some shots to prevent disaster.

Indiana leads 50-36 with 9:04 left.

IU is really struggling to knock anything down from beyond the arc. Just 4-20 from three-point range. Maybe I jinxed them.
Alexis and Sisley are the only double-figure scorers tonight for Indiana. Games like this are certainly going to happen where shots are falling, but the supporting cast is called on to step up. It’s going to get more difficult once Big Ten play rolls around though.

Hoosiers lead 41-28 with 15:29 left.

Simply put, Indiana just looks a step slow today. Overall, there’s not a ton of energy in the building, and I think that’s playing a bigger factor than what people may think. A good number of students headed for the exits during halftime.
Indiana has played some very good defense, though. UIW is just 26% from the field tonight.

HALFTIME: Indiana 35 – Incarnate Word 19

FIRST HALF

Hoosiers lead 31-17 with 4 minutes left in the half.

It’s been a pretty slow offensive half by Indiana standards so far. Hoosiers are 48% from the field, but have only hit 3-11 from outside. Otherwise, playing a pretty complete game so far.
Alexis continues to show good effort on both sides. He leads all scorers with 11. Interested to see if a starting spot ever opens up for him if he continues to have productive outings.

IU up 23-14 with 8:20 left in the half.

Good game from Sam Alexis inside. Perfect 4-4 from the field with all being dunks. I’ve really liked what he brings on the inside on both ends.
IU is on a 12-2 run over the last four or so minutes. They’ve shot an even 50% from the field so far.

Hoosiers up 13-12 with 11:43 in the half.

Foul bug continues to hit IU, this time with Lamar Wilkerson. he picks up two early and heads to the bench.
No Nick Dorn yet, but I think he could really thrive in this zone, with a combo of him, DeVries, and Sisley. All are guys who can finish close but also stretch the floor.
Unrelated to the game itself, but the crowd here tonight is not great. The student section is filled with fewer than half of the main level. 5:30 start times are weird.

Indiana trails Incarnate Word 8-7 with 15:33 in the half.

I immediately see why UIW’s defensive numbers are the way they are. They play a pretty high 1-3-1 or 3-2 zone hybrid that leaves the middle open with some pockets of space on the outside. Indiana trying to figure things out still, but they’ve knocked one in from outside already.
The Cardinals have two early offensive rebounds in this game. That’s been a low spot for IU, especially in their last game.

PREGAME NOTES

No surprises on Indiana’s pregame availability report. Nick Dorn does not appear on the ‘Questionable’ section. Good chance we see a minutes increase from last time out.
As I noted in our Game Day Essentials, this has a good chance to get out of hand for Incarnate Word defensively. Teams have shot 52 percent from three against them, and Indiana is one of the best teams in that regard.
No change to the starting lineup. Conerway, Enright, Wilkerson, DeVries, and Bailey

Game Day Essentials:

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