Basketball and Beyond: Highlights from a packed Friday
Boys Basketball
Batesville hosted its holiday tournament but fell short, losing 82-58 to Mt. Vernon (Fortville) and 66-46 to Columbus North. South Decatur split games at the Edinburgh Tournament, losing 48-37 to Alexandria before bouncing back with a 69-60 win over Austin.
Oldenburg Academy was runner-up in its tournament, cruising past Villa Madonna (Ky.) 57-33 in the opener but narrowly losing 50-46 to Seton Catholic in the championship. Franklin County had a mixed day at the Mitchell Classic, defeating White River Valley 69-50 but falling to the host school, 78-62.
Elsewhere, East Central dropped games to Hauser and Hamilton Heights at the Switzerland County Tournament, while Greensburg fell to Warren Central and Plainfield at the Kokomo Tournament. Lawrenceburg suffered losses to New Palestine and Castle in the Ray Furney Classic.
Today’s action includes Greensburg, South Decatur, Lawrenceburg, East Central, South Ripley, Jac-Cen-Del, and Franklin County continuing holiday tournament play. Milan hosts Eastern (Pekin) in regular season action.
In JV play at the Batesville tournament, results mirrored the varsity. Mount Vernon defeated Batesville 55-39, and Columbus North rolled to a 71-36 victory.
The St. Louis 8th Grade Boys capped their holiday tournament with a third-place finish, rebounding from a loss to Greendale with a commanding win over South Ripley to improve to 12-2 on the season.
Girls Basketball
Franklin County captured the Waldron Holiday Tournament title, beating the host team 71-50 in the opener and Union County 52-41 in the final.
East Central finished runner-up at Greenwood, defeating the host school 62-35 but falling 42-31 to Yorktown in the championship. Batesville lost 62-46 to Scottsburg in its holiday opener, while Jac-Cen-Del dropped an 87-29 decision to Alexandria in Richmond Tournament play. South Decatur and North Decatur both fell in the Hauser Holiday Tournament, with South losing 47-30 to Paoli and North dropping a 54-43 decision to Madison.
Saturday’s girls’ action features Oldenburg Academy, Batesville, Greensburg, North Decatur, South Decatur, and Jac-Cen-Del competing in holiday tournaments.
Swimming
Oldenburg Academy’s Nash King continues to impress, setting a new pool record in the 200 IM at last weekend’s Seymour meet. His time of 1:58.14 broke a record that had stood for 35 years. The OA Boys 200 Medley Relay team also secured first place, though Seymour claimed overall dual meet victories.
NBA
The Pacers were overpowered by the Celtics in Boston last night, losing 142-105. Indiana will rest today before facing the defending NBA champions again on Sunday. Catch that action live on 103.9 WRBI, starting at 5:30 p.m.
College Basketball
No college hoops action in Indiana until Sunday. The Indiana Hoosiers, fresh off a narrow win over Chattanooga, will host Winthrop at Assembly Hall. Purdue is also off until Sunday when they welcome Toledo to Mackey Arena. Indiana State will hit the road to face Ohio State.
Ball State’s Cards look to add to their winning streak and even up their record, as they end the year hosting Anderson Tuesday afternoon. Butler fans will have to wait until the New Year to see their team back in action. The Bulldogs, looking to snap a five-game skid, host Villanova at Hinkle Fieldhouse on January 1.
Women’s college basketball returns this weekend with two Indiana powerhouses in action. The Indiana Hoosiers resume Big Ten play Saturday, hosting Wisconsin at 2 p.m. ET inside Assembly Hall. Indiana is riding a five-game win streak after closing out non-conference play strong.
On Sunday, the No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will also get back to conference play, hosting Virginia. Like the Hoosiers, the Irish are on a roll with five consecutive victories heading into the matchup.
Notre Dame Preps for Sugar Bowl Showdown
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are back to work after taking Wednesday off for Christmas, gearing up for next Wednesday’s Sugar Bowl against Georgia in the College Football Playoff. The Irish will be without one of their top pass rushers, Riley Mills, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Indiana.
Georgia is also dealing with injuries, as starting quarterback Carson Beck is out after injuring his shoulder in the SEC Championship. Despite the setbacks on both sides, Notre Dame enters the game as a 2-point underdog.
Indiana Football Targets Transfer Portal
Indiana football is making moves in the transfer portal, securing California quarterback Fernando Mendoza as a potential starter for next season. Mendoza, the older brother of IU redshirt freshman Alberto Mendoza, brings valuable experience, having thrown for over 4,700 yards and 30 touchdowns over the past two seasons.
This development comes as Center Grove graduate Tayven Jackson announced he is entering the transfer portal, leaving Indiana to explore new opportunities.