Pacers coach Rick Carlisle using finals platform to bring awareness to food insecurity in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — At the NBA Finals, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle is trying to shine a light on what he considers an important cause.

Carlisle often has been seen wearing a QR code on his shirt — one that directs interested scanners to a site for his Drive & Dish initiative, something he founded about two years ago to raise money for battling food insecurity across Indiana.

So far, the program has raised more than $1 million. Carlisle and the Pacers have also made donations to the charity, which served more than 1,000 households and distributed more than 250,000 pounds of food in in its first year.

“Each year we’ve been able to help more people,” Carlisle said Friday night before Game 4 of the finals between the Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. “People in Indiana should never have to deal with food insecurity. There’s plenty of food in Indiana. The challenge is logistics. So, this charity helps with logistics.”

The program has partnered with Spokenote, which provides the technology behind the scannable code. The Pacers and Spokenote also collaborated last year on the first scannable code on a jersey in the four U.S. major pro sports leagues.

Another partner is the Gleaners food bank, which works with Drive & Dish in providing fresh food, produce, eggs and more to families who need help. Carlisle said when the program started, about 1 million people in the state were considered food insecure — or in other words, unsure where their next meal was coming from.

The Pacers plan to help the program grow as needed across the state over the next decade.

“It's been a great effort,” Carlisle said. “I’ve got some really great people that are supporting it. I’m very grateful.”

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Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle speaks prior to Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 Southern California 96-66 on Friday night.

Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.

Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.

Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Erza Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.

The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.

USC got no closer the rest of the way.

USC: At No. 9 Michigan State on Monday.

Michigan: Visits Penn State on Tuesday.

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Michigan center Aday Mara, front, drives against Southern California center Gabe Dynes, back, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)