Indiana
What to Expect: Indiana at Nebraska
Indiana’s first road game tips off Friday night in Lincoln against Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Huskers are 6-2 and are coming off an 89-52 loss at Michigan State.
Friday’s game is an 8 p.m. ET tip on FOX:
Indiana’s struggles against last season are well documented. The Hoosiers lost three times to the Huskers and none of the games were competitive. Nebraska won 86-70 in Lincoln on January 3, 85-70 in Bloomington on February 21 and 93-66 at the Big Ten tournament on March 16. That’s an average margin of 18.
Both teams underwent roster makeovers in the offseason. Still, Fred Hoiberg’s ability to spread Indiana out and score an average of 88 points in three easy wins was a major reason the Hoosiers didn’t sniff the NCAA tournament a season ago.
The Hoosiers have won four straight games (all by 15 or more points), but a win Friday would be a surefire signal the Hoosiers are trending in the right direction after a shaky performance last month in the Bahamas.
MEET THE HUSKERS
After reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time under Hoiberg last March, the Huskers are in a transition period in his sixth season. Keisei Tominaga graduated, Rienk Mast is out for the season with a knee injury and the offense has taken a significant step back statistically.
According to KenPom.com, Nebraska had the nation’s 32nd-best offense last season but is currently ranked 99th this season after eight games.
Three Huskers are averaging double figures – seniors Brice Williams, Juwan Gary and junior Connor Essegian.
This wing-heavy offensive attack presents problems for an Indiana rotation featuring a frontcourt that doesn’t guard well away from the paint (Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau) and struggles to guard movement and execute switches (Mackenzie Mgbako).
Williams is a 6-foot-7 fifth-year wing who is excellent at getting to the line and converts at an elite rate. He leads the Huskers with 17.5 points per game and shoots 92.5 percent (53 attempts) from the line. He’s also a capable 3-point shooter and has connected on 11 of his 29 attempts from deep.
The 6-foot-6 Gary, another fifth-year player, is an undersized four averaging 10.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 25 minutes per game. Gary is just 7-for-27 on 3s (25.9 percent).
Essegian, an Indiana native, was one of the Big Ten’s best freshmen two seasons ago at Wisconsin. After falling out of the regular rotation in Madison last season, Essegian entered the transfer portal and landed in Lincoln where he’s returned to form in his third season. Essegian is Nebraska’s second-leading scorer at 13 points per game. He’s made a team-high 20 3-pointers and is shooting 42.6 percent from the perimeter.
Utah transfer Rollie Worster has taken over the starting point guard spot for the Huskers. Another fifth-year player, the 6-foot-5 Worster is averaging a team-high 2.6 assists and is second on the team with 1.5 steals per game.
Ahron Ulis, who sat out last season following a gambling probe and Sam Hoiberg provide most of the backup minutes in the backcourt. The 6-foot-3 Ulis is just 2-for-13 on 3s and is shooting 33 percent from the field. Hoiberg is an energy player who is fearless in attacking offensively and is a major pest defensively. His 1.8 steals per game lead the Huskers.
On the wing, Rutgers transfer Gavin Griffiths hasn’t made a 3-pointer since Nov. 13 and is 3-for-19 from distance on the season. The 6-foot-7 sophomore was considered one of the best shooters in the country coming out of high school.
With Mast sitting out this season, Hoiberg has pieced together a frontcourt that includes three transfers: Braxton Meah, Andrew Morgan and Berke Buyuktuncel.
Meah, who previously played at Fresno State and Washington, provides the Huskers with legitimate size in the post at 7-foot-1 and 264 pounds. He’s averaging 3.7 points and four rebounds in 15 minutes per game.
Morgan is a 6-foot-10, 245-pound arrival from North Dakota State who is the team’s second-leading rebounder. Morgan pulls down 5.3 rebounds in 17 minutes per game off the bench while averaging 8.4 points on 45 percent shooting.
Buyuktuncel transferred from UCLA and started the first six games for Nebraska. He’s the leading rebounder at 5.9 per game, is making 75 percent of his 2s and has a team-best six blocked shots.
TEMPO-FREE PREVIEW
Both teams are playing with pace, with Nebraska ranking 88th in adjusted tempo, per KenPom.com and Indiana at 39th.
The Huskers, however, are handling the ball much better than the Hoosiers and forcing more turnovers. Through 10 games, Indiana has committed 140 turnovers and forced just 121, while Nebraska has committed 90 and forced 130.
