NEW YORK CITY — Without much time to dwell about Saturday’s loss to Wisconsin, another road test for the Hoosiers ended up on a positive note this time as the Hoosiers clutched a wire-to-wire victory. Indiana (9-1, 0-1) wins their 2019 Jimmy V Classic pairing against Dan Hurley’s Huskies, who now move to 6-3 on the season.
Given UConn’s top 55 ranking in KenPom, the Hoosiers will likely earn a Tier-A or Tier-B resume addition, which will be crucial during the weeks leading up to Selection Sunday.
Connecticut fans from the east coast showed their presence tonight at the Garden in a game that largely resembled Indiana’s last game at MSG against Rutgers. In both scenarios, the two Atlantic teams brought their fan base in droves.
One story coming into the evening was the announcement of Rob Phinisee’s availability. The sophomore true point guard had missed half of Indiana’s season so far due to a lower abdominal injury followed by an unfortunate ankle issue. Having a fourth guard available would allow the Hoosiers to match up better against UConn’s guard-heavy roster.
A little dash of Phinisee was exactly what the Hoosiers needed early.
He immediately grabbed a defensive board and turned it into transition points at the other end. Phinisee’s icy veins helped him hit key free throws to seal the victory as the final timer ticked to zero.
The start of the game featured an extended battle of back-and-forth possessions. The first timeout did not come until the 13-minute mark. By then, the Huskies had built a solid nine-point lead largely created by the early effort of red shirt freshman Akok Akok, who had three points, three rebounds and three blocks.
Phinisee made his first appearance into the game at the 12-minute mark. His return to the floor was felt immediately, as he made an impact by grabbing an import defensive rebound, and ending the Hoosiers’ scoring drought on the same play.