BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Interstat) — A dominant first-half offensive display from Lamar Wilkerson and the Indiana Hoosiers proved too much for Siena to overcome as the home team cruised to an 81-60 victory in a nonconference men’s basketball game Monday night at a sold-out Assembly Hall.

Wilkerson, a 6-foot-6 guard from Ashdown, Arkansas, scored 18 of his game-high 23 points before halftime, spearheading an attack that built a commanding 26-point lead. The Hoosiers shot a blistering 9 for 17 from 3-point range in the opening period, with Wilkerson hitting three, to take a 46-20 advantage into the locker room.

The Saints, who fell to 9-4, never recovered from the early onslaught. Despite doubling their first-half output after the break, they could not cut the deficit below 14 points. Indiana’s efficiency was the story, as the Hoosiers scored 81 points on just 67 possessions for an offensive rating of 120.4, while Siena managed only 60 points on 70 trips for a rating of 85.3.

Indiana improved to 10-3, using a balanced effort to secure the win. Alongside Wilkerson’s 23 points and four assists, Tayton Conerway of Burleson, Texas, added 16 points and four assists. Tucker DeVries of Waukee, Iowa, and Nick Dorn of Charlotte, North Carolina, each chipped in 16 and 11 points, respectively. The Hoosiers were clinical from the free-throw line, making 26 of 30 attempts.

Siena was led by Francis Folefac, a 6-foot-7 forward from Lanham, Maryland, who battled inside for 19 points and two blocks. Gavin Doty of Fulton, New York, contributed 16 points, and Christian Jones of Katy, Texas, added 10. The Saints struggled mightily with their shooting, connecting on just 19 of 57 field goal attempts overall and a frigid 3 of 20 from beyond the arc.

The game’s decisive stretch came early. After Siena’s Gavin Doty missed the game’s first shot, Indiana scored the first eight points, capped by a Wilkerson layup. The Hoosiers’ lead ballooned to 16-4 after another Wilkerson 3-pointer, forcing a Siena timeout less than four minutes into the contest. The Saints went scoreless for over five minutes midway through the half as Indiana’s lead grew to 28-8 following a Sam Alexis alley-oop from Conerway.

Siena showed more fight in the second half, opening with a 3-pointer from Brendan Coyle and getting several buckets inside from Folefac. A 10-2 run, highlighted by a Doty steal and layup, brought the Saints within 54-44 with 11:45 to play, prompting an Indiana timeout. The Hoosiers responded immediately, however, with a Conerway layup and a Wilkerson pull-up jumper to push the lead back to 14. Siena would get no closer than 12 points the rest of the way as Indiana closed the game on a 27-16 run.

The most important part of the game was Indiana’s initial blitz. The Hoosiers established immediate control with their perimeter shooting and defensive pressure, creating a margin that rendered Siena’s improved second-half play inconsequential. The early 26-point halftime lead allowed Indiana to manage the game comfortably over the final 20 minutes.

Indiana won despite being out-assisted 8-6 and committing 11 turnovers to Siena’s nine. The Hoosiers’ superior shooting—46% from the field to Siena’s 33.3%—and their overwhelming advantage at the foul line were the ultimate difference-makers.

The announced attendance was 12,647. Indiana next hosts Washington on Jan. 4, while Siena opens Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play at Iona on Jan. 2.