Indiana University Athletics
No. 23 Indiana Runs Past Nicholls State, 99-65
11/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - Marco Killingsworth had 28 points and 13 rebounds in his Indiana debut, and Marshall Strickland added a career-high 25 points to lead No. 23 Indiana to a 99-65 victory over Nicholls State on Friday night.
Killingsworth, a fifth-year senior, sat out last season after transferring from Auburn.
Indiana won its eighth straight season opener despite playing without starters A.J. Ratliff and D.J. White. Ratliff is out with a broken right thumb, and White has a broken left foot.
Stefan Blaszczynski scored 26 points for Nicholls State. Ryan Bathie added 11 points.
The combination of the Hoosiers' new up-tempo offense and the inside power of Killingsworth was too much for the Colonels. By halftime, Killingsworth had 15 points and eight rebounds, and Strickland had scored 18 points.
Nicholls State led 8-4 early, but the Hoosiers took control with a 20-6 run midway through the first half. The Colonels closed to 35-31, but Indiana ended the half on a 7-2 run and led 52-42 at the break.
Indiana went on a 13-5 run early in the second half and extended its lead to 75-53 lead with 11:17 remaining.
Indiana scored the most points in its season opener since a 103-80 victory over Murray State in 1992-93, the last time the Hoosiers won the Big Ten title outright.
