Why Indiana beat North Carolina in marquee ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup

Zach Osterman and Rodd Baxley, Indianapolis Star
·4 min read

BLOOMINGTON – A sold-out, raucous Assembly Hall bore witness to one of the best atmospheres and biggest nonconference wins in the recent history of its program Wednesday night, a 77-65 defeat of North Carolina as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

The Hoosiers were in control virtually throughout the game.

"We lost tonight because Indiana was better — plain and simple, period, the end," UNC coach Hubert Davis said.

UNC (5-3) trimmed its deficit to seven with just under seven minutes left, but Indiana (7-0) leaned on its pressure defense and effective offense on the interior to prevail.

The Hoosiers, who led by as many as 15 points in the second half, dominated on the interior with 50 points in the paint.

"I'm not discouraged, but I'm disappointed," Davis said. ". ... It hasn't wavered me at all on the type of kids that I'm around every day. I love 'em. I wouldn't pick another 18 guys than the ones we have in the locker room.

"I wouldn't pick another 18 guys to go to battle with the rest of the year. We're a good basketball team. We haven't played our best the last three games, but we're gonna get better, we're gonna improve and we're gonna bounce back - plain and simple, period, the end."

Here are three reasons why:

Hood-Schifino pulls Hoosiers up early, Johnson closes late

It’s probably not been the start to his career Jalen Hood-Schifino envisioned, at least offensively. His jumper has come and gone, and he entered play Wednesday just 25% from behind the 3-point line across Indiana’s first six games.

Any hesitation he felt, he didn’t show, scoring 12 points (one under his career high) just in the first half against the Tar Heels. Hood-Schifino scored No. 8 IU’s first seven of the night, giving them instant offense in an otherwise fractured start.

Doyel:2-hour infomercial for national ESPN audience roars, 'IU basketball is back.'

Insider:Behind Trayce Jackson-Davis, Mike Woodson has built IU into a bully-ball masterpiece

On a night when all 30 NBA teams had scouts in the building for one of the most-anticipated nonconference games of the season, Hood-Schifino looked as good as any player on the floor. His 12 paired nicely with Trayce Jackson-Davis’ 10 in the first half, the Hoosiers (7-0) dominating No. 15 North Carolina around the rim and battling through foul trouble to lead 35-29 at intermission.

On the other side of the evening was his experienced counterpart. Where Hood-Schifino started hot, Xavier Johnson finished coolly, hitting 8-of-10 free throws on his way to 20 points. Many of those free throws came in 1-and-1 situations late in the second half, icing a game that never felt as close as it was.

Between them, the pair finished with 34 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. They were outstanding.

The battle down low

Indiana felt the best and worst of it Wednesday.

At one end, they dominated, to the tune of an eye-popping 50 paint points. Even against a North Carolina (5-3) team anchored by All-American Armando Bacot, the Hoosiers were inevitable around the rim. Jackson-Davis led the effort with 21 points, but Trey Galloway and Xavier Johnson chipped in, and the Hoosiers never stopped attacking the rim.

At the other, Indiana’s defense kept Bacot quiet, not even allowing him a made field goal in the first 18 minutes of the game. He finished with just 12 points, on 4-of-10 shooting.

But North Carolina’s athleticism and excellent rebound game got the Hoosiers in trouble. Virtually every available big man — Logan Duncomb sat out Wednesday’s game through illness — spent most of the night balancing fouls. It was to Indiana’s credit how well it defended through that, given how reliant the Hoosiers are on their rim protection. For one night, defense didn’t affect offense, and Indiana controlled the paint where they needed to.

Indiana's Trey Galloway (32) celebrates his dunk during the Indiana versus North Carolina men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022.
Indiana's Trey Galloway (32) celebrates his dunk during the Indiana versus North Carolina men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022.

Fouls, fouls, fouls

They became North Carolina’s last real equalizer as they piled up in the second half. Going into the final media timeout of the night, Indiana led by 11 despite having been whistled for 13 more fouls, resulting in an 18-4 North Carolina advantage in points off free throws to that point.

Mike Woodson spent most of the night visibly frustrated with the officiating crew of Larry Scirotto, Courtney Green and Paul Szelc, adamant the visitors were getting a soft touch his team wasn’t receiving. His pleas, rightly or wrongly, fell on deaf ears, as did the repeated and resounding choruses of boos piled on from a rabid Assembly Hall crowd.

