Sunday, November 12
Bloomington, Ind.
7:00 PM
Indiana University
vs
Army
Lessons Well Learned – Improved Reneau Making Impact
11/12/2023 3:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Malik Reneau knows a good thing when he sees it. Two good things, actually, and it's why the sophomore forward is showing early signs of scoring excellence.
Learning from working against former teammate Trayce Jackson-Davis for a season helped. So did watching film of ex-NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony.
The result -- Reneau tied his career high with 15 points in the season-opening win over Florida Gulf Coast. He was 6-for-10 from the field. He added two assists and one rebound in 30 minutes.
The goal is to continue that production Sunday night against Army (0-2) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
"Going against Trayce last year built my confidence in the post," Reneau says. "It's understanding the tricks and schemes he liked to do while in the post. Seeing how he plays the game and how physical he is in the lower block. We were constantly going at it in practice."
One lesson involved handling double teams. Jackson-Davis was a master at either passing to open teammates, or splitting the double team and scoring. Either option took patience and vision.
"I learned to calm in the post," Reneau says. "If there's a double team, I stay calm and get the ball out and not turn it over as much as I did last year."
Reneau says he's also watched a lot of film on Anthony, who thrived in the paint during a 19-year NBA career.
"I watched how he worked the mid-post. His footwork was so elite. I model my footwork on that."
Reneau avoided foul trouble, finishing with three. That remains a top priority given last season's foul issues.
"He's a lot better than last season," coach Mike Woodson says. "Heck, he came in the game, looked at somebody and got a foul.
"(Officials are) letting him play a little bit this year. He's got to be smart, especially coming down the stretch (of games), not getting silly fouls."
It's just a one-game sample, but the combination of Reneau and 7-foot Kel'el Ware appears promising. Ware, a sophomore transfer from Oregon, had his first career double-double (13 points, 12 rebounds) along with four assists and three blocks against Florida Gulf Coast.
Both players can thrive inside and outside.
"We are bonding well on and off the court," Reneau says. "He can go outside and shoot, and I can stay inside, and then we can mix it up where I'm outside and he's inside."
The plan is for the two to play "buddy ball" as they rotate inside and outside. Reneau says he missed some opportunities to pass to an open Ware inside against Florida Gulf Coast and plans not to repeat that mistake.
"I have to look for him more often in the post."
Reneau says he will be an effective three-point shooter this season, although he was 0-for-1 with an air ball against Florida Gulf Coast. He went 2-for-5 beyond the arc last season.
"If I get an open shot, I will shoot it," he says." Coach Woodson gives me the confidence to shoot it with confidence.
"When I get an open (outside) shot, take it to keep the defense honest. If I make a couple, they have to guard it and it opens the court for everyone else."
Reneau spent a lot of time at the top of the key against Florida Gulf Coast. That wasn't by accident.
"I love how I'm able to come up from the lower block and pop up to the top of the key to start action and do multiple stuff," he says. "I'm not always starting the initial action, but other action.
"Coach trusts me in that spot to get build action up to get better shots. That's a key for our game. That's what we're working on a lot. I pop up to the top and start building other action. That's what I like about my spot."
Freshman Mackenzie Mgbako played limited second-half minutes against Florida Gulf Coast because of defensive struggles. He finished with four points and three rebounds in 18 minutes.
Reneau went through his own defensive struggles last season as a freshman. He says he tells Mgbako to stay with it.
"It's just the first game. You have to understand what Coach Woody wants and understand the defense side of the court.
"It's me being in his ear and helping him while he's on the court. I'm starting to understand the defense very well and what Coach Woodson wants. I give him tips and let him know what spot he needs to be. It's important for him to stay on the court and produce."
Mgbako wasn't the only Hoosier struggling on defense in the season opener. Guard CJ Gunn and forward Kaleb Banks also had breakdowns.
"We had a bunch of breakdowns," Reneau says, "but we're fixing that. You see that because we have a lot of new people to the system. They're not trusting it yet like last year's team did. That team had a lot of seniors who knew their roles. They had a belief in Coach Woodson's defense.
"It's hard right now. As we start doing it correctly, that's when we build up that confidence. As we do that, our new guys will understand our defense works at a high level."
Woodson coaches to correct it, specifically with Mgbako, Banks and Gunn.
"All three of those guys are capable of scoring, so when they're in the game, they've got to figure out what the heck we're doing from a defensive standpoint. A lot of that was missed cues.
"I've got to get that fixed. I've got a lot of work to do."
