Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Basketball Game Notes – Game 16 vs. USC
1/7/2025 9:50:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Opening Tip
• Indiana University continues Big Ten Conference play in its 125th season of competition in men's basketball against USC at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The game will carry a BTN broadcast with Kevin Kugler (pxp) and Robbie Hummel (analyst) on the call.
• The Trojans enter the game with a record of 9-5 (1-2 Big Ten) in their debut season in the Big Ten under first-year head coach Eric Musselman. Junior guard Desmond Claude leads USC in scoring at 14.9 points per game. Graduate senior wing Chibuzo Agbo adds 12.8 points per outing and had knocked down a team-best 34 3-pointers this season.
Game Information
Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 • 7 p.m. ET
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) • Bloomington, Ind.
TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Robbie Hummel)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Series History: Series tied, 2-2
Last Meeting: IU 85, USC 60 on March 18, 1974, in St. Louis
Series History
• Indiana will host USC for the first time in program history. The first three games of the series were all played in Los Angeles before the two sides met in the 1974 Collegiate Commissioners Association Tournament title game. IU prevailed by a score of 85-60 on March 18, 1974, in St. Louis.
• Two-time All-American Steve Green led the way for the Hoosiers with 24 points in the victory. Tournament MVP and 1977 No. 1 overall pick Kent Benson added 17 points and Indiana 'super sub' John Laskowski chipped in 15 points.
Last Time Out
• Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo compiled his second-straight double-double with game highs in points (25) and rebounds (13) to go along with three assists and two blocks in a 77-71 win against Penn State on Sunday, Jan. 5, at the Palestra in Philadelphia
• Sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako ignited the Indiana offense with a personal 8-0 run to open the second half. He knocked down a pair of 3-point field goals during the stretch. He finished with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor and 4-of-8 from behind the 3-point line.
•The Hoosiers knocked down nine triples in the contest, the third-straight game with at least eight made 3-pointers against Big Ten opponents. The defense held Penn State to 3-of-21 (14.3%) from behind the arc.
Mack on the Attack
• Sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako is averaging 14.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 49.0% (76-of-155) from the field, 42.4% (28-of-66) from behind the arc, and 86.1% (31-of-36) from the line.
• The Gladstone, N.J., native is one of five Big Ten players (Brice Williams, Nebraska; Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois; Fletcher Loyer, Purdue; Braden Smith, Purdue) to average at least 14.0 points per game while shooting above 40.0% from the 3-point line and 85.0% from the free throw line this season.
Big Fella Ballo
• Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo is averaging 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.9 blocks per contest and is shooting 66.7% (70-of-105) from the floor. He is one of two high-major conference players (Johni Broome, Auburn) to average at least 13.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 blocked shots per night, and the only player to post those numbers on 60.0% shooting or better.
• Ballo is one of five active players to score 1,400 career points and grab 1,000 career rebounds. He joins Hunter Dickinson (Kansas), Johni Broome (Auburn), Norchad Omier (Baylor), and Nelly Junior Joseph (New Mexico) on the exclusive list.
• The 7-footer ranks second among Big Ten players (Danny Wolf, Michigan) and 21st nationally in boards per game. Ballo has strung together seven games with double-digit boards, including a season-high 18 against Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 6.
• The former Gonzaga Bulldog and Arizona Wildcat holds a career winning percentage of 84.2% in 146 career games.
Going the Extra Myles
• Over his last five games, redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice is averaging 14.4 points on 43.1% (25-of-58) shooting from the floor to pair with 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per contest. He has scored 20-plus points twice in that span.
• The Washington State transfer was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma on Sept. 12, 2022. After undergoing chemotherapy for five hours a session twice a month for six months, Rice learned his cancer was in remission on June 1, 2023.
Following the Gallo-Way
• Fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway posted nine assists in 17 minutes off the bench in Indiana's 80-61 season-opening win over SIUE in Bloomington.
• In the last 25 seasons of major conference basketball, Gallo is the 10th player to have at least nine assists in 17 minutes or less. He is the first player to achieve the feat since Vanderbilt guard Carter Josephs on Feb. 22, 2014.
• The Culver Academies graduate has handed out at least five helpers in 27 career games, including six contests this season.
• Galloway has made 16-of-39 shots (41.0%) from behind the 3-point line this season. He has made at least three triples in four of Indiana's last nine games.
Myles Rice, Indiana Outlast Ace Bailey, Rutgers
• Redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice paced the Hoosier attack with 21 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals in an 84-74 win over Rutgers on Thursday, Jan. 2, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Rutgers freshman forward Ace Bailey finished the game with 39 points on 16-of-29 shooting.
• Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo returned from a brief, one-game absence to compile a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double to go along with three blocks in 32 minutes off the bench.
• The Hoosiers made 12-of-27 (44.4%) shots from behind the 3-points line. The 12-made triples marked a season high and the most for an IU offense in a conference regular season contest since connecting on 14 at Iowa on Feb. 17, 2018.
