LIVE BLOG: News, Views in Realtime During Indiana's Game with Butler

It's the 10th rendition of the Crossroads Classic here at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and it's certainly the most unique. No fans, but Butler and Indiana are battling it out in Game 1 with bragging rights on the line. Both teams are 6-3 in this event.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Good morning, everyone. We don't to say that very often with Indiana basketball games, but this is a rare 11:30 a.m. ET start. It's Indiana vs. Butler in the 10th annual Crossroads Classic, and I am here inside to keep you updated on all that goes on.

If you're not familiar with our live blog, I'll keep you updated with what's going on in the game, plus share opinions with you as well. Just follow along to this thread, and we'll add to your viewing experience if you're watching on TV, and if you're just out and about, I'll try to be your eyes and ears. Here's our story earlier on how to watch. CLICK HERE

The most recent entries are a the top, so just keep refreshing. So here we go:

FINAL SCORE: INDIANA 68, BUTLER 60. Game story and column to come. Check in later at HoosiersNow.com

1:27 p.m. ET – Armaan Franklin scores again, giving him 20 points on the night. That's a new career high. Indiana up 68-57 with 21.3 seconds to go. 

1:23 p.m. ET – Indiana's defense has been spectacular in the second half. Butler is just 5-for-27 from the field, only 18 percent. It's the best half the year for Indiana, hands down. 

1:14 p.m. ET — Race Thompson makes two free throws and the lead grows to 12 at 60-48, It's the largest lead of the game. Then he scores again from the field on Indiana's next two possessions, and that lead gets even bigger. Hoosiers up 64-51 with 4:11 to go. 

1:08 p.m. ET – And there's that double-digit lead I talked about. A nice spin move inside by Trayce Jackson-Davis and the Hoosiers are up 10 at 55-45. 

1:04 p.m. ET – Armaan Franklin makes a little runner in the lane to give Indiana an 8-point lead at 53-45. It's his first two-point basket of the game. Is he turning into indiana's second-best player? We're at the 'Flags' timeout — you get it, right? — and the Hoosiers continue to play well. 

12:56 p.m ET – Second media timeout and Indiana leads 47-43 with 11:50 to go. Indiana is 7-for-13 from three-point range (54 percent), with Armaan Franklin doing all the heavy lift. He's got five of those makes. This next four-minute stretch is big. Does Indiana push it to double-digits, or does Butler rally?

12:58 p.m. ET – Indiana's run is up to 13-0 now. They've really clamped down on the defensive end and they're getting some good runouts. 12:58 to go and the Hoosiers have their biggest lead of the game at 47-40.

12:42 p.m. ET – Indiana has done a great job of getting back in this game, and Armaan Franklin has been a big reason. He hits another three-pointer from the right wing – his fifth of the game – and the Hoosiers get back in front, leading 41-40 here at the first media timeout. 

12:32 p.m. ET – Armaan Franklin has made nine three-pointers in the past game and a half, covering 39 total minutes of playing time  In the first five games, he was 2-for-12 from three in 151 total minutes. That's a huge difference. Indiana needs that to continue for sure.  

Indiana guard Armaan Franklin nails one of his four first-half three-pointers against Butler on Saturday (Photos courtesy of IU Athletics)

MY TWO CENTS: A couple of halftime stats jump out at me. Indiana has seven turnovers, which is a few too many. Don't like that much, but what I really don't like is getting beaten on the boards 17-11 by Butler, and having only two offensive rebounds. Archie Miller continues to pound that point home, that Indiana cannot win games against quality competition without rebounding better. This is a perfect case in point. 

HALFTIME: We're at the break at Indiana scrapped back a bit in that final minute. Trayce Jackson-Davis made a pair of free throws and Durham hit a little mid-range jumper as the shot clock was expiring with 1.8 seconds to go. It's 37-32 Bulldogs. 

12:15 pm. ET — Archie Miller forced to timeout as this Butler run gets out of control. The lead is up to 37-28 right now. Two things at play. Indiana's offense is very stagnant with Al Durham and point guard and both Rob Phinisee and Khristian Lander on the bench. Indiana scored one basket on eight possession over four-plus minutes. 

MY TWO CENTS 12:03 p.m. ET — And we've made it to the afternoon. This one is playing out as planned from two evenly matched teams. The Hoosiers's biggest lead has been four so far, but now Butler is on a run, scoring six straight to lead 30-25 at the final media timeout of the half. Indiana standing around on defense a little too much during this stretch. most notably Al Durham, who got caught out of position and Jair Bolden hit a wide-open three-pointer.

11:57 a.m. ET – We're at the third media timeout and Indiana leads 22-19. The Hoosiers have been efficient on offense so far, shooting 53 percent from the field, 57 percent from three and still perfect (just 2-for-2) from the line. 

11:53 a.m. ET – Trayce Jackson-Davis gets fouled at the 9:28 mark on a drive to the basket, and makes Indiana first two free throws of the game. Indiana leads 18-17,

11:47 a.m. ET – Second media timeout and it's still a one-point game. Indiana leads 14-13, with 12 of the 14 points coming on three-pointers Two more from Armaan Franklin, that's three today and he had five of them last Sunday. This team is dramatically better when he's hitting shots consistently. 

11:38 a.m. ET – We're at the first media timeout and Indiana leads 8-7. With no fans in the stands, you always worry about energy levels, but both teams are bringing in.

11:32 a.m. ET – Al Durham and Armaan Frankling get things started for Indiana with consecutive three-pointers. That's a nice start for a team that has struggled from distance all year. The Hoosiers hit 13 last Sunday, and that was their first game over five made three-pointers all year.

11:20 a.m. ET – It might surprise many of you that Indiana was a 7.5-point favorite to win this game. I know the Butler lineup is a bit depleted, but that sounds like a lot to me.

11:10 a.m. ET – For the seventh straight game, Indiana center Joey Brunk isn't available. Still out with a bad back. He's is street clothes today. If you had gray slacks and a white polo in the fashion poll, you win.

11 a.m. ET — This is my first time back in Bankers Life Fieldhouse since they finished their renovations, and the place looks great. It's a real shame that there are no fans allowed today, just a handful of family members and friends.