Sophomore forward Malik Reneau jab stepped before he fired a 3-pointer with five seconds left in the first half. Right after release he backpedaled with both hands up by his shoulders before signaling three fingers to his head and pounding his chest.
What an end to the first half for @IndianaMBB ‼️ pic.twitter.com/ebNZbJYM7B
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) December 22, 2023
The make encapsulated how Indiana men’s basketball cruised past the University of North Alabama in an 83-66 win Thursday night. The deep ball was falling for the Hoosiers, and stellar ball movement created open looks to make it possible. Indiana finished with 25 assists on 31 made field goals, including assists on all 15 makes in the second half.
Freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako started the long-range parade for the Hoosiers. Fresh off an assist to Reneau on the first possession, sophomore center Kel’el Ware — who received constant double teams and swarms of Lions defenders — found Mgbako open beyond the arc, who knocked it down.
Nearly five minutes later, after a strong start from Indiana, Ware got his favors paid back. Following a press break with North Alabama scrambling back, sophomore guard CJ Gunn lobbed the ball up to Ware for an easy slam.
The Hoosiers took what the defense gave them. Reneau made the Lions pay after drilling a 3-ball off an assist from sophomore forward Kaleb Banks to take an 18-8 lead eight minutes in. A few possessions later, Banks cut back door and senior forward Anthony Walker snuck a bounce pass through a tight window right to Banks, who jammed home a dunk plus a foul.
Indiana controlled the first half, but North Alabama crept close before halftime. The teams traded threes twice to end the frame, and Reneau’s make from range extended the lead back to 9. It also capped off a dominant first half for the lefty — 16 points on 3-for-3 from deep.
The Hoosiers made six 3-pointers in the first half, already tying their season-high. However, they were only halfway through their 3-point barrage for the night.
Senior guard Trey Galloway showcased his facilitating skills in the second frame en route to a career-high nine assists. He started an 11-0 run with his second 3-pointer of the night before finding Ware for two lobs, attacking the paint and forcing the Lions to guard the ball just to loft it up to an open Ware for a 19-point lead.
The Hoosiers’ swagger grew. Mgbako found freshman guard Gabe Cupps for a three and soon after Galloway drove to the paint on a fast break and kicked it out to an open Mgbako, who splashed the 3-pointer to mark seven consecutive makes for Indiana and extend its lead to 20 points.
Indiana was sharing the ball around and shooting with confidence. It found the right tempo to attack North Alabama offensively and displayed the most comfortability and fluidity it had all year.
“I think coming in, like this past week or so, you could see a lot of people had been in the gym getting up extra shots,” Reneau said postgame. “I think that contributed having so much confidence on the court and being able to knock down shots.”
Reneau went back to work with a couple buckets inside before hitting his fourth long ball of the contest, surpassing his season total of three 3-pointers before Thursday night. The bucket extended Indiana’s lead to a game-high 25 points.
From that point, the Hoosiers’ bench closed out the game. Walker and Banks each drained 3-pointers to reach a team total of 12 on the night — not only marking a season high but the largest amount during Mike Woodson’s tenure. Indiana last made 12-plus threes Dec. 13, 2020 — coincidentally against North Alabama.
Indiana’s 12-of-24 finish from deep was easily its most volumetric and efficient showing of the season. While finally just getting shots to fall that hadn’t been, the 3-point eruption mostly stemmed from the consistent ball movement to open opportunities on the perimeter.
“(It’s) just being able to move the ball and get everybody a touch and get everybody a feel of the ball to not feel like you’re left out on the court,” Reneau said. “I feel like when you’re touching the ball, you get more confidence and the ball’s moving around, you get more shots, everybody’s getting a shot. That was a great thing to see.”
Follow reporters Will Foley (@foles24) and Matt Press (@MattPress23) and columnist Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
