Indiana’s New Backcourt Just Gave Hoosier Fans a Reason to Believe

Indiana needed more from its season opener than a comfortable final score. With a rebuilt roster, the Hoosiers needed to show how their offensive pieces might fit together.

Markus Burton and Bryce Lindsay supplied an encouraging answer.

Burton scored 19 points and Lindsay added 14 as Indiana defeated Eastern Illinois 91–57 on Monday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. A November victory over an Ohio Valley Conference opponent cannot establish where the Hoosiers belong in the Big Ten. It can provide a useful first look at the skills Darian DeVries has available.

The most promising part was the possibility of those skills making each other more effective.

Burton Supplied Scoring Without Taking Over Every Possession

Burton finished seven of eight from the field, made all three of his three-point attempts and added five assists against one turnover in 24 minutes.

The scoring efficiency was outstanding. The balance between creating points and protecting possessions may prove more important over time.

Indiana needs a guard who can threaten a defense with his own offense while recognizing when a teammate has the better opportunity. Burton’s opener offered evidence that he can handle both responsibilities.

His shooting also matters to how opponents will defend him. If a defender must respect the pull-up jumper and the three-point shot, closing off the lane becomes more complicated. Going under a screen can concede a shot. Pressing too closely can create an opening to attack.

Burton will face defenders better equipped to handle those decisions than Eastern Illinois’s. Still, the basic requirements of a productive lead guard were visible: scoring, distribution and control.

Lindsay Gives the Offense Room to Work

Lindsay came off the bench to score 14 points in 24 minutes, making three of five attempts from beyond the arc.

His value can extend beyond the points attached to those makes. A credible perimeter shooter changes where the defense is willing to stand.

When Burton attacks, help defenders have to decide whether to move toward the ball or remain connected to a shooter. Lindsay’s presence can make that choice more costly. Leave him to close the lane, and Indiana has a potential outlet. Stay attached, and Burton may have more room to finish or find a frontcourt teammate.

That is the potential relationship worth watching. Monday’s box score establishes their individual production; the coming games will show how consistently Indiana can turn their complementary abilities into a shared advantage.

DeVries should look for ways to make the defense answer both threats within the same possession.

Their Shooting Carried a Substantial Share of the Offense

Burton and Lindsay combined to make six of eight three-point attempts. Indiana finished nine of 24 as a team.

That concentration of perimeter production is encouraging and worth monitoring. The Hoosiers had two guards capable of punishing defensive mistakes, but they will need additional dependable shooting as opponents devote more attention to them.

Trevor Manhertz contributed 11 points, including two three-pointers, while Trent Sisley also connected from deep. Their contributions helped give Indiana options beyond its leading scorers.

The aim should be an offense with several answers. Burton should not have to manufacture every good possession, and Lindsay should not have to make difficult shots simply to keep the floor spaced.

Coming Off the Bench Does Not Limit Lindsay’s Importance

The immediate discussion does not need to become a demand that Lindsay start.

He and Burton each played 24 minutes. Whatever the opening lineup, DeVries can give Lindsay substantial responsibility and use him in combinations that need his shooting.

The more useful questions concern when they play together, who handles the ball and which frontcourt combinations give them the best opportunities.

A reserve can be central to the offense. A starter can benefit from having that reserve alongside him during the possessions that matter most. Indiana has time to evaluate those combinations before treating any particular arrangement as permanent.

The Opponent Keeps the Performance in Perspective

Eastern Illinois was rebuilding its roster, too. Indiana was expected to have the deeper team, and the final margin should be judged accordingly.

The Panthers nevertheless shot 50 percent from the field. Their 22 turnovers helped Indiana create separation, with the Hoosiers scoring 29 points off those mistakes.

That matters when projecting the offense. Better opponents may provide fewer transition opportunities and force Indiana to execute more often against a set defense.

Those possessions will offer a clearer test of Burton’s decision-making and Lindsay’s ability to create or find shooting opportunities. The defensive numbers also give DeVries something to address despite the comfortable win.

A Reason for Optimism, With More Evidence Still Needed

Indiana did not answer every question Monday. It supplied a plausible outline of an offense that can become difficult to guard.

Burton can score and create. Lindsay can stretch a defense. When those abilities work together, the Hoosiers can make opponents choose which threat receives help.

The next step is repeating that process when the first action fails, when shots stop falling and when the opposing guards apply more pressure.

For now, Indiana has something concrete to build around. Its new backcourt produced an opening-night performance that gives fans a reasonable basis for optimism—and gives DeVries a promising combination to develop.