Quick thoughts on a 76-58 exhibition win against North Carolina at Gainbridge Fieldhouse:
How it happened
First half: Indiana put together a strong first half in its exhibition game against North Carolina on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Hoosiers shot just 37.8 overall from the field, but went 5-for-14 on 3-pointers and 8-for-8 from the free-throw line to build a 41-29 cushion at the break. Bryce Lindsay, who again came off the bench, was a big reason for IU’s 12-point lead. Lindsay led all scorers with 18 first-half points. The transfer from Villanova was 5-for-9 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. The Hoosiers also had success on the offensive glass, grabbing 11 of their missed shots and finishing the half with 10 second chance points. IU also limited UNC to only four offensive rebounds and no second chance points.
Second half: Save for a 9-0 run by North Carolina early in the second half that got the Tar Heels within eight at 46-38 and later seven at 47-40, Indiana maintained control in the final 20 minutes. Exhibition or not, it was an encouraging performance for an IU team looking to build some momentum and excitement for the fanbase ahead of the start of the season. Indiana showed its defensive potential by holding the Tar Heels to just 31.3 percent shooting in the second half. The Hoosiers used their length to challenge shots and also continued to excel on the defensive glass. Indiana led by as many as 22 points at 69-47 with 3:47 remaining before finishing with a comfortable 20-point win.
Standout performers
Lindsay led Indiana with 26 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Samet Yigitoglu led the Hoosiers with 11 rebounds and Aiden Sherrell added 10 rebounds. Yigitoglu had two points and Sherrell finished with seven points. The three other Hoosiers in double figures were Darren Harris and Markus Burton with 11 points each and Sam Alexis with 10.
Statistics that stand out
Indiana rebounded 49 percent of its misses and outscored UNC 17-7 on second-chance points. The Hoosiers also won the points off of turnovers battle, 19-11. IU held UNC to just .78 points per possession, a stingy defensive effort.
Up next for IU
The Hoosiers conclude exhibition play next Sunday against Western Kentucky at the Ford Center in Evansville. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on B1G+.
Final IU individual statistics
Final tempo-free statistics