Without the difference, Wednesday’s game probably wouldn’t — and perhaps shouldn’t — have been so close, the Hoosiers stronger almost everywhere else. But it was a valuable lesson for Indiana, that while games might or might not be called this way in Big Ten play, there’s a very good chance they will be in March. IU has to adjust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Why Indiana basketball beat North Carolina in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Liberal and NDP MPs lament departure of longtime Tory MP as Status of Women chair

    OTTAWA — Liberal and NDP MPs are lamenting the loss of the longtime Conservative chair of the parliamentary committee on the Status of Women, saying they hope the change doesn't hurt their ability to work together across party lines. Members of the committee said they were disappointed to learn that Karen Vecchio, lauded as a collaborator, would no longer be at the helm. Vecchio was first elected as chair in 2017 and has served in the role for years. Her time as committee chair ended Wednesday,

  • 3 ways companies are using sustainability technology: Expert

    Earth Day is right around the corner — Monday, April 22 — along with earnings for major recycling service companies like Waste Management (WM) and Republic Services (RSG). What can be learned from these companies as well as how much of an opportunity is there in sustainability? PA Consulting Sustainability & Regenerative Economy Expert Tony Perrotta joins Yahoo Finance to discuss market opportunities in sustainability, to which he believe there is $12 trillion worth of value, and how companies are utilizing recycling technologies already. Perrotta lays out the major ways companies are working to adopt sustainable methods: "First, better mechanical recycling practices are definitely growing and on the scene, leveraged by things like vision technology, robotics, and any conversation that includes technology obviously includes AI... Second, here in the US, advanced recycling technologies are coming on the scene in a major way, so the ability to either use a chemical process or a physical heat process to take hard-to-recycle materials and return them back to useable form. And then, finally, what we're most excited about is a move into novel and alternative materials altogether. In this realm, you've got things like seaweed, alginates, and plant-based fibers..." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Water levels across N.W.T. still mostly well below average — except for the Peel

    The N.W.T. saw lots of snowpack in the north this winter, but little in the south, according to the territory's spring water outlook released Thursday.The territory is in a multi-year drought, with dry conditions contributing to wildfire danger (last year's season was the worst on record), and record-low water levels sparking concern from hunters and others who use the territory's rivers and lakes.Water levels remain low in most of the territory — except for the Peel River basin, where both wate

  • Pegulas exploring sale in stake of Bills

    Terry Pegula, owner of the Buffalo Bills, is open to selling a minority stake of the team for the first time since taking ownership in 2014. Tim Graham was the first to report this and spoke with 7News some more on the topic.

  • Canucks set to face Predators in first playoff appearance since 2020

    VANCOUVER — Expectations for the Vancouver Canucks were not high heading into the season. Asked in September if he expected the team to make the playoffs, president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford hedged. “To be very to the point, the changes that we made, we have a playoff team if everything goes right,” he said. Things did go right. On Sunday, the Canucks will host their first home playoff game since 2015 when they kick off a first-round matchup against the Nashville Predators. Vancouver h

  • Maple Leafs, Bruins set to renew playoff hostilities: 'Here we go again'

    BOSTON — Auston Matthews has closed the book on his staggering regular season. The Maple Leafs sniper came one shot — one crossbar — short of becoming just the ninth player in NHL history to reach 70 goals in a campaign. Toronto's star attraction and his teammates limped over the finish line with four straight losses to close out the schedule in games that were largely insignificant as Matthews pushed for the milestone. The slate now wiped clean, the Leafs' attention is squarely on the playoffs

  • Nebraska's governor says he'll call lawmakers back to address tax relief

    OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen threatened from the beginning of this year's legislative session that he would call lawmakers back for a special session if they failed to pass a bill to significantly ease soaring property taxes. On the last day of the 60-day session Thursday, some lawmakers who helped torpedo an already anemic tax-shifting bill said they would welcome Pillen's special session. “We're not going to fix this bill today,” said Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, the lone independent

  • Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck

    Tesla is recalling 3,878 of its 2024 Cybertrucks after it discovered that the accelerator pedal can become stuck, potentially causing the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally and increase the risk of a crash. The accelerator pedal pad may dislodge and become trapped by the interior trim, according to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall involves model year 2024 Cybertrucks made between Nov. 13, 2023 and April 4, 2024, according to the NHTSA. As of Monday,

  • Kansas has a new anti-DEI law, but the governor has vetoed bills on abortion and even police dogs

    TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Friday vetoed proposed tax breaks for anti-abortion counseling centers while allowing restrictions on college diversity initiatives approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature to become law without her signature. Gov. Laura Kelly also vetoed a bill with bipartisan support to increase the penalties for killing a law enforcement dog or horse, a move that the GOP leader who pushed it called “political pettiness.” In addition, she rejected two

  • Major water users in southern Alberta agree to curb consumption in face of drought

    CALGARY — More than three dozen major water users in southern Alberta have agreed to voluntarily curb their consumption if there's a severe drought this spring or summer, but critics warn the deals won't do enough to address the issue. The province announced Friday that municipalities, irrigation districts and industry players have signed memorandums of understanding covering four sub-basins: the Red Deer River, the Bow River, the mainstem of the Oldman River and upper tributaries of the Oldman.

