INDIANAPOLIS — A back-and-forth early season nonconference battle fell the way of Indiana on Monday night, in an 83-80 victory for Darian DeVries‘ team.
Here are three observations at the final horn, from Gainbridge Fieldhouse:
1 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Indiana Hoosiers center Samet Yigitoglu (21) goes in for a lay-up against Syracuse Orange center Luke Wilson (23) on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
1 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Indiana Hoosiers center Samet Yigitoglu (21) goes in for a lay-up against Syracuse Orange center Luke Wilson (23) on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
2 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Indiana Hoosiers center Samet Yigitoglu (21) dunks the ball Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
3 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Indiana Hoosiers guard Darren Harris (1) shoots the ball for a three-point basket Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
4 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Indiana Hoosiers forward Trevor Manhertz (0) goes in for a lay-up Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
5 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Syracuse Orange forward Amarri Monroe (8) leaps to block Indiana Hoosiers guard Bryce Lindsay (2) onMonday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
6 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Indiana Hoosiers guard Markus Burton (5) rushes up the court against Syracuse Orange center Luke Wilson (23) on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
7 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Indiana Hoosiers center Samet Yigitoglu (21) dunks the ball against Syracuse Orange forward Sadiq White Jr. (1) on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
8 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Indiana Hoosiers guard Jaeden Mustaf (3) shoots the ball against Syracuse Orange forward Sadiq White Jr. (1) on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
9 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Indiana Hoosiers forward Trevor Manhertz (0) yells in excitement Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
10 / 10
Indiana basketball game vs Syracuse tonight: Hoosiers look to go 3-0 vs Orange
Syracuse Orange center Abdramane Siby (10) yells in excitement Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
(Grace Hollars/IndyStar)
Defense still a concern
It certainly was in the first half, when Syracuse (2-1) shot 5 of 9 from behind the arc and averaged 1.19 unadjusted points per possession.
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The problems were various. Indiana (3-0) struggled to keep the ball in front and out of the lane. The Hoosiers were poor again in rotation, and guarding shooters off the ball. There were spurts of real intensity, like a turnover-riddled stretch that prompted an 8-0 IU run and forced Syracuse coach Gerry McNamara into a timeout.
Overall, though, the defensive effort was well below par in the opening 20 minutes, and a large part of the reason the Orange led 38-34 at the intermission.
Ryan Moesch takeover
Indiana could not manage the freshman point guard for long stretches of Monday’s game. He dictated the tempo at which the game was played, made things happen at both ends of the floor, and showed great feel for when to create and when to chase his own offense.
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Reflective of wider defensive concerns, IU struggled to find an adjustment or a matchup that could slow Moesch down. His excellence disrupted and eventually answered the Hoosiers’ strong offensive start to the second half, and put Syracuse back in front inside the final eight minutes of the game.
Hoosiers show up when it matters
Through their mistakes, the Hoosiers still dug in when it mattered.
If we’re going to spend the next few weeks wondering how this team might mature, we’re also going to wonder what it looks like when things get tight, and pressured, and stressful. DeVries will like the answer he got to that question Monday night.
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Markus Burton hit a big 3. Darren Harris and Samet Yigitoglu both sank pressure free throws. The defense dug in when it mattered most.
Inbounding the ball against Syracuse pressure wasn’t always what you’d consider textbook, but the Hoosiers delivered when it mattered most, picking up a noteworthy early season win in the nonconference.
