Indiana men’s basketball has no shortage of accolades among its experienced roster. A two-time All-Pac-12 First Team member and last season’s Pac-12 and Big Ten Freshman of the Year play for the Hoosiers.
But they weren’t the story during the second half of the Hoosiers’ game Thursday night.
Instead, it was Indiana’s sole freshman, forward Bryson Tucker, who fueled a late charge to avoid being upset by the double-digit underdog University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a 69-58 win Thursday night inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
Tucker posted a career-high 14 points, 12 of which came in the second half, off the bench, proving himself to be the rather unlikely hero in the Hoosiers’ win. Except his performance wasn’t all that unlikely.
Sure, the four-star recruit from Bowie, Maryland, wasn’t expecting starting minutes when he arrived in Bloomington this year, but he knew why he came to Indiana.
“I’m here to win,” Tucker said during Indiana basketball’s institutional media day Sept. 18. “That’s really all it is for me.”
He chose to wear the Cream and Crimson to win games and that's what the Hoosiers have done. Now, undefeated through its first four games this season, Indiana has made winning plays. Against UNC Greensboro, it was Tucker’s turn to do the same.
Despite bolting to a 17-3 lead out of the gate, the Hoosiers found themselves in a deadlock with the Spartans, tied at 40 early in the second half. A major contributor to Indiana’s blown lead was UNC Greensboro’s 13-4 run out of the intermission, which stemmed from an over four-minute Indiana field goal drought, which Tucker emphatically ended.
With a double-screen set play designed to give the freshman space in the paint, Tucker showcased a spin move reminiscent of an Olympic figure skater as he dazzled to the rim for an and-one layup.
He followed that up with a pull-up mid-range jumper to start a 14-2 Indiana run, which proved to be the deciding factor against the Spartans.
“Tucker came in, and he shined for a freshman,” Indiana head coach Mike Woodson said postgame. “I leaned on him tonight, and he came through and did some positive things.”
But it wasn’t simply his second-half success on the offensive end that made his performance remarkable; Tucker managed something most freshmen in college basketball fail to do. He took care of the ball.
Indiana had 14 turnovers against UNC Greensboro — Tucker had zero. Of the five Hoosiers who played 25 or more minutes Thursday night, only the true freshman, in his fourth career game, was free of turnovers.
“I come in, I know what I'm in there for: to score, play defense,” Tucker said following a 12-point performance against Eastern Illinois University on Nov. 10. “So, I just make the most of that and just stay focused.”
Tucker’s impact off the bench wasn’t necessarily expected as he entered the game, averaging 6 points per game. Regardless, he has continued to prove himself as a willing and capable scorer in the Indiana offense, when given the chance.
In an exhibition against Marian University on Nov. 1, Tucker had a team-high 23 minutes of playing time. The result? A team-high 19 points. When on the court, the 6-foot-7 forward has displayed his ability to be a dynamic scorer even without a presence from the perimeter, as he’s only attempted three 3-pointers this season.
A beaming confidence in the midrange, whether off the catch or off the dribble, and a proven ability to finish at the rim have been parts of Tucker’s game transferable to the Division I level.
As he continues to grow within the Hoosiers’ roster, he’ll have a chance to follow in the footsteps of his more experienced teammates, as he looks to earn some accolades of his own.
Tucker and the Hoosiers will be in action once again against the University of Louisville on Nov. 27 at noon, as they travel to the Bahamas to compete in the 2024 Battle 4 Atlantis.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa) and columnist Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
