Local Sports Headlines: October 4, 2023

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Indiana University and The University of Kentucky will renew their Men’s Basketball Rivalry in 2025
It’s back. One of college basketball’s most important and storied rivalries is back on the schedule. Indiana University Athletic Director Scott Dolson and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart jointly agreed today to a four-game men’s basketball series beginning with the 2025-26 season and continuing thru the 2028-29 campaign. The four-game series will include two home games for each program. To provide more Hoosier fans with an opportunity to witness an IU-UK game firsthand, IU has elected to hold one of its home contests at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The two programs faced each other in Indianapolis 10 times from 1987-2005 at the Hoosier/RCA Dome, games that featured electric atmospheres in front of crowds in excess of 40,000.

The series schedule is:
Dec. 20, 2025 – Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, Lexington, Ky.
Dec. 27, 2026 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind. (IU home game)
Dec. 18, 2027 – Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, Lexington, Ky.
Dec. 16, 2028 – Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Ind.

“This is an exciting day for not only IU and UK Basketball, but college basketball,” Dolson said. “When you consider the history, the passion, and the proximity of our schools, this is a game that means a great deal to so many people. I appreciate Mitch Barnhart’s willingness to work together to resume what I believe to be college basketball’s best non-conference rivalry. I also appreciate the support of Coach Calipari and Coach Woodson and their desire to bring this series back. Their relationship is a big reason why we are able to make today’s announcement.”

“It’s great to renew this series, which is among the most competitive rivalries and storied traditions of college basketball,” Barnhart said. “The matchup will resume its place as one of the nation’s most anticipated games of the season. This emanated from Coach Cal and Coach Woodson getting together and talking about playing again. I’ve enjoyed spending time with Scott Dolson and getting to know him better as we’ve worked out the details.”

“This is a great day for our program and our fans,” Indiana head basketball coach Mike Woodson said. “Indiana-Kentucky is one of the best rivalries in college basketball, with so many great games over the years. We worked hard to get this done, and I could not be happier to be playing Kentucky once again.”

“This is a really important rivalry to our fans and the game of college basketball and we’re happy to bring it back,” Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari said. “Mike and I have been friends for years and I have the utmost respect for him as a coach and as a man. Let’s do this!” 

The December 2025 contest will mark the first regular season game between the long-time rivals since Indiana’s 73-72 victory at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Dec. 10, 2011. That 14-year regular season lapse is the longest in the series since the two college basketball bluebloods went 21 years between regular season encounters from 1944 to 1965. The two teams have met twice since the 2011 game in the NCAA Tournament, with Kentucky posting a 102-90 win in Atlanta in the 2012 Sweet 16, and IU earning a 73-67 win in the second round of the 2016 NCAA tourney in Des Moines. Kentucky leads the all-time series between the two schools, 32-25. Kentucky ranks second all-time with eight national championships, while Indiana is fourth with five.

Big Ten announces TV schedule for Indiana University Women’s Basketball
Indiana women’s basketball will be featured in the Big Ten Conference television package 16 times this season, announced by the conference on Tuesday afternoon. The Hoosiers will play across four different networks including Big Ten Network, FOX, FS1 and Peacock. They will appear on a national broadcast on FOX twice this season, five times on BTN, seven times on Peacock and once on FS1. IU will be featured on broadcasts in nine road games and six inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall including both matchups with Iowa, Purdue and Maryland this season. Additional times and streaming information for non-selected games will be announced at a later date. General admission season tickets and single game tickets are now on sale through the IU Ticket Office, visiting the ticket office windows in the west lobby of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall or calling 812-855-4006.

Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023IndianaatRutgers4:00 PMBTN
Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2023Bowling GreenatIndiana7:00 PMBTN
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023IllinoisatIndiana12:00 PMBTN
Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024MichiganatIndiana7:00 PMBTN
Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024IndianaatNebraskaTBDBTN
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024IndianaatIowa8:00 PMFOX
Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024MinnesotaatIndiana8:00 PMPeacock
Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024IndianaatPurdue2:00 PMPeacock
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024IndianaatMaryland7:00 PMPeacock
Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024IndianaatOhio State12:00 PMFS1
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024Michigan StateatIndiana7:00 PMPeacock
Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024IndianaatWisconsin8:00 PMPeacock
Monday, Feb. 19, 2024IndianaatIllinois2:00 PMFOX
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024IowaatIndiana8:00 PMPeacock
Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024IndianaatNorthwestern7:00 PMBTN
Sunday, Mar. 3, 2024MarylandatIndiana3:00 PMPeacock

