Indiana basketball: Final game-by-game predictions for Hoosiers
Indiana basketball kicks off the 2022-23 season against Morehead State on Monday, November 7th as we finalize our game-by-game predictions for the Hoosiers. With just days until tip-off, do the Hoosiers have a realistic shot to win the Big Ten title in 2022-23? We think so!
We take a game-by-game look and predict the final scores from November 7, 2022, to March 5, 2023, for the Indiana basketball season in 2022-23:
Final game-by-game predictions for Indiana basketball in 2022-23
November 2022
November 7 – Indiana Hoosiers vs. Morehead State Eagles
Opening up the season against this OVC opponent that finished last season 23-11, the Hoosiers have a chance to start the 2022-23 campaign with a bang and not show any doubt as to why they are the favorites to win the Big Ten.
Trayce Jackson-Davis leads all scorers with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, but Jalen Hood-Schifino shows his importance and playmaking abilities with 15+ points and 7+ assists. Hoosiers win by double digits and begin the season undefeated at 1-0.
FINAL RESULT: INDIANA 83 – MOREHEAD ST 67
November 10 – Indiana Hoosiers vs. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
After starting the season undefeated, the Hoosiers stay home at Assembly Hall to take on Bethune-Cookman, a team from the SWAC that went 9-21 last season. This team played one ranked opponent last season (No. 21 Seton Hall) and lost 84-70. Knocking off some rust against Morehead State, Indiana basketball dominates this game from start to finish thanks to the bench production of Malik Reneau (15+ points) and Tamar Bates (15+ points). Hoosiers are 2-0.
FINAL RESULT: INDIANA 91 – BETHUNE-COOKMAN 62
November 18 – Indiana Hoosiers @ Xavier Musketeers
Now here’s the first real test of the season. Indiana travels to Cincinnati for their first road game of the season against a Xavier squad that finished 23-13 last season and won the 2022 NIT. At home, the Musketeers were 16-5 and didn’t lose their first home game until January 12, 2022 (No. 14 Villanova). By November 18, we could see both programs ranked in the top 25 and this will be one of the better non-conference games to start the season.
Race Thompson and Trayce Jackson-Davis both record a double-double and outplay the returning frontcourt of Jack Nunge and Zach Freemantle, while Jalen Hood-Schifino yet again proves early that he will be one of the best freshmen in the country with 15+ points and 5+ assists in his first college road game. Indiana moves on to 3-0 after a hard-fought road victory.
FINAL RESULT: INDIANA 73 – XAVIER 71
November 20 – Indiana Hoosiers vs. Miami (OH) Redhawks *
This is our first trap game of the season. Now, last season Miami (OH) was not good. They finished 14-18 and had one somewhat impressive player in Dae Dae Grant. The reason this is a trap game for the Hoosiers is that coming off a road victory against an NCAA Tournament team and traveling to Indianapolis two days later is tough. The Redhawks played two road games against ACC opponents last season and beat Georgia Tech and lost to Clemson.
Luckily for the Hoosiers, we have enough firepower and luck in Indianapolis to pull out a somewhat easy victory. Trayce Jackson-Davis puts up another double-double, but Jalen Hood-Schifino leads Indiana in scoring with 20+ points. IU stays undefeated at 4-0.
FINAL RESULT: INDIANA 82 – MIAMI (OH) 69
November 23 – Indiana Hoosiers vs. Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans
Returning back home to Bloomington after a road and a neutral site game has to feel good. Coming back to take on Arkansas-Little Rock, a program that finished last season 9-19 and worst in the Sun Belt has to feel even better. Hopefully, Coach Woodson continues to preach one game at a time and the Hoosiers don’t look one week ahead to the North Carolina matchup.
Winning this game pretty handily, the bench unit takes on the load and five players finish in double-digit scoring and Tamar Bates leads the way with 16 points off the bench. The Hoosiers continue their undefeated start at 5-0.
FINAL RESULT: INDIANA 85 – LITTLE ROCK 70
November 25 – Indiana Hoosiers vs. Jackson State Tigers
Prior to one of their biggest games of the season, the Hoosiers hope to remain undefeated against Jackson State at home after Thanksgiving day. The Tigers ended last season 11-19 and sixth in the SWAC and played against two ranked opponents last season (a 71-47 loss to No. 11 Illinois and a 47-37 loss to No. 17 Iowa State).
Continuing their dominance on the season, Indiana handles Jackson State relatively easily in this home game. Led by the bench unit yet again in this game, Jordan Geronimo brings the energy with a double-double off the bench. Indiana starts the season 6-0 before their biggest test of the season, against likely No. 1 North Carolina.
FINAL RESULT: INDIANA 77 – JACKSON ST 61
November 30 – Indiana Hoosiers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels
Can anybody see this being a battle between two top 10 or even top five ranked teams? Both teams could be coming in undefeated in this ACC/Big Ten Challenge. North Carolina will be coming off of the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland after potentially facing Villanova, Iowa State, UConn, Oregon, Alabama, or Michigan State. The Hoosiers would be coming off back-to-back games against non-major conference opponents. Both Mike Woodson and Hubert Davis are in their second college coaching seasons. Who’s got the upper hand?
Indiana basketball pulls off the upset at Assembly Hall, taking down another No. 1 ranked opponent in Bloomington. Trayce Jackson-Davis goes head-to-head with Armando Bacot, as Jalen Hood-Schifino and Xavier Johnson combine to outplay Caleb Love and R.J. Davis. This primetime matchup will go down to the wire and either team could pull out a win. Hoosiers get their biggest win of the season and move to 7-0.