Xavier Johnson finished with 19 points and six assists, lifting Indiana to a 74-57 win over Penn State on Wednesday night in Bloomington, Ind.
Race Thompson added 18 points for the Hoosiers (15-5, 6-4 Big Ten), with Trayce Jackson-Davis finishing with 15 points and four blocked shots.
With the win, Indiana improved to 13-1 at home this season and avenged a 61-58 loss at Penn State on Jan. 2.
Jalen Pickett led Penn State (8-9, 3-6) with 14 points, with John Harrar adding 13 points and nine rebounds. Penn State dropped its third straight and dropped to 1-5 on the road this season.
Indiana made its first six 3-point attempts and shot 57.1 percent from the field in the first half to take a commanding 46-17 halftime lead. Three Indiana players scored in double figures in the first half, with Jackson-Davis scoring 13 points, Thompson scoring 11 points and Johnson scoring 10 points.
The Hoosiers were ready from the opening tip, jumping to a quick 12-0 lead that included 3-pointers from Thompson and Johnson. From there, Indiana continued to build its lead. Up 22-8, Indiana went on a 9-0 run, going ahead 31-8 on a Thompson jumper.
Another 8-0 run, which included back-to-back 3-pointers from Parker Stewart and Tamar Bates, put Indiana up 39-10 with 4:45 left in the half.
Defensively, Indiana was just as strong in the first half, holding Penn State to 16.7 percent from the field (5-30) with eight blocked shots. Penn State dealt with foul trouble throughout the first half, with starting Harrar and starting forward Greg Lee each picking up two first-half fouls.
Midway through the first half. Indiana guard Rob Phinisee was taken back to the locker room with a leg injury and did not return.
With Indiana up 67-40 in the second half, Penn State made a 13-0 run, cutting Indiana’s lead to 67-53 on an inside basket by Harrar, but could not get closer the rest of the game.
–Field Level Media