Tuesday, February 27
Bloomington, Ind.
7:00 PM
Indiana University
15-13,7-10Big Ten
74
vs
70
Wisconsin
18-10,10-7Big Ten
1
2
F
Wisconsin
33
37
70
Indiana
38
36
74
Indiana Tops Wisconsin on Tuesday Night
2/27/2024 9:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Kel'el Ware was unstoppable. No pass was too high, basket too difficult, rebound too unreachable, or free throw too stressful.
Malik Reneau wasn't going to be denied. Not with victory within reach.
They were the catalysts in Indiana's 74-70 thriller over Wisconsin Tuesday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Reneau's last-minute basket under extreme defensive pressure, a pair of Mackenzie Mgbako free throws, and ferocious crunch-time defense finally broke the Badgers (18-10 overall, 10-7 in the Big Ten).
"The game means a lot," Ware said. "The whole team was on a downhill. We finally got over the hump."
A game that featured everything -- including a blown 15-point first-half lead and a 15-minute, second-half break to evacuate Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall because of a fire alarm that went off in the balcony -- saw IU snap a four-game losing streak and, at least for now, end a generation of Badger-induced misery.
It was just the Hoosiers' eighth win in the series in the last 39 meetings. They improved to 15-13 overall and 7-10 in the Big Ten.
"The locker room is very happy," coach Mike Woodson said. "Nobody likes to lose. I hate losing. There's a lot that comes with it.
"You have to stay patient. You can't bury the guys. You have to pat them. These are 18- and -19-year old young men.
"We got the monkey off backs."
Ware, a 7-foot center, opened 8-for-8 from the field for 18 points and six rebounds in his first 14 minutes. He finished with 27 points on 11-for-12 shooting with 11 rebounds. He was 4-for-4 from the line, blocked five shots, and altered or dissuaded multiple others.
"He was unbelievable," Woodson said. "It was a man's game. Maybe we didn't go to him enough. He was fantastic, and we needed every bit of it to win."
The reason, Ware said, was simple.
"You just have to play hard."
Reneau had 14 points and eight rebounds. Mgbako matched those 14 points, which included a clutch 3-point basket down the stretch. Guard Trey Galloway had six points and 12 assists, many via lobs to Ware.
The Badgers had no answer. They missed their last six shots and didn't score in the final two minutes.
"We fought for the win," Ware said.
That fight was reflected in offense the way Woodson had envisioned it -- 62 percent shooting, 42 percent from 3-point range, 10-for-15 from the line -- combined with shutdown defense when it mattered most.
In short, it was all the things they hadn't done in the last month.
"We've been down, losing these last four games the way we've lost them," Woodson said. "You're searching trying to figure it out.
"Mack stepped up with a big three. Malik hit the big two to put us up two. That was a huge basket. Then we got a big defensive stop.
"We haven't done it consistently. Tonight was Indiana basketball at its best."
Senior point guard Xavier Johnson was back after missing the last month with an elbow injury. He totaled five points in 15 minutes.
"Every night I go to bed wondering what this team would have been like if we had him healthy," Woodson said.
"He made some mistakes. He did some good things. We've got to keep him safe to get us where we need to go."
Added Ware: "It's great to have him back. He brings speed and gets the ball going downhill. He helps us out a lot."
IU opened by pounding the inside, hitting four of its first six shots, and jumped to a 10-6 lead after the first five minutes. IU had four assists on those baskets to reflects its early sharp passing and ball movement.
Johnson came in and in the first minute had a turnover, a rebound and an assist to help the Hoosiers surge to a 17-8 lead.
An Anthony Leal 3-pointer off a Galloway assist made it 23-14 at the 10-minute mark. Five straight Ware points gave IU a 32-17 lead and forced a Badger timeout with 6:09 left.
A Johnson 3-pointer made it 36-25 with 2:51 left in the half. Wisconsin closed within 38-33 at halftime. Ware had 20 points and seven rebounds.
Both teams played to a 12-12 draw five minutes into the second half.
Wisconsin had just tied it at 54-54 with 10 minutes left when Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall was evacuated.
"That's the first time in my career I've been part of that," Woodson said. "When we went in the locker room, you try to clean up things."
Added Ware: "I didn't know what was going on. We were coming to the sideline for a timeout and the refs said we had to go inside (the locker room). I saw the (alarm) flash going off."
When play resumed, the teams traded baskets and defensive stops. Mgbako hit a 3-pointer. Ware converted a three-point play. Five ties followed in the next nine minutes.
Finally, Reneau muscled in a basket for a 72-70 IU lead with 50 seconds left. IU got a defensive stop and two Mgbako free throws with 25 seconds left.
Wisconsin was beaten.
"We played well early," Woodson said, "but Wisconsin was not going to quit. They pushed us to the end."
Now comes a Sunday trip to Maryland (15-13, 7-10).