@IndianaMBB
For all the latest on Indiana University men's basketball, be sure to follow the team at @IndianaMBB on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
• Indiana University continues Big Ten Conference play in its 125th season of competition in men's basketball against USC at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The game will carry a BTN broadcast with Kevin Kugler (pxp) and Robbie Hummel (analyst) on the call.
• The Trojans enter the game with a record of 9-5 (1-2 Big Ten) in their debut season in the Big Ten under first-year head coach Eric Musselman. Junior guard Desmond Claude leads USC in scoring at 14.9 points per game. Graduate senior wing Chibuzo Agbo adds 12.8 points per outing and had knocked down a team-best 34 3-pointers this season.
Game Information
Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 • 7 p.m. ET
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) • Bloomington, Ind.
TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Robbie Hummel)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Series History: Series tied, 2-2
Last Meeting: IU 85, USC 60 on March 18, 1974, in St. Louis
Series History
• Indiana will host USC for the first time in program history. The first three games of the series were all played in Los Angeles before the two sides met in the 1974 Collegiate Commissioners Association Tournament title game. IU prevailed by a score of 85-60 on March 18, 1974, in St. Louis.
• Two-time All-American Steve Green led the way for the Hoosiers with 24 points in the victory. Tournament MVP and 1977 No. 1 overall pick Kent Benson added 17 points and Indiana 'super sub' John Laskowski chipped in 15 points.
Last Time Out
• Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo compiled his second-straight double-double with game highs in points (25) and rebounds (13) to go along with three assists and two blocks in a 77-71 win against Penn State on Sunday, Jan. 5, at the Palestra in Philadelphia
• Sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako ignited the Indiana offense with a personal 8-0 run to open the second half. He knocked down a pair of 3-point field goals during the stretch. He finished with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor and 4-of-8 from behind the 3-point line.
•The Hoosiers knocked down nine triples in the contest, the third-straight game with at least eight made 3-pointers against Big Ten opponents. The defense held Penn State to 3-of-21 (14.3%) from behind the arc.
Mack on the Attack
• Sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako is averaging 14.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 49.0% (76-of-155) from the field, 42.4% (28-of-66) from behind the arc, and 86.1% (31-of-36) from the line.
• The Gladstone, N.J., native is one of five Big Ten players (Brice Williams, Nebraska; Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois; Fletcher Loyer, Purdue; Braden Smith, Purdue) to average at least 14.0 points per game while shooting above 40.0% from the 3-point line and 85.0% from the free throw line this season.
Big Fella Ballo
• Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo is averaging 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.9 blocks per contest and is shooting 66.7% (70-of-105) from the floor. He is one of two high-major conference players (Johni Broome, Auburn) to average at least 13.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 blocked shots per night, and the only player to post those numbers on 60.0% shooting or better.
• Ballo is one of five active players to score 1,400 career points and grab 1,000 career rebounds. He joins Hunter Dickinson (Kansas), Johni Broome (Auburn), Norchad Omier (Baylor), and Nelly Junior Joseph (New Mexico) on the exclusive list.
• The 7-footer ranks second among Big Ten players (Danny Wolf, Michigan) and 21st nationally in boards per game. Ballo has strung together seven games with double-digit boards, including a season-high 18 against Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 6.
• The former Gonzaga Bulldog and Arizona Wildcat holds a career winning percentage of 84.2% in 146 career games.
Going the Extra Myles
• Over his last five games, redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice is averaging 14.4 points on 43.1% (25-of-58) shooting from the floor to pair with 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per contest. He has scored 20-plus points twice in that span.
• The Washington State transfer was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma on Sept. 12, 2022. After undergoing chemotherapy for five hours a session twice a month for six months, Rice learned his cancer was in remission on June 1, 2023.
Following the Gallo-Way
• Fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway posted nine assists in 17 minutes off the bench in Indiana's 80-61 season-opening win over SIUE in Bloomington.
• In the last 25 seasons of major conference basketball, Gallo is the 10th player to have at least nine assists in 17 minutes or less. He is the first player to achieve the feat since Vanderbilt guard Carter Josephs on Feb. 22, 2014.
• The Culver Academies graduate has handed out at least five helpers in 27 career games, including six contests this season.
• Galloway has made 16-of-39 shots (41.0%) from behind the 3-point line this season. He has made at least three triples in four of Indiana's last nine games.
Myles Rice, Indiana Outlast Ace Bailey, Rutgers
• Redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice paced the Hoosier attack with 21 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals in an 84-74 win over Rutgers on Thursday, Jan. 2, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Rutgers freshman forward Ace Bailey finished the game with 39 points on 16-of-29 shooting.
• Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo returned from a brief, one-game absence to compile a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double to go along with three blocks in 32 minutes off the bench.
• The Hoosiers made 12-of-27 (44.4%) shots from behind the 3-points line. The 12-made triples marked a season high and the most for an IU offense in a conference regular season contest since connecting on 14 at Iowa on Feb. 17, 2018.
@IndianaMBB
For all the latest on Indiana University men's basketball, be sure to follow the team at @IndianaMBB on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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