By Danielle Daniels

2 6 2024

INDIANA GAME NOTES

https://iuhoosiers.com/documents/2024/2/5/23_24_GM23_Ohio_State.pdf

OHIO STATE GAME NOTES

https://iuhoosiers.com/documents/2024/2/6/Ohio_State_Game_Notes_vs._Indiana_2-6-24.pdf

Opening Tip
• Indiana University begins a two-game road slate in Big Ten play during its 124th season of competition in men’s basketball at Ohio State at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Feb. 6. The game will be available via Peacock.

• You can watch Big Ten basketball games by first subscribing to Peacock. Then, either go to PeacockTV.com/Sports in your web browser or download the Peacock app on your phone, tablet, or streaming device and navigate to the Sports section. Find the LIVE game you want to watch and start streaming.

• The Buckeyes (13-9, 3-8) have lost seven of nine games since the turn of the new year, including four straight.

• Sophomore guard Bruce Thornton leads the OSU offensive attack with 15.6 points and 4.3 assists per game. Fifth-year senior forward Jamison Battle posts 14.2 points and 5.3 rebounds, while sophomore guard Roddy Gayle Jr. scores 14.0 points per night.

Game Information
Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 • 7 p.m. ET
Value City Arena (18,800) • Columbus, Ohio
TV: Peacock (Jac Collinsworth, Robbie Hummel)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Series History: Indiana leads, 111-88
Last Meeting: IU 71, OSU 65 on Jan. 6, 2024, in Bloomington

Series History
• Indiana has defeated Ohio State 111 times in the 199-game series between the conference foes, tied for the second-most wins against any program. IU has defeated Northwestern 120 times and Michigan on 111 occasions.

• The Hoosiers have topped the Buckeyes in back-to-back games, including an 71-65 result earlier this season on Jan. 6, in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Sophomore forward Malik Reneau posted a team-high 23 points to go along with seven rebounds.

• Indiana head coach Mike Woodson averaged 20.3 points in his eight career contests against the Buckeyes. He scored 21 against Ohio State on March 2, 1980, to secure his first Big Ten title on the final day of the regular season of his senior year.

Last Time Out
• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware posted his second-straight double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds against Penn State on Feb. 3. In consecutive games, the Oregon transfer averaged 24.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. He shot 16-of-22 (72.7%) from the floor and 14-of-19 (73.7%) from the free throw line.

• Sophomore forward Malik Reneau battled through an ankle injury to post 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako added 13 points and five rebounds, while senior guard Trey Galloway chipped in 12 points and six assists.

Big Man Transformation
• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware, a transfer from Oregon, has upped his scoring (from 6.6 points to 15.3), rebounds (4.1 to 9.5), assists (0.5 to 1.7), and field goal percentage (45.7% to 56.6%) in his second season. He leads the Hoosiers in rebounds and blocks in 32 minutes per game.

• Ware has scored at least 10 points in 16 games this year after producing just eight such games as a rookie. The 7-footer has ripped down at least 10 boards nine times this season, including a career-high 17 at Rutgers (Jan. 9).

• In nine conference games, Ware is averaging a team-high 15.8 points on 60.2% (56-of-93) shooting from the floor and 53.8% (7-of-13) from the 3-point line. He is also averaging 10.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per night. He is one of three players (Zach Edey; Purdue, Julian Reese; Maryland) to average a double-double in Big Ten play.

• Ware tallied a career-high 28 points on 12-of-13 shooting from the floor in an 89-76 win over Harvard (Nov. 26) in Indianapolis. The 92.3% shooting split marked the highest by a Hoosier with at least 10 made field goals this century.

Follow the Gallo-Way
• Senior guard Trey Galloway is one of four players in the Big Ten to average at least 10.0 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.0 steal per game while committing less than 2.0 turnovers per outing. He joins A.J. Hoggard (Michigan State), Bruce Thornton (Ohio State), and Tony Perkins (Iowa) on the exclusive list.

• Galloway has dished out 55 total assists (5.0 per game) in his last 11 outings dating back to Dec. 21, 2023, to go against just 21 turnovers (2.62 assist-to-turnover ratio). For his career, the Hoosiers are 13-3 in the 16 games ‘Gallo’ has handed out at least five dimes.

• He is averaging a career-best 10.5 points per game, including a career-high 28 points against No. 2/2 Kansas (Dec. 16). He converted 12-of-17 shots in the contest.

Dealt A Shorthand
• The Hoosiers have started four different lineups in 22 games this season. The original starting rotation of sixth-year senior guard Xavier Johnson, senior guard Trey Galloway, freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako, sophomore forward Malik Reneau, and sophomore center Kel’el Ware have started just four games together since the start of December.  The Hoosiers are 7-3 in games started by this group.

• IU has started a different lineup in each of the last five games.  In total eight players have started a game for Indiana, including five players that are new to the Cream and Crimson.

Ware Posts Double-Double Against Penn State
• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware posted a 25-point, 11-rebound double-double in Indiana’s 85-71 loss to Penn State on Feb. 3 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

• The Nittany Lions shot 12-of-22 from the 3-point line and carried an 18-3 advantage in bench scoring.

Ware, Leal Power Indiana Over Iowa
• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware returned to the Indiana lineup after a two-game absence (ankle) to post a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double in the 74-68 victory over Iowa on Jan. 30. He added three blocks and two steals in 35 minutes.

• Senior guard Anthony Leal, the 2020 Mr. Indiana Basketball, notched career-highs in points (13), rebounds (7), made field goals (4), and made 3-pointers (3) in 22 minutes off the bench. The Hoosier bench outscored the Hawkeyes by a final tally of 20-4.

• Freshman guard Gabe Cupps knocked down the go ahead 3-pointer with 1:26 left in the second half. The shot began Indiana’s game-ending 8-0 run.

Double Double, Double Double (CAREER)
Payton Sparks: 22; last vs. Toledo, 3/3/23
Kel’el Ware: 9; last vs. Penn State, 2/3/24
Xavier Johnson: 4; last vs. Arizona, 12/10/22
Anthony Walker: 4; last at Clemson, 2/27/21
Mackenzie Mgbako: 1; at Illinois, 1/27/24
Malik Reneau: 1; vs. Kennesaw State, 12/29/23

Twenty Piece (CAREER)
Xavier Johnson: 21; last vs. North Carolina, 11/30/22
Payton Sparks: 9; last vs. Ohio, 3/9/23
Kel’el Ware: 6; last vs. Penn State, 2/3/24
Malik Reneau: 5; last at Illinois, 1/27/24
Trey Galloway: 2; last vs. Kansas, 12/16/23

@IndianaMBB
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