IU Men Are Off the Rutgers Schnide - Confidence Growing

 IU Men Are Off the Rutgers Schnide - Confidence Growing?

    The men did something that they have not done since 2019: beat non-basketball power Rutgers. We had a losing record to these guys overall, like 8-7, until tonight. The Scarlet Knights have been part of the bane and symbolic of Indiana's futility for a while now. These guys of Bloomington have been repeatedly flummoxed, outhustled, and beaten by the guys in Jersey for a while now. Six games in row. Some of those game meant a lot. And IU continually crumbled.

    But not tonight. Not on an early 6:30 pm Tuesday night affair at Assembly Hall (Simon Skodt), a week after being bashed a bit in College Park by the Terrapins, who fought back hard against Michigan State in East Lansing, but there lost to the Spartans, who have struggled. Rutgers was in second place in the Big Ten, with Indiana knotted up in a large tie with many other teams. 

    Indiana was leading in double figures multiple times in the first half, the crowd was rolling with it, but a Swedish player named Oskar Plomquist hit three straight threes, some other Knights played up and IU only led by three, 38-35. An underwhelming feeling came to us fans, it was palpable.

    IU got some good runs in the second half, but a combination of more turnovers and good play by Rutgers kept them close. Some players stepped up for the Hoosiers and scored, like Malik Reneau, a fab frosh who has been clutch of late, and Trey Galloway who tipped in a tremendous follow up late. All-everything Trayce Jackson-Davis recovered an air ball by Race Thompson, who had some errant shots throughout the game, and that helped the Hoosiers seal it.

    Jalen Hood-Schifino has some spectacular buckets and moves in the first half, as did Jackson-Davis, mostly above the rim, and the sharp-shooter Miller Kopp earned his stripes, from long range and inside, too.

    Indiana might be finding the right moxy to make this, if not a banner year, at least a pretty good to remember some good nights and games. 

    Winning. Which is what Indiana basketball is supposed to do.

    Like, we beat number one Purdue last weekend. Have I mentioned that?

    Hoosiers! Fun to watch.