Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Basketball Game Notes – Game 15 vs. Ohio State
1/5/2024 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Opening Tip
• Indiana University returns to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall during its 124th season of competition in men's basketball for a primetime showdown against Ohio State on Jan. 6. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
• The Buckeyes (12-2, 2-1) are led by 17.4 points and 4.3 assists per game from sophomore guard Bruce Thornton. Minnesota transfer Jamison Battle and sophomore guard Roddy Gayle Jr. each score 14.9 points per outing. The OSU trio has made 87-of-212 (41.0%) from the 3-point line.
• Seventh-year head coach Chris Holtmann enters the game with conference wins over Minnesota and Rutgers at home. The Buckeyes also hold victories over Alabama, UCLA, and West Virginia on neutral courts.
Game Information
Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 • 8:00 PM ET
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) • Bloomington, Ind.
TV: FOX (Gus Johnson, Jim Jackson, Allison Williams)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Series History: Indiana leads, 110-88
Last Meeting: IU 86, OSU 70 on Jan. 28, 2023 in Bloomington
Series History
• Indiana has defeated Ohio State 110 times in the 198-game series between the conference rivals, the third-most wins against any program. IU has defeated Northwestern 120 times and Michigan on 111 occasions.
• The Hoosiers have topped the Buckeyes three-straight times in Bloomington, including an 86-70 result on Jan. 28, 2023. Malik Reneau posted 15 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in 23 minutes off the bench.
• Indiana head coach Mike Woodson averaged 20.3 points in his eight career contests against the Buckeyes. He scored 21 against Ohio State on March 2, 1980, to secure his first Big Ten title on the final day of the regular season of his senior year.
Last Time Out
• Indiana jumped back into Big Ten Conference play with an 86-70 loss at Nebraska on Jan. 3.
• Sophomore center Kel'el Ware notched his fifth-career double-double (all this season) with 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the floor and 10 rebounds. The Oregon transfer also posted two assists, two steals, and two blocks.
• Sophomore forward Malik Reneau added 14 points, six rebounds, and five assists, while senior guard Trey Galloway chipped in 10 points.
• Indiana turned the ball over 19 times, which led to 27 points from the Nebraska offense.
Sophomore Jump for Reneau
• Sophomore forward Malik Reneau has posted double digits in the scoring column in 13 games this season, including 10 efforts of at least 14 points. He notched a career-high 34 points against Kennesaw State (Dec. 29).
• Over the final two non-conference games, Reneau averaged 29.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on 23-of-33 (69.7%) shooting from the floor, 5-of-7 (71.4%) from the 3-point line, and 8-of-12 (66.7%) from the charity stripe.
• Reneau is averaging a team-best 16.1 points per game to go along with 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 0.9 blocks in 28 minutes per game.
Big Man Transformation
• Sophomore center Kel'el Ware, a transfer from Oregon, has upped his scoring (from 6.6 points to 15.3), rebounds (4.1 to 9.0), assists (0.5 to 1.7), and field goal percentage (45.7% to 56.9%) in his second season. He leads the Hoosiers in rebounds and blocks in 30 minutes per game.
• Ware has scored at least 10 points in 12 games this year after producing just eight such games as a rookie. The 7-footer has ripped down at least 10 boards five times this season, including a career-high 15 against No. 2/2 Kansas (Dec. 16).
• Ware tallied a career-high 28 points on 12-of-13 shooting from the floor in an 89-76 win over Harvard (Nov. 26) in Indianapolis. The 92.3% shooting split marked the highest by a Hoosier with at least 10 made field goals this century.
X Marks the Spot
• Sixth-year guard Xavier Johnson returned for his sixth season of college basketball after receiving a medical hardship waiver following a season-ending injury in 2022-23.
• The former Pitt Panther is averaging 9.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. He returned to the IU lineup at Nebraska (Jan. 3) and played 15 minutes.
• Johnson was born on Oct. 14, 1999, making him one of the 45 oldest players currently in college basketball. He is one of 70 players to be born prior to the year 2000.
