Friday, December 1
Bloomington, Ind.
7:00 PM
Indiana University
vs
Maryland
‘Locking In’ – Mgbako Finding Form as IU Begins Big Ten Play
12/1/2023 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Mackenzie Mgbako has weathered the worst of it, for now, at least. He has started all six of Indiana's basketball games, including two at New York City's tradition-rich Madison Square Garden, experienced the ups and downs typical of freshmen, even the best of them. He has not allowed past struggles to dictate present performance; he has shown flashes of what he might become.
"He has to continue to grow, continue to work, and let it happen," coach Mike Woodson says.
The career-high 18 points and eight rebounds the 6-8, 217-pound forward produced five days ago against Harvard in Indianapolis, which included one 3-pointer and two long 2-pointers, suggest the all-around game that made him a five-star high school prospect out of New Jersey is becoming college ready.
"He had a game where he figured it out," Woodson says.
It was a strong rebound from the six points and two rebounds he'd totaled in his previous two games.
"Just trusting in the offense, doing what Coach Woody asks of us," Mgbako says. "Staying locked in, staying aggressive, staying true to my game, seeing what the defense gives me and responding to that."
He'll try to continue that response in Friday night's Big Ten opener against Maryland (4-3) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. IU is 5-1 with a two-game winning streak.
Mgbako credits encouragement from coaches and teammates.
"Players help each other out, especially when I'm coming in as a young player, getting good minutes while also helping the team," he says.
Woodson allows Mgbako to play through mistakes -- to a point. Defensive miscues will send him on the bench. Still, he's started every game and averaged 20 minutes, 7.2 points, and 3.3 rebounds. He shoots 39.5% from the field, in part because he's just 2-for-18 (11.1%) from 3-point range.
Combined with center Kel'el Ware and forward Malik Reneau, it gives IU a formidable frontcourt crucial to Big Ten success.
"It helps the whole team," Ware says. "It opens up the floor."
Adds Woodson: "He's got a ways to go. He's got to continue to work. Do that, and good things will happen."
Woodson sees plenty of good things happening with the Hoosiers. He's encouraged by the way 10 new players have blended in with a veteran core.
A potential slow start became so much more.
"When you've got 10 new faces and every game has been a challenge, we haven't gone the other way," Woodson says. "You could easily go the other way. That hadn't been the case.
"We've made plays with a new team, new players, down the stretch, where we had secured the victory. That's intriguing to me. That means a lot in terms of building a team."
Still, the Hoosiers remain far from peak form, which is what you'd expect at the start of December.
"Do we still have our long way to go?" Woodson asks. "Absolutely."
IU might be without senior guard Xavier Johnson, who hurt his ankle/foot against Harvard. He averages 10.5 points and 2.2 rebounds.
"We're still evaluating X to see where he is," Woodson says. "If he can't play, it's the next man up. That's how it's always been here.
"Injuries are part of the game. There's nothing you can do about it. If he can't play, then I expect somebody else to step up."
Stepping up needs to include three-point shooting. It's not a Hoosier strength on offense or defense.
Offensively, they shoot just 24.1% beyond the arc. Only Maryland, at 23.8%, is worse in the Big Ten. They've only taken 79 3-point shots (and made 19). Every other conference team has taken at least 122 3-pointers and made at least 35.
Given the importance of 3-point shooting in NCAA tourney participation and success, improvement is important, but not defining, Woodson says.
"We might be that team that makes the tournament not making threes," he says. "You ever thought about that? That could happen.
"I'm just saying. Everybody puts so much on analytics. Maybe we might be that team to make it. The bottom line is we're sitting here with one loss, with (five) wins. We've got a lot of work (to do). We haven't made the three-point shot, but we still are winning."
IU ranked fourth in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting last season at 36.8%. In 2021, it shot 32.4%. In 2022, it shot 33.3%.
The Hoosiers have spent a lot of time working on their perimeter shooting since the end of last season. They continue to do so, Woodson says.
"Maybe the 3-point shot will come around. I don't know. We work on them every day just like we work on free throws, shooting twos, all the things that you're supposed to do in terms of preparing for a game and getting better.
"All we can do is hope that they put the ball in the hole when they shoot the three. If they don't, then get some stops, rebound, and give us another shot at it."
Defensively, IU has given up 58 3-pointers, four more than any other Big Ten team.
"That's a big problem," Woodson says. "That's one of my biggest concerns."
Bringing in so many new players hasn't helped.
"New faces trying to figure out what the hell we're doing from a rotation standpoint," Woodson says. "The miscues have been so glaring, it's scary.
"These are things that are correctable. We've got to keep working until we get it right. We're giving up too many threes. It's putting so much pressure on us from a defensive standpoint to get stops when you need them. We've got to get better in that area."
Maryland has bounced back from a three-game losing streak, including a 57-40 loss to top-25 Villanova, by winning three straight. All four of its victories have come at home.
The Terrapins rank third in the Big Ten in scoring defense (60.5 points allowed) and last in scoring offense (65.3 points).
They have three double-figure scorers in Jahmir Young (15.9), Julian Reese (15.0) and Donta Scott (10.3). Reese averages 9.9 rebounds and has 18 blocks. Young has 30 assists and 14 steals.
The main 3-point-shooting threats are Young (14 three-pointers) and Scott (10).
