HoosierIllustrated Live Blog: FINAL – Indiana basketball 69, Florida Gulf Coast 63

After a long offseason, Indiana basketball officially gets their season underway as the Hoosiers host Florida Gulf Coast University tonight in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers are coming off two exhibition games last week which saw dominant outcomes while also showing the new-look 2023-24 roster.

Indiana enters this season after a 23-12 record last year. The Hoosiers also brought in six new faces replacing the seven players that departed this offseason.

The Eagles finished 17-15 in the first season of the Pat Chambers era in Fort Meyers, Fla. Chambers, the former head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, owns three career victories over the Hoosiers, including one in Bloomington.

Below is the full live blog

Pregame Notes

Indiana Injury Report

QUESTIONABLE: Payton Sparks

OUT: Jakai Newton and Jordan Rayford

Payton Sparks in a sweatsuit not participating in warmups.

Could be a sign he won’t be playing tonight #iubb pic.twitter.com/alIQgC6EdX

— Drew Rosenberg (@drew_rosenberg2) November 7, 2023

FGCU guard Isaiah Thompson (upper body) is a game-time decision. He was warming up for initial warmups.

Indiana starters:

G – Xavier Johnson

G – Trey Galloway

F – Mackenzie Mgbako

F – Malik Reneau

C – Kel’el Ware

First Half

Indiana wins the tip.

Xavier Johnson would miss the 15ft jumper to start off. Trey Galloway would hit a little runner to get the Hoosiers on the board first. Galloway would turn around and create a defensive turnover.

FGCU would get on the board next with a three.

FGCU would take the lead after another three. Indiana basketball would answer with a Galloway dish to Malik Reneau for the easy reverse layup.

Under-16 Media TO: Indiana basketball 9, FGCU 8

Indiana ball out of the break.

Trey Galloway would turn the ball over trying to get to Kel’el Ware. Rare mistake there by Galloway.

Ware with his second block of the game however Anthony Walker checks in for him. Walker is first player off the bench for the Hoosiers.

Hoosiers kind of all over the place on the offensive end thus far. Not really any rhythm going on.

Gabe Cupps and CJ Gunn would check in for Johnson and Galloway.

Walker would get fouled on the drive which would lead to the Under-12 media timeout.

Under-12 Media Timeout: Indiana basketball 13, FGCU 10. 

Ware and Kaleb Banks check in for Reneau and Mgbako.

FGCU comes out in 1-3-1 zone out of the break. Cupps would get fouled which would lead into already in the bonus with 11:03 left in the 1H. Cupps would knock down both attempts.

Indiana up to their 5th turnover already. Not been pretty on offense.

Next offensive stretch, we would see Ware get a very aggressive offensive rebound and get foul trying to go up. He would go 1-2 at the line.

Three guard lineup of Xavier Johnson, Gabe Cupps, and Trey Galloway on the floor right now. We saw that ran a little bit vs Marian.

Under-8 Media Timeout: Indiana basketball 17, FGCU 15

Hoosiers shooting 46% on 6-13 shooting, up to 5 turnovers, and getting out-rebounded 11-10.

Galloway would play some very good defense out of the break which led to a Ware defensive rebound. He would get found on the rebound and go 2-2. Indiana basketball in the double bonus at the 7:40 mark.

Mgbako in for Cupps. Starters back on the floor at the 7:00 mark.

Ware with his 3rd block of the game and sent the ball into the 5th row.

He said, "nope." 🚫@KelelWare x @IndianaMBB pic.twitter.com/ItTFgBdJuO

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) November 8, 2023

Timeout FGCU at the 5:24 mark.

There have been some majorly delayed calls by the officials this game. Think they are shaking off a bit of early season rust as well.

Ware would knock down his first three point attempt. He’d get a crack at a second three but would be just a little too strong with it.

Under-4 Media Timeout: Indiana basketball 25, FGCU 21

Indiana ball out of the break.

Reneau picks up his 2nd foul which brings in Anthony Walker.

FGCU takes the lead at the 1:10 mark.

Timeout Indiana basketball. 36.4 secs lef tin 1H. Hoosiers up 27-26.

Ware would get fouled and go 1-2 at the line.

At the half: Indiana basketball 28, FGCU 26

– Kel'el Ware's dominant first half … where would IU be w/out him?
– 10-of-18 from the foul line isn't going to cut it
– Transition game masked a lot of half court deficiencies during the exhibitions
– Need D to generate some easy looks early in 2H

Half: #iubb 28, FGCU 26. pic.twitter.com/r7knUXRuKN

— Alec Lasley (@allasley) November 8, 2023

Second Half

FGCU ball to start the half.

Early turnover for FGCU to start the half leads to an Indiana score. FGCU responds with an open three.

Mgbako would answer with a long two.

Ware would have a nice couple of assists to both Reneau and Galloway. He is currently leading the Hoosiers in assists.

Reneau would pick up his 3rd foul ahead of the break.

Under-16 Media Timeout: Indiana basketball 38, FGCU 34

FGCU would nail an open three out of the break 38-37 Indiana. FGCU would then tie it up at the 13:35 mark.

Indiana would turn the ball over and FGCU would then call a timeout.

Trey Galloway would hit a nice floater out of the break.

The Hoosiers are showing no willingness to guard the perimeter. None whatsoever.

Under-12 media timeout: FGCU 45, Indiana basketball 42.

Former Indiana guard Rob Phinisee shown on the big screen. Got a big reaction from Hoosier Nation.

FGCU would extend the lead to 48-42 out of the break. Mike Woodson timeout at the 10:43 mark.

Malik Reneau And1 finally brings some energy into Assembly Hall.

Steal by Ware leads to a Xavier Johnson score. Johnson would follow it up with a successful charge.

Indiana takes the lead at the 9:13 mark. Assembly Hall is alive and well.

Timeout FGCU at the 8:30 mark. Hoosiers on a 10-0 run the last 2:05.

That run would extend to 12-0 with a Ware bucket out of the timeout.

Indiana on a 14-0 run the last 4:18. FGCU would hit a tough baseline jumper to stop the run.

Gabe Cupps would nail a very off-balance three. FGCU would answer with a three themselves. Galloway would answer with a three.

Kel’el Ware has his first career double-double.

Under-4 media timeout: Indiana basketball 63, FGCU 55

FGCU hits its seventh three-pointer of the second half — 12th total — to cut the Indiana lead to seven. 1:09 left in the game.

Back-to-back turnovers for Indiana and FGCU hits one three and misses the second. 65-61 lead for Indiana with 50.8 left.

Now only a two-point lead for Indiana — 65-63. Indiana going to the line with 28.2 left.

FINAL: Indiana 69, FGCU 63.

Final Box Score + Expanded Stats:

SEE ALSO: Indiana Basketball Game Preview: Florida Golf Coast – key storylines, injury report, how to watch

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