The free-throw line will also be key for both programs. The Huskers excel at drawing fouls and then converting at the line. Nebraska’s free-throw percentage of 76.6 ranks 51st in the country and 30th in free-throw rate (FTA/FGA).
While 3-point shooting was Nebraska’s primary strength offensively last season, that isn’t the case this season. The Huskers are taking fewer 3s – their 3PA/FGA is 38.2 percent this season versus 44.3 percent last season. Nebraska shot 35.7 percent from deep last season and is just 29.8 percent this season from deep.
WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO
The KenPom projection is Nebraska by one, with a 47 percent chance of an IU victory. Bart Torvik’s ratings favor the Huskers by two, with a 43 percent chance of a Hoosier victory.
Indiana played one of its best games this season against Minnesota on Monday but still struggled for stretches in the second half.
The Hoosiers will have to take care of the ball and limit Nebraska’s free throw attempts to prevail in what should be a hostile environment in Lincoln. Nebraska has one of the better home-court advantages in the league and has dominated Indiana recently.
The Huskers will also be looking to rebound from an embarrassing 37-point beatdown in East Lansing and avoid an 0-2 start in Big Ten play. For Indiana, the road trip marks an opportunity to grab a fifth-straight win and establish clear momentum heading into the two final non-conference games in Bloomington later this month.
Filed to: Nebraska Cornhuskers
CLOVERDALE, Ind. (WKRC) – Authorities in Indiana found a semi trailer loaded up with hundreds of pounds of suspected cocaine.
According to a statement issued by the Indiana State Police (ISP), 27-year-old Harmandeep Singh of Bakersfield, California was taken into custody after nearly 400 pounds of suspected cocaine were reportedly found in the trailer of a commercial truck.
Per the statement, an ISP trooper seized the suspected cocaine during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 in Putnam County, authorities said.
The stop occurred Tuesday morning near the 37-mile marker, just east of Cloverdale, after a commercial motor vehicle was observed exceeding the posted speed limit.
Police said Singh displayed several indicators of possible criminal activity during the encounter. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, troopers discovered multiple duffel bags and cardboard boxes in the trailer containing approximately 392 pounds (178 kilograms) of suspected cocaine.
Authorities estimated the street value of the drugs at about $9 million.
Singh was taken into custody and taken to the Putnam County Jail, where he is being held on a $30,000 cash bond.
He faces the following preliminary charges, per the post:
- Possession of a narcotic drug
Formal charges will be determined by the Putnam County prosecutor.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
Indiana State Police said drug interdiction remains a priority, with troopers focusing on major highways to disrupt the flow of illegal narcotics into the state.
For many Hoosiers living in rural Indiana, accessing health care can mean driving 30 minutes or even an hour to see a doctor or reach the nearest hospital. As workforce shortages and financial pressures challenge rural hospitals across the country, ensuring access to care close to home has become one of the most important health-care issues facing our state.
About one in four Indiana residents live in a rural community, yet access to health-care services in many of these communities continues to shrink. Across the nation, rural hospitals and clinics report extremely thin operating margins and often say workforce shortages and rising costs make it difficult to sustain services such as primary care, maternity care and behavioral health.
When rural communities struggle to maintain health-care access, the impact doesn’t stay confined to small towns. It ripples across the entire health-care system, contributing to increases in chronic conditions, reduced preventative care for children, and worsening outcomes for the sickest patients.
Communities such as Greater Lafayette serve as a regional hub for care, with hospitals like IU Health Arnett caring for patients from surrounding counties across north-central and west-central Indiana. That role is something we are proud to fulfill. But when rural residents must travel long distances for care that should be available closer to home, it places increasing pressure on emergency departments, specialty clinics and inpatient services at larger regional hospitals.
In many cases, what might have been a routine appointment, preventive screening or early diagnosis in a local clinic becomes far more serious by the time a patient reaches a larger hospital. A missed screening can escalate into a medical emergency.
That reality makes strengthening rural health care more important than ever — not just for rural communities, but for the health of the entire state.
One of the most important steps we can take is investing in the next generation of health-care professionals who will care for these communities.
At IU Health, we are working directly with local schools and community partners to help build that workforce pipeline. Across the region, IU Health has partnered with the Greater Lafayette Career Academy and area school districts to introduce students to health-care careers earlier and provide hands-on learning opportunities that bring those careers to life.
