Indiana thumps Bryant to open season

Bloomington, IN – Indiana awarded Tom Crean with a two-year contract extension prior to the game and then the Hoosiers rewarded their head coach with a victory in their season opener.

Cody Zeller netted 18 points in No. 1 Indiana's 97-54 thumping of Bryant.

Christian Watford tallied 15 points and 15 rebounds, while Jeremy Hollowell and Remy Abell recorded 12 points apiece off the bench for the Hoosiers (1-0), who are ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll for the first time in 33 years.

Athletic director Fred Glass announced that Crean had been extended to a sold-out crowd prior to tip-off.

"The opportunity to work at a university like this, the opportunity to live here, but none of this would be possible without what my coaches do. I have such a great staff," Crean said of his extension.

The deal will keep Crean in Bloomington through the 2019-20 season.

The institution won just a total of 28 games over Crean's first three years, but nearly matched that mark last year by going 27-9.

The improvement carried the Hoosiers to a Sweet 16 run, which ended with a loss to eventual national champion Kentucky.

Alex Francis registered 15 points and eight rebounds for Bryant (0-1).

"They had a huge size advantage and they have the best player (Zeller) in the country," Bryant head coach Tim O'Shea said.

A Corey Maynard layup gave the Bulldogs a 15-14 lead midway through the opening half, but Indiana responded with a 22-6 run to establish control of the contest.

Zeller had eight points during the swing as the Hoosiers took a commanding 31-16 advantage late in the half before entering the break with a 48-28 edge.

The Hoosiers cruised in the second half.

Game Notes

Indiana shot 56 percent (30-of-54) from the floor, while Bryant was 32 percent (20-of-62) from the field ... Both teams turned the ball over 17 times ... The Hoosiers outrebounded the Bulldogs, 45-26.