Paint Production
• Indiana averages 38.5 points per game in the paint and shoots 54.8% (311-of-568) from inside the arc. The Hoosiers hold opponents to 27.0 points per night in the key.
• IU scored a season-best 56 points in the paint against Wright State (Nov. 16). The Hoosiers also tallied 50 paint points against Harvard (Nov. 26) and 52 against Kennesaw State (Dec. 29).
Mack Attack
• Freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako has made a team-high 16 3-pointers this season, including 12 over his past six games. During the six-game stretch he is shooting 12-of-31 (38.7%) from behind the arc.
• The consensus top-10 recruit is averaging 9.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest and has reached double figures in the scoring column in 10 of the last 11 games.
IU Stumbles in 2024 Opener at Nebraska
• Sophomore center Kel'el Ware paced the Hoosiers in points (20), rebounds (10), steals (2), and blocks (2) in an 86-70 loss at Nebraska on Jan. 3. The game marked the Oregon transfer's fifth double-double of the season.
• Sophomore forward Malik Reneau (14 points) and senior guard Trey Galloway (10) reached double figures.
• For the third-straight game, Indiana knocked down at least seven 3-point shots. IU hit 9-of-18 shots behind the arc, including 3-of-4 from the bench.
Offensive Onslaught Leads Hoosiers over Owls
• Six Hoosiers posted double figures in the scoring column in a 100-87 over Kennesaw State on Dec. 29. Sophomore forward Malik Reneau secured his first career double-double behind a career-high 34 points and 11 rebounds.
• Freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako (14), senior guard Trey Galloway (14), sophomore forward Kaleb Banks (12), junior center Payton Sparks (10), and fifth-year forward Anthony Walker (10) all scored at least 10 points.
• IU shot 36-of-59 (61.0%) from the floor, the highest single-game percentage since shooting 61.8% (34-of-55) at Illinois on Jan. 19, 2023.
@IndianaMBB
For all the latest on Indiana University men's basketball, be sure to follow the team at @IndianaMBB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
#GoIU
• Indiana University returns to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall during its 124th season of competition in men's basketball for a primetime showdown against Ohio State on Jan. 6. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
• The Buckeyes (12-2, 2-1) are led by 17.4 points and 4.3 assists per game from sophomore guard Bruce Thornton. Minnesota transfer Jamison Battle and sophomore guard Roddy Gayle Jr. each score 14.9 points per outing. The OSU trio has made 87-of-212 (41.0%) from the 3-point line.
• Seventh-year head coach Chris Holtmann enters the game with conference wins over Minnesota and Rutgers at home. The Buckeyes also hold victories over Alabama, UCLA, and West Virginia on neutral courts.
Game Information
Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 • 8:00 PM ET
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) • Bloomington, Ind.
TV: FOX (Gus Johnson, Jim Jackson, Allison Williams)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Series History: Indiana leads, 110-88
Last Meeting: IU 86, OSU 70 on Jan. 28, 2023 in Bloomington
Series History
• Indiana has defeated Ohio State 110 times in the 198-game series between the conference rivals, the third-most wins against any program. IU has defeated Northwestern 120 times and Michigan on 111 occasions.
• The Hoosiers have topped the Buckeyes three-straight times in Bloomington, including an 86-70 result on Jan. 28, 2023. Malik Reneau posted 15 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in 23 minutes off the bench.
• Indiana head coach Mike Woodson averaged 20.3 points in his eight career contests against the Buckeyes. He scored 21 against Ohio State on March 2, 1980, to secure his first Big Ten title on the final day of the regular season of his senior year.
Last Time Out
• Indiana jumped back into Big Ten Conference play with an 86-70 loss at Nebraska on Jan. 3.
• Sophomore center Kel'el Ware notched his fifth-career double-double (all this season) with 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the floor and 10 rebounds. The Oregon transfer also posted two assists, two steals, and two blocks.
• Sophomore forward Malik Reneau added 14 points, six rebounds, and five assists, while senior guard Trey Galloway chipped in 10 points.
