Hoosiers and Tar Heels Meet in Indy for Exhibition Match

Who: Indiana Hoosiers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels

What: Second Exhibition Game for 2026-2027 Season

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN

When: Sunday, October 18 at 5:00 pm

How to Watch: Streaming on BTN+

The Indiana Hoosiers opened the exhibition season with a rollicking victory over the Butler Bulldogs on October 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The game was competitive for the first 28 minutes of the contest before the Hoosiers sparked a dominant run that buried the hosts and resulted in a 96-68 win. This Sunday, IU takes on the North Carolina Tar Heels at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a matchup of two of the sports’ most storied programs. North Carolina topped USC 88-70 on October 9 in Mike Malone’s first game at the helm for the Tar Heels. What should IU fans be looking for in IU’s second exhibition test?

Step Up in Competition

Butler is rebuilding under new head coach Ronald Nored. North Carolina also has a first-year head coach but the circumstances are far different. The Tar Heels hired former Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone to lead the program. He’s new to running a college program but he is no stranger to being a head coach and UNC has far greater resources than are at Nored’s disposal. The Tar Heels don’t “rebuild” and their fans will expect to be in ACC contention quickly.

Can IU Continue Rebounding Superiority?

The Indiana Hoosiers crushed Butler on the glass and dominated offensive rebounding in a way Darian DeVries’ first IU squad never could. The new frontline of Samet Yigitoglu and Aiden Sherrell (along with plenty of size elsewhere) were overwhelming for the undersized Butler Bulldogs. UNC doesn’t have anyone that can rival Yigitoglu’s 7’2” frame or his strength but the Tar Heels have a lot more size than Butler and the athleticism to rival IU on the glass. Jarin Stevenson (6’10”), Sayon Keita (7’1”) and Neo Avdalas (6’9”) all started against USC with Stevenson excelling with 25 points and 10 rebounds. In addition, guards Terrence Brown (6’3”) and Matt Able (6’5”) have decent size. UNC’s frontcourt is a bit slender and lacks the bulk of Yigitoglu and Sherrell but the length and height will challenge IU and another strong rebounding performance for the Hoosiers would be very encouraging.

Defending a Skilled Opponent Without Fouling

An exhibition game in the middle of October does not provide any actual concerns or definitive takeaways. That written, these games can give fans (and coaches) things to keep an eye on. One of the things on the negative side is the fouls Indiana picked up against Butler. The Hoosiers were called for 23 fouls including the following:

• 4 on Markus Burton in 15 minutes
• 4 on Jaeden Mustaf in 22 minutes
• 3 on Bryce Lindsay in 22 minutes
• 3 on Aiden Sherrell in 22 minutes

Darian DeVries mentioned at his press availability on Wednesday that he thought his team fouled too much against Butler, particularly on the perimeter. North Carolina is going to challenge IU’s ability to defend without fouling more than the Bulldogs did and growth in that area will worth monitoring over the first few weeks of the season. IU cannot afford to have Markus Burton’s minutes limited by foul trouble very often.

Developing Depth

Expect Darian DeVries to continue to spread minutes throughout his roster as he tries to keep players healthy and fresh while also developing depth and rhythm. Against Butler, no one played more than 22 minutes and 14 players saw at least five minutes of action. Vaughn Karvala was the only scholarship player to not see the floor at all. Will we see Karvala against the Tar Heels? Will Trevor Manhertz continue to insert himself into the conversation as a primary bench option? North Carolina is a quality opponent with legitimate high-major talent and a coach with NBA experience so this will be a worthwhile challenge and learning experience.