Indiana got exactly what it needed on Saturday: a chance to reset after Kentucky, build better habits, and simply play basketball again — and for one half, the Hoosiers looked like a team embracing that opportunity.
The first 20 minutes were the best stretch of basketball we’ve seen since early December. The ball moved. The floor was spaced. Shooters were confident, and Indiana rained in threes at a remarkable clip. The Hoosiers attempted a school-record 46 threes, and in the first half, it didn’t feel forced. Those looks came from drive-and-kick action, purposeful cuts, and unselfish passing — not desperation.
Just as important, Indiana took care of the ball. Only six turnovers through the first 32 minutes — the kind of composure and decision-making that had been missing in recent road losses. That’s a habit that travels. That’s a habit that matters.
And defensively, there was progress, too. The Hoosiers committed a season-low 10 fouls, and for the first time in a while, foul trouble didn’t dictate the rotation. Against Chicago State, Indiana defended without reaching, stayed vertical, and forced tough shots instead of free throws. Again — these are details that can be built on.
But the second half reminded us where the work remains.
After halftime, the magic faded. The threes that fell early stopped dropping, and with the volume of attempts, the misses piled up. Indiana was actually outscored in the second half, and much of that shift had one root cause:
Too many possessions ended with a long jumper, and too few ended at the rim.
Darian DeVries said as much afterward — noting that when the outside shots stopped falling, the ball needed to go inside more. Whether that means post touches, driving downhill, or forcing defensive rotations, Indiana must develop a counterpunch when three-point shooting cools.
Relying on jump shots alone won’t survive January.
And yet — the right takeaway isn’t disappointment. It’s perspective.
This was a game to build habits, not to make declarations.
The first half showed what this team can look like when spacing, confidence, and patience align.
The second half showed what happens when those habits slip.
Both matter.
Because the schedule is about to turn. Siena is next. Then a holiday break. Then the teeth of the Big Ten.
The challenge ahead is learning to sustain the positives we saw — to value the ball for 40 minutes, defend without fouling for 40 minutes, and create high-quality shots even when the threes stop falling.
A Hopeful View
Saturday was progress — not perfection.
It was a step — not a finish line.
The encouraging part is that the strengths we saw in the first half weren’t accidental. They were the result of spacing, movement, and discipline. Those things can be taught. They can be repeated. They can be turned into habits.
And if Indiana can bottle the energy of that first half, while learning from the stagnation of the second, then this afternoon wasn’t just a win over Chicago State.
It was a small — but important — brick in the foundation this team is trying to build.
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