Thursday, March 14
Minneapolis, Minn.
9:00 PM
Indiana University
vs
Penn State
Ware Still Has Much to Prove Entering Big Ten Tourney
3/14/2024 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Don't tell Kel'el Ware he's arrived, that he's proven doubters wrong.
Indiana's sophomore center knows better.
The 7-foot Ware has emerged as perhaps the Big Ten's second-best player behind Purdue's Zach Edey. He dominates inside (averaging 9.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks) and thrives outside (17-for-38 on 3-pointers). He averages 16.1 points with 14 double doubles.
In the last seven games, he's averaged 20.7 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.0 blocks while shooting 69.2% from the field.
Impressive? You bet.
Is Ware satisfied entering Thursday's Big Ten tourney second-round game in Minneapolis?
Not even close.
"There's always more to prove," he says. "I don't feel I've proven myself yet."
More proof will start from more aggressive play. He says motivation comes from team rather than personal glory.
"It's just wanting to win," he says. "I've wanted to win the whole season, of course, but I felt I needed to be more aggressive. That's what I've been doing on the offensive end and trying to help my team as much as I can on the defensive end."
Ware continues to show huge improvement from last season, when at Oregon as a freshman, he failed to meet expectations (averaging 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds on 45.7% shooting), mostly because of perceived poor effort.
He's altered that perception and is now more than meeting expectations. This week, he made All-Big Ten second and third teams, and was named to the conference's all-defensive squad.
"Before he got here," senior guard Xavier Johnson says, "I overheard some questions about his motor. That was something that was well known about him. Coach (Mike) Woodson and the team have stayed on him about it. I think that's the reason why he's averaging what he's averaging now.
"He's doing a heck of a job. I think he's going to continue to be that type of guy and continue to play like that."
Woodson told Ware while recruiting him that he would push him hard.
He kept his word.
"After that first month," Woodson says, "he's been a totally different player. I've got to give tribute to our coaching staff and how they work. We pushed him and his teammates to believe in him. I believe in him. He's been phenomenal; he's been playing unbelievable."
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is in full agreement after seeing Ware burn the Spartans for 28 points (on 13-for-19 shooting), 12 rebounds and two blocks in last Sunday's 65-64 Hoosier victory.
"Mike (Woodson) did a hell of a job with Ware," Izzo. He deserves a lot of credit. So does Ware. I played against Ware last year, and he wasn't very good. I think he's gotten stronger and tougher.
"Early in the year, he was okay, but the last half of the year, he's been a force to be reckoned with."
The Big Ten also honored freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako and sophomore forward Malik Reneau. Mgbako was co-freshman of the year and made the all-freshman team. Last season, Indiana guard Jalen Hood-Schifino was freshman of the year.
Reneau earned honorable mention accolades.
Mgbako leads all Big Ten freshmen in scoring (12.2 points), total points (377), made three throws (82) and 20-point games (three).
Reneau averages 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He shoots 57 percent from the field.
Guard Trey Galloway was IU's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner. He averages career highs in points (10.6), assists (4.6), steals (1.2) and minutes played (33.4).
IU (18-13) opens Big Ten tourney play on a four-game winning streak. That matches Ohio State and is just behind conference champ Purdue (five straight) as the league's hottest teams.
As the sixth seed, the Hoosiers will play No. 11 Penn State (16-16) Thursday night. The Nittany Lions beat Michigan during Wednesday night's opening round. A win would match IU with No. 3 seed Nebraska (22-9) in Friday night's quarterfinals.
IU has reached the semifinals the last two seasons but has never won the tourney title. Doing so -- winning four games in four days -- would mean an automatic bid for next week's NCAA Tournament.
The Hoosiers were swept by Penn State this season. They lost their only meeting with Nebraska, in Lincoln.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Don't tell Kel'el Ware he's arrived, that he's proven doubters wrong.
Indiana's sophomore center knows better.
The 7-foot Ware has emerged as perhaps the Big Ten's second-best player behind Purdue's Zach Edey. He dominates inside (averaging 9.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks) and thrives outside (17-for-38 on 3-pointers). He averages 16.1 points with 14 double doubles.
In the last seven games, he's averaged 20.7 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.0 blocks while shooting 69.2% from the field.
Impressive? You bet.
Is Ware satisfied entering Thursday's Big Ten tourney second-round game in Minneapolis?
Not even close.
"There's always more to prove," he says. "I don't feel I've proven myself yet."
More proof will start from more aggressive play. He says motivation comes from team rather than personal glory.
"It's just wanting to win," he says. "I've wanted to win the whole season, of course, but I felt I needed to be more aggressive. That's what I've been doing on the offensive end and trying to help my team as much as I can on the defensive end."
Ware continues to show huge improvement from last season, when at Oregon as a freshman, he failed to meet expectations (averaging 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds on 45.7% shooting), mostly because of perceived poor effort.
He's altered that perception and is now more than meeting expectations. This week, he made All-Big Ten second and third teams, and was named to the conference's all-defensive squad.
"Before he got here," senior guard Xavier Johnson says, "I overheard some questions about his motor. That was something that was well known about him. Coach (Mike) Woodson and the team have stayed on him about it. I think that's the reason why he's averaging what he's averaging now.
"He's doing a heck of a job. I think he's going to continue to be that type of guy and continue to play like that."
Woodson told Ware while recruiting him that he would push him hard.
He kept his word.
"After that first month," Woodson says, "he's been a totally different player. I've got to give tribute to our coaching staff and how they work. We pushed him and his teammates to believe in him. I believe in him. He's been phenomenal; he's been playing unbelievable."
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is in full agreement after seeing Ware burn the Spartans for 28 points (on 13-for-19 shooting), 12 rebounds and two blocks in last Sunday's 65-64 Hoosier victory.
"Mike (Woodson) did a hell of a job with Ware," Izzo. He deserves a lot of credit. So does Ware. I played against Ware last year, and he wasn't very good. I think he's gotten stronger and tougher.
"Early in the year, he was okay, but the last half of the year, he's been a force to be reckoned with."
The Big Ten also honored freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako and sophomore forward Malik Reneau. Mgbako was co-freshman of the year and made the all-freshman team. Last season, Indiana guard Jalen Hood-Schifino was freshman of the year.
Reneau earned honorable mention accolades.
Mgbako leads all Big Ten freshmen in scoring (12.2 points), total points (377), made three throws (82) and 20-point games (three).
Reneau averages 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He shoots 57 percent from the field.
Guard Trey Galloway was IU's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner. He averages career highs in points (10.6), assists (4.6), steals (1.2) and minutes played (33.4).
IU (18-13) opens Big Ten tourney play on a four-game winning streak. That matches Ohio State and is just behind conference champ Purdue (five straight) as the league's hottest teams.
As the sixth seed, the Hoosiers will play No. 11 Penn State (16-16) Thursday night. The Nittany Lions beat Michigan during Wednesday night's opening round. A win would match IU with No. 3 seed Nebraska (22-9) in Friday night's quarterfinals.
IU has reached the semifinals the last two seasons but has never won the tourney title. Doing so -- winning four games in four days -- would mean an automatic bid for next week's NCAA Tournament.
The Hoosiers were swept by Penn State this season. They lost their only meeting with Nebraska, in Lincoln.
Players Mentioned
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Guard
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