Friday, December 29
Bloomington, Ind.
6:00 PM
Indiana University
vs
Kennesaw State
Confident Reneau Gives Opponents Plenty to Plan For
12/29/2023 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – We are seeing the Malik Reneau everyone knew would come.
More and more, in year two as an Indiana Hoosier, the 6-9 forward is emerging into a do-it-all force capable of taking over games.
Emerging doesn't mean arrived, but you can see where this is heading, just as you once could from a young Trayce Jackson-Davis.
What might this mean when Indiana (9-3) hosts Kennesaw State (9-4) Friday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, and then Big Ten play?
Consider Reneau scored a career-high 25 points last week against North Alabama, including a career-best 4-for-4 from the 3-point line.
Consider he has 11 games of double-figure scoring, including eight of at least 14 points. Last year, he had seven and two.
Overall, Reneau averages 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.9 blocks, all career highs. Last year, he averaged 6.1 and 3.7.
And if this former five-star prep prospect can consistently establish himself as a 3-point threat (he'd only made three in the previous 12 games, and five in his career) to match his inside excellence, imagine the possibilities.
"That brings a lot of planning (for opposing teams) that I can space the floor out, and knock (a three-pointer) down," he says. "Teams have got to defend for that now. It just brings so much confidence to myself coming in into Big Ten play."
IU seeks to build momentum off a strong offensive performance against North Alabama in which it made a season-high 12 three-pointers, four times its season average. It shot 53.4% from the field overall with a season-high 25 assists.
Coach Mike Woodson credited crisp movement.
"We had bodies moving. We set some screens. That helps you get good looks."
Adds Reneau: "It was being able to get the ball side to side, being able to move the defense; get it to the third side, the fourth side, then the defense finally breaking down and getting easy lobs over the top. Just having a lot of movement, off-ball cutting to free up (center Kel'el Ware) on the lobs, get open threes around the paint.
"Being able to set stronger screens and connect on the screens to get open."
All the moving and passing ensured multiple players got involved.
"Everybody's touching the ball," Reneau says. "Everybody feels like he's a part of the team and not just out there on the court.
"When you're touching the ball, you get more confidence and the ball's moving around and you get more shots."
The strong 3-point shooting, led by Reneau's career-best 4-for-4 effort and two 3-point baskets each from Trey Galloway and Mackenzie Mgbako, was a reward for all the work the Hoosiers had put into their shooting, which had previously produced inconsistent success. A big reason for the improvement, Woodson says, is because everyone took good rhythm shots.
"We've had quite a few games where we set on the 3-point line wide open, and just didn't knock them down. I thought (against North Alabama) everybody who made them was in rhythm and felt pretty good. It was nice to see the ball go through the hole."
Hoosier dominance resulted in extended bench minutes and subsequent fatigue Woodson aimed to address.
"I've got to do extra work with that group because they're not getting big-time minutes. So when they're called upon, I expect them to play and produce.
"You never know when somebody goes down. Then you're going to have to depend on them for a stretch of minutes that can help you win a game.
"We'll keep working with those guys. I was pleased with their play (against North Alabama). They did some good things. Hopefully, we can grow from that."
Kennesaw State used a five-game winning streak to build a 9-3 record. UNC Asheville snapped that with a 79-70 win over the Owls just before Christmas.
Kennesaw State has basically five double-figure scorers in guards Simeon Cottle (16.3 points), Terrell Burden (13.5), and Quincy Ademokoya (11.8), and forwards Demond Robinson (12.5) and Jamel King (9.8).
The 6-9 Robinson leads the Owls in rebounding (8.1) and blocked shots (16).
Kennesaw State, which reached the NCAA tourney for the first time in program history last season, holds opponents to 27.7% 3-point shooting. It averages 9.5 3-pointers and 85.4 points.
Antoine Pettway is in his first season as a head coach after a 15-year assistant coaching run at Alabama, where he rated among the nation's top recruiters.
