Sophomore guard Armaan Franklin led IU men’s basketball from 3-point range in his hometown in the team’s 68-60 win over Butler University on Saturday in the Crossroads Classic.
Last year, Franklin nailed a clutch 3-pointer with 30 seconds left at Bankers Life Fieldhouse to secure the win over the University of Notre Dame in the Crossroads Classic.
But this year — unlike the last two years — the Hoosiers didn’t need a buzzer beater to win.
Franklin scored a career-high 20 points, shooting 58% from the field. He knocked down shots when the team was down to end scoring droughts, and continued to score to extend the Hoosiers’ lead.
And he did it all in his hometown of Indianapolis.
Franklin went to high school just 7 miles away from Bankers Life Fieldhouse, but he said he didn’t like playing there in high school because he didn’t play well.
However, since he’s been at IU, Franklin has played well in all three games he’s played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse — with his best performance yet against Butler on Saturday.
In Indianapolis, Franklin now averages 16.7 points per game and has shot 70.6% from 3-point range.
“I still don’t know why this gym is having these good shooting performances,” Franklin said.
IU head coach Archie Miller said Franklin has been a weapon from the perimeter for the Hoosiers these last few games to open up the inside. He said teams need to worry about him.
Franklin made his first 3-pointer just more than a minute into the game. Five minutes later, he hit two more 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions.
In addition to setting a career-high in scoring, he also helped his teammates find the basket. Miller said the team did a good job of being unselfish.
With six minutes left in the first half, Franklin found sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis who pounded the ball in the paint for an and-one. Franklin pumped his fist in the air excitedly after the call.
“Armaan has always been a great player,” Jackson-Davis said. “I already knew he was capable of doing all these things, and all the work is starting to show out here and he's become a really, really good guard.”
When Butler went on a 12-3 run near the end of the first half, Franklin was the only Hoosier to score. He stepped up to knock down those shots when the team needed them most.
“Make no mistakes, those were big shots that Armaan made,” Miller said. “His confidence level is at a really good place as this nonconference finishes up.”
After finishing up the half down 37-32, IU went on a 15-3 run in the first seven minutes of the second half.
Franklin continued to shoot from range to stretch out the team’s lead.
“Armaan, he's playing with great confidence,” Miller said. “He's earned that right. He's working hard at it. And like I've said before, he's really developed into a player I think is one of the most improved players in our league this year.”
Just before the under-four minute media timeout, Franklin had the assist to junior forward Race Thompson to put the Hoosiers up 64-51 over the Bulldogs.
During that timeout, Franklin’s mom, India, was dancing on the big screen in celebration, wearing her mask that read “#2 Armaan Franklin.”
When the final buzzer sounded and “Indiana Our Indiana” played over speakers, the IU families in the stands got on their feet and cheered, waving cream and crimson pom poms.
Not only did Franklin set a career-high in his hometown, but he did it in front of his mom — who was there clapping and dancing for him when the score became final.
