Indiana
What to Expect: Indiana vs. Harvard
![What to Expect: Indiana vs. Harvard What to Expect: Indiana vs. Harvard](https://www.insidethehall.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/07262023c.jpg)
Indiana returns to action Sunday afternoon after a five-day break. The Hoosiers will face Harvard at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 4:30 p.m. ET in Indianapolis.
The Crimson are 5-1 with wins against UMass Boston, Rice, Northeastern, UMass and Colgate. The only loss for Harvard came at Boston College on Nov. 18.
Indiana left New York with a split and a 4-1 record, but the schedule doesn’t let up for the Hoosiers. Up next is a tricky Indianapolis game against a Harvard program that has already been tested this season.
The Crimson, led by coach Tommy Amaker, has already won road games against Rice, UMass, and Colgate this season. Picked to finish just sixth in the eight-team Ivy League, Harvard looks like a threat to outperform preseason expectations through six games.
MEET THE CRIMSON
The Crimson are led by a freshman point guard who is off to a terrific start. Oxon Hill, Maryland native Malik Mack has been dominant so far for Amaker. Mack is averaging a team-high 20.2 points to go along with a team-high 5.5 assists per game.
The 6-foot-1 Mack is shooting an efficient 45.5 percent on 3s and has made as many 3-pointers (15) as the entire Indiana roster. Mack gets into the lane and to the foul line at a solid clip. He’s taken 33 free throws this season and is shooting 84.8 percent.
He’s joined in the backcourt by Louis Lesmond, a 6-foot-6 junior. He leads the team with 17 made 3-pointers and connects at a 40.5 percent clip. Lesmond’s 10.2 points per game are tied with 6-foot-5 sophomore Chandler Pigge, who starts at the three.
Pigge is second on the team in rebounding at 7.2 per game and is 14-for-14 from the free throw line.
Harvard starts Chisom Okpara at the four and Justice Ajogbar at the five. Okpara, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound sophomore, can stretch the floor and finish plays at the rim. Okpara’s 16 points per game are second on the team and he’s 6-for-16 on 3s in five games after missing the season opener.
Ajogbar leads the Crimson with 8.2 rebounds per game and a team-high 19 blocks. The 6-foot-10, 255-pound senior has the strength and length to bother Kel’el Ware in the paint.
The key reserves to know for Harvard are freshman forward Thomas Batties II, junior guard Denham Wojcik and freshman big man Luca Ace-Nasteki.
Batties II is a 6-foot-7 wing shooting 53.3 percent from the field and averaging 6.2 points per game. Wojcik will back up Mack and averages just under two assists in 14.7 minutes per contest. Ace-Nasteki is 6-foot-10 and provides frontcourt depth behind Okpara and Ajogbar.
TEMPO-FREE PREVIEW
All stats below via KenPom.com and are updated through Thursday’s games.
Indiana’s rebounding remains a major concern through five games. The Hoosiers rank just 333rd in the country in offensive rebounding percentage and 244th in defensive rebounding percentage. The performance was better against Louisville, but the Hoosiers have a lot of work to do to fix the problem.
Harvard ranks 12th in the country in 3-point shooting percentage (41.3) and has been one of the better shooting teams in the country early this season. The Crimson are making 8.7 3s per game compared to just three makes per game for the Hoosiers.
Harvard has struggled on the defensive glass as opponents have rebounded 35.1 percent of their missed shots through six games. The Crimson aren’t a team that puts a lot of pressure on defensively as they rank just 308th in defensive turnover percentage.
Indiana’s primary offensive strength through five games has been its ability to get to the line. The Hoosiers rank first nationally in free throw rate (FTA/FGA) at 59.1 percent.
WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO
With Big Ten play beginning on Friday against Maryland in Bloomington, this is a matchup Indiana can’t afford to look past.
Mack has been incredible through six games and presents a significant challenge for Xavier Johnson, who played better in the second half against Louisville but has been otherwise inconsistent. Keeping Mack and Lesmond from going off from the perimeter looms large for Indiana.
The KenPom projection is Indiana by six with a 70 percent chance for victory.
Given how poorly the Hoosiers have played this season and the fact that Harvard is already battle-tested, this will be a good litmus test on how much this group has progressed since the Louisville win.
Filed to: Harvard Crimson
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Indiana
When Is Caitlin Clark’s Next Game? How to Watch Indiana Fever Games After Olympics
![When Is Caitlin Clark’s Next Game? How to Watch Indiana Fever Games After Olympics When Is Caitlin Clark’s Next Game? How to Watch Indiana Fever Games After Olympics](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5573,h_3134,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/si/01j3nh29w7t17m3scd66.jpg)
Indiana Fever star rookie Caitlin Clark is off to a torrid start in her first season as a professional, scoring 17.1 points per game while averaging 8.2 assists and 5.8 rebounds on 40.5% shooting from the floor and 32.7% from three.
