Hinkle Revival
Indiana and Butler Set for Exhibition Series, Marking IU's First Hinkle Visit in 30 Years
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Key Points
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This Oct. 11 game at Hinkle Fieldhouse will be IU's first visit to Butler's arena in more than three decades; the last IU visit to Hinkle was in 1993, when Butler won 75-71.
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Butler's roster is being led by Jalen Jackson, a Fort Wayne native who transferred to Butler after earning first-team All-Horizon League honors at Fort Wayne in 2024-25; he was a key contributor before missing most of last season with an ankle injury but started six games.
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Butler has added two portal players for depth this season — Markus Burton (a 6-foot guard who led the ACC in scoring as a sophomore in 2024-25) and 6-11 forward/center Aiden Sherrell (led the SEC in blocked shots).
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The IU-Butler rivalry has a long history, with 55 all-time meetings; Indiana leads the series 40-15, underscoring the game’s significance beyond this season’s exhibitions.
Indiana and Butler will play a home-and-home exhibition series, with the first game set for Oct. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, according to IDS News. It will be IU's first visit to Butler's arena in more than 30 years — the last time Indiana played at Hinkle was in 1993, when Butler won 75-71.
The two programs will meet again at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington during the 2027-28 season, completing the home-and-home format, Journal Gazette reported. The rivalry dates back to 1901 and spans 55 all-time meetings, with Indiana holding a 40-15 series lead.
IU Returns to Hinkle for First Time Since 1993
Hinkle Fieldhouse is one of college basketball's most storied arenas. Indiana has not played there since a 75-71 loss to Butler in 1993. The Oct. 11 game brings the Hoosiers back to Indianapolis for what figures to be a high-profile early-season showcase, according to Yahoo Sports.
The game is part of a busy October exhibition slate for Indiana. The Hoosiers are also scheduled to face North Carolina and Western Kentucky before the regular season tips off. Butler will host Indiana first, then travel to Bloomington for the return game two seasons later, IDS News reported.
Ronald Nored Takes Over a Butler Program in Rebuild Mode
Butler enters the series under first-year head coach Ronald Nored. Nored played at Butler and later held assistant coaching roles before taking the top job. His first season puts the Bulldogs in an early high-profile game against a Big Ten program in front of their home crowd.
The matchup gives Nored a fast chance to show what his team can do. It also offers valuable exposure for recruiting. Playing Indiana at Hinkle signals that Butler is aiming to return to the national stage, according to WISH-TV.
Butler's Roster Built Around Portal Transfers and Local Star
Butler's key player is Jalen Jackson, a Fort Wayne native who transferred after earning first-team All-Horizon League honors in 2024-25. He missed most of last season with an ankle injury but started six games. Jackson gives Nored a proven scorer to build around, according to Journal Gazette.
The Bulldogs also added two high-profile transfer portal players. Markus Burton is a 6-foot guard who led the ACC in scoring as a sophomore in 2024-25. Aiden Sherrell is a 6-foot-11 forward who led the SEC in blocked shots. Both add immediate depth and national credibility to Butler's roster.
A Rivalry That Went Quiet After 2020 Now Roars Back
Indiana and Butler last met in the Crossroads Classic in 2020. That annual event, which also featured Indiana-Purdue and Butler-Notre Dame matchups, ended after the 2021 season. The two programs have not played since, making this exhibition series a welcome revival of an intrastate matchup with deep roots.
The all-time series goes back to 1901 and now stands at 55 games, with Indiana ahead 40-15. Bringing the rivalry back — even in an exhibition format — gives both fan bases a marquee game and gives coaches on both sides a useful early test, IDS News reported.
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