Happy Monday, Hoosiers! Two of our sports editors, Matt Sebree and Emma Pawlitz, wrote this introduction. Enjoy today's newsletter.

Happy Holidays Hoosiers! Last week, Indiana men’s and women’s basketball teams each wrapped up their non-conference schedules with victories. 

The No. 16-ranked men's team, which was without its leading scorers in senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis and graduate point guard Xavier Johnson, moved up two spots in the AP Poll after wrapping up the nonconference slate with wins against Elon University and Kennesaw State University. Jackson-Davis was sidelined for precautionary reasons and is expected to return Jan. 5 against Iowa, but Johnson is out indefinitely after undergoing foot surgery from an injury sustained at the No. 4 University of Kansas Dec. 17. 

The Hoosiers took care of business against Elon, winning 96-72 thanks to balanced scoring from graduate forward Race Thompson, graduate guard Miller Kopp and freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino. Outside of the starting lineup, freshman guard CJ Gunn and sophomore center Logan Duncomb each hit double figures in points in over 16 minutes of game action apiece. 

Kennesaw State provided an interesting challenge for Indiana three days later, however. The Owls came into the contest as the 14th-best 3-point-shooting team in the country and certainly made the Hoosiers pay for a lack of strong perimeter defense early on. Kennesaw State led for over 12 minutes in the first half, but Hood-Schifino and sophomore guard Tamar Bates provided a spark, took command of the backcourt and led Indiana with 18 and 19 points, respectively. Despite the scare, the Hoosiers walked out of nonconference play and into the holiday break with a 69-55 win. 

After notching the third-largest victory in program history a week ago, the No. 4 Indiana women faced in-state foe Butler University on Wednesday afternoon at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Despite a slow start, which saw the Hoosiers commit four turnovers in just the first five minutes, Indiana bounced back and went on an 18-3 run sparked by senior forward Mackenzie Holmes to start the second quarter and take control of the game. However, although they led by 17 points at the break, the Hoosiers again struggled taking care of the ball to start a half and commit five turnovers by the media timeout of the first quarter and allowed the Bulldogs to cut the lead to 10 points. Freshman guard Lexus Bargesser provided the answer to the Butler run with five straight points — including converting an and-one — to swing momentum back to Indiana and put the game away for good. 

With an undefeated 12-0 record after concluding its non-conference schedule, the Indiana women begin the bulk of its Big Ten season this week. Indiana will play its third conference game of the season — having already defeated Illinois and Penn State on Dec. 4 and Dec. 8, respectively — against Michigan State at 3 p.m. Thursday in East Lansing, Michigan.

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Women's Basketball Reporters: Matt Sebree, Will Foley & Matt Press

Men's Basketball Reporters: Emma Pawlitz, Evan Gerike & Bradley Hohulin

1 (big story with photo)

>> Young ‘Gunn’s shine with veterans out as No. 18 Indiana men’s basketball beats Elon 96-72

In Tuesday night’s 96-72 win over Elon University at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Gunn’s patience began to pay off. He shined brightest among the underclassmen who saw significant play time, setting career-highs in nearly every statistic, including 11 points, over 20 minutes. 

>> No. 18 Indiana men’s basketball squeaks out shaky 69-55 win against Kennesaw State

>> COLUMN: The Indiana men’s basketball fan’s last-second holiday wish list

2 (big story with photo)

>> No. 4 Indiana women’s basketball defeats in-state foe Butler 67-50

After a slow start, No. 4 Indiana women’s basketball found its consistency and defeated in-state opponent Butler University 67-50 in its final nonconference game of the season.

>> Dominant showing from Mackenzie Holmes boosts No. 4 Indiana women’s basketball over Butler

>> COLUMN: Mid-season report card: Indiana women’s basketball remains perfect after Butler beatdown