As far as Army, it's lost to Marist 71-55 and Stonehill College 57-44. Senior guard Jared Cross leads with a 9.5 scoring average.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Malik Reneau knows a good thing when he sees it. Two good things, actually, and it's why the sophomore forward is showing early signs of scoring excellence.
Learning from working against former teammate Trayce Jackson-Davis for a season helped. So did watching film of ex-NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony.
The result -- Reneau tied his career high with 15 points in the season-opening win over Florida Gulf Coast. He was 6-for-10 from the field. He added two assists and one rebound in 30 minutes.
The goal is to continue that production Sunday night against Army (0-2) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
"Going against Trayce last year built my confidence in the post," Reneau says. "It's understanding the tricks and schemes he liked to do while in the post. Seeing how he plays the game and how physical he is in the lower block. We were constantly going at it in practice."
One lesson involved handling double teams. Jackson-Davis was a master at either passing to open teammates, or splitting the double team and scoring. Either option took patience and vision.
"I learned to calm in the post," Reneau says. "If there's a double team, I stay calm and get the ball out and not turn it over as much as I did last year."
Reneau says he's also watched a lot of film on Anthony, who thrived in the paint during a 19-year NBA career.
"I watched how he worked the mid-post. His footwork was so elite. I model my footwork on that."
Reneau avoided foul trouble, finishing with three. That remains a top priority given last season's foul issues.
"He's a lot better than last season," coach Mike Woodson says. "Heck, he came in the game, looked at somebody and got a foul.
"(Officials are) letting him play a little bit this year. He's got to be smart, especially coming down the stretch (of games), not getting silly fouls."
It's just a one-game sample, but the combination of Reneau and 7-foot Kel'el Ware appears promising. Ware, a sophomore transfer from Oregon, had his first career double-double (13 points, 12 rebounds) along with four assists and three blocks against Florida Gulf Coast.
Both players can thrive inside and outside.
"We are bonding well on and off the court," Reneau says. "He can go outside and shoot, and I can stay inside, and then we can mix it up where I'm outside and he's inside."
The plan is for the two to play "buddy ball" as they rotate inside and outside. Reneau says he missed some opportunities to pass to an open Ware inside against Florida Gulf Coast and plans not to repeat that mistake.
"I have to look for him more often in the post."
Reneau says he will be an effective three-point shooter this season, although he was 0-for-1 with an air ball against Florida Gulf Coast. He went 2-for-5 beyond the arc last season.
"If I get an open shot, I will shoot it," he says." Coach Woodson gives me the confidence to shoot it with confidence.
"When I get an open (outside) shot, take it to keep the defense honest. If I make a couple, they have to guard it and it opens the court for everyone else."
Reneau spent a lot of time at the top of the key against Florida Gulf Coast. That wasn't by accident.
"I love how I'm able to come up from the lower block and pop up to the top of the key to start action and do multiple stuff," he says. "I'm not always starting the initial action, but other action.
"Coach trusts me in that spot to get build action up to get better shots. That's a key for our game. That's what we're working on a lot. I pop up to the top and start building other action. That's what I like about my spot."
Freshman Mackenzie Mgbako played limited second-half minutes against Florida Gulf Coast because of defensive struggles. He finished with four points and three rebounds in 18 minutes.
Reneau went through his own defensive struggles last season as a freshman. He says he tells Mgbako to stay with it.
"It's just the first game. You have to understand what Coach Woody wants and understand the defense side of the court.
"It's me being in his ear and helping him while he's on the court. I'm starting to understand the defense very well and what Coach Woodson wants. I give him tips and let him know what spot he needs to be. It's important for him to stay on the court and produce."
Mgbako wasn't the only Hoosier struggling on defense in the season opener. Guard CJ Gunn and forward Kaleb Banks also had breakdowns.
"We had a bunch of breakdowns," Reneau says, "but we're fixing that. You see that because we have a lot of new people to the system. They're not trusting it yet like last year's team did. That team had a lot of seniors who knew their roles. They had a belief in Coach Woodson's defense.
"It's hard right now. As we start doing it correctly, that's when we build up that confidence. As we do that, our new guys will understand our defense works at a high level."
Woodson coaches to correct it, specifically with Mgbako, Banks and Gunn.
"All three of those guys are capable of scoring, so when they're in the game, they've got to figure out what the heck we're doing from a defensive standpoint. A lot of that was missed cues.
"I've got to get that fixed. I've got a lot of work to do."
As far as Army, it's lost to Marist 71-55 and Stonehill College 57-44. Senior guard Jared Cross leads with a 9.5 scoring average.
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