‘It’s becoming contagious’: IU flexes muscles against Rutgers in convincing win

Through December, as 2024 dwindled, it felt like Indiana men’s basketball was gradually sinking. Or, at the very least, miring in a state of mediocrity.

Its blowout loss to Nebraska on Dec. 13 signaled considerable concern and even the ensuing wins against Chattanooga and Winthrop hardly offered persuasion that the Hoosiers would finally realize their potential.

But just a day after the calendar turned, Indiana topped Rutgers 84-74 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall — a score that doesn’t fully depict the team’s impressive performance. The Hoosiers dominated on the offensive glass and drained a season-best 12 3-pointers after shooting an abysmal 1-for-20 from deep against Winthrop.

Energy and effort were contagious. There was life infused into a squad that, for the first two months of the season, was often lifeless.

“We got to really match that energy or else we’re just going to be letting them down,” senior guard Anthony Leal said postgame. “It’s becoming contagious and it’s selfless team basketball, and that’s what we’re about.”

Just 29 seconds into Thursday’s contest, junior forward Malik Reneau crashed to the hardwood after colliding with Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey. Reneau gripped his right knee, writhing in pain, and did not return for the rest of the game.

Just two possessions in, Indiana was without its leading scorer. After missing the win over Winthrop, senior center Oumar Ballo was immediately thrust into a much-needed role — one he couldn’t afford to squander.

Ballo was only supposed to play in a limited capacity against the Scarlet Knights, but he ultimately logged 32 minutes, his second-most this season. Speculation arose via social media surrounding the nature of Ballo’s absence against Winthrop and Mike Woodson declined to offer further explanation Thursday night.

Regardless, Ballo was the heartbeat of Indiana’s operation in his return, serving as a microcosm of the team’s intensity and hustle. He finished the game with 17 points and 12 rebounds — seven offensive — and dove to the floor for loose balls on multiple occasions.

With a little less than four minutes remaining, Rutgers senior guard Tyson Acuff, paying little mind to Ballo’s presence, attempted a right-handed floater. Ballo soared to swat the ball out of bounds before wagging his index finger to emphasize the rejection.

He pumped his fists and waved both arms in the air, inviting cheers from the Hoosier faithful.

“I thought he played great,” Woodson said. “He’s a big part of our team winning tonight… plugged the hole up for us like he’s supposed to, so I thought he played well.”

Perhaps one of the more inspiring aspects of Indiana’s win was how it squashed Rutgers’ momentum. In previous games, the Hoosiers have been prone to unraveling and allowing opponents to claw back into contention.

Leading by just four points in the final minute of the first half, Indiana managed to enter the break with encouragement. After Bailey blocked a shot off the backboard with three seconds remaining, Leal darted for the rebound and converted a circus-style 3-point shot as the buzzer sounded.

“I chased it down, peeked at the clock and saw there wasn’t much time so I just kind of turned around and shot it,” Leal said. “Weird things like that seem to happen for me, so I’ll take it.”

And in the second half, when Rutgers whittled away at an 18-point deficit and cut it to six with nine minutes left, Indiana responded with a 10-3 run, setting the table for a relatively comfortable finish.

Bailey was sublime, scoring 39 points in the absence of fellow freshman standout Dylan Harper, who was sidelined due to illness. His total marked the highest ever for a Rutgers freshman and the second-highest for an opponent in Assembly Hall history.

The expected NBA lottery pick drained shots regardless of the resistance. Leal provided some of the strongest defense on Bailey, but the 6-foot-10, former 5-star prospect continued to convert acrobatic midrange jumpers.

Yet for all of Bailey’s success, no other Scarlet Knight eclipsed nine points. Primarily led by Ballo, Indiana’s interior defense was stout. And on the perimeter, the Hoosiers held the Scarlet Knights to just 29 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

On the other end of the floor, Indiana’s outside shooting was much more of what Woodson expected in the preseason. He was pleased with the Hoosiers’ looks against Winthrop, albeit slightly puzzled that more shots didn’t fall.

But Thursday night, they did. Senior forward Luke Goode, senior guard Trey Galloway and sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako splashed three triples apiece. They often came at highly opportune times, too.

Once Rutgers had cut the lead to 10 in the second half, making a comeback seem increasingly realistic, Galloway tiptoed along the baseline and kicked a pass out to Goode, who slid to a spot in the corner and knocked down an open shot.

For a team so often bit by its opponents’ 3-point shooting, Indiana reversed roles against Rutgers. Even following its worst display of the season from range, the message coming into Thursday was simple.

“Just keep shooting the ball,” Mgbako said. “We got trust in ourselves, trust in our ability to make shots and know that they’re going to fall down when they need to. Just keep shooting the ball and looking for the open man.”

It’s easy to dismiss the win due to Harper’s absence and the lack of scoring ability for the rest of the Scarlet Knights aside from Bailey. But for arguably the first time this season, it felt as if there was a definitive identity — a clear vision.

Woodson frequently laments being out-toughed by opponents, out-worked on the glass. The Hoosiers dominated Rutgers in those departments, finishing with an 18-7 advantage in offensive rebounds.

Indiana won with a mix of muscle and finesse. It won’t always shoot north of 40 percent from 3-point range — in fact, Thursday marked just the third time the Hoosiers have this year. There’s a long road ahead for Indiana to prove this is sustainable, that it belongs in the upper echelon of the Big Ten.

Woodson admitted the Hoosiers aren’t “there yet.” But for a team that seemed to need a lifeline before the New Year, Thursday’s win could be seen as a strong step in the right direction.

Time will tell if the Hoosiers can maintain it.

Category: Media

Filed to: Oumar Ballo, Rutgers Scarlet Knights