INDIANAPOLIS -- Prior to tipoff, Indiana All-Stars and New Albany head coach Jim Shannon was reminded by one of the all-star assistant coaches that it had been roughly 30 years since Indiana last lost both games to the Kentucky All-Stars in the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star series.
Shannon didn't want to be next.
Neither did IU signee Romeo Langford, whose game-high 22 points propelled Indiana to a 109-81 win over Kentucky Saturday nigh at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
"I was a little bit nervous before the game because nobody wants to be that guy," Shannon said. "But guys came out and played tonight. We played much harder, much more focused."
Indiana's victory snapped a two-game win streak in the series for Kentucky, dating back to a 111-110 double-overtime victory on June 10, 2017 in Frankfort, Ky., and moved its record to 18-2 against Kentucky in the series' last 20 games.
Under the college format of two 20-minute halves, Langford earned the game's Most Outstanding Player Award behind those 22 points, plus 8 rebounds and 4 assists in 31 minutes. After shooting 7 for 13 from the floor, including 2 of 5 from 3-point range, he checked out with 3:28 remaining to a standing ovation from a crowd with several IU shirts in the stands.
"Really, I was more focused and more locked in knowing that we don't want to be a team to go 0-2 to Kentucky," Langford said. "That's really what got me and the team going tonight."
Eight straight points from Michigan State signee Aaron Henry helped Indiana go on a 13-3 run heading into the Under-12 media timeout with 11:28 left in 1st half. And Indiana's lead only grew from there, as a Langford dunk off a backdoor cut and a Mekhi Lairy jumper from the left baseline expanded the run to 17-3. Henry finished with 15 points in 25 minutes as a starter.
"I would've loved to have played him more, because I thought he played great tonight." Shannon said. "He really did. He played fabulous. I told him at halftime, that's the Henry I've been looking for. That's Henry the beast from Ben Davis."
De'Avion Washington's layup just before the halftime buzzer punctuated the strong first half for Indiana and gave it a 26-point lead at the intermission. Indiana led by as many as 33 in the second half.
Henry and Langford were two of six different Indiana All-Stars who reached double-figures in scoring Saturday night. Miami (Ohio) signee Mekhi Lairy chipped in 15 points in 16 minutes off the bench, while Purdue signee Eric Hunter added 12 in 16 minutes. Indiana signee Damezi Anderson and Duquesne signee Gavin Bizeau rounded out the group with 10 points each.
The balanced scoring effort was reflective of an intentional approach Shannon wanted to take with Indiana's substitution patterns, which he admitted wasn't perfect in Friday night's loss. Players who played hot remained in the game, and big men were subbed out for other big men.
Overall, 11 of Indiana's 13 All-Stars logged minutes Saturday night, but Shannon said he was pleased with the contributions from each of the 13 players collectively.
Shannon said Kentucky played with a noticeable chip on its shoulder Friday night, and Indiana was better prepared for the Bluegrass State's squad.
Shannon also said he learned from Friday night's mistakes, and it helped Indiana avoid potential infamy in the series against Kentucky.
"The reason why we lost last night, that goes with me," Shannon said. "The reason why we won is I just woke them up. And once they were awake, they were the better team."
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