CAROLINA, Puerto Rico — Everywhere Mega Superbet's Savo Drezgic went, Lamar Wilkerson was right with him.
Indiana's senior guard stayed squared, stopped Drezgic's drive to the rim and forced a heavily contested fadeaway from just inside the arc — a last-second prayer that went unanswered.
The Hoosiers stormed off their bench and onto the floor, surrounding Wilkerson in front of a row of Indiana fans seated courtside.
Indiana's 22-point comeback, one which came much later than its Saturday surge from down 23 points, had been completed. The Hoosiers finished their three-game trip to Puerto Rico with a 3-0 record, capped by an 81-80 victory Monday afternoon inside Coliseo Guillermo Angulo.
Here's how each Indiana player performed ...
G Jasai Miles: Miles picked up three fouls in the first half, the last of which came on a 3-point jumper, but he settled down in the second half. He made a triple from the top of the key and added a free throw to finish with four points. Miles, who played only 10 minutes, added two rebounds, and his long arms and quick feet makes him a defensive asset.
F Reed Bailey: Bailey started the game by catching a lob from Conerway and finished it with a go-ahead dunk on a pass from Wilkerson. In between, he was only 1-for-6 shooting, often struggling to finish at the rim, but he grabbed seven rebounds and had two steals to pair with six points
G Lamar Wilkerson: Scoreless at halftime, Wilkerson dominated the second half. He scored 17 points, made three triples and finished the game with four assists to one turnover — a nod to his playmaking acumen. When he gets rolling, he’s a dangerous playmaker.
F Sam Alexis: Alexis capped a strong three-game series with 15 points and three rebounds in nearly 26 minutes of action. He finished with both hands around the rim and was 5 of 10 from the floor. His footwork and touch is evident.
G Conor Enright: Fouled out for the second consecutive game, playing only 22 minutes. Enright made his first 3-pointer of the trip, but it was his only made basket. He filled the stat sheet elsewhere, collecting six rebounds and four assists to no turnovers.
G Tayton Conerway: Dominated the first half, scoring 18 of Indiana's 30 points, but he didn't score after the break. Nevertheless, Conerway kept the Hoosiers in it until they rallied around him. He drew nine fouls, dished four assists, grabbed three rebounds, tallied three steals and had only two turnovers. He was terrific for the first 20 minutes.
F Trent Sisley: The quietest day he's had thus far. Sisley nailed a corner 3-pointer during Indiana's second-half run, and he pursued and dove for a loose ball on the far side of the court. But he went just 1-for-5 shooting and had one rebound and steal apiece in 14 minutes, which figures to be a fair estimate for the freshman's role this season. Collectively, Sisley impressed over three games in Puerto Rico.
F Tucker DeVries: Like Wilkerson, DeVries was scoreless at the half. He never found his stroke from long range, finishing 0-for-3 shooting from distance, but he had a pair of crucial and-ones down the stretch and went 7-for-8 shooting at the foul stripe to finish with 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and one turnover.
G Aleksa Ristic: Ristic had a pair of early turnovers in his first stint and finished with three overall, though he rose to the occasion late, hitting a floater to pull Indiana within one point with just under 40 seconds remaining in the game. It was a big shot in a big moment for a freshman who, through three games, hasn't looked frightened.
For the first time this trip, sophomore forward Josh Harris and walk-on junior guard Ian Stephens did not play. The Hoosiers were also without junior guard Nick Dorn, who traveled with the team and lightly shot around during warm-ups but was held off the floor during competitive periods.
Bosnian freshman center Andrej Acimovic, who's awaiting his visa, and junior guard Nick Dorn, who has a lower-body injury, were not with the Hoosiers in Puerto Rico.
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