Indiana Basketball: Thomas Bryant, Josh Newkirk play large role in 3OT win

It took Indiana basketball 55 minutes of play to put away in-conference opponent Penn State last night. Thomas Bryant and Josh Newkirk were among the players who stepped up Wednesday night.

To say that Penn State has been a relatively easy in-conference opponent, especially for Indiana, would be considered an alternative fact. In fact, the last five meetings against the Nittany Lions have been decided by six points or less.

After dwindling a 13-point lead with less than five minutes left in the second half, it took a James Blackmon Jr. buzzer-beater to decide this match-up just two weeks ago. The Hoosiers – playing at Assembly Hall Wednesday night – were without Blackmon and sophomore forward O.G. Anunoby.

The matchup Wednesday night was nothing but entertaining, and a win the Nittany Lions and Hoosiers both needed. Penn State is hoping to keep their faint NCAA Tournament hopes alive, while Indiana is hanging on the bubble of tournament contention. This was a game that the Hoosiers undoubtedly needed to win on their home floor.

Stepping up when it counts…

One of the most impressive aspects of the night was Indiana’s refusal to give up. Sure, the lead was diminished multiple times, and most teams probably would have packed it in, but even with all the injuries, the Hoosiers did not.

Thomas Bryant, who has been the heart and soul of this team, played a major role in the win over Penn State. Bryant played 38 of the 55 total game minutes; put up a career high in points (31); and tallied 11 rebounds.

The sophomore center was instrumental in keeping Indiana focused on the task at hand. While his defensive metrics were not all that great, some of his problems may have been a result of Juwan Morgan’s early foul trouble. Morgan only played 18 minutes, committing four fouls before the end of regulation.

The win as a break-out game for point guard Josh Newkirk, who was the centerpiece to the Hoosiers victory. Newkirk also had a career high 27 points, 9-for-14 shooting, and 50 percent from beyond the arc. He provided the last-second buzzer-beating layup to send the game to it’s second overtime.

"This freeD look at Josh Newkirk’s @IndianaMBB buzzer-beater is 💯. https://t.co/4L21j4JL4f— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 2, 2017"

The reason for some harsh criticism of Newkirk’s play has been seen throughout the season. This game provided a different story. He was nailing three-point shots, and hitting runners that were must-haves in clutch situations.

Newkirk was finding lanes and helping his team stay focused when all could have been lost. This was a really nice game for Newkirk, one that Hoosier fans will hope he can carry over into the tough road of February.

Robert Johnson played all but five minutes of the marathon game, scoring a career-high 27 points of his own. At times, he looked a bit lost (eight turnovers), but helped fill the scoring void left from James Blackmon Jr.’s absence.

Next: Indiana vs. Kentucky Rivalry - Make It Happen

Indiana will need Johnson, Bryant, and Newkirk to continue their production on offense, and to have any shot at dancing in March.

The Hoosiers will take on No. 10 Wisconsin at the Kohl Center, Sunday, February 5th at 1PM ET on CBS.

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Thomas Bryant, Josh Newkirk play large role in 3OT win against Penn State

By Jordan Maly | Feb 2, 2017

It took Indiana basketball 55 minutes of play to put away in-conference opponent Penn State last night. Thomas Bryant and Josh Newkirk were among the players who stepped up Wednesday night.

Stepping up when it counts…