Hoosiers Win at home over Gophers 74-62

By Nick Jenkinson\Excel H Sports

The Indiana Hoosiers led start to finish in a 74-62 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers Friday Night in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers are 12-5 on the season and 4-2 in the Big Ten and host archrival Purdue Tuesday Night at 7pm. Minnesota ends a seven-game winning streak dropping to 12-4 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers have won the last seven meetings against the Golden Gophers improving to 108-69 overall and have won eight straight in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Minnesota has not won in Bloomington since January 12, 2012, when they beat the Hoosiers 77-74. The last time Minnesota beat Indiana in the series was February 16, 2019, 84-63 in Minneapolis.

Mackenize Mgbako tied a career high with 19 points, Kel’el posted his sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 14 rebounds, Malik Reneau added 16 points and Trey Galloway chipped in 