After easy wins over Eastern Illinois and Bellarmine to open the 2026-27 season, Indiana Basketball took on Syracuse close to home in Indy. The Hoosiers were favored since a key Orange guard wasn’t available but the game didn’t go that way, with it being a close battle for basically all 40 minutes.
The good news for Indiana Basketball is that they executed late, holding on to win 83-80 to remain unbeaten on the season. There were some positives and negatives from the game for the Hoosiers. Here’s a look at the three key takeaways.
1. Markus Burton comes through when it mattered
Burton was one of the top scoring transfers from the portal last offseason, putting up around 20 ppg at Notre Dame. His scoring has been off and on during his exhibition and real games with the Hoosiers to this point. But he made several key plays in the second half, including eight of his final 20 points to lead them to victory. Burton looked like the lead guard that Indiana can rely upon this season.
2. Darren Harris the breakout star the Hoosiers needed
The other 20-point scorer for Indiana was Harris, who now leads the team with 16.7 ppg through three games. The former top-50 prospect out of high school played limited minutes at Duke but is in the early stages of a national breakout campaign. Not only is Harris a clear starter for Indiana Basketball but will have the ball just as much as Burton in the backcourt.
3. Needs more from the frontcourt
The big hype during the preseason was the play of the new frontcourt duo of Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu, a hopeful upgrade from last year’s group. Plus, they currently have 5th-year forward Sam Alexis eligible. But so far, they’ve underwhelmed, including combining to produce 14 points and 11 rebounds in 44 minutes, with Alexis going scoreless in 13 minutes off the bench. The guards saved them but for Indiana to be a surefire NCAA Tournament team, they’ll need more balanced production from the frontcourt.
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