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Poker Face or Not, Mgbako Part of IU Resurgence
3/6/2024 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – No deficit is too big for these Indiana Hoosiers.
This much we know.
Why is that? How is it that IU has won three games this season after trailing by 15 or more points, including Sunday at Maryland?
The simple answer is that the Hoosiers, after playing their way into seemingly certain defeat, shoot and defend better.
In a game so reliant on emotion, Mackenzie Mgbako offers passionate clarity.
"It shows how tough we are," the freshman forward says. "We fight to the end. It shows not to count us out until the last whistle is blown. We show how it's possible to make anything happen."
"Anything" has produced two straight victories after a 2-8 skid that threatened to wreck postseason possibilities. IU is 16-13 overall, 8-10 in the Big Ten and is playing its way into an opening-day conference tourney bye. Its next chance comes Wednesday night at Minnesota, which is just ahead in the Big Ten standings at 9-9, 18-11 overall.
The 6-8 Mgbako continues to play a major role. His career-high 24 points against Maryland included 4-for-8 3-point shooting. He has scored at least 20 points in three of his last five games to boost his average to 12.0 points.
"I'm letting the game come to me," he says. "Not force anything. Play within the system. It's being confident in myself and my teammates to make the right play."
Mgbako is doing that while showing flashes of emotion that are more rarity than typical.
"I have a poker face kind of attitude where I feel I should let my game speak for itself," he says, "but when big plays happen, I'll show a smile."
Smile or not, Mgbako shows no sign of hitting the so-called "wall" most freshmen experience late in the season, which comes from not being used to playing this long and hard against elite competition. He is, by far, the Hoosiers' best free throw shooter (81.2%) and most prolific 3-point shooter (43 made).
He credits IU's strong support group.
"It's the people I have around me. I have a good support system. They help me keep my head on my shoulder and keep me on the right path. I keep my head down, work hard and trust in the process."
Trust comes from preparation that helps Mgbako become more comfortable in coach Mike Woodson's offensive-and-defensive system.
"It's studying the game," he says. "It's knowing where to be at on the court and knowing how to get to my spots.
"If Gallo (senior guard Trey Galloway) is coming off a screen, I have to rise above the corner. If he's driving baseline, drift back to the deep corner. It's knowing where to be on the floor, so I'll be able to knock down a shot or make a play for somebody else."
Defensively, Mgbako remains a work in progress, although he does have 12 steals and seven blocks.
"I'm better than I was when I started, but I'm not where I need to be. My on-ball defense has to get a lot better. My off-ball defense has improved, but I still have to know where to be to (double team and help), and then recover and get back to my man."
The Hoosiers' comeback victory at Maryland included strong guard play from Xavier Johnson and Galloway, who combined for 25 points, 10 assists and just three turnovers. Their solid defense included three steals.
"It was as well as they've played together since I've had them," Woodson says.
It was Johnson's second game back after missing the previous six because of an elbow injury.
"I know I do a couple of things that's head rocking," he says, "but I'm a player, I'm going to make mistakes and I'm going to try to get it right back."
Having Johnson and Galloway lead the way takes the pressure off freshman Gabe Cupps. At Maryland, Cupps started and scored five points -- including an early three-pointer -- in just eight minutes.
"It's something that we've lacked this season (because of Johnson's injuries)," Woodson says. "X did a lot of good things from a defensive standpoint and controlled the game. Having him and Galloway, our two seniors, we've missed that this season."
Like IU, Minnesota is coming off a big comeback victory. It trailed Penn State by 23 points in the first half before rallying at Williams Arena.
The Gophers have a 16-3 home record.
Dawson Garcia, a 6-11 forward, leads by averaging 17.4 points and 6.4 rebounds. Cam Christie averages 11.9 points and has 62 three-pointers. He just received his second Big Ten freshman-of-the-week honor after averaging 21.0 points in a pair of games, making 7-of-13 three-pointers. Guard Mike Mitchell Jr. averages 10.6 points. Pharrel Payne, a 6-9 forward, averages 10.0 points.
Point guard Elijah Hawkins has set a school single season record with 211 assists. He's had as many as 17 in a game. He averages 9.5 points.
IU beat the Gophers 74-62 in January at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mgbako led with 19 points. Center Kel'el Ware had 17 points and 14 rebounds.
The Hoosiers end the regular season on Sunday by hosting Michigan State before next week's Big Ten tourney in Minneapolis which comes with an automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
"We have to take it one game at a time," Woodson says. "Minnesota is playing good basketball. We've got to go into another hostile environment and see if we can get a win."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – No deficit is too big for these Indiana Hoosiers.
