INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana men’s basketball entered Thursday afternoon’s Big Ten tournament game against Oregon firmly on the NCAA tournament bubble. The No. 9-seed Hoosiers (19-13) left Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a missed opportunity to help their cause, falling 72-59 to the Ducks (24-8) in Indianapolis.
Junior forward Malik Reneau led Indiana in scoring with 19 points on 8-for-14 shooting. He was joined in double figures by fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway, who scored 15 points on 18 attempts, and junior forward Mackenzie Mgbako, who added 12 points.
The Hoosiers shot only 36.2% from the field, 25% from distance and were 5-for-10 shooting at the foul stripe. Oregon, conversely, shot 49.1% from the floor and 40% from beyond the arc.
Indiana started the game with turnovers on its first two possessions but followed by making four consecutive shots — including a pair of triples from Mgbako and Galloway.
The Hoosiers led 10-9 at the under-16 timeout, and they came out of the break with a 7-0 run, taking their largest lead of the half at 17-9. Oregon, however, punched back. Led by 8 consecutive points from fifth-year senior forward Brandon Angel, the Ducks took a 24-23 with just under six minutes left in the first half.
Indiana led 27-24, but it scored only 2 points over the final four minutes of the opening half, and Oregon closed the half on a 10-0 run over the final two and a half minutes. The Ducks, who shot both 50% from the field and 3-point range, held a 37-29 advantage at halftime.
The Hoosiers started the second half on a 6-0 run, trimming their deficit to 37-35, but each time Indiana drew within one possession, Oregon extended its lead back to 5 or more points.
Despite having the support of a crowd comprised mostly of fans in crimson, the Hoosiers failed to tie or take the lead in the second half. They trailed 56-54 with seven minutes left, but Oregon closed the game on a 16-5 run to send the Hoosiers back to Bloomington.
Now, Indiana awaits its NCAA tournament fate. The Hoosiers will sweat out the next three days before Selection Sunday, with the tournament field set to be announced at 6 p.m.
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.
