Friday, December 23
Bloomington, Ind.
7:00 PM
Indiana University
10-3,1-1Big Ten
69
vs
55
Kennesaw State
8-5,0-0ASUN
1
2
F
Kennesaw St.
27
28
55
Indiana
27
42
69
Indiana Beats Kennesaw State 69-55 in Non-Conference Finale
12/23/2022 8:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Hoosiers got 19 points off the bench from Tamar Bates and another 18 points from freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino en route to a 69-55 win over Kennesaw State in IU's final non-conference game of the season.
Indiana shot 56.5 percent from the floor in the second half and outrebounded the Owls 40-28 on the game to pull away late and move to 10-3 on the season.
"I tip my hat to (Kennesaw State head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim) and his team because I thought they played harder than we did the first half," IU head coach Mike Woodson said. "I thought in the second half, we started to lock in defensively and figure some things out. And it didn't hurt that we were making some shots. So that helped."
Despite frigid temperatures outside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, a crowd of 12,978 braved the weather to support the Hoosiers.
"I thank all the fans for coming out," Woodson said. "They didn't have to do that this evening and to support us with the weather being so bad, so I want to wish all the fans a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."
Both teams got off to a chilly start, struggling to find the bottom of the basket, but Kennesaw State jumped out to a 15-9 lead on the strength of five three-pointers in the first 10 minutes of action. The Hoosiers missed the experience of starters Trayce Jackson-Davis and Xavier Johnson, both of whom were out of action (Jackson-Davis was held out for precautionary reasons, while Johnson underwent surgery earlier in the week and is out indefinitely).
But IU kept grinding, and the Hoosiers got a spark when Bates took a pass from C.J. Gunn and threw down a dunk to pull within 17-15. Kennesaw State answered with five straight points to rebuild its advantage, but the Hoosiers responded with a steal by Miller Kopp that led to another Bates dunk.
"It wasn't necessarily a slow start, but there just wasn't too much energy in the group on both ends of the floor," Bates said. "I just tried to find a way where I could bring a spark, and tonight, that was running the floor and getting on the rim."
The Owls then were whistled for an offensive foul, and Kopp converted a pair of free throws to pull the Hoosiers within 22-19.
Following a Kennesaw State free throw, Trey Galloway sandwiched a pair of threes around an Owls bucket to tie the score at 25. Hood-Schifino then converted a pair of free throws to give the Hoosiers a lead at 27-25. KSU answered with a bucket of its own to knot the score again, and the teams went into the break tied at 27.
IU was just 10-of-23 shooting in the first half, while Kennesaw State shot just 32.3 percent in the first 20 minutes. Six of those made field goals from the Owls came from three-point range, however, allowing KSU to keep pace.
The Hoosiers ran off the first four points of the second half behind an inside score from Malik Reneau and a jumper from Hood-Schifino, and Hood-Schifino knocked down a three-pointer to beat the shot clock and give IU a 34-29 lead.
But the Owls took advantage of an IU offensive brownout to go on an 8-0 run that included a pair of threes to go up 37-34 before Jordan Geronimo broke the run with two free throws. The teams traded three-pointers, giving KSU a 40-39 lead at the under-12 minute timeout.
Bates gave the Hoosiers the lead once again with a three-pointer from the wing coming out of the timeout, and Thompson blocked a KSU shot that led to a breakout for Geronimo, who was fouled and split a pair of free throws. The Owls answered with another three over the outstretched hand of Geronimo to tie the game again, but Kopp drained his own triple to put IU up 46-43.
IU turned up the defense and forced turnovers on two straight KSU possessions, and a Bates three pushed the IU lead to six. The Owls answered with a jumper from Demond Robinson, but Hood-Schifino attacked the bucket on IU's next possession to put Indiana ahead 51-45.
Another basket from Hood-Schifino and two free throws from Geronimo gave Indiana a 55-47 lead, but KSU ran off four straight points thanks to two free throws from Robinson and a drive and score from Simeon Cottle to pull within 55-51 with 5:21 to play.
A Kopp jumper from in front of the bench and a Galloway tip-in on a missed Bates three-pointer pushed the IU lead to eight at 59-51 by the under-4 timeout.
The Hoosiers still led 62-54 with 1:50 to play when Hood-Schifino was fouled on the perimeter and was sent to the line for a pair of free throws. He made both to give IU its biggest lead of the night at that point at 64-54.
Bates and Hood-Schifino scored the final five points of the game to ensure the victory.
