Thoughts on a 91-57 win against Eastern Illinois:
In its 2026-27 season debut, Indiana picked up where it left off in its exhibition slate — and then some.
The Hoosiers were just bigger, faster, stronger in this one. They bullied the Panthers on both sides of the ball, their physicality and athleticism proving too much for Eastern Illinois to handle across 40 minutes.
Indiana got to the line a ton, posting a free throw rate of 55 percent. Multiple Hoosiers put pressure on Eastern Illinois’ defense off the bounce across both halves, including the likes of Markus Burton, Jaeden Mustaf, Bryce Lindsay, Darren Harris, Trevor Manhertz and Aiden Sherrell. The Hoosiers finished 24-of-32 (75 percent) from the line. The Panthers took just seven free throws all game, making four.
“Their aggressiveness to continue to get into the paint, press their defense a little bit, get t0 the free throw line, there was a lot of good things there,” IU head coach Darian DeVries said after the content. “Big picture that’s going to be something we’re going to need — those type of paint touches.”
The Hoosiers continue to hit the offensive glass, as they ripped down 38 percent of their misses leading to a 15-3 advantage in second-chance points. Samet Yigitoglu snagged five of Indiana’s 13 offensive rebounds.
Indiana’s defense also aided its offense in this one. The Hoosiers racked up 13 steals and turned the Panthers over on 31 percent of their possessions, leading to 29 points off turnovers — nearly a third of their points for the evening. The Hoosiers also scored 20 fastbreak points, consistently getting out in transition and capitalizing on those opportunities.
After the Panthers cut it to 24-21 with 9:45 to go in the first half, the Hoosiers ripped off a 20-2 run to close the half, not allowing a field goal from Eastern Illinois across that time. It was the turning point of the game and the Panthers never seriously threatened in the second half.
Indiana scored almost half a point per possession more for the contest (1.29 vs. .81). The Hoosiers also had a nice night from deep (9-of-24, 37.5 percent), while the Panthers hit just 3-of-14 (21.4 percent).
Individually, it was a great night for Burton. The Notre Dame transfer scored at all three levels, hitting 7-of-8 from the field and 3-of-3 from 3-point range to lead all scorers with 19 points. His ability to consistently drive off the perimeter and attract help defense opened up opportunities for teammates, and he found them for scores. Burton’s five assists were also a game-high.
Bryce Lindsay (14 points, 3-of-5 from deep) continues to be a strong scorer for the Hoosiers. Manhertz (11 points, 3-of-5 from the field) continues to lead the charge for Indiana’s freshman class. The Hoosiers had just three blocks tonight, but they came from — who else? — their new big-man duo of Yigitoglu (two) and Sherrell (one).
Size. Speed. Physicality. Multiple downhill drivers. More versatility. So far, and quite early still, these are your 2026-27 Indiana Hoosiers.
