Indiana Basketball Defeats North Carolina 76-58 in Exhibition

The Hoosiers maintained the same starting lineup as their previous game against Butler, featuring Aiden Sherrell, Samet Yigitoglu, Jaeden Mustaf, Darren Harris, and Markus Burton. They utilized a nine-man rotation that also included Bryce Lindsay, Sam Alexis, Trevor Manhertz, and Trent Sisley.

Burton faced early foul trouble for the second consecutive game, allowing Villanova transfer Bryce Lindsay to step up. Lindsay led the team with 26 points on just 14 shots.

Yigitoglu struggled against the height of UNC’s 7-foot-1 center Sayon Keita, missing several close-range attempts and finishing the game 0-of-3. Sherrell was 3-of-8, and Mustaf also missed multiple drives, ending with a similar shooting line.

Despite facing a taller frontcourt, Indiana dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Tar Heels 53-31 overall, including 20 offensive rebounds. Yigitoglu recorded 11 rebounds, five of which were offensive, while Sherrell added 10. Sam Alexis contributed four offensive boards.

Indiana's defense was effective, limiting North Carolina to just 0.80 points per possession and a field goal percentage of 36.6% from within two-point range. The Tar Heels turned the ball over 15 times during the game.

Indiana also committed 15 turnovers and shot 36.2% from the field, but leveraged their offensive rebounds to secure 17 second-chance points.

The Hoosiers' next challenge will be critical as they approach the regular season.