Big Ten announces Times and Television coverage for Indiana University Men’s Basketball
The Big Ten Conference announced the times and television designations for the men’s basketball season on Tuesday morning.  The Hoosiers will be featured on BTN or B1G+ 15 times this season, including home conference tilts against Maryland (Dec. 1) and Iowa (Jan. 30). B1G+ will carry both exhibition games and the home game against Kennesaw State (Dec. 29). FOX and FS1 will showcase the Cream and Crimson seven times, including primetime game slots against Ohio State (Jan. 6) and at Purdue (Feb. 10).  Peacock will hold the rights to five IU games. The Hoosiers will debut on the streaming platform at Michigan (Dec. 5) while also hosting Purdue (Jan. 16) and Wisconsin (Feb. 27). Indiana will play three times on CBS, including the return game against Kansas (Dec. 16) and the season finale against Michigan State (March 10).

The ESPN family of networks will house the Hoosiers for both contests in the Empire Classic Benefitting the Wounded Warrior Project Presented by Continental Tire. Indiana will also be broadcast on ESPN2 for the Holiday Hoops Giving matchup with Auburn (Dec. 9). Peacock will air the first round of the 2024 Big Ten Tournament. The second round and quarterfinal round will be shown on BTN, while the semifinals and championship games will be broadcast on CBS.

2023-24 Indiana Men’s Basketball Schedule
EXHIBITIONS
Oct. 29 (Sunday) – Indianapolis – TBD – B1G+
Nov. 3 (Friday) – Marian – TBD – B1G+ REGULAR SEASON
Nov. 7 (Tuesday) – Florida Gulf Coast – 6:30 p.m. – BTN
Nov. 12 (Sunday) – Army – 7 p.m. – BTN
Nov. 16 (Thursday) – Wright State – 7 p.m. – BTN EMPIRE CLASSIC BENEFITING THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT PRESENTED BY CONTINENTAL TIRE
Nov. 19 (Sunday) – vs. UConn – 1 p.m. – ESPN (Madison Square Garden, New York)
Nov. 20 (Monday) – vs. Louisville/Texas – 4:30/7 p.m. – ESPNU (Madison Square Garden, New York) Nov. 26 (Sunday) – vs. Harvard – 4:30 p.m. – BTN (Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis) Dec. 1 (Friday) – Maryland* – 7 p.m. – BTN
Dec. 5 (Tuesday) – at Michigan* – 9 p.m. – Peacock HOLIDAY HOOPSGIVING
Dec. 9 (Saturday) – vs. Auburn – 2 p.m. – ESPN2 (State Farm Arena, Atlanta) Dec. 16 (Saturday) – Kansas – 12:30 p.m. – CBS
Dec. 19 (Tuesday) – Morehead State – 6:30 p.m. – BTN
Dec. 21 (Thursday) – North Alabama – 8:30 p.m. – BTN
Dec. 29 (Friday) – Kennesaw State – TBD – B1G+ Jan. 3 (Wednesday) – at Nebraska* – 9 p.m. – BTN
Jan. 6 (Saturday) – Ohio State* – 8 p.m. – FOX
Jan. 9 (Tuesday) – at Rutgers* – 7 p.m. – Peacock
Jan. 12 (Friday) – Minnesota* – 6:30 p.m. – FS1
Jan. 16 (Tuesday) – Purdue* – 7 p.m. – Peacock
Jan. 19 (Friday) – at Wisconsin* – 8:30 p.m. – FS1
Jan. 27 (Saturday) – at Illinois* – 3 p.m. – FOX
Jan. 30 (Tuesday) – Iowa* – 7 p.m. – BTN Feb. 3 (Saturday) – Penn State* – Noon – FS1
Feb. 6 (Tuesday) – at Ohio State* – 7 p.m. – Peacock
Feb. 10 (Saturday) – at Purdue* – 8 p.m. – FOX
Feb. 18 (Sunday) – Northwestern* – 3 p.m. – FS1
Feb. 21 (Wednesday) – Nebraska* – 8:30 p.m. – BTN
Feb. 24 (Saturday) – at Penn State* – Noon – BTN
Feb. 27 (Tuesday) – Wisconsin* – 7 p.m. – Peacock March 3 (Sunday) – at Maryland* – 2 p.m. – CBS
March 6 (Wednesday) – at Minnesota* – 9 p.m. – BTN
March 10 (Sunday) – Michigan State* – 4:30 p.m. – CBS 2024 BIG TEN MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
March 13-17 (Wednesday-Sunday) – Target Center – Minneapolis