Indiana shot 56.5 percent from the floor in the second half and outrebounded the Owls 40-28 on the game to pull away late and move to 10-3 on the season.
"I tip my hat to (Kennesaw State head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim) and his team because I thought they played harder than we did the first half," IU head coach Mike Woodson said. "I thought in the second half, we started to lock in defensively and figure some things out. And it didn't hurt that we were making some shots. So that helped."
Despite frigid temperatures outside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, a crowd of 12,978 braved the weather to support the Hoosiers.
"I thank all the fans for coming out," Woodson said. "They didn't have to do that this evening and to support us with the weather being so bad, so I want to wish all the fans a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."
Both teams got off to a chilly start, struggling to find the bottom of the basket, but Kennesaw State jumped out to a 15-9 lead on the strength of five three-pointers in the first 10 minutes of action. The Hoosiers missed the experience of starters Trayce Jackson-Davis and Xavier Johnson, both of whom were out of action (Jackson-Davis was held out for precautionary reasons, while Johnson underwent surgery earlier in the week and is out indefinitely).
But IU kept grinding, and the Hoosiers got a spark when Bates took a pass from C.J. Gunn and threw down a dunk to pull within 17-15. Kennesaw State answered with five straight points to rebuild its advantage, but the Hoosiers responded with a steal by Miller Kopp that led to another Bates dunk.
"It wasn't necessarily a slow start, but there just wasn't too much energy in the group on both ends of the floor," Bates said. "I just tried to find a way where I could bring a spark, and tonight, that was running the floor and getting on the rim."
The Owls then were whistled for an offensive foul, and Kopp converted a pair of free throws to pull the Hoosiers within 22-19.
Following a Kennesaw State free throw, Trey Galloway sandwiched a pair of threes around an Owls bucket to tie the score at 25. Hood-Schifino then converted a pair of free throws to give the Hoosiers a lead at 27-25. KSU answered with a bucket of its own to knot the score again, and the teams went into the break tied at 27.
IU was just 10-of-23 shooting in the first half, while Kennesaw State shot just 32.3 percent in the first 20 minutes. Six of those made field goals from the Owls came from three-point range, however, allowing KSU to keep pace.
The Hoosiers ran off the first four points of the second half behind an inside score from Malik Reneau and a jumper from Hood-Schifino, and Hood-Schifino knocked down a three-pointer to beat the shot clock and give IU a 34-29 lead.
But the Owls took advantage of an IU offensive brownout to go on an 8-0 run that included a pair of threes to go up 37-34 before Jordan Geronimo broke the run with two free throws. The teams traded three-pointers, giving KSU a 40-39 lead at the under-12 minute timeout.
Bates gave the Hoosiers the lead once again with a three-pointer from the wing coming out of the timeout, and Thompson blocked a KSU shot that led to a breakout for Geronimo, who was fouled and split a pair of free throws. The Owls answered with another three over the outstretched hand of Geronimo to tie the game again, but Kopp drained his own triple to put IU up 46-43.
IU turned up the defense and forced turnovers on two straight KSU possessions, and a Bates three pushed the IU lead to six. The Owls answered with a jumper from Demond Robinson, but Hood-Schifino attacked the bucket on IU's next possession to put Indiana ahead 51-45.
Another basket from Hood-Schifino and two free throws from Geronimo gave Indiana a 55-47 lead, but KSU ran off four straight points thanks to two free throws from Robinson and a drive and score from Simeon Cottle to pull within 55-51 with 5:21 to play.
A Kopp jumper from in front of the bench and a Galloway tip-in on a missed Bates three-pointer pushed the IU lead to eight at 59-51 by the under-4 timeout.
The Hoosiers still led 62-54 with 1:50 to play when Hood-Schifino was fouled on the perimeter and was sent to the line for a pair of free throws. He made both to give IU its biggest lead of the night at that point at 64-54.
Bates and Hood-Schifino scored the final five points of the game to ensure the victory.
Team Stats
KennSt
IND
FG%
.327
.500
3FG%
.400
.389
FT%
.600
.615
RB
28
40
TO
8
11
STL
5
2
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballGuard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's BasketballForward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballFB: Fernando Mendoza & Elijah Sarratt - at Iowa Postgame Press Conference (09/27/25)
Sunday, September 28
FB: Pat Coogan - at Iowa Postgame Press Conference (09/27/25)
Sunday, September 28
FB: Aiden Fisher - at Iowa Postgame Press Conference (09/27/25)
Sunday, September 28
FB: Week 5 (at Iowa) - Curt Cignetti Post Game Press Conference
Sunday, September 28