  • Here’s how Phish is using the Sphere's technology to give fans something completely different

    LAS VEGAS (AP) — Phish opened its four-night stay at the Sphere Thursday with a four-hour show that used the advanced technology in the $2.3 billion arena to deliver a show that even the band's most ardent fans have never experienced before. “We came in really wanting to do a show that was a great Phish show,” said co-creative director Abigail Rosen Holmes. She said the band and its creative team wanted to mix the Sphere’s technical capabilities and consider “what can we do for Phish that we may

  • Bridgewater Co-CIO on tech selloff, Fed rate cut path

    A slide in tech stock caused the S&P 500 (^GSPC) to close lower on Friday for the sixth straight day. Bridgewater Associates Co-Chief Investment Officer Karen Karniol-Tambour notes that a lot of investors tend to have significant exposure not just to US stocks but some of the Big Tech names specifically. As a result, "it doesn't take a lot to basically say 'maybe I'm too concentrated,'" Karniol-Tambour says, prompting them to sell the stocks. When it comes to when the Federal Reserve will start cutting rates, Karniol-Tambour thinks that "on the margin, we're going to get a little bit less rate cuts than what's in the market, but all of that is a lot less than what was expected just a couple of months ago." She adds that the market is "catching up to the reality" that with both the economy and inflation remaining strong, rates are going to have to stay higher for longer.   Karniol-Tambour advises investors to build a resilient portfolio. How do you do that? She gives a few suggestions, including shifting asset allocations to have less exposure to stocks, picking stocks that may be more resilient to whatever the economy brings, and looking at what stocks will perform when "everything else falls." Watch the video above to hear which region Karniol-Tambour says investors may want to start taking a closer look at. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Market Domination Overtime. This post was written by Stephanie Mikulich.

  • Remembering Corey DePooter | Columbine 25 years

    In honor of the victims of Columbine on the occasion of 25 years since the tragedy, these are the inscriptions on each plaque provided by the Columbine Memorial Foundation. This is Corey DePooter’s tribute.

  • Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial identified as ‘researcher’ who posted conspiracy-laden manifesto moments earlier

    The NYPD identified the man as Maxwell Azzarello, 37, who is now in critical condition in Cornell burns unit. He has a long history of posting conspiracy theories and railing against the rich and powerful

  • Opening statements set for Monday in Trump's hush money case

    A full jury of 12 people and six alternates was seated Friday in Donald Trump’s hush money case, setting the stage for opening statements next week in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president.

  • 'City within a city': Montreal announces plan for 40,000-person neighbourhood

    MONTREAL — After several false starts, the City of Montreal announced on Friday a new vision to redevelop a former horse racing track into a neighbourhood for up to 40,000 people. Calling the project a "city within a city," Mayor Valérie Plante said half the 20,000 units planned for the site in and around the old Hippodrome will be reserved for affordable housing. For years city officials have tried to build on the site — the most recent failure was in the fall in 2022, when Plante couldn't get

  • UPDATE 1-Lululemon to shutter Washington distribution center, lay off 128 employees

    Lululemon Athletica will close its distribution center in the state of Washington at the end of the year and lay off more than 100 employees, the apparel retailer told Reuters on Friday. The Vancouver-based firm will shutter the Sumner distribution center as part of its business optimization effort and cut 128 jobs beginning June 21, according to a WARN notice filed with the state's Employment Security Department. The move comes at a time when Lululemon is seeing slowing demand for its premium athleisure in North America, where excessive inventory levels at sporting retailers has resulted in lower orders for sportswear and apparel firms.

  • Tesla, Boeing, Big Tech earnings, PCE data: What to watch

    As the week draws to a close at Yahoo Finance, anchors Julie Hyman and Madison Mills preview the key events to watch in the upcoming week. Earnings results will be in focus. Tuesday sees a number of big names reporting, such as Tesla (TSLA), PepsiCo (PEP), and General Electric (GE). On Wednesday, Boeing (BA) will unveil its first quarter earnings, an eagerly anticipated report as the company continues to navigate significant headwinds and operational challenges. There are also earnings from Big Tech companies Meta (META), Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG), and Microsoft (MSFT). Friday energy giants Chevron (CVX) and ExxonMobil (XOM) are scheduled to release their earnings reports, providing insights into the health and dynamics of the oil market. Last, the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, will be released on Friday. It's a crucial metric for the central bank's future monetary policy decisions. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Market Domination Overtime. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • TSS Rovers FC replace Victoria Highlanders in Canadian Championship field

    TSS Rovers FC are replacing the inactive Victoria Highlanders in this year's Canadian Championship and will face Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League in the preliminary round. The Highlanders secured the Canadian championship berth by winning League1 B.C. in July. But the club announced earlier this month that it will not operate a men's or women's team this season. "Despite our best efforts over the past two months we have been unable to reach an agreement with the new owners of League1 B.

  • Stock Market Action Plan: Tesla, Microsoft, Boeing, Google, Meta Headline A Big Earnings Week

    The stock market wades into the thick of earnings season with Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Boeing and other leading names due to report.