Two Indiana University Baseball Alums are competing in the Major League Baseball Postseason
Indiana Baseball alumni Kyle Schwarber and Andrew Saalfrank began the 2023 MLB Postseason on Tuesday as four Wild Card series start the month-long race to the Fall Classic. Schwarber (Phillies) and Saalfrank (Diamondbacks) will be on opposite sides of the bracket in the National League with the Diamondbacks heading to Milwaukee for a three-game set with the Brewers and the Phillies hosting divisional rival Miami in a best-of-three Wild Card series.

Saalfrank is the latest Hoosier to make his postseason debut. After earning the call to the big leagues in September, the lefty threw 10.1 scoreless innings in relief as the Diamondbacks clinched their first postseason berth since 2017. Schwarber, a veteran of the postseason and a 2016 World Series Champion with the Cubs, launched 47 home runs and recorded 104 runs batted in across 565 plate appearances for the Phillies in 2023. One of the best to ever play at IU, Schwarber remains the highest drafted player (No. 4 Overall) in program history.

Indiana University Men’s Golf ties for second place at the Fighting Irish Classic
The Indiana men’s golf team tied for second place at the Fighting Irish Classic on Monday at the Warren Golf Course in South Bend, Indiana. The Hoosiers shot a team score of 837 (279-277-281; -3) to tie with Northwestern. No. 5 Tennessee won the event by shooting an 830 (280-280-270; -10). Indiana will close out the fall slate with the Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational (Oct. 15-16) and the Steelwood Collegiate (Oct. 28-29).

Senior Drew Salyers paced the Hoosiers again in the scoring column with a 207 (64-73-70; -3). He tied for fifth individually, and third overall of all Big Ten players. His opening round of 64 (-6) was nearly flawless with five birdies, one eagle, and just one bogey. He made birdie on five holes in the final two rounds of play. Redshirt junior Robert Bender III tied for ninth with a three-round scorecard of 209 (74-65-70; -1). He converted a team-high 13 birdie attempts, including seven in the second round. Freshman Cole Starnes notched his second-straight top-15 finish after tying for 11th place with a score of 210 (71-69-70; E). He carded at least three birdies in each round for a total of 10 for the event. Sixth-year senior Noah Gillard played the event at 214 (71-70-73; +4) with eight total birdie conversions. Graduate Thomas Hursey finished the week at 218 (73-71-74; +8) with six made birdie tries. Freshman Nick Piesen, playing as an individual, shot a 226 (73-76-77; +16) and converted four birdies.

IHSAA Sectional Volleyball parings announced
The IHSAA did no favors for all but one area volleyball team. Pick the hardest path just to make it to the sectional title game and that’s the one they got. Here’s a look at the details. Sectional play begins Oct. 10 and runs through the semifinals and finals on Oct. 14.

4A Sectional 13 at Greenwood- Game 1 will be a rematch between No. 23 Bloomington North (18-9) and Bloomington South (10-15) after the senior-led Cougars swept the regular season meeting. The winner moves on to face the favorites, No. 5 Center Grove (23-4), which has a 3-2 win over North and a 3-0 win over South in pocket. The lower bracket pits Martinsville (4-18) against Mooresville (10-17) with the host Woodmen (11-6) getting the bye.
3A Sectional 26 at Northview- No easy outs for Edgewood (20-5) here. The No. 28 Mustangs will play the third game of the first round against No. 25 Indian Creek (16-4). The Braves pulled out a 3-1 win after dropping the first set in their WIC contest. The winner most likely will face the host No. 13 Knights (20-9), who drew South Vermillion (5-16). The top bracket has Owen Valley (6-12) taking on West Vigo (5-16) with the winner getting winless Brown County (0-20). The Patriot swept both in league play this season.
1A Sectional 57 at White River Valley- Lighthouse Christian (14-8) drew the only bye to the semifinals. The Lions, though will likely be facing the only other team here with a winning record, getting the survivor of SWIAC rivals Shakamak (14-9) and defending champ WRV (6-16). Both have beaten LCA this season, but the Lions were without their starting setter against the Lakers. The bottom bracket sees Clay City (7-11) vs. Bloomfield (5-22) and Dugger Union (7-14) vs. North Central (9-16).

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