LIVE BLOG: Follow Indiana's Game With UConn in Real Time Live From Madison Square Garden
NEW YORK — Greetings from the Mecca, Madison Square Garden, where Indiana gets its first real test of the 2023-24 season on Sunday with a game against No. 5 Connecticut in the Saatva Empire Classic.
The Hoosiers are 3-0, but haven't looked very good in any of the three wins. Connecticut, the defending national champion, is also 3-0 but they've been winning by an average of 39 points per game.
Welcome to our live blog. We've got the HoosiersNow.com team here in Garden, and we'll give you all the news and views in real time straight from press row. We'll throw in a dash of opinion and highlights as well.
All the latest items are at the top, so just keep refreshing. Enjoy the game.
3:10 p.m. — It's a final. The Hoosiers lose their first game of the year. No. 5 UConn wins easily 77-57.
2:58 p.m. — At the final media timeout now, and it's all over but the shouting. With 3:19 to go, UConn leads 70-50. Indiana's been a mess offensively. Malik Reneau made seven field goals, the rest of the team is 8-for-33 shooting for an entire game. Sure, UConn is good, but that's brutal.
2:54 p.m. — Cam Spencer, who gave Indiana fits last year when he played at Rutgers, scores again and now the lead is 16 at 64-48. Biggest lead of the game. They score on the next two possessions as well, and now the lead is up to 20.
2:48 p.m. — Indiana cuts the lead from 14 to 10 again, but then Malik Reneau picks up his fifth foul fighting for a loose ball. That's a crusher. He's been Indiana's best player today, without question.
2:40 p.m. — Xavier Johnson picks up another foul, and this one was on him. Bad decision. He joins Malik Reneau with four fouls now.
2:31 p.m. — This has definitely been C.J. Gunn's best game as a Hoosier. He's making good choices on the offensive end, and getting after it defensively.
2:20 p.m. — UConn gets the lead up to 14 again, but then Indiana goes on a 7-0 run to make it 44-37. Trey Galloway scores on a drive, Malik Reneau converts a 3-point play and Xavier Johnson makes two free throws. We've got 15:56 to go.
2:11 p.m. — Second half set to go and Xavier Johnson is back on the floor with three fouls. The Hoosiers really need something out of him. Trey Galloway too. He played 19 minutes in the first half and only had two points.
2:05 p.m. — Halftime stats of note: Keys to the half: UConn has outrebounded Indiana 24-13, and the Huskies have 11 second-chance points. Indiana doesn't have any. Malik Reneau is 6-for-7 from the field, the rest of the Hoosiers are 4-for-20.
1:57 p.m. — We've reached halftime, and it's a game again. It's 37-30 UConn, and a nice comeback by Indiana to get back in it. Malik Reneau has 15 points for the Hoosiers. A 9-2 run by the Hoosiers in the final 2:11 made a huge difference. C.J. Gunn has six big points.
1:39 p.m. — Malik Reneau is keeping Indiana in this game. He's been attacking the basket hard, and has 10 points now on 5-of-6 shooting. We're at the under-4 timeout, and UConn leads 28-21.
1:33 p.m. — At the under-8 timeout now and UConn leads 22-15. Alex Karaban hit a three for them just before the break when Malik Reneau got lost on a screen at the top of the key. He has both of their threes so far, and they're just 2-for-9 from deep.
1:28 p.m. — Xavier Johnson is back in the game, but he immediately picks up his third foul on a push-off while driving to the basket. Horrible call. He goes right back out. C.J. Gunn comes in, and Trey Galloway will be the primary ballhandler.
1:26 p.m. — Kel'el Ware hits another 3-pointer for Indiana, and now it's 14-11. That was big, because you had the feeling that UConn was getting ready to pull away.
1:21 p.m. — Four reserves on the floor now for Indiana along with Trey Galloway. This has been an issue through the first three games, so let's see what happens here. We're at the under-12 timeout, and UConn leads 12-8. Indiana just 3-for-12 from the field.
1:17 p.m. — Payton Sparks gives Kel'el Ware a breather at the 13:47 mark. We're tied 8-8. Kaleb Banks comes in at the next possession, subbing in for Mackenzie Mgbako. Sparks falls for a fake from 30-feet out and fouls Tristen Newton. He gets three free throws, and makes them all. UConn now leads 13-8.
1:15 p.m. — A great feed inside from Gabe Cupps to Malik Reneau, and he finishes with a dunk. We're tied at 6-6, and Indiana's bigs have been holding their own so far.
1:12 p.m. — We've made it to the first media timeout and Connecticut leads 6-4 at the 15:22 mark. Indiana is just 1-for-6 from the field.
1:10 p.m. — It took a while, but Indiana finally gets on the board on its fifth possession when Kel'el Ware hits a 3-pointer.
1:05 p.m. — There was some concern about whether Indiana guard Xavier Johnson would play on Sunday, but he's in the starting lineup and ready to go. Doesn't stay long though, picking up two quick fouls in less than three minutes. Freshman Gabe Cupps enters the game for Johnson.
12:45 p.m. — The usual starters for Indiana, with Xavier Johnson Trey Galloway at guard, and Mackenzie Mgbako, Malik. Reneau and Kel'el Ware up front.
12:30 p.m. ET — Indiana senior point Xavier Johson went through pregame workouts just fine and looks to be ready to go after leaving last Thursday's game with an apparent ankle injury.
Indiana guard Xavier Johnson heads out onto the Madison Square Garden court prior to the Hoosiers' game with UConn on Sunday.
Becky Rigel/HoosiersNow.com
12:25 p.m. ET — Indiana and Connecticut have played 10 times, with the Huskies holding a 6-4 advantage. Indiana won the last meeting 57-54 on Dec. 10, 2019. That game was also played here at Madison Square Garden. IU held UConn to 6-of-21 (28.6%) shooting from the 3-point line in the win at Madison Square Garden. Then freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis led the Hoosiers with eight points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
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- POINT SPREAD: Indiana takes on No. 5 Connecticut Sunday at Madison Square Garden, and even though both teams are 3-0, they've looked dramatically different. UConn has been cruising and Indiana has struggled in all three wins. Here's your injury update on Indiana point guard Xavier Johnson, plus the latest point spread and a great history on what both teams have done against the number this season. CLICK HERE
- HOW TO WATCH: Indiana continues the 2023-24 season on Sunday against the Connecticut Huskies in the Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden. Here's how to watch, with game time and TV information, the coaching matchup, series history, stats, rankings and more. CLICK HERE
- WARE VS. CLINGAN: Connecticut’s Donovan Clingan and Indiana’s Kel’el Ware are considered two of the top NBA prospects among collegiate centers. They face each other Sunday in the Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden. CLICK HERE
- EMPIRE CLASSIC PREVIEW: The 2023 Empire Classic takes place at Madison Square Garden on Sunday and Monday and features UConn, Indiana, Texas and Louisville. Here's the full event schedule, plus a breakdown and analysis of each team. CLICK HERE
