BLOOMINGTON — Indiana basketball will serve up this weekend’s dessert Sunday, when the Hoosiers bookend a monumental IU sports weekend with an exhibition against North Carolina at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The second of three preseason games this month, the Hoosiers’ meeting with UNC might — if for brand reasons alone — be the one most alluring to fans. After last Sunday’s comfortable win over Butler in Hinkle Fieldhouse, coach Darian DeVries will want this one to serve as another step forward for his remade roster.
Ahead of what is ostensibly Indiana’s most difficult preseason test, let’s consider three things worth watching Sunday against the Tar Heels:
Markus Burton's continued growth
Markus Burton finished the Butler win with 13 points in just 15 minutes, including 11 quickly in the first half. He hit all three of his 3-point attempts, those 13 points finishing joint-best among Hoosiers alongside Darren Harris and Samet Yigitoglu.
The Notre Dame transfer also finished Indiana’s 96-68 win with just one assist, an interesting though perhaps not concerning number.
It was not necessarily an assist-heavy game to begin with. Indiana finished with 16 dimes, on 34 made baskets, a respectable though perhaps not prolific number. No Hoosier finished with more than three.
As this team’s point guard, Burton still must navigate the balance between his own offense, and creating for others around him, in ways his teammates do not. Rewind to the summer exhibition against College Jean-de-Brebeuf, and you might remember Burton finished with six assists, six rebounds and just six field goal attempts.
DeVries will know Burton can be both a primary scorer and a primary facilitator. Continuing to develop his feel for which is called for in a specific situation is a must.
The third guard battle
Maybe it’s better described as a fight for two spots among three players.
Harris, Bryce Lindsay and Jaeden Mustaf all appear to be making a case to start between Burton and IU’s two bigs. Math says there’s room for two, with one probably serving as Indiana’s sixth man.
Sunday at Hinkle, starting nods went to Harris (13 points, three made 3s) and Mustaf (seven points, eight rebounds, 2 of 10 shooting), with Lindsay (six points, three rebounds, three assists) playing a joint-team-high 22 minutes.
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From a personnel standpoint, Lindsay off the bench might make the most sense. He’s probably Indiana’s second-best ball handler behind Burton, and while they pair well together on the floor, bringing Lindsay off the bench makes it easier to balance minutes between ostensibly IU’s two best point guards.
On the other hand, if Lindsay becomes as dangerous shooting 3s as he was in a recent intrasquad scrimmage, when he hit five in 40 minutes, it will be hard to keep him on the bench.
It wouldn’t be a shock to see DeVries shuffle these three against UNC, just to get a different look at his potential rotation. Changed or not, it will be worth watching.
Does a freshman distinguish himself?
Mocking up an eight-man rotation right now is pretty straightforward. In some order, DeVries can pencil Burton, Harris, Lindsay, Mustaf, Yigitoglu, Aiden Sherrell, Sam Alexis and Trent Sisley comfortably into his plans.
Does Indiana’s bench go as deep as nine? If it does, a first-year player will be the one earning that job.
Last Sunday, that was Trevor Manhertz, who played 20 bench minutes, hitting two 3s and scoring seven points. Manhertz added eight rebounds to his final line as well.
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Vaughn Karvala appears to be dealing with a minor injury at the moment. Prince-Alexander Moody gives DeVries ball-handling depth when needed. Manhertz continues to flash real potential as a two-way wing with 3-point threat.
Against what is likely to be a more athletic opponent in North Carolina, does Manhertz or another of his classmates look ready for an even longer look as a potential rotation even against the more talented teams on IU’s nonconference schedule?
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 3 things worth watching as Indiana basketball faces North Carolina in exhibition
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