Huskies turnovers turn Indiana win into blowout

NIU can’t hang with Hoosiers despite career-high scoring from Keshawn Williams

Sophomore+guard+Keshawn+Williams+shoots+a+free+throw+in+NIUs+exhibition+game+on+Oct.+30.

Khavon Thomas | Northern Star

Sophomore guard Keshawn Williams shoots a free throw in NIU’s exhibition game on Oct. 30.

By Davione Barrow, Sports Reporter

DeKALB — The NIU Huskies and the Indiana University Hoosiers went head-to-head Friday with the Hoosiers, defeating the Huskies 85-49.

Hoosier junior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis finished the game with 19 points and seven blocks, acting as the defensive anchor for the Hoosiers.

In the opening minute of the game, senior guard Trendon Hankerson committed a turnover that would lead to Jackson-Davis scoring a hook shot jumper.

The Huskies got the ball back, and looked to score. Huskie senior center Adong Makuoi stole the ball from Hoosier senior guard Xavier Johnson, scoring a layup coming off an assist from senior guard Anthony Crump.

The game would remain close in the early stages, until halfway through the first half.

Eight minutes in, sophomore forward Jordan Geromino finished a lob pass coming from Jackson-Davis, giving Indiana a 18-9 lead.

In the sixth minute of the game, Johnson picked off a bad pass from sophomore guard Keshawn Williams and would convert for a dunk at the other end.

In the eleventh minute, senior guard Rob Phinisee made a three pointer assisted by sophomore guard Trey Galloway to extend the Hoosiers lead to 25-11.

In the fourteenth minute, Williams got a defensive rebound and went coast to coast for the fastbreak layup, making the score 34-13.

The Hoosiers defense remained strong and disciplined throughout the course of the ball game.

Many of NIU’s turnovers led to points at the other end for the Hoosiers. The Huskies had ten turnovers in the first half with the Hoosiers scoring 14 points off turnovers.

The Huskies went into the halftime break down 27 points. The Huskies had no players within double figures in the first half, and only received five points from their bench.

The Hoosiers would work inside the paint frequently, scoring 22 of their 47 points in the paint in the first half and hitting 13-of-16 free throw attempts.

The Hoosiers would continue to capitalize off NIU’s turnovers in the second half, scoring 26 points off their turnovers in the second half.

Williams played aggressively for the Huskies, scoring a career-high 21 points and making 9-of-11 free throw attempts. Williams is the only Huskie who scored in double figures.

The Huskies as a whole were unable to get anything going offensively, and the Hoosiers continued to play hard and run the score up.

“We have to get better; we ran into a better defensive team,” Head coach Rashon Bruno said in an NIU Athletics press release Friday. “We have a lot to learn, we will get a chance to watch the film.”

The Huskies will be back in action 7 p.m. Thursday, to face off against the University of Missouri Tigers in Columbia, Missouri.