Indiana Hoosiers Set to Face Baylor Bears in Indy Showdown Exhibition Game
IU basketball is set to face off against Baylor in an exhibition game on Sunday, October 26, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The tip-off time and TV details for the exhibition will be announced later. Tickets for the "Indy Showdown" will go on sale to the public on Monday, August 29, at 10 a.m. ET on Ticketmaster.com. Baylor, led by coach Scott Drew, is coming off a 20-15 season and a No. 9 seed in the 2025 NCAA tournament. They won the 2021 NCAA championship, defeating Gonzaga 86-70 at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Bears have undergone significant roster changes in the offseason, with no returning contributors from last season.
The new-look Baylor roster is expected to be led by freshman guard Tounde Yessoufou, senior guard Obi Agbim, senior wing Daniel Skillings Jr., senior wing Michael Rataj, and junior big man Juslin Bodo Bodo. IU and Baylor have only met once before, with IU winning 83-47 on December 13, 1980, in Bloomington. IU's other exhibition game will be against Marian University on Friday, October 17, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The announcement of the Baylor exhibition completes IU's non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 season.
The exhibition game against Baylor at Gainbridge Fieldhouse is part of IU's non-conference schedule, which includes matchups against Alabama A&M, Marquette, Milwaukee, Incarnate Word, Lindenwood, Kansas State, Bethune-Cookman, Louisville, Kentucky, Chicago State, and Siena. The Indy Showdown will be managed by bdG Sports, marking the first of two games IU will play at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this season. Head coach Darian DeVries is looking forward to the matchup against Baylor as a preparation for the upcoming season. Baylor, a top program in the Big 12, has a strong roster with new additions from the portal, including Michael Rataj, Obi Agbim, Dan Skillings, and JJ White.
Both teams are excited to return to Indianapolis, with Baylor having won the 2021 national championship there. The game against Indiana in its home state will provide Baylor with valuable experience for their upcoming season in the Big 12 Conference. Head coach Scott Drew is grateful for the opportunity to compete in an NBA arena against a storied program like Indiana. The exhibition game promises to be an exciting matchup between two competitive teams.