Indiana University Athletics
Monday, December 9
Bloomington, Ind.
6:30 p.m.
Indiana University
vs
Minnesota
Ballo, Reneau Primed to Rock the Big Ten
12/9/2024 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Big Ten play has arrived for Indiana, at least in a two-game December dose, and two things seem clear:
First, Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo are poised to rock the conference frontcourts from coast to coast.
Second, the Hoosiers (7-2) must play with Big Ten urgency starting Monday night in their conference opener against Minnesota (6-4) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
They also play at Nebraska (6-2) on Friday before returning to non-conference play.
The 6-9 Reneau and the 7-foot Ballo comprise one of the Big Ten's best frontcourts. Reneau leads IU in scoring (15.4 points) and steals (14). He averages 6.3 rebounds and shoots 58.9% from the field.
Ballo leads the team in rebounding (9.3), shooting (67.7%), and blocks (19), and is second in steals (eight). He averages 12.7 points and is coming off his first Hoosier double-double -- and 35th of his college career that included stops at Gonzaga and Arizona -- with 14 points and 18 rebounds against Miami (Ohio).
"(Big Ten teams have) seen Ballo over the years," coach Mike Woodson says. "Yes, the Big Ten is big. Everybody's got big guys. The fours (power forwards) and fives (centers) are huge in the Big Ten. It won't be a surprise when we play Big Ten schools that have got the fives and fours to match Ballo and Malik.
"We've got to continue to get Ballo better. Malik's got to continue to grow because it will be a challenge each and every night that we step out on that floor."
Playing with Reneau, Ballo says, is fun.
"Malik is really easy to play with because whenever we get the ball to him, I know he's going to try to find me or find an open guy. We have a really good flow together. I'm excited to see it for the rest of the season and how it turns out."
Ballo and Reneau made a big impression on Miami (Ohio) coach Travis Steele, who was IU's video coordinator in 2006.
"They got their way with us," Steele says. "Coach Woodson puts them in a great position to be successful.
"I've been really impressed with Malik. We played Indiana two years ago when he was a freshman, and his progress and development have been impressive. He will be an all-league guy in the Big Ten, I would imagine, because of the way he's playing."
As far as the Big Ten, the Hoosiers project as title contenders, and must play like it every game.
"It's here now," Galloway says. "The Big Ten is real. Anybody can win on any given night. You've got to be prepared and practice with urgency and with purpose. That's our biggest focus -- getting back to work and getting ready for Minnesota. We've got to take it one game at a time because every team is good. You've got to focus on each team."
Focus starts with defense, which struggled against Miami (Ohio)despite the RedHawks shooting 31.0% overall with just 21 second-half points that included a late-game six-minute scoring drought. Poor Hoosier defensive switching resulted in multiple open Miami (Ohio) shots.
"We still got work to do," Woodson says. "Even though they went six minutes without scoring, they still had good looks. The looks came on our inability to not switch correctly. We screwed up so many switches.
"Those are things that I've got to get us right. When you switch, that means you got a body on a body. Nobody's breaking free for easy shots. We've got to clean that up. That's something that we got to continue to work on and practice to get better."
The Hoosiers are ready for that work, Galloway says.
"It's just continuing to get better. It is early, but we've got to learn quickly. We can't have those breakdowns. It's our attention to detail and really focusing and sticking to the game plan.
"There were a lot of miscues (against Miami) that we had that we shouldn't have. If we clean those up, it takes away a lot of their buckets. Overall, just focusing on that and making sure we clean up everything."
Big Ten success also depends on sophomore swingman Mackenzie Mgbako playing to his potential, which he's done for most of the season (a 15.3-point scoring average while shooting 52.7% from the field, 44.7% on three-pointers, and 92.0% on free throws), but not so much against Miami (Ohio), when he was just 2-for-7 for a season-low four points along with multiple defensive breakdowns.
"He didn't have a good night," Woodson says, "but he's played pretty good basketball. We'll bounce back, get him back going, and get him ready for Monday."
IU has beaten Minnesota eight straight games overall, and eight straight at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Minnesota (6-4) opened its Big Ten season with a 90-72 home loss to Michigan State. Dawson Garcia had his second double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Mitchell Jr. added 17 points.
Garcia averages 19.0 points and 7.4 rebounds. Two other Gophers average in double figures – Mitchell (10.0) and Lu'cye Patterson (10.0).
Minnesota's other losses were to North Texas, Wichita State, and Wake Forest. This will be its first true road game. It is 0-2 on neutral sites.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Big Ten play has arrived for Indiana, at least in a two-game December dose, and two things seem clear:
First, Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo are poised to rock the conference frontcourts from coast to coast.
