It took 10 minutes for Indiana men’s basketball to awaken from an almost predictably sluggish start. Against USC, the second worst Big Ten team in the NCAA NET rankings, a 10-point deficit was nearly disastrous.
However, slowly but surely, the Hoosiers began to chip away. First came a 3-pointer from senior forward Luke Goode, ending a four-minute scoring drought. Then, a couple minutes later, fifth-year Trey Galloway and freshman forward Bryson Tucker supplied jumpers.
By the end of the half, the score was tied at 38. Four minutes after halftime, it was clear the Hoosiers had hit their stride.
Out of a timeout, redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice dribbled up the court and passed to Oumar Ballo. As soon as the ball left his hands, Rice made a move and ran to the sixth-year senior center, who returned the pass right back to Rice.
At the same time, Galloway started running counterclockwise outside the 3-point line, receiving a pass from Rice before he had even taken a dribble. Getting past his opponent, the Culver, Indiana, native drove to the basket and laid it in.
It was the smoothest Indiana had looked all season with its halfcourt offense, especially following a timeout. And while the Hoosiers’ 82-69 victory over USC on Wednesday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall wasn’t entirely smooth, it was more than necessary.
USC ranked 93rd in the NET rankings entering Wednesday, 35 spots lower than Indiana’s ranking of 58. For the Hoosiers, it was simply a Quad-3 opportunity, not one which would bolster their lackluster resume. But with the game smack between two Quad-1 games, it was easy for them to underestimate the Trojans.
The first 10 minutes of the game signaled that may have been the case, and without any production from Mackenzie Mgbako, danger seemed imminent.
Following a 20-point outing against Penn State, Mgbako failed to register a point against the Trojans. Entering the contest as Indiana’s joint-highest scorer, the sophomore forward’s goose egg was a troubling development for head coach Mike Woodson.
“Mack was struggling tonight,” Woodson said postgame. “I got to search too as a coach. That’s what we do. No knock against Mack — he’ll be back in there tomorrow.”
However, Indiana’s depth shined once again, as has happened on numerous occasions throughout the season. In this instance, Goode scored 16 points, his second highest point total on the season, while shooting 5 for 7 from the field and 4 for 5 from 3-point range.
Since stepping into the starting role three games ago, Goode has delivered quality performances. Whether it’s from drilling perimeter shots or posing the threat of outside opportunities, the Fort Wayne, Indiana, native has quickly made a convincing case for a starting role once junior forward Malik Reneau returns from his right knee injury.
“I’m super comfortable,” Goode said. “When I’m starting in the game, the offense looks a little bit different. I think that helps everybody that’s involved. ... Spacing the floor with another shooter has been great for our team.”
Woodson made it clear Indiana will not move on from Reneau when he comes back, even with the success the Hoosiers have found from the spacing provided with either Goode or Mgbako at the four. But in these past three Big Ten games, Woodson has found a productive, successful lineup as it progresses through Big Ten play.
Through five conference games, Indiana holds a 4-1 record, its best start since the 2015-16 season. That’s not a meaningless stat for a Hoosier squad that has long struggled in conference play, but following USC, the true test begins.
Based on the NET Rankings heading into Wednesday, Indiana beat three of the bottom four ranked Big Ten teams. It has yet to face a team in the top nine of the conference based on the NET, with Nebraska ranked 36th in the 10 spot and Penn State ranked 47th in 11th.
The Hoosiers may not have reached their ceiling yet, but they also haven’t reached their floor. And with 11 Quad-1 games in a row, extending from Jan. 11 at Iowa to Feb. 23 when it hosts Purdue, Indiana can either make it a season to remember — or one to forget entirely.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa) and columnist Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