This much we know.
Why is that? How is it that IU has won three games this season after trailing by 15 or more points, including Sunday at Maryland?
The simple answer is that the Hoosiers, after playing their way into seemingly certain defeat, shoot and defend better.
In a game so reliant on emotion, Mackenzie Mgbako offers passionate clarity.
"It shows how tough we are," the freshman forward says. "We fight to the end. It shows not to count us out until the last whistle is blown. We show how it's possible to make anything happen."
"Anything" has produced two straight victories after a 2-8 skid that threatened to wreck postseason possibilities. IU is 16-13 overall, 8-10 in the Big Ten and is playing its way into an opening-day conference tourney bye. Its next chance comes Wednesday night at Minnesota, which is just ahead in the Big Ten standings at 9-9, 18-11 overall.
The 6-8 Mgbako continues to play a major role. His career-high 24 points against Maryland included 4-for-8 3-point shooting. He has scored at least 20 points in three of his last five games to boost his average to 12.0 points.
"I'm letting the game come to me," he says. "Not force anything. Play within the system. It's being confident in myself and my teammates to make the right play."
Mgbako is doing that while showing flashes of emotion that are more rarity than typical.
"I have a poker face kind of attitude where I feel I should let my game speak for itself," he says, "but when big plays happen, I'll show a smile."
Smile or not, Mgbako shows no sign of hitting the so-called "wall" most freshmen experience late in the season, which comes from not being used to playing this long and hard against elite competition. He is, by far, the Hoosiers' best free throw shooter (81.2%) and most prolific 3-point shooter (43 made).
He credits IU's strong support group.
"It's the people I have around me. I have a good support system. They help me keep my head on my shoulder and keep me on the right path. I keep my head down, work hard and trust in the process."
Trust comes from preparation that helps Mgbako become more comfortable in coach Mike Woodson's offensive-and-defensive system.
"It's studying the game," he says. "It's knowing where to be at on the court and knowing how to get to my spots.
"If Gallo (senior guard Trey Galloway) is coming off a screen, I have to rise above the corner. If he's driving baseline, drift back to the deep corner. It's knowing where to be on the floor, so I'll be able to knock down a shot or make a play for somebody else."
Defensively, Mgbako remains a work in progress, although he does have 12 steals and seven blocks.
"I'm better than I was when I started, but I'm not where I need to be. My on-ball defense has to get a lot better. My off-ball defense has improved, but I still have to know where to be to (double team and help), and then recover and get back to my man."
The Hoosiers' comeback victory at Maryland included strong guard play from Xavier Johnson and Galloway, who combined for 25 points, 10 assists and just three turnovers. Their solid defense included three steals.
"It was as well as they've played together since I've had them," Woodson says.
It was Johnson's second game back after missing the previous six because of an elbow injury.
"I know I do a couple of things that's head rocking," he says, "but I'm a player, I'm going to make mistakes and I'm going to try to get it right back."
Having Johnson and Galloway lead the way takes the pressure off freshman Gabe Cupps. At Maryland, Cupps started and scored five points -- including an early three-pointer -- in just eight minutes.
"It's something that we've lacked this season (because of Johnson's injuries)," Woodson says. "X did a lot of good things from a defensive standpoint and controlled the game. Having him and Galloway, our two seniors, we've missed that this season."
Like IU, Minnesota is coming off a big comeback victory. It trailed Penn State by 23 points in the first half before rallying at Williams Arena.
The Gophers have a 16-3 home record.
Dawson Garcia, a 6-11 forward, leads by averaging 17.4 points and 6.4 rebounds. Cam Christie averages 11.9 points and has 62 three-pointers. He just received his second Big Ten freshman-of-the-week honor after averaging 21.0 points in a pair of games, making 7-of-13 three-pointers. Guard Mike Mitchell Jr. averages 10.6 points. Pharrel Payne, a 6-9 forward, averages 10.0 points.
Point guard Elijah Hawkins has set a school single season record with 211 assists. He's had as many as 17 in a game. He averages 9.5 points.
IU beat the Gophers 74-62 in January at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mgbako led with 19 points. Center Kel'el Ware had 17 points and 14 rebounds.
The Hoosiers end the regular season on Sunday by hosting Michigan State before next week's Big Ten tourney in Minneapolis which comes with an automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
"We have to take it one game at a time," Woodson says. "Minnesota is playing good basketball. We've got to go into another hostile environment and see if we can get a win."
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