Former Hoosier Jordan Geronimo, in his first season as a Terrapin, averages 7.1 points and 4.1 rebounds while starting five games.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Mackenzie Mgbako has weathered the worst of it, for now, at least. He has started all six of Indiana's basketball games, including two at New York City's tradition-rich Madison Square Garden, experienced the ups and downs typical of freshmen, even the best of them. He has not allowed past struggles to dictate present performance; he has shown flashes of what he might become.
"He has to continue to grow, continue to work, and let it happen," coach Mike Woodson says.
The career-high 18 points and eight rebounds the 6-8, 217-pound forward produced five days ago against Harvard in Indianapolis, which included one 3-pointer and two long 2-pointers, suggest the all-around game that made him a five-star high school prospect out of New Jersey is becoming college ready.
"He had a game where he figured it out," Woodson says.
It was a strong rebound from the six points and two rebounds he'd totaled in his previous two games.
"Just trusting in the offense, doing what Coach Woody asks of us," Mgbako says. "Staying locked in, staying aggressive, staying true to my game, seeing what the defense gives me and responding to that."
He'll try to continue that response in Friday night's Big Ten opener against Maryland (4-3) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. IU is 5-1 with a two-game winning streak.
Mgbako credits encouragement from coaches and teammates.
"Players help each other out, especially when I'm coming in as a young player, getting good minutes while also helping the team," he says.
Woodson allows Mgbako to play through mistakes -- to a point. Defensive miscues will send him on the bench. Still, he's started every game and averaged 20 minutes, 7.2 points, and 3.3 rebounds. He shoots 39.5% from the field, in part because he's just 2-for-18 (11.1%) from 3-point range.
Combined with center Kel'el Ware and forward Malik Reneau, it gives IU a formidable frontcourt crucial to Big Ten success.
"It helps the whole team," Ware says. "It opens up the floor."
Adds Woodson: "He's got a ways to go. He's got to continue to work. Do that, and good things will happen."
Woodson sees plenty of good things happening with the Hoosiers. He's encouraged by the way 10 new players have blended in with a veteran core.
A potential slow start became so much more.
"When you've got 10 new faces and every game has been a challenge, we haven't gone the other way," Woodson says. "You could easily go the other way. That hadn't been the case.
"We've made plays with a new team, new players, down the stretch, where we had secured the victory. That's intriguing to me. That means a lot in terms of building a team."
Still, the Hoosiers remain far from peak form, which is what you'd expect at the start of December.
"Do we still have our long way to go?" Woodson asks. "Absolutely."
IU might be without senior guard Xavier Johnson, who hurt his ankle/foot against Harvard. He averages 10.5 points and 2.2 rebounds.
"We're still evaluating X to see where he is," Woodson says. "If he can't play, it's the next man up. That's how it's always been here.
"Injuries are part of the game. There's nothing you can do about it. If he can't play, then I expect somebody else to step up."
Stepping up needs to include three-point shooting. It's not a Hoosier strength on offense or defense.
Offensively, they shoot just 24.1% beyond the arc. Only Maryland, at 23.8%, is worse in the Big Ten. They've only taken 79 3-point shots (and made 19). Every other conference team has taken at least 122 3-pointers and made at least 35.
Given the importance of 3-point shooting in NCAA tourney participation and success, improvement is important, but not defining, Woodson says.
"We might be that team that makes the tournament not making threes," he says. "You ever thought about that? That could happen.
"I'm just saying. Everybody puts so much on analytics. Maybe we might be that team to make it. The bottom line is we're sitting here with one loss, with (five) wins. We've got a lot of work (to do). We haven't made the three-point shot, but we still are winning."
IU ranked fourth in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting last season at 36.8%. In 2021, it shot 32.4%. In 2022, it shot 33.3%.
The Hoosiers have spent a lot of time working on their perimeter shooting since the end of last season. They continue to do so, Woodson says.
"Maybe the 3-point shot will come around. I don't know. We work on them every day just like we work on free throws, shooting twos, all the things that you're supposed to do in terms of preparing for a game and getting better.
"All we can do is hope that they put the ball in the hole when they shoot the three. If they don't, then get some stops, rebound, and give us another shot at it."
Defensively, IU has given up 58 3-pointers, four more than any other Big Ten team.
"That's a big problem," Woodson says. "That's one of my biggest concerns."
Bringing in so many new players hasn't helped.
"New faces trying to figure out what the hell we're doing from a rotation standpoint," Woodson says. "The miscues have been so glaring, it's scary.
"These are things that are correctable. We've got to keep working until we get it right. We're giving up too many threes. It's putting so much pressure on us from a defensive standpoint to get stops when you need them. We've got to get better in that area."
Maryland has bounced back from a three-game losing streak, including a 57-40 loss to top-25 Villanova, by winning three straight. All four of its victories have come at home.
The Terrapins rank third in the Big Ten in scoring defense (60.5 points allowed) and last in scoring offense (65.3 points).
They have three double-figure scorers in Jahmir Young (15.9), Julian Reese (15.0) and Donta Scott (10.3). Reese averages 9.9 rebounds and has 18 blocks. Young has 30 assists and 14 steals.
The main 3-point-shooting threats are Young (14 three-pointers) and Scott (10).
Former Hoosier Jordan Geronimo, in his first season as a Terrapin, averages 7.1 points and 4.1 rebounds while starting five games.
Players Mentioned
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