Second, the Hoosiers (7-2) must play with Big Ten urgency starting Monday night in their conference opener against Minnesota (6-4) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
They also play at Nebraska (6-2) on Friday before returning to non-conference play.
The 6-9 Reneau and the 7-foot Ballo comprise one of the Big Ten's best frontcourts. Reneau leads IU in scoring (15.4 points) and steals (14). He averages 6.3 rebounds and shoots 58.9% from the field.
Ballo leads the team in rebounding (9.3), shooting (67.7%), and blocks (19), and is second in steals (eight). He averages 12.7 points and is coming off his first Hoosier double-double -- and 35th of his college career that included stops at Gonzaga and Arizona -- with 14 points and 18 rebounds against Miami (Ohio).
"(Big Ten teams have) seen Ballo over the years," coach Mike Woodson says. "Yes, the Big Ten is big. Everybody's got big guys. The fours (power forwards) and fives (centers) are huge in the Big Ten. It won't be a surprise when we play Big Ten schools that have got the fives and fours to match Ballo and Malik.
"We've got to continue to get Ballo better. Malik's got to continue to grow because it will be a challenge each and every night that we step out on that floor."
Playing with Reneau, Ballo says, is fun.
"Malik is really easy to play with because whenever we get the ball to him, I know he's going to try to find me or find an open guy. We have a really good flow together. I'm excited to see it for the rest of the season and how it turns out."
Ballo and Reneau made a big impression on Miami (Ohio) coach Travis Steele, who was IU's video coordinator in 2006.
"They got their way with us," Steele says. "Coach Woodson puts them in a great position to be successful.
"I've been really impressed with Malik. We played Indiana two years ago when he was a freshman, and his progress and development have been impressive. He will be an all-league guy in the Big Ten, I would imagine, because of the way he's playing."
As far as the Big Ten, the Hoosiers project as title contenders, and must play like it every game.
"It's here now," Galloway says. "The Big Ten is real. Anybody can win on any given night. You've got to be prepared and practice with urgency and with purpose. That's our biggest focus -- getting back to work and getting ready for Minnesota. We've got to take it one game at a time because every team is good. You've got to focus on each team."
Focus starts with defense, which struggled against Miami (Ohio)despite the RedHawks shooting 31.0% overall with just 21 second-half points that included a late-game six-minute scoring drought. Poor Hoosier defensive switching resulted in multiple open Miami (Ohio) shots.
"We still got work to do," Woodson says. "Even though they went six minutes without scoring, they still had good looks. The looks came on our inability to not switch correctly. We screwed up so many switches.
"Those are things that I've got to get us right. When you switch, that means you got a body on a body. Nobody's breaking free for easy shots. We've got to clean that up. That's something that we got to continue to work on and practice to get better."
The Hoosiers are ready for that work, Galloway says.
"It's just continuing to get better. It is early, but we've got to learn quickly. We can't have those breakdowns. It's our attention to detail and really focusing and sticking to the game plan.
"There were a lot of miscues (against Miami) that we had that we shouldn't have. If we clean those up, it takes away a lot of their buckets. Overall, just focusing on that and making sure we clean up everything."
Big Ten success also depends on sophomore swingman Mackenzie Mgbako playing to his potential, which he's done for most of the season (a 15.3-point scoring average while shooting 52.7% from the field, 44.7% on three-pointers, and 92.0% on free throws), but not so much against Miami (Ohio), when he was just 2-for-7 for a season-low four points along with multiple defensive breakdowns.
"He didn't have a good night," Woodson says, "but he's played pretty good basketball. We'll bounce back, get him back going, and get him ready for Monday."
IU has beaten Minnesota eight straight games overall, and eight straight at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Minnesota (6-4) opened its Big Ten season with a 90-72 home loss to Michigan State. Dawson Garcia had his second double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Mitchell Jr. added 17 points.
Garcia averages 19.0 points and 7.4 rebounds. Two other Gophers average in double figures – Mitchell (10.0) and Lu'cye Patterson (10.0).
Minnesota's other losses were to North Texas, Wichita State, and Wake Forest. This will be its first true road game. It is 0-2 on neutral sites.
Players Mentioned
Center
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballMBB: Inside IU Basketball with Darian DeVries (11/10/25)
Monday, November 10
IUWBB Highlights vs. UIC
Saturday, November 08
IUBB Postgame Press Conference
Wednesday, November 05
Darian DeVries Postgame Press Conference
Wednesday, November 05