Tuesday, March 4
Eugene, Ore.
9 p.m.
Indiana University
at
Oregon
Easy on the Mind – Surging Hoosiers Take on Streaking Oregon
3/4/2025 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Mike Woodson understands what could have been for the Indiana Hoosiers this season and, for the month of March, what could still be.
Four victories in the last five games, including impressive efforts at Big Ten-leader Michigan State (no other visiting team has won at the Breslin Center this season) and against Purdue (as dominant a second half as a Woodson-coached team has ever had) has the Hoosiers back in the NCAA tourney-making conversation, perhaps even in the Big Ten tourney title picture. They are 18-11 overall, 9-9 in the conference and moving up bracketology rankings.
Still, potential postseason consequences from five losses that came down to the final minute, in a couple of cases (think Maryland, Purdue and UCLA) in the final seconds, remain in play.
"When you lose close games," Woodson says, "it's not fun. We played well enough to win those games and we didn't win. That's why we're in the predicament we're in.
"You go back and get those four or five games, you're sitting at the top with everybody else trying to figure out who's gonna win the Big Ten title."
Entering the final week of the regular season, Michigan State leads the Big Ten with a 15-3 record. Michigan is next at 14-4. Every other conference team has at least six losses.
IU is ninth in the conference, a game behind Oregon (21-8, 10-8). It will play the Ducks in Eugene on Tuesday night before ending the regular season Saturday against Ohio State (16-13, 8-10) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Woodson says the Hoosiers' recent success has them playing more relaxed.
"Winning does that. We are playing better. Our guys have showed up.
"When you win, it eases the mind. You do things that you think you're accustomed to doing, and when you lose, you're looking over your shoulders. You're worried about what people are saying -- all the (stuff) that really doesn't matter. We need to support these players. They are playing hard. They are trying to win. That's how I look at it."
IU's dominating 78-62 victory at Washington on Saturday was fueled by forward Malik Reneau's back-from-illness excellence (22 points, 10-for-13 shooting, six rebounds in 25 off-the-bench minutes), guard Anthony Leal's who-needs-scoring resilience (a team-leading plus 26 with four assists, four rebounds, three steals, two blocks and no points) and forward Luke Goode's sharp-shooting (5-for-8 on three-pointers, 18 points).
Reneau showed no effects from the illness that hit him shortly before Wednesday night's Penn State game and caused team officials to send him to the hospital. Woodson says he considered having Reneau fly separately to Washington in case he passed on the illness to teammates, but team doctor Larry Rink said Reneau was fine traveling with the team.
"It was strange because we had shoot around and he was lively and talkative, and then he just got sick," Woodson says. "Our guys picked it up against Penn State and did what we needed to do to secure that win, but we needed him (against Washington) and he responded.
"It all worked out."
Oregon has won five straight games. It is 11-4 at home, but only 5-4 in Big Ten play. It is coming off an 82-61 home victory over USC.
During the win streak, 7-foot center Nate Bittle has averaged 17.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.6 block. For the season, he averages 13.3 points and 7.1 rebounds. He's blocked 63 shots.
For comparison, center Oumar Ballo has a team-leading 38 blocks.
Guard Jackson Shelstad leads Oregon in scoring (13.4 points) and in three-point baskets (56). Guard Keeshawn Barthelemy averages 10.2 points while shooting a team-leading 43.2 percent on three-pointers. Guard TJ Bamba averages 10.1 points and has team high in assists (84) and steals (54).
The Ducks aggressive defense has generated 212 steals and forced 365 turnovers. By comparison, the Hoosiers have 173 steals and forced 330 turnovers.
Coach Dana Altman has 776 career victories, 365 at Oregon. He previously coached at Creighton, Kansas State and Marshall.
"Oregon is a tough team," Woodson says. "They play extremely hard. We've got to go in with our 'A' game and see where it leads us."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Mike Woodson understands what could have been for the Indiana Hoosiers this season and, for the month of March, what could still be.
Four victories in the last five games, including impressive efforts at Big Ten-leader Michigan State (no other visiting team has won at the Breslin Center this season) and against Purdue (as dominant a second half as a Woodson-coached team has ever had) has the Hoosiers back in the NCAA tourney-making conversation, perhaps even in the Big Ten tourney title picture. They are 18-11 overall, 9-9 in the conference and moving up bracketology rankings.
Still, potential postseason consequences from five losses that came down to the final minute, in a couple of cases (think Maryland, Purdue and UCLA) in the final seconds, remain in play.
"When you lose close games," Woodson says, "it's not fun. We played well enough to win those games and we didn't win. That's why we're in the predicament we're in.
"You go back and get those four or five games, you're sitting at the top with everybody else trying to figure out who's gonna win the Big Ten title."
Entering the final week of the regular season, Michigan State leads the Big Ten with a 15-3 record. Michigan is next at 14-4. Every other conference team has at least six losses.
IU is ninth in the conference, a game behind Oregon (21-8, 10-8). It will play the Ducks in Eugene on Tuesday night before ending the regular season Saturday against Ohio State (16-13, 8-10) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Woodson says the Hoosiers' recent success has them playing more relaxed.
"Winning does that. We are playing better. Our guys have showed up.
"When you win, it eases the mind. You do things that you think you're accustomed to doing, and when you lose, you're looking over your shoulders. You're worried about what people are saying -- all the (stuff) that really doesn't matter. We need to support these players. They are playing hard. They are trying to win. That's how I look at it."
IU's dominating 78-62 victory at Washington on Saturday was fueled by forward Malik Reneau's back-from-illness excellence (22 points, 10-for-13 shooting, six rebounds in 25 off-the-bench minutes), guard Anthony Leal's who-needs-scoring resilience (a team-leading plus 26 with four assists, four rebounds, three steals, two blocks and no points) and forward Luke Goode's sharp-shooting (5-for-8 on three-pointers, 18 points).
Reneau showed no effects from the illness that hit him shortly before Wednesday night's Penn State game and caused team officials to send him to the hospital. Woodson says he considered having Reneau fly separately to Washington in case he passed on the illness to teammates, but team doctor Larry Rink said Reneau was fine traveling with the team.
"It was strange because we had shoot around and he was lively and talkative, and then he just got sick," Woodson says. "Our guys picked it up against Penn State and did what we needed to do to secure that win, but we needed him (against Washington) and he responded.
"It all worked out."
Oregon has won five straight games. It is 11-4 at home, but only 5-4 in Big Ten play. It is coming off an 82-61 home victory over USC.
During the win streak, 7-foot center Nate Bittle has averaged 17.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.6 block. For the season, he averages 13.3 points and 7.1 rebounds. He's blocked 63 shots.
For comparison, center Oumar Ballo has a team-leading 38 blocks.
Guard Jackson Shelstad leads Oregon in scoring (13.4 points) and in three-point baskets (56). Guard Keeshawn Barthelemy averages 10.2 points while shooting a team-leading 43.2 percent on three-pointers. Guard TJ Bamba averages 10.1 points and has team high in assists (84) and steals (54).
The Ducks aggressive defense has generated 212 steals and forced 365 turnovers. By comparison, the Hoosiers have 173 steals and forced 330 turnovers.
Coach Dana Altman has 776 career victories, 365 at Oregon. He previously coached at Creighton, Kansas State and Marshall.
"Oregon is a tough team," Woodson says. "They play extremely hard. We've got to go in with our 'A' game and see where it leads us."
Players Mentioned
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