IU remains atop the Big Ten standings with a 2-0 record. Illinois, Northwestern and Wisconsin are 1-0. The Hoosiers resume conference play Jan. 3 at Nebraska.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – We are seeing the Malik Reneau everyone knew would come.
More and more, in year two as an Indiana Hoosier, the 6-9 forward is emerging into a do-it-all force capable of taking over games.
Emerging doesn't mean arrived, but you can see where this is heading, just as you once could from a young Trayce Jackson-Davis.
What might this mean when Indiana (9-3) hosts Kennesaw State (9-4) Friday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, and then Big Ten play?
Consider Reneau scored a career-high 25 points last week against North Alabama, including a career-best 4-for-4 from the 3-point line.
Consider he has 11 games of double-figure scoring, including eight of at least 14 points. Last year, he had seven and two.
Overall, Reneau averages 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.9 blocks, all career highs. Last year, he averaged 6.1 and 3.7.
And if this former five-star prep prospect can consistently establish himself as a 3-point threat (he'd only made three in the previous 12 games, and five in his career) to match his inside excellence, imagine the possibilities.
"That brings a lot of planning (for opposing teams) that I can space the floor out, and knock (a three-pointer) down," he says. "Teams have got to defend for that now. It just brings so much confidence to myself coming in into Big Ten play."
IU seeks to build momentum off a strong offensive performance against North Alabama in which it made a season-high 12 three-pointers, four times its season average. It shot 53.4% from the field overall with a season-high 25 assists.
Coach Mike Woodson credited crisp movement.
"We had bodies moving. We set some screens. That helps you get good looks."
Adds Reneau: "It was being able to get the ball side to side, being able to move the defense; get it to the third side, the fourth side, then the defense finally breaking down and getting easy lobs over the top. Just having a lot of movement, off-ball cutting to free up (center Kel'el Ware) on the lobs, get open threes around the paint.
"Being able to set stronger screens and connect on the screens to get open."
All the moving and passing ensured multiple players got involved.
"Everybody's touching the ball," Reneau says. "Everybody feels like he's a part of the team and not just out there on the court.
"When you're touching the ball, you get more confidence and the ball's moving around and you get more shots."
The strong 3-point shooting, led by Reneau's career-best 4-for-4 effort and two 3-point baskets each from Trey Galloway and Mackenzie Mgbako, was a reward for all the work the Hoosiers had put into their shooting, which had previously produced inconsistent success. A big reason for the improvement, Woodson says, is because everyone took good rhythm shots.
"We've had quite a few games where we set on the 3-point line wide open, and just didn't knock them down. I thought (against North Alabama) everybody who made them was in rhythm and felt pretty good. It was nice to see the ball go through the hole."
Hoosier dominance resulted in extended bench minutes and subsequent fatigue Woodson aimed to address.
"I've got to do extra work with that group because they're not getting big-time minutes. So when they're called upon, I expect them to play and produce.
"You never know when somebody goes down. Then you're going to have to depend on them for a stretch of minutes that can help you win a game.
"We'll keep working with those guys. I was pleased with their play (against North Alabama). They did some good things. Hopefully, we can grow from that."
Kennesaw State used a five-game winning streak to build a 9-3 record. UNC Asheville snapped that with a 79-70 win over the Owls just before Christmas.
Kennesaw State has basically five double-figure scorers in guards Simeon Cottle (16.3 points), Terrell Burden (13.5), and Quincy Ademokoya (11.8), and forwards Demond Robinson (12.5) and Jamel King (9.8).
The 6-9 Robinson leads the Owls in rebounding (8.1) and blocked shots (16).
Kennesaw State, which reached the NCAA tourney for the first time in program history last season, holds opponents to 27.7% 3-point shooting. It averages 9.5 3-pointers and 85.4 points.
Antoine Pettway is in his first season as a head coach after a 15-year assistant coaching run at Alabama, where he rated among the nation's top recruiters.
IU remains atop the Big Ten standings with a 2-0 record. Illinois, Northwestern and Wisconsin are 1-0. The Hoosiers resume conference play Jan. 3 at Nebraska.
Players Mentioned
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Center
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