Hoosiers Fall in Big Ten Tournament Opener

Thursday, March 13

Indianapolis, Ind.

Noon

Indiana University

19-13,10-10Big Ten

Oregon

24-8,12-8Big Ten

Indiana

Oregon

3/13/2025 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- Now, the Indiana Hoosiers wait.

The aftermath of Thursday's 72-59 Big Ten tourney loss to Oregon (24-8) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse left IU uncertain about its NCAA tourney fate.

Is a 19-13 record good enough? Is a No. 52 NET with four Quad 1 wins, highlighted by down-the-stretch victories over Michigan State and Purdue, good enough?

"I think we should be in," forward Malik Reneau said. "We have some solid wins. We beat Michigan State. We got Purdue. Some of our losses came down to the wire. If (the selection committee) gives us a chance. we'll try to make a run."

IU ended the regular season with five wins in its last seven games. Five losses came down to the final minute, a couple (think the 79-78 home loss to Maryland) in the final seconds.

"We know we should be a tournament team," guard Trey Galloway said. "Those crucial losses were so tight.

"The way we've played the last month, we're a tournament team. It was us coming together and finding ways to get better."

The Hoosiers will stay in Bloomington to see if the NCAA tourney selection committee gives them an at-large bid on Sunday night.

"Our guys have been competitive," coach Mike Woodson said. "They put us in position to be talking about a tournament bid. A month ago, we were dead in the water.

"We expected more. We didn't get it done, but this team hasn't quit.

"I will always campaign for my team. We're playing some of our best ball. There isn't a team in the country we can't compete with if we come ready to play."

Oregon rocked IU with a 13-2 run to close the first half and build an eight-point halftime lead after the Hoosiers had surged early for their own eight-point lead.

The Ducks ended the game on a 16-5 run to clinch their quarterfinal matchup with top-seed Michigan State. It was their second win over the Hoosiers in the last nine days, following their 73-64 decision in Eugene.

"Both teams needed a win," Oregon coach Dana Altman said. "I liked our togetherness. We found a way."

Reneau paced IU with 19 off-the-bench points in 24 minutes. Galloway added 15 points and nine assists.

"Reneau was giving us fits," Altman said. "He did a great job."

The Hoosiers shot just 36 percent from the field and were 5-for-10 from the line, missing the front end of two second-half bonuses with a comeback victory within reach. They were 13-for-27 on layups, with many of the misses coming from Reneau and center Oumar Ballo from point-blank range.

"We missed a lot of chippies," Woodson said. "That was a big difference. We had to make the plays around the rim."

Added Reneau: "We have to execute the play at high level. We failed to do that. We have to execute on offense and defend.

"We were getting open shots. We had plays at the basket. We missed some bunnies. We have to shoot with confidence."

Swingman Mackenzie Mgbako's five early points boosted IU to a 10-9 lead in the first five minutes. Galloway and Reneau helped the Hoosiers surge ahead 17-9.

Oregon rallied within two. Ballo dunked. Reneau hit a layup. The Hoosiers pushed ahead 21-15 with nine minutes left. A Ducks 3-pointer and then a free throw gave them a 24-23 lead three minutes later. A fade-away Mgbako jumper and a Ballo layup gave the Hoosiers a three-point lead. Oregon tied it at 27-27 with its fourth 3-pointer in nine attempts.

Ballo muscled in a layup. Oregon countered with consecutive 3-pointers, and then two in-the-paint jumpers for a 37-29 halftime advantage.

IU had 12 assists, but shot just 34 percent from the field.

Galloway and guard Anthony Leal opened a fast second half Hoosier start to cut the lead to two. Oregon pushed it back to seven. IU closed within one.

A Galloway 3-pointer and a Reneau basket got the Hoosiers to 56-54. Oregon scored nine straight points for its biggest lead of the game at 65-54. Galloway ended a five-minute scoring drought with a Reneau basket with 1:57 left.

It wasn't enough. A season that began with high promise is down to the selection committee's Sunday night decision.

"In all seasons you have to deal with ups and down," Woodson said. "I've been in this game a long time and have seen it go all kinds of ways. It can go in your favor or it can go like this, with ups and downs.

"Our guys could have thrown in the towel. They didn't. It hasn't been easy for them."

Woodson will step down after the season. His four-year record is 82-53 overall, 41-39 in the Big Ten, with a pair of NCAA tourney appearances.

"It's been a good run," he said. "I hope it's not over yet. I'll spend time with our players in Bloomington until the committee decides what its going to do."