Indiana Edges Morehead State

Tuesday, December 19

Bloomington, Ind.

6:30 PM

Indiana University

8-3,2-0Big Ten

Morehead State

8-4,0-0OVC

Morehead St.

Indiana

12/19/2023 8:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- It came down to one last stop, to Indiana starters, to a final chance to avoid disaster.

Defensive ferocity had brought the Hoosiers back from the brink against Morehead State Tuesday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Why not ride it one last time?

IU led 69-68 as the clock approached zero in a game it trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half.

Guard Trey Galloway started it defensively on Eagles guard Jordan Lathon, whose 30 points had earned him a potential game-winning shot. Forward Malik Reneau switched on to him, didn't let him drive past him and finished with a fingertip block.

The Hoosiers (8-3), ending on a 20-4 run, had survived.

"Malik's stop at the end was the biggest defensive play of the night," coach Mike Woodson said. "Our defense got better. We were able to make shots."

Leading the shot-making way was forward Anthony Walker. The Miami of Florida transfer came through with 18 points and nine rebounds in 23 off-the-bench minutes. Both totals were his most as a Hoosier.

"Just being ready," Walker said. "Making sure Coach Woody trusts me and always being ready for the moment.

"This gives me the utmost confidence. Knowing that Coach Woody trusts me down the stretch. Being able to play well. Just my effort and the work I put in."

Added Woodson: "He was phenomenal. He's the MVP of the game. It was by far his best game since he's been wearing an Indiana uniform, and we needed every bit of it."

Morehead State (8-4) led for 32 minutes. It built multiple double-digit leads. It took it to the Hoosiers in ways few expected before the game although it had talent and experience.

"Morehead State played a great game," Woodson said.

"I've preached all year you can be beaten by any team if you don't come to play. We started flat. It was like we didn't want to be there. We finally picked it up when our backs we against the wall.

"At the end of the day, the guys made the plays to secure the win.

Everything kicked in over the final nine minutes -- nasty defense, relentless rebounding, contesting everything.

Playing so poorly for so long, Walker said, "shouldn't have happened."

"We know that. We pulled out a win. Morehead State is a good team. Being able to come back after we got punched in the face means a lot to us."

IU struggled all night on free throws (16-for-28) and 3-point shooting (3-for-16). Morehead State capitalized with 3-point sharpshooting (it made 10) that put it within reach of an unlikely upset. But it managed just four points in the final nine minutes.

"We have to get better -- free throws, 3-pointers," Woodson said. "We're taking enough 3-pointers. We're just not making enough."

IU was as lethargic as it was energized a couple days earlier against Kansas.

Woodson's main point -- it should never happen.

"You should never have highs and lows like that," he said. "Kansas was a great game. We fell short. That doesn't mean you lay an egg the next game.

"That's unacceptable. That's on me. I have to keep working to get them better. Make sure we don't put ourselves in that position again."

IU missed its first four shots of the game. Morehead State capitalized to take an 8-4 lead after four minutes.

The bench came to the rescue, scoring 10 points, eight by Walker, two from Kaleb Banks, to boost the Hoosiers to a 16-15 lead.

Hoosier struggles from the line, from 3-point range and, ultimately, from everywhere helped Morehead State push ahead 28-21, then 32-21.

Galloway ended a nearly six-minute IU scoring drought with a pair of layups, but the Eagles negated that by scoring the final four points of the half, capped by a dunk off a steal for a 36-25 halftime lead. The Hoosiers were 0-for-6 on 3-pointers, 3-for-9 from the line.

The Hoosiers forced a turnover to start the second half, then drew a foul, then got a Kel'el Ware basket, all in the first 40 seconds.

He followed with four more free throws and another basket. The Eagles could only manage one free throw. IU closed within four, then three.

Morehead State built an 11-point lead. A four-point play gave it a 61-46 advantage with 9:25 left.

The game seemed over.

In fact, it was just starting.

The Hoosiers cranked up their defense and found their offense. Mackenzie Mgbako hit four free throws. Walker and Reneau scored, then they both did it again.

All those Morehead State 3-pointers than previous hit net now found iron. It missed nine straight shots and went scoreless for nearly seven minutes.

Galloway's 3-pointer gave IU a 65-64 lead with three minutes left. Gabe Cupps followed with a free throw. The Eagles tied it at 66-66 with a layup as the clock ticked under two minutes.

Walker hit two free throws. Mgbako added one. Morehead State countered with a basket for a 69-68 Indiana lead with 41 seconds left.

Reneau missed a pair of free throws to give the Eagles a chance to win with 24.7 seconds left.

IU shut them down.

"When they made a run, we didn't stray away from each other," Walker said. "We stayed together, kept encouraging each other, kept playing Indiana basketball.

"We continued to trust Coach Woody and we pulled out the game."

As for the lack of effort that nearly produced defeat, Walker said, "This won't be a problem the rest of the year. This is a lesson. We'll have energy the rest of the year."