Indiana men’s basketball is sitting pretty at 2-0 after a 92-69 victory against Bellarmine on Thursday evening at Assembly Hall, but don’t let the final score fool you. While there was plenty to like, Darian DeVries’ squad showed more than a few rough edges, especially in a second half that saw the offense take a noticeable dip and turnovers pile up. The margin of victory probably could’ve been bigger even with DeVries pulling the end-of-bench guys out there.
The New Sharpshooter Is REAL
Let’s start with the good, because there was plenty of it. Darren Harris, the Duke transfer everyone has been hyping up, showed exactly why he came to the college ranks with that sharpshooting reputation. This dude looked the part against Bellarmine, going 5-10 from 3-point range and dropping 23 points. He looks confident when the ball reaches his hands, releasing without hesitation if he gets any bit of room to do so. That’s a direct result of DeVries’ coaching, and the Hoosiers are going to need him to play like that all season.
Second Half Blues and Foul Trouble That Won’t Quit
Talk about a tale of two halves, though. The Hoosiers offense absolutely hummed in the first, putting up 50 points while shooting 57.1% from the field. They were moving the rock, too, finishing with 16 made field goals on 11 assists, and six different Hoosiers had an assist in the game. That kind of unselfish play is gonna be a necessity with all the versatility on this roster. But then BAM, the wheels kinda came off in the second. The offense sagged hard, dropping to 42 points on a much rougher 44.1% from the field. Even worse, those assists dried up, with only five dimes to a staggering nine turnovers. That kind of drop-off? Not gonna fly against tougher competition.
And then there’s Markus Burton. Man, he’s gotta clean it up. He fouled out of this one entirely with a few minutes to go, and it’s become a trend for him dating back to the preseason. This isn’t necessarily a new issue, as he averages around three fouls per game for his career. He’s trying to make up for being undersized with more physicality, which is cool, but you can’t be hurting the team like that, especially when you have a pair of 7-footers behind you to protect the rim!
On the bright side, Aiden Sherrell really shrugged off game one and looked great in this one. He finished with an efficient 12 points on 5-6 shooting, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out two assists while picking up just a single foul. Those are pretty solid numbers, and you know there’s even more potential there.
The Hoosiers can’t afford these kinds of second-half lapses, especially when they face Syracuse on Monday. Other, more capable teams than Bellarmine could absolutely use that as an opening to make it a real game. DeVries and the crew need to get this ironed out, and fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply