Indiana University Athletics
Sunday, February 23
Bloomington, Ind.
1:30 p.m.
Indiana University
vs
Purdue
Hoosiers Focused on Strong Regular Season Finish
2/23/2025 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A month of struggles hasn't shaken associate head coach Kenya Hunter's belief that the Indiana Hoosiers are poised for a strong regular-season finish, starting Sunday afternoon when No. 13/14 Purdue comes to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
"We have the talent to still make a run, which is why we're very optimistic about the five games that we have and having an opportunity to make a run," he told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during the weekly IU radio show. "It's set up for us."
The Hoosiers (15-11 overall, 6-9 in the Big Ten) can point to their 71-67 win at top-15 Michigan State and their 77-76 overtime victory at Ohio State as evidence of what's possible.
"We're taking it one game at a time," Hunter told Fischer. "I'm still very optimistic. I think all our guys are optimistic."
He added that the team's mindset is fine thanks to strong leadership from veterans Trey Galloway, Anthony Leal, and Luke Goode.
"Those guys know the margin for winning and losing is slim," he told Fischer."
IU pushed Purdue (19-8, 11-5) to the limit last month at Mackey Arena, losing 81-76 after taking a 76-75 lead in the closing seconds.
Swingman Mackenzie Mgbako led IU with 25 points in the first meeting. Galloway had 15 points and five assists. Center Oumar Ballo had 14 points and eight rebounds.
"It's a must-win game," Hunter told Fischer. "Everyone has to be on board and on the same page. We played them well at Mackey Arena, so we expect to play well at home. But we need everyone. We haven't had a complete game where everyone's clicking and on the same page."
Goode's strong recent play is a big factor in why IU has gone away from starting Ballo and forward Malik Reneau. Reneau still plays major minutes. He had 14 points and three rebounds in 21 minutes in IU's last game, a 72-68 home loss to UCLA. He had 19 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes at Michigan State.
Goode has started 10 games, played in all 26, and averages 9.0 points while shooting 40.0% from 3-point range and 92.3% from the line.
"Luke is a constant guy who has contributed game in and game out, and we need that consistency," Hunter told Fischer. "He's a great team guy. He knows where to be defensively. He's helped us on both ends of the floor. If we can get other guys to be a little more consistent like he has shown, it will help us down the stretch."
Transfer guards Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle have struggled in their first seasons as Hoosiers. Hunter told Fischer some of it comes from adjusting to Big Ten play.
"I think we fail to realize that Myles is still a sophomore. Kanaan is still a sophomore. They're learning. There's a lot to learn, especially coming into this league. It's a tough conference. Myles is learning through the games. Against Michigan State, he came in and gave great minutes."
Against the Spartans, Rice played 36 off-the-bench minutes and totaled 10 points, two rebounds, and one steal.
The Hoosiers inability to close out games remains costly. They have lost four games by five or fewer points in the last couple of weeks.
"You've got to make plays at the end," Hunter told Fischer. "You've got to make free throws at the end to finish games, and we've missed out a couple times on that.
"At the end of the day, we can do more as a team to where we're not in those positions at the end of games to begin with."
Hunter told Fischer that coaches have shown the players film from the last four minutes of games that IU could have won if not for costly mistakes. He said they've worked on "special situations" in practice to address those mistakes.
With four home losses, Indiana hasn't capitalized on the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall advantage. It hasn't won at home since a Jan. 8 win over USC.
"One of the things we talked about early in the season was taking care of home court," Hunter told Fischer. "You've got to be able to win at home. For some reason, we've struggled to put together complete games of two halves."
Perhaps that will change Sunday.
Purdue has lost three straight games after Tuesday night's 75-66 loss at Michigan State. The second half has become a defensive problem -- the Boilers allowed Wisconsin and Michigan State to shoot 70 percent overall in the final 20 minutes, including 77.2% from 3-point range.
Forward Trey Kaufman-Renn has averaged 24.7 points in his last six games. He had 23 points in the first meeting with the Hoosiers. Point guard Braden Smith has 683 career assists, seven away from the Purdue record. He had 24 points, seven assists, and six steals against IU.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A month of struggles hasn't shaken associate head coach Kenya Hunter's belief that the Indiana Hoosiers are poised for a strong regular-season finish, starting Sunday afternoon when No. 13/14 Purdue comes to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
"We have the talent to still make a run, which is why we're very optimistic about the five games that we have and having an opportunity to make a run," he told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during the weekly IU radio show. "It's set up for us."
The Hoosiers (15-11 overall, 6-9 in the Big Ten) can point to their 71-67 win at top-15 Michigan State and their 77-76 overtime victory at Ohio State as evidence of what's possible.
"We're taking it one game at a time," Hunter told Fischer. "I'm still very optimistic. I think all our guys are optimistic."
He added that the team's mindset is fine thanks to strong leadership from veterans Trey Galloway, Anthony Leal, and Luke Goode.
"Those guys know the margin for winning and losing is slim," he told Fischer."
IU pushed Purdue (19-8, 11-5) to the limit last month at Mackey Arena, losing 81-76 after taking a 76-75 lead in the closing seconds.
Swingman Mackenzie Mgbako led IU with 25 points in the first meeting. Galloway had 15 points and five assists. Center Oumar Ballo had 14 points and eight rebounds.
"It's a must-win game," Hunter told Fischer. "Everyone has to be on board and on the same page. We played them well at Mackey Arena, so we expect to play well at home. But we need everyone. We haven't had a complete game where everyone's clicking and on the same page."
Goode's strong recent play is a big factor in why IU has gone away from starting Ballo and forward Malik Reneau. Reneau still plays major minutes. He had 14 points and three rebounds in 21 minutes in IU's last game, a 72-68 home loss to UCLA. He had 19 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes at Michigan State.
Goode has started 10 games, played in all 26, and averages 9.0 points while shooting 40.0% from 3-point range and 92.3% from the line.
"Luke is a constant guy who has contributed game in and game out, and we need that consistency," Hunter told Fischer. "He's a great team guy. He knows where to be defensively. He's helped us on both ends of the floor. If we can get other guys to be a little more consistent like he has shown, it will help us down the stretch."
Transfer guards Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle have struggled in their first seasons as Hoosiers. Hunter told Fischer some of it comes from adjusting to Big Ten play.
"I think we fail to realize that Myles is still a sophomore. Kanaan is still a sophomore. They're learning. There's a lot to learn, especially coming into this league. It's a tough conference. Myles is learning through the games. Against Michigan State, he came in and gave great minutes."
Against the Spartans, Rice played 36 off-the-bench minutes and totaled 10 points, two rebounds, and one steal.
The Hoosiers inability to close out games remains costly. They have lost four games by five or fewer points in the last couple of weeks.
"You've got to make plays at the end," Hunter told Fischer. "You've got to make free throws at the end to finish games, and we've missed out a couple times on that.
"At the end of the day, we can do more as a team to where we're not in those positions at the end of games to begin with."
Hunter told Fischer that coaches have shown the players film from the last four minutes of games that IU could have won if not for costly mistakes. He said they've worked on "special situations" in practice to address those mistakes.
With four home losses, Indiana hasn't capitalized on the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall advantage. It hasn't won at home since a Jan. 8 win over USC.
"One of the things we talked about early in the season was taking care of home court," Hunter told Fischer. "You've got to be able to win at home. For some reason, we've struggled to put together complete games of two halves."
Perhaps that will change Sunday.
Purdue has lost three straight games after Tuesday night's 75-66 loss at Michigan State. The second half has become a defensive problem -- the Boilers allowed Wisconsin and Michigan State to shoot 70 percent overall in the final 20 minutes, including 77.2% from 3-point range.
Forward Trey Kaufman-Renn has averaged 24.7 points in his last six games. He had 23 points in the first meeting with the Hoosiers. Point guard Braden Smith has 683 career assists, seven away from the Purdue record. He had 24 points, seven assists, and six steals against IU.
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