• Indiana turned the ball over 19 times, which led to 27 points from the Nebraska offense.
Sophomore Jump for Reneau
• Sophomore forward Malik Reneau has posted double digits in the scoring column in 13 games this season, including 10 efforts of at least 14 points. He notched a career-high 34 points against Kennesaw State (Dec. 29).
• Over the final two non-conference games, Reneau averaged 29.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on 23-of-33 (69.7%) shooting from the floor, 5-of-7 (71.4%) from the 3-point line, and 8-of-12 (66.7%) from the charity stripe.
• Reneau is averaging a team-best 16.1 points per game to go along with 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 0.9 blocks in 28 minutes per game.
Big Man Transformation
• Sophomore center Kel'el Ware, a transfer from Oregon, has upped his scoring (from 6.6 points to 15.3), rebounds (4.1 to 9.0), assists (0.5 to 1.7), and field goal percentage (45.7% to 56.9%) in his second season. He leads the Hoosiers in rebounds and blocks in 30 minutes per game.
• Ware has scored at least 10 points in 12 games this year after producing just eight such games as a rookie. The 7-footer has ripped down at least 10 boards five times this season, including a career-high 15 against No. 2/2 Kansas (Dec. 16).
• Ware tallied a career-high 28 points on 12-of-13 shooting from the floor in an 89-76 win over Harvard (Nov. 26) in Indianapolis. The 92.3% shooting split marked the highest by a Hoosier with at least 10 made field goals this century.
X Marks the Spot
• Sixth-year guard Xavier Johnson returned for his sixth season of college basketball after receiving a medical hardship waiver following a season-ending injury in 2022-23.
• The former Pitt Panther is averaging 9.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. He returned to the IU lineup at Nebraska (Jan. 3) and played 15 minutes.
• Johnson was born on Oct. 14, 1999, making him one of the 45 oldest players currently in college basketball. He is one of 70 players to be born prior to the year 2000.
Paint Production
• Indiana averages 38.5 points per game in the paint and shoots 54.8% (311-of-568) from inside the arc. The Hoosiers hold opponents to 27.0 points per night in the key.
• IU scored a season-best 56 points in the paint against Wright State (Nov. 16). The Hoosiers also tallied 50 paint points against Harvard (Nov. 26) and 52 against Kennesaw State (Dec. 29).
Mack Attack
• Freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako has made a team-high 16 3-pointers this season, including 12 over his past six games. During the six-game stretch he is shooting 12-of-31 (38.7%) from behind the arc.
• The consensus top-10 recruit is averaging 9.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest and has reached double figures in the scoring column in 10 of the last 11 games.
IU Stumbles in 2024 Opener at Nebraska
• Sophomore center Kel'el Ware paced the Hoosiers in points (20), rebounds (10), steals (2), and blocks (2) in an 86-70 loss at Nebraska on Jan. 3. The game marked the Oregon transfer's fifth double-double of the season.
• Sophomore forward Malik Reneau (14 points) and senior guard Trey Galloway (10) reached double figures.
• For the third-straight game, Indiana knocked down at least seven 3-point shots. IU hit 9-of-18 shots behind the arc, including 3-of-4 from the bench.
Offensive Onslaught Leads Hoosiers over Owls
• Six Hoosiers posted double figures in the scoring column in a 100-87 over Kennesaw State on Dec. 29. Sophomore forward Malik Reneau secured his first career double-double behind a career-high 34 points and 11 rebounds.
• Freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako (14), senior guard Trey Galloway (14), sophomore forward Kaleb Banks (12), junior center Payton Sparks (10), and fifth-year forward Anthony Walker (10) all scored at least 10 points.
• IU shot 36-of-59 (61.0%) from the floor, the highest single-game percentage since shooting 61.8% (34-of-55) at Illinois on Jan. 19, 2023.
@IndianaMBB
For all the latest on Indiana University men's basketball, be sure to follow the team at @IndianaMBB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
#GoIU
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