Following a 2-0 tournament start in Lima, Peru, Indiana men’s basketball remained perfect at the FISU America Games, thumping Chile 107-40 in the semifinal Saturday.
The Hoosiers cruised the entire afternoon, holding Chile to just eight second quarter points, outscoring the Chileans 65-20 in the first half.
Indiana continued to spread the offensive wealth, with five Hoosiers scoring in double figures, headlined by freshman forward Vaugh Karvala, who had 16.
As Indiana heads to the finals, here are three takeaways from the Hoosiers’ semifinal blowout victory:
Pace is a massive advantage
The Hoosiers played fast for all 40 minutes; whether they were turning defensive rebounds into fast-break points or applying full-court pressure defensively, Indiana stayed in fifth gear for the whole game.
This style of play came with the expected risks, as full-court defense occasionally resulted in easy buckets for Chile, and fast-break offense made the Hoosiers look sloppy at times.
Overall, this display of high-intensity basketball revealed much of the Hoosiers’ fundamental capabilities. Good passing, strong rebounding and quick hands reflected the team’s true makeup, despite the obviously weaker opponent.
With Indiana looking towards the regular season, playing with pace, combined with a boosted frontcourt, should allow the Hoosiers to compete closely with some of the Big Ten’s best.
Expect a lot of lineup variations
In just three games at the FISU America Games, eight Hoosiers have been penciled into a variable starting lineup, with redshirt junior guard Markus Burton and junior forward Aiden Sherrel being the only two to start all three games.
Karvala made his first start of the tournament on Saturday, following a 32-point spectacle on Thursday.
Junior guard Jaeden Mustaf and redshirt junior guard Bryce Lindsay both made their second start on Saturday.
Nine different Hoosiers touched the floor and scored in the first half alone.
There’s no denying that this team has depth, meaning that, unlike last year’s team, there isn’t a truly apparent starting five.
As the team continues to play together, with one more FISU game left and three preseason exhibitions on the horizon, head coach Darian DeVries will be tasked with solidifying a reliable starting lineup ahead of the Hoosiers’ first game on November 9.
Bench points on Saturday made this job even more difficult, as junior guard Darren Harris exploded for 15 points off the lumber. Sophomore forward Trent Sisley continued to make his case with 13 bench points of his own.
With a roster full of transfers and freshmen, Indiana’s depth will surely be a difference-maker for the reloaded Hoosiers. However, question marks within the starting lineup will linger as the team continues to mold its identity.
Go win a trophy
Indiana has outscored its opponents in the tournament 342-139 through three games, so a championship victory on Monday would not be a surprise to many.
However, tuneup opportunities like these, especially of the international variety, forge teams unlike any intersquad scrimmage can.
As die-hard Hoosier fans may remember, the 1987 national championship team credited much of its team chemistry to the 1985 “Around the World” tour in Asia and Europe.
While the likes of Peru, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Chile will hardly be the toughest opponents Indiana will face this season, the chance to compete internationally, and dominate, sets the tone for the approaching year of basketball.
This squad is still getting to know each other, but the minutes played in Peru will set the team up for greater success than two weeks of standard practice could have.
“This is an opportunity for us to play in the summertime,” DeVries said in a press conference after the Thursday win over Peru. “We want to make use of every opportunity we get.”
As Indiana sets their eyes on a rematch with the Virgin Islands at 4 p.m. Monday, a championship at the FISU America Games would truly be a perfect first chapter in what is sure to be an exciting season of Indiana basketball.