Through these programs, students explore health-care pathways and earn certifications such as certified nursing assistant, medical assistant or emergency medical technician while still in high school. Many participate in job shadowing opportunities, clinical experiences and mentorship programs, giving them valuable exposure to the field before they graduate. In fact, since the first cohort in 2023, IU Health has extended job offers to more than 70 students.
The goal is simple but powerful: help students see that meaningful careers in health care exist in their own communities and create pathways that allow them to stay and serve those communities.
For rural health care, this approach is critical. Students who train and develop personal mentorship connections locally are far more likely to remain in the region after completing their education. By helping young people build skills and connections early, we can create a sustainable workforce that strengthens health-care access in both rural communities and regional centers, including Greater Lafayette.
Since launching the $200 million Community Impact Investment Fund in 2018, IU Health has invested more than $40 million in community grants supporting workforce development, education and school-based programs that build Indiana’s health-care talent pipeline. This includes funding for the Indiana Latino Institute, which placed Latino students in health-care internships, supported career pathways, and provided medical interpreter training and college coaching to communities across the state.
Our goal is to make Indiana one of the healthiest states in the nation, and this is one way we work toward that in partnership with our communities.
But workforce development is only part of the solution.
Strengthening rural health care will also require continued collaboration between health-care providers, educators, community leaders and policymakers. Expanding telehealth access, supporting rural hospitals and investing in primary care and behavioral health services are all critical steps toward ensuring patients can receive care close to home.
Greater Lafayette will always play an important role as a regional health-care center, providing specialized care and advanced services for patients across a broad region. But the long-term health of Indiana’s health-care system depends on maintaining strong local access points for care in rural communities.
When rural clinics and hospitals can provide preventive care, manage chronic conditions and connect patients with the services they need early, the entire system works better.
Patients receive care sooner, communities stay healthier and larger hospitals can focus on the complex cases they are designed to treat.
Healthy rural communities do not just benefit the towns where they are. They strengthen Indiana’s entire health-care system by ensuring that every Hoosier — no matter where they live — has access to the care and resources they need to live healthier lives.
When rural health care succeeds, all of Indiana benefits.
Gary Henriott is a lifelong resident of Lafayette and the retired CEO and Chairman of Henriott Group. He is the chair of the IU Health West Region board of directors and the Wabash Heartland Innovation Network, and president of Lafayette’s Board of Public Works and Safety.
INDIANAPOLIS (WKRC) — An Indianapolis mother is now facing criminal charges after her 2-month-old baby died in an apparent improper co-sleeping environment, according to investigators.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by FOX 59/CBS 4, police were called to an area hospital on Sept. 19, 2024, following the death of 27-year-old Brooklyn Davis’ son. The boy had been found unresponsive in his family’s home early that morning, and Davis attempted CPR before he was rushed to the hospital.
The affidavit says the boy had been sleeping on Davis’ bed with his 6-year-old brother. Davis later showed investigators a video showing the baby sleeping chest down on the 6-year-old’s chest.
An autopsy concluded the baby’s cause of death was “sudden explained death of an infant” with an intrinsic factor, which included being “placed to sleep in a queen-sized mattress being shared with a 6-year-old sibling, along with numerous blankets and other miscellaneous items; discovered unresponsive in a prone position with his face turned to the side and partially covered with a blanket.”
A report from the Department of Child Services (DCS) indicated the boy had no known health issues and that Davis ran an FSSA-licensed day care and has “extensive training on child care and safe sleeping environments.”
Davis had been known to DCS prior to the baby’s death. The boy had been born marijuana-positive and, on July 2, 2024, Davis had reportedly signed a “Safe Sleep Safety Plan,” acknowledging she understood that the safest places for her baby to sleep were in a crib, pack-and-play or bassinet and warned that co-sleeping places the baby at risk of suffocation and sleeping areas should be kept free of blankets, pillows and other items. The plan also included a provision that Davis not use marijuana while caring for her children, but she told investigators during an interview that, the morning of her baby’s death, she had gone downstairs to smoke marijuana and left the children alone upstairs.
Davis’ two other children were removed from the home, and interviews with them revealed that co-sleeping with the infant happened often.
Investigators say they attempted to contact Davis several times after talking to her children.
“She called me on February 18, 2025, and said she didn’t do anything wrong, her baby died of SIDS,” the detective wrote in the affidavit. “Brooklyn never came in for an additional interview.”
Court records indicate the case was filed in March 2026. Davis was booked into jail on April 1 on three counts of neglect of a dependent. An initial hearing was held on April 7, and a bail review hearing is planned for Monday.
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