Per ESPN's Basketball Power Index, IU men's basketball has the nation's toughest scehedule for the remainder of the season. That begins with hosting University of Arkansas on Sunday night in the final game of non-conference play. IU is 11-1 and Arkansas is 10-1. IU is 33rd in the KenPom rankings and Arkansas is 36th. This is the third time the two have played in the last 13 months. The last meeting was in Bloomington in the National Invitational Tournament, in which IU won.
IU has shown to be one of the deepest teams in the nation this season. Against Arkansas' four guard lineup, IU's guard depth will be challenged while playing its smaller lineup with Trayce Jackson-Davis at center.
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FINAL: Arkansas steals a game from Indiana, 71-64. It led for over 28 minutes, before collapsing late. It blew leads against Nebraska, and against Notre Dame and it didn’t bite them. Tonight, it does. IU drops to 11-2. Big Ten play the rest of the way. Arkansas closed that game on a 19-3 run over 7:49. IU had a lead of 11 points and blew it.
Indiana timeout: Its a 15-1 Arkansas run. 67-62 lead for Arkansas. It has bee in foul trouble, and keeps rolling anyway. IU hasn’t made a field goal in six minutes. 2:01 to go, and IU has work to do as it couldn’t hold a lead again.
Under-4 timeout: All tied up at 61. IU hasn’t scored in 4:51, and Arkansas has gone on a 9-0 run. All year IU hasn’t held leads well. IU hasn’t had the success it had in the paint in the first half at all. Just nine points in the paint this half.
Under-8 timeout: 61-56 IU lead. Trayce Jackson-Davis now has 20 points. But IU just can’t maintain its leads. Its led for 26:08, but every time it seems to pull away, it lets Arkansas right back in the game.
Under 12 timeout: That lead has dipped back into a close game, as seems to happen a lot to IU. Trayce Jackson-Davis hasn’t had the same impact this half and IU has just six points in the paint. 54-50 IU lead.
17:21 to play: Five points for Devonte Green right out of the break as a media timeout is called. IU suddenly has a nine point lead, 45-36, its largest of the game.
HALFTIME: IU leads 38-33. Trayce Jackson-Davis (16 points) and IU’s forwards overall were the stars on offense. IU with a huge edge in points in the paint, smaller one in rebounding. 26 of IU’s 38 points were scored by forwards. IU is holding Arkansas to 34% shooting, including 4-14 from three.
Under-4 timeout: 31-29 IU lead. Trayce Jackson Davis and Joey Brunk have had their way inside. IU has built a small rebounding edge. It has 22 of its 31 points in the paint. Arkansas only has 10. Though worth noting some of Arkansas’ key scorers are flirting with foul trouble.
Al Durham will be ejected on a flagrant two foul. Arkansas strength is its guards. They’ve had a clear advantage with quickness against IU’s size. And suddenly now IU without a guard, where IU isn’t as deep anyway. This will likely mean an increase in playing time for Armaan Franklin more than anyone else. Or Archie Miller shortens the rotation and keeps Phinisee/Green in for longer stretches.
Under-8 timeout: Trayce Jackson-Davis beat everyone down the floor for an easy bucket putting IU up one at the media timeout, 22-21. He has 11 points now. That gives IU eight assists (Durham’s pass set up the dunk) compared to Arkansas’ two. Game has been back and forth the whole way, no separation either direction. Most uncharacteristic aspect for IU has been its shortage of free throw attempts compared to normal.
Under-12 timeout: IU has 12 points in the paint. Arkansas has four. IU is having its way with the strength of its offense. And yet its only up one, 18-17. Rebouding has been even. In fact its been identical with each team having nine defensive rebounds and two offensive rebounds.
Under 16 timeout: IU has a point come off as a three is knocked down a two, but it still leads 7-6 as Trayce Jackson-Davis is about to head to the line. Stats pretty similar thus far overall. A lot of mismatches on both ends given the diffrences in style of lineups.
Pregame: IU starts its normal front court of Justin Smith, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Joey Brunk against an Arkansas starting lineup with four guards. Those four guards are Arkansas' four leading scorers, led by Mason Jones scoring 19.6 ppg. IU would figure to have an advantage on the interior, but Arkansas is a highly ranked defensive team. Captains Al Durham and Devonte Green are IU's starting guards.
Pregame: IU's streak of having every scholarship player available is short lived. Redshirt freshman Jerome Hunter is not dressed for tonight's game.
