Indiana Stays Hot With 70-58 Win At Minnesota
Indiana didn’t need to venture outside the paint for most of the night. But when it was time to put the game away, Mackenzie Mgbako heated up from distance.
A pair of 3-pointers from Indiana’s freshman in less than a minute midway through the second half extended the Hoosiers’ lead to 15 points on their way to a 70-58 win over Minnesota Wednesday night at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The win extended a number of Indiana streaks – eight straight wins over Minnesota, four in a row at the Barn, and most notably, three in a row this season.
It’s always important to get off to a good start on the road, and Indiana had one of its best starts of the season and jumped out to an 8-0 lead. The Hoosiers scored at will inside, with layups from Ware, Reneau and Galloway. Getting the ball into the paint was the plan of attack for the entire first half, and why not? Minnesota had no answer for Kel’el Ware, who scored 12 first-half points to lead all scorers.
Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Pharrel Payne (21) works around Indiana Hoosiers center Kel'el Ware (1) during the first half at Williams Arena.
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
There were plenty of reasons for the Hoosiers to be trailing at halftime, but easy inside buckets overcame each obstacle. Malik Reneau picked up his second foul at the 13:19 mark, and Indiana played without its leading scorer for the rest of the half. Ware was whistled for his second foul with 8:47 left, but did well to avoid a costly third in the first half. Indiana also committed eight first-half turnovers – four by Trey Galloway and three by Xavier Johnson – and missed its lone 3-point attempt of the half.
Still, Indiana closed the first half on a 12-2 run in the final 7:27 and led 30-25 at halftime. Minnesota shot a dreary 35.7% from the floor and hit just 2-of-12 on 3-point attempts across the first 20 minutes.
Indiana faced adversity early in the second half, too, when Ware picked up his third foul at the 16:51 mark. Woodson replaced him with Walker, who scored a layup on his first possession but landed awkwardly on his right leg. Walker clutched his knee in pain and needed to be helped off the court. He did not return. Adding further trouble, officials called Reneau for his third foul at the 15:50 mark.
Dealing with injuries and foul trouble, Woodson adjusted by playing three guards alongside Mgbako and either Reneau or Ware, both of whom played the final 15-plus minutes without fouling. Mgbako continued his strong play, knocking down a trio of 3-pointers from 12:37 to 8:32 in the second half.
Ware dominated inside most of the game, but he added a pair of 3-pointers in the second half for good measure. Indiana finished the night 5-for-8 on 3-point attempts – all came in the second half – but scored 48 of its 70 points in the paint. Ware finished with a game high 26 points, along with 11 rebounds, three blocks and three assists.
Galloway was too quick for any Minnesota defender, darting to the basket for all 13 of his points. His playmaking skills continued to shine, and he dished out 11 assists. It was the third game since Feb. 18 that Galloway had 11 or more assists. As a team, Indiana had 28 assists on 30 made field goals, its most all season.
Johnson’s speed continued to help Indiana up the pace, and the Hoosiers scored 19 fast break points. All of that inside scoring, plus timely 3-point shooting, negated Indiana’s 14 turnovers. So did Minnesota’s ugly night.
The Golden Gophers played one of their worst games of the season, shooting 38.6% from the field, 5-for-26 on 3-point attempts, and committing 18 turnovers on their home court, where they entered the game 16-3. Cam Christie and Mike Mitchell Jr. each entered the game shooting over 40% from three and tied for fifth in the Big Ten in total threes made, but they combined to go 4-for-18 from beyond the arc.
Altogether, that made for Minnesota’s second-most turnovers of the season and third-worst shooting night from a percentage standpoint.
Indiana (17-13, 9-10) still likely needs to win the Big Ten Tournament to reach the NCAA Tournament, which means it’s been a disappointing season in the big picture. But coach Mike Woodson – who Indiana confirmed hours before the game will return to coach his fourth season in 2024-25 – has the Hoosiers playing their best at the right time as they push for a late-season run. Indiana hosts Michigan State on Sunday with a chance to end the regular season with four consecutive wins.