Clark’s impressive play in the first half of the WNBA season for the 11-15 Fever earned her an All-Star selection in her first year in the league.
However, her play did not earn her a spot in the Paris Olympics for Team USA, who opens group play against Japan on July 29. In fairness to Team USA, the final roster was completed very early in the WNBA season as Clark was still finding her footing as a professional.
With Clark left off the United States Olympic team (for likely the only time in her basketball career), she has some time to kill between her last game before the WNBA All-Star break, a 101-93 loss to the Dallas Wings on July 17 to the Fever’s next scheduled game on August 16 at home against the Phoenix Mercury.
Team USA, of course, is comprised of over a dozen WNBA stars, so the league has gone on an extended Olympic break until basketball is completed in Paris. Clark will go nearly a month without playing a game for the Fever, which is an unorthodox period of rest in her first season as a professional.
When the Fever return to action, they’ll be looking to make a late season push for playoff contention. Indiana is currently in the No. 7 spot in the WNBA standings, but Clark’s strong play over the last month or so could potentially propel Indiana into an unexpected playoff spot in year one of Clark’s career.
Here’s the remaining schedule for Clark and the Fever, including how to watch her games in the second half of the WNBA season set to kick off in mid-August.
Home |
Away |
Date |
Time |
TV |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fever |
Mercury |
Friday, 8/16 |
7:30 p.m. ET |
ion |
Fever |
Storm |
Sunday, 8/18 |
3:30 p.m. ET |
ABC |
Lynx |
Fever |
Saturday, 8/24 |
8:00 p.m. ET |
NBA TV |
Dream |
Fever |
Monday, 8/26 |
7:30 p.m. ET |
NBA TV |
Fever |
Sun |
Wednesday, 8/28 |
7:00 p.m. ET |
NBA TV |
Sky |
Fever |
Friday, 8/30 |
7:30 p.m. ET |
ion |
Wings |
Fever |
Sunday, 9/1 |
4:00 p.m. ET |
NBA TV |
Fever |
Sparks |
Wednesday, 9/4 |
7:00 p.m. ET |
CBS Sports Network |
Fever |
Lynx |
Friday, 9/6 |
7:30 p.m. ET |
ion |
Fever |
Dream |
Sunday, 9/8 |
4:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN3 |
Fever |
Aces |
Wednesday, 9/11 |
7:00 p.m. ET |
NBA TV |
Fever |
Aces |
Friday, 9/13 |
7:30 p.m. ET |
ion |
Fever |
Wings |
Sunday, 9/15 |
3:00 p.m. ET |
NBA TV |
Mystics |
Fever |
Thursday, 9/19 |
7:00 p.m. ET |
Amazon Prime |
Indiana
Indianapolis business partners bringing The Picklr to central Indiana – Inside INdiana Business
![Indianapolis business partners bringing The Picklr to central Indiana – Inside INdiana Business Indianapolis business partners bringing The Picklr to central Indiana – Inside INdiana Business](https://cdn.insideindianabusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/The-Picklr-IIBTV.jpg)
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Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and now two Hoosiers are making sure players can rally no matter what Indiana weather brings.
Ron Brock and Dave Gilreath founded wealth management company Sheaff Brock decades ago, and now have another project cooking in the kitchen.
“We bounce different ideas off one another from time to time,” Brock said. “[Dave] came in one day talking about pickleball…the demographics are really strong for pickleball. All ages can play, you get people in middle school or even younger to senior citizens playing. Everybody can play and have fun.”
The duo signed on with The Picklr, a Utah-based franchise, and plan to open six locations across central Indiana.
“Indiana has a good location for indoor pickleball because three, maybe four months of the year you play outside, but other than that they’d rather be inside,” Gilreath said. “People talk a lot while they’re playing and after playing. Probably the advantage [pickleball has] over golf is golf takes 5 hours. It takes a long time; whereas in pickleball, after an hour and a half, you’re tired.”
The Picklr Indianapolis Keystone Crossing club, located at 3810 E. 82nd St., will be the first location to open this fall. The former OfficeMax building will be transformed into 10 indoor pickleball courts, private event space, tournaments and more.
“I’m most excited to see the people having fun inside this building. Right now it’s just a big empty room, but I think that’s what I’m most excited about,” Gilreath said.
The Picklr’s second location will open in Noblesville at 9847 Cumberland Pointe Blvd, just north of 146th Street. It will have 19 courts.