"We have to validate this," Woodson said. "We'll see if we have a carry over into Maryland game."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Kel'el Ware was unstoppable. No pass was too high, basket too difficult, rebound too unreachable, or free throw too stressful.
Malik Reneau wasn't going to be denied. Not with victory within reach.
They were the catalysts in Indiana's 74-70 thriller over Wisconsin Tuesday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Reneau's last-minute basket under extreme defensive pressure, a pair of Mackenzie Mgbako free throws, and ferocious crunch-time defense finally broke the Badgers (18-10 overall, 10-7 in the Big Ten).
"The game means a lot," Ware said. "The whole team was on a downhill. We finally got over the hump."
A game that featured everything -- including a blown 15-point first-half lead and a 15-minute, second-half break to evacuate Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall because of a fire alarm that went off in the balcony -- saw IU snap a four-game losing streak and, at least for now, end a generation of Badger-induced misery.
It was just the Hoosiers' eighth win in the series in the last 39 meetings. They improved to 15-13 overall and 7-10 in the Big Ten.
"The locker room is very happy," coach Mike Woodson said. "Nobody likes to lose. I hate losing. There's a lot that comes with it.
"You have to stay patient. You can't bury the guys. You have to pat them. These are 18- and -19-year old young men.
"We got the monkey off backs."
Ware, a 7-foot center, opened 8-for-8 from the field for 18 points and six rebounds in his first 14 minutes. He finished with 27 points on 11-for-12 shooting with 11 rebounds. He was 4-for-4 from the line, blocked five shots, and altered or dissuaded multiple others.
"He was unbelievable," Woodson said. "It was a man's game. Maybe we didn't go to him enough. He was fantastic, and we needed every bit of it to win."
The reason, Ware said, was simple.
"You just have to play hard."
Reneau had 14 points and eight rebounds. Mgbako matched those 14 points, which included a clutch 3-point basket down the stretch. Guard Trey Galloway had six points and 12 assists, many via lobs to Ware.
The Badgers had no answer. They missed their last six shots and didn't score in the final two minutes.
"We fought for the win," Ware said.
That fight was reflected in offense the way Woodson had envisioned it -- 62 percent shooting, 42 percent from 3-point range, 10-for-15 from the line -- combined with shutdown defense when it mattered most.
In short, it was all the things they hadn't done in the last month.
"We've been down, losing these last four games the way we've lost them," Woodson said. "You're searching trying to figure it out.
"Mack stepped up with a big three. Malik hit the big two to put us up two. That was a huge basket. Then we got a big defensive stop.
"We haven't done it consistently. Tonight was Indiana basketball at its best."
Senior point guard Xavier Johnson was back after missing the last month with an elbow injury. He totaled five points in 15 minutes.
"Every night I go to bed wondering what this team would have been like if we had him healthy," Woodson said.
"He made some mistakes. He did some good things. We've got to keep him safe to get us where we need to go."
Added Ware: "It's great to have him back. He brings speed and gets the ball going downhill. He helps us out a lot."
IU opened by pounding the inside, hitting four of its first six shots, and jumped to a 10-6 lead after the first five minutes. IU had four assists on those baskets to reflects its early sharp passing and ball movement.
Johnson came in and in the first minute had a turnover, a rebound and an assist to help the Hoosiers surge to a 17-8 lead.
An Anthony Leal 3-pointer off a Galloway assist made it 23-14 at the 10-minute mark. Five straight Ware points gave IU a 32-17 lead and forced a Badger timeout with 6:09 left.
A Johnson 3-pointer made it 36-25 with 2:51 left in the half. Wisconsin closed within 38-33 at halftime. Ware had 20 points and seven rebounds.
Both teams played to a 12-12 draw five minutes into the second half.
Wisconsin had just tied it at 54-54 with 10 minutes left when Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall was evacuated.
"That's the first time in my career I've been part of that," Woodson said. "When we went in the locker room, you try to clean up things."
Added Ware: "I didn't know what was going on. We were coming to the sideline for a timeout and the refs said we had to go inside (the locker room). I saw the (alarm) flash going off."
When play resumed, the teams traded baskets and defensive stops. Mgbako hit a 3-pointer. Ware converted a three-point play. Five ties followed in the next nine minutes.
Finally, Reneau muscled in a basket for a 72-70 IU lead with 50 seconds left. IU got a defensive stop and two Mgbako free throws with 25 seconds left.
Wisconsin was beaten.
"We played well early," Woodson said, "but Wisconsin was not going to quit. They pushed us to the end."
Now comes a Sunday trip to Maryland (15-13, 7-10).
"We have to validate this," Woodson said. "We'll see if we have a carry over into Maryland game."
Team Stats
Wisc
IND
FG%
.435
.617
3FG%
.308
.429
FT%
.667
.667
RB
27
31
TO
3
12
STL
10
1
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
27
FGM
11
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Guard
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