Indiana men’s basketball added to its spotless non-conference resume Thursday night, defeating the University of North Carolina at Greensboro 69-58 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
Despite 14 turnovers and — at times — a stagnant offense, a 20-point, 6-assist performance from redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice was enough for the Hoosiers to walk away with a double-digit win over the Spartans. Rice and freshman forward Bryson Tucker were the only Hoosiers to finish in double-figures.
Defensively, the Hoosiers constricted the UNC Greensboro offense, forcing 14 turnovers of their own with the help of seven steals. They held the Spartans to a 20 for 63 clip from the field and 28.1% from beyond the arc.
Indiana won the tip and wasted no time building a lead, exploding to a 17-3 advantage with 13:42 to play in the first half. Still, an over five-minute-long scoring drought in addition to a 9-0 Spartan run cut the Hoosiers’ lead to as few as 6 points late in the first half. The Cream and Crimson recovered with an 8-0 run of their own and entered the intermission with a single digit lead up 36-27.
UNC Greensboro opened with a 13-4 to start the second half, tying the game at 40-40 as the weary Hoosier faithful inside Assembly Hall voiced their concerns through an array of boos. Tucker jump started the Hoosiers with five straight points, as they took an expedient 54-42 lead with 10:52 left in the game.
Tucker’s 12 second half points were a bright spot in an Indiana offense that struggled with efficiency in the second half, shooting 1 for 9 from the three-point line. The lone Hoosier freshman finished with a career high 14 points.
While Bloomington’s campus will be quiet for Thanksgiving break, Indiana (4-0) will prepare for a trip to the Bahamas to play in the 2024 Battle 4 Atlantis. The Hoosiers open play against the University of Louisville at noon on Nov. 27.
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.
