IU defeated Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf 98-64 in last night’s FISU America Games exhibition.
Scratch that.
Team USA defeated Canada 98-64 in last night’s FISU America Games exhibition at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Several IU basketball players may have taken the floor, but they were not representing the Hoosiers. Instead, they ditched their cream and crimson for red, white and blue.
The game served as a lead-up into the FISU America Games which will take place later this month in Lima, Peru.
Though just an exhibition game, IU/USA head coach Darian DeVries spoke of the novelty of it.
“That’s part of the reason we wanted to do this,” DeVries said. “Like, how many times do you have an opportunity to wear a USA jersey?”
The crowd was sparse for an Assembly Hall game, but they certainly appreciated the opportunity to cheer the Hoosiers and their country in the same breath.
When Indiana extended an already commanding lead late in the fourth quarter, chants of “USA, USA, USA” rained down to the court.
DJ Iman Tucker even capped off the win by playing “Born in the USA” over the speakers.
IU already boasts one of the most well-established fanbases in the sport, but DeVries said his team played for an even bigger audience last night.
“You know, obviously when we’re playing in our Indiana jerseys, we’re representing Indiana and our fans,” DeVries said. “Now it feels like you’re representing the whole country.”
DeVries stressed the importance of creating meaningful playing opportunities in the offseason, and how the FISU America Games provide that opportunity.
“I know it’s not the Olympics, but it still feels a little bit different,” DeVries said. “So we’re playing for something, and we know that is ultimately why we wanted to do this.”
It will not be the first time DeVries has traveled internationally with the Hoosiers, as last year’s team played several games in Puerto Rico prior to the season.
However, DeVries says this trip will be different.
“We’ll try to have a little bit of fun and go hang out together as a group, but we’re going to play five to six games in eight days,” DeVries said. “So it’s going to be much more about basketball for this trip.”
Indiana will play as many as five games in the FISU America Games, which run from July 20 through August 1.