INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana trailed most of the way but found a way to close out Birmingham in front of a loud Dino Night crowd on Friday 12/29, 122-119. The Mad Ants trailed in the final minute, but Isaiah Wong scored with under 20 seconds remaining to take the lead and then hit the clinching free throws as well as Indiana improved to 2-0. Birmingham (0-1), started hot on the hands of Jordan Hawkins, who finished with 32 points. The Squadron, in their first ever meeting with the Mad Ants, led 28-22 after the first and 67-56 at the halftime break. They pushed their lead in the game to 14, matching the largest deficit for Indiana during the 2023-2024 season. Jarace Walker scored a game high 38 points, on assignment from the Pacers, adding six rebounds and five assists. Four of the five Mad Ant starters were in double figures scoring with Wong scoring 19, Kendall Brown with 16 and Ben Sheppard with 13. Jordan Bell came off the bench with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocks; Bell’s blocks matched the fourth best game in Mad Ants history, tying himself and Cheickh Samb in the spot. Behind Hawkins’ 32, Birmingham was led by Jalen Crutcher’s 19, 15 from E.J. Liddell and 14 out of Indiana-born Devin Cannady. Indiana shot 47.3 percent from the field to the Squadron’s 41.1 percent. The Squadron hit 18 three pointers in the game to Indiana’s 14.
Originally posted on gleague.nba.com