3 Instant Takeaways from Indiana Basketball's 86-69 Win vs Kansas State

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — As he entered Branch McCracken Court moments before Tuesday night's 8 p.m. tipoff, Indiana men's basketball coach Darian DeVries glanced left and watched as a Kansas State player's windmill dunk clanked off the front rim and fell harmlessly to the floor.

The game's first nine-and-a-half minutes followed a similar arc. The Wildcats, who entered Tuesday averaging 92.8 points per game, started 1-for-11 shooting and missed their first five 3-pointers while the Hoosiers surged to a 20-4 advantage.

Then, it flipped. Kansas State rode a 16-2 run in less than three minutes to trim Indiana's lead to 22-20 with seven-and-a-half minutes left in the opening half. The Hoosiers responded to carry a 39-27 edge into halftime.

No. 25 Indiana (6-0) kept its foot on the accelerator and led by double digits the entire second half, securing a 86-69 win over Kansas State (5-2) on Tuesday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.

Here are three instant takeaways from the Hoosiers' convincing win over Kansas State.

Hoosiers pass big non-conference test

Indiana has bigger non-conference games looming against Louisville on Dec. 6 in Indianapolis and at Kentucky on Dec. 13 in Lexington, but Tuesday's night contest with Kansas State served as the Hoosiers' lone home game against a high-major team this season.

Apart from the Wildcats' brief first-half run, Indiana aced the test.

The Hoosiers were all-around steady, albeit unspectacular, offensively. They shot 47.4% from the field, were 10 of 33 from distance and forced 19 turnovers against a Kansas State offense averaging 13.7 giveaways per game.

Indiana, after back-to-back uninspiring wins against inferior opponents leading into Tuesday night, looked worthy of its top 25 ranking against the Wildcats.

Enright, Conerway slow nation's leading scorer

Kansas State junior guard P.J. Haggarty entered Tuesday averaging a Division I-leading 28 points per game, but he had only six points on 3-of-7 shooting at halftime. He also committed six first-half turnovers.

Haggarty had more success driving downhill and getting to the rim in the second half, but he ultimately finished with a season-low 16 points on 7-for-17 shooting, including 0 of 1 from distance, while committing six turnovers. Haggarty dished only two assists and grabbed three rebounds.

Indiana senior guard Conor Enright drew the primary defensive assignment on Haggarty, and when Enright checked out, the task went to sixth-year senior guard Tayton Conerway. Enright often pressed Haggarty in the backcourt, and he finished with two steals while Conerway tallied three takeaways.

Indiana throws knockout punch to open second half

In their prior two games, the Hoosiers enjoyed stout defensive performances in the first half before struggling at the start of the second half. There were no such lapses Tuesday night.

After a 10-2 run in the first 3:15 forced Kansas State to call timeout, Darian DeVries emphatically swung his left arm while Enright slapped the crimson padding at the scorer's table. Fans inside Assembly Hall grew as loud as they've been all season, savoring Indiana's 4-of-4 shooting start to the final frame.

During the span, Bailey scored six points while Conerway added four points. Kansas State committed four fouls and three turnovers while shooting just 1 of 3 from the field.

The strong surge pushed Indiana's advantage to 20 points, and the Wildcats never grew closer than 10 points down the stretch.