In a season where Big Ten teams have so mightily struggled on the road, IU men's basketball is one of a surpringsly large group of teams in the conference still looking for its first road win. IU is 0-3 on the road thus far in the 2019-20 season. The Hooiser are averaging losses of 15 point margins. They are scoring just 57.67 points per game.
Tonight, IU is on the road gainst Nebraska in what may be the weakest opponent IU has on the road for the reminader of the season. The Hoosiers got to Lincoln this morning after weather prevented them from being able to leave last night. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Follow along below for updates:
FINAL:
IU did not make it pretty late, nearly blowing another big lead. But the Hoosiers held on. IU beat Nebraska 82-74 and wins its first game on the road this season. It wins a road Big Ten game, which has been hard to come by even if IU was suppsoed to win this game anyway.
Trayce Jackson-Davis bounced back from his own personal struggles to lead IU with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Joey Brunk had 16 points and Justin Smith had 15. IU shot over 50% from the field on the road, though it did struggle from the line going 12-20. IU out-rebounded Nebraska 48-30 and got 21 bench points.
It was IU's best performance on the road, by far. It wasn't perfect, but IU's offense showed up in ways it hadn't all season, and while inconsistent, the defense had some good stretches too.
The Hoosiers are now 14-4 overall, 4-3 in the Big Ten and 1-3 on the road. There are no more so-called easy wins left on the schedule. IU's tournament resume has no big blemishes on it right now.
1:28 to play: Review underway on an out of bounds call with IU up eight. Hoosiers are not making it easy down the stretch, per usual. IU's free throw shooting, only at 62.5% hasn't been of too much help.
Under-4 timeout: 73-64 IU lead. Joey Brunk made a lay up to end an eight minute field goal dought. He's IU's leading scorer. He's made seven of his last eight shots. But IU isn't pulling away for good. Nebraska keeps hanging right around.
Under-8 timeout: A lull that has befallen IU so many times strikes again. That 19 points lead is down to eight, 70-62. 13-2 run for the Huskers. Hoosiers haven't scored in just under four minutes. Letting some of these second half leads fall apart has happened to IU well, a lot this season.
Under-12 timeout: Jackson-Davis has made each of his last five shots. He, along with two others, are in double figures for scoring. Nebraska clawed a bit back with a quick 5-0 run to make it a 68-54 IU lead, but the Hoosiers are in complete control right now. Nebraska has not been able to get stops at all.
Under-16 timeout: IU has been rolling to start this half. 15-3 run. IU leads 59-43. Everyting seems to be falling in a way it hasn't in a long, long time. 58.5% from the field and over 40% from three. Sure, it's one of the wearker Big Ten teams, but IU hasn't looked like this on the road all season.
Nebraska timeout, 17:51 to play: IU has been great with its midrange to start the second half. Hoosies start the half on an 6-0 run and lead 52-41. Hoosiers are shooting just under 57% from the field. Adjustments are being made against a Nebraska defense that hasn't allowed the post.
HALFTIME: IU scored 50 points agianst Rutgers, and it's scored 46 in the first half against Nebraska. IU leads 46-41.
Sure, IU has attemped 16 threes, but it has made six of them which is far better than normal, even if the percentage is low. Hoosiers offense has been as good in this first half as it has been at all on the road all season. IU has gotten 18 bench points.
But the biggest thing is that the offense hasn't been one dimensional. Mid range and three point shots have fallen. Perfect first half? Far from it, but best road half its had all year.
Nebraska timeout, 2:26 still to play in the first half: 9-0 IU run and the lead jumps to 42-34. Nebraska has played some poor defense both inside and on the perimeter as IU has come back and soared out to a lead. Offense has looked in rhythem though this comeback.
Under-4 timeout: Things have changed quite quickly. IU went on a 12-2 run, the threes are falling (while still being put up at a very high rate). IU has 6-15 from deep and leads 36-34. Hoosiers had a great lineup during that stretch of Rob Phinisee, Armaan Franklin, Jerome Hunter, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Joey Brunk.
Under-8 timeout: IU's defense holds Nebraska down since the 11-0 run, but it keeps shooting way too many threes. The gap has closed down to a 28-22 Huskers edge. Trayce Jackson-Davis finally attempted his first field goal, a dunk when he finally found space, and flushed it. But IU has now attempted 11 threes, already.
Indiana timeout, 12:17 to play in the first half: Nebraska goes on an 11-0 run in 81 seconds. It's another one of the early games runs that seem to plague IU every time on the road. IU has shot more 3-pointers (five) than free throws (four) thus far. Huskers lead 23-14.
Under-16 timeout: IU has in fact made a 3-pointer, Rob Phinisee made it, but trails 10-7 to Nebraska in front of a packed Pinnacle Bank Arena early. Trayce Jackson-Davis hasn't been fed the ball at all.
Pregame: IU is rolling with the same starteres its used in each of the last three games: Rob Phinisee, Al Durham, Justin Smith, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Joey Brunk. Though Archie Miller did say on the pregame radio show that he is going to play with some three guard lineups and going smaller when need be.
