Indiana men’s basketball knew it would be shorthanded just two possessions into Thursday night’s matchup with Rutgers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. The Hoosiers’ leading scorer, junior forward Malik Reneau, fell to the floor clutching his right knee after being rolled up on by his teammate, senior guard Luke Goode.
Head coach Mike Woodson lost a key offensive piece. Indiana’s game plan remained the same.
An hour and a half prior to tip-off, NJ Advance Media reported freshman guard Dylan Harper, the Big Ten’s leading scorer with 22.8 points per game, was out with an unspecified sickness. The 6-foot 6 phenom’s absence impacted Rutgers’ scoring attack and made an already poor rebounding team shorter. freshman guard Dylan Harper, the Big Ten’s leading scorer with 22.8 points per game, was out with an unspecified sickness. The 6-foot 6 phenom’s absence impacted Rutgers’ scoring attack and made an already poor rebounding team shorter.
After replacing the injured Reneau, sixth-year center Oumar Ballo quickly made an impact play and brought down an offensive board that resulted in a made 3-pointer — an aggressiveness on the glass that persisted throughout the game.
Indiana tallied a season-high 18 offensive rebounds in its 84-74 win over the Scarlet Knights, in addition to 34 second chance points.
“You could tell they got tired, and we're not really focused on rebounding,” senior guard Anthony Leal said postgame. “So, we were all mindful of trying to get extra shots and extra opportunities and just seeing what could come from it.”
Crashing the glass was a crucial component to the Hoosiers’ victory, but it wasn’t the only aspect of their preparation that yielded success.
On multiple occasions Rutgers opted to play a 2-3 zone defense, a decision seemingly expected by Indiana’s half-court offense. The Hoosiers adjusted with ease, continually attacking the baseline to find looks in and around the paint.
“We were able to sneak guys in and get put backs or kick it back out for threes,” Woodson said. “That's just how it goes when you play zone.”
In addition to his seven offensive boards, Ballo was impactful in Indiana’s post-oriented scoring attack, finishing with 17 points. The Koulikoro, Mali, native didn’t suit up in the Hoosiers’ Dec. 21 matchup against Winthrop University after being listed out with a lower body injury.
Despite rumors of the unavailability stemming from disciplinary actions and being left out of the starting lineup against Rutgers, Ballo stepped up when called upon.
“He played dominant,” Leal said. “We know that’s what he can do. That's why we brought him here, to be a dominant presence down there and that's where we needed him today.”
The University of Arizona transfer was targeted early and often, which in turn opened the floor for perimeter looks that Indiana took advantage of. The Hoosiers’ season high in 3-pointers made entering the matchup was eight.
Indiana went 12 for 27 from beyond the arc against the Scarlet Knights.
Even more striking was the contrast to the Hoosiers’ last outing against Winthrop, where they shot 1 for 20 from the 3-point line.
“I thought in the Winthrop game we got some good looks, we just didn't make them,” Woodson said. “Tonight, guys stepped up and they knocked them down which we're going to need moving forward.”
Regardless of the conversion rate, the open looks were made possible by Indiana’s focus on getting touches inside the paint, a decision made well before the game tipped off.
While executing during the 40 minutes on the court is non-negotiable, having the proper game plan in the days leading up to a game is equally important.
Even when Reneau went down, Woodson didn’t budge.
“All in all, you just gotta keep trusting that preparation is key,” redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice said. “I think that’s what we did tonight.”
Indiana (11-3, 2-1 Big Ten) will return to action at noon Sunday when it plays Penn State (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten) at The Palestra in Philadelphia. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
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.