First announced in May, the Noblesville location is a joint venture between former NFL quarterback Drew Brees’ BV Pickleball Clubs LLC and Pickle Indy LLC, which is owned by Gilreath and Brock.
Brees is not involved with the Keystone Crossing location.
The Picklr members can play at any of the more than 200 clubs across the country. For updates on both Indiana locations, click here.
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Indiana
Kendall Brown leaves questions to be answered about Indiana Pacers roster after summer league
![Kendall Brown leaves questions to be answered about Indiana Pacers roster after summer league Kendall Brown leaves questions to be answered about Indiana Pacers roster after summer league](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4032,h_2268,x_0,y_564/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/all_pacers/01j3hef28jgdrs1sy4kr.jpg)
LAS VEGAS — Kendall Brown was one of the more important players for the Indiana Pacers to monitor during summer league play, but his performances left more questions than answers.
The 21-year old wing is entering his third NBA season after being drafted by the Pacers in 2022. Back in March, he signed a new three-year contract with the blue and gold, though it is non-guaranteed for the upcoming season (many of the details were reported here in Pacers On SI). If Brown is still on the roster come opening night, $250k of his agreement becomes guaranteed.
That’s why summer league was important for Brown — he had a chance to prove that he should stick with Indiana into the regular season. Given the team’s proximity to the luxury tax for the 2024-25 league year, any wasted roster space or contracts are a hindrance. The front office needs to be certain in their moves.
“Just that I can do everything. Just my ability to pass, score, play defense,” Brown said when discussing what he hoped to show during summer league play. “Just run. My athleticism.”
Brown’s play in summer sessions did little to provide clarity about his future. The Baylor product averaged 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while making 41.5% of his shots. At his best, he showed growth with his slashing ability. During his first summer league outing, he lived at the foul line and was efficient.
But when there were multiple bodies in the lane or there was less space to operate, Brown struggled. He coughed up more turnovers than he had assists, a disappointing outcome for a player who hoped to show passing improvement. He didn’t finish plays well despite being able to jump out of the gym. After his first outing, things were rough.
Across his last four performances, Brown averaged 7.3 points per game and knocked down just 36.7% of his shot attempts. He made one three in total during that stretch. His first outing can’t be overlooked — it was impressive and contained vital skills. But the young wing needed to be better and more consistent throughout summer league than he actually was.
“Just being able to attack, and then them cutting me off, and me being able to change direction and spin or get down hill. Just being able to finish,” Brown said after that first game of how he was hoping to combine his athleticism with ball skills. “I feel like that’s what I’m really good at. I can finish a lot of different ways.”
That never all clicked. The Minnesota native was solid in the second half of a win over the Phoenix Suns, but he didn’t put together another complete performance. Despite having unbelievable athletic tools, Brown didn’t stand out as much as other third-year players.
“Just still showing my athleticism, my ability to pass, make my teammates better,” Brown said of his summer league hopes. He wanted to show that he’s still getting better.
Brown wasn’t appreciably better than he was in summer league back in 2023, where he scored slightly less but was far more efficient and pulled in more rebounds. He was coming off of any injury last year, though, so he was asked to do less. His assists numbers and free throw rate did climb significantly from year to year.
All together, Brown’s play during the five games in Las Vegas leaves questions about his contract status heading into training camp. He isn’t owed any money until opening night, so there is little reason for the Pacers to rush into any decision. But a strong summer league could have given Indiana proof that the young wing was still ascending heading into 2024-25.
Instead, the front office now has to decide if it is worth using a roster spot, and financial resources, on a forward with athleticism that may not be ready to contribute for another year. Brown would be behind Jarace Walker and Johnny Furphy in any hypothetical rotation, so minutes could be hard to come by anyway.
The Pacers don’t have to decide on Brown’s future right now. Waiving him today would be an early choice. Instead, they get to training camp and see how Brown looks before the season begins. In that setting, he will be playing in his role instead of a more challenging one on a summer squad with limited shot creation.
Preseason games could matter, too, and Brown will have to produce. He may have had some wiggle room to struggle or look stagnant in those outings if he had a dominant summer league. But instead, the young forward came up short and still needs to show he has added skill.
Indiana could opt to move Brown’s contract guarantee date and pay him on a prorated basis when the season starts, but his guaranteed money number is so low that such a move has little benefit. There is no advantage to moving on from the young forward now, either, so Brown’s unimpressive summer league has left the blue and gold in their current reality where the best option is to wait.
Financial flexibility could matter for Indiana this season. Brown has to prove he is more valuable than that, and after a down summer league, he is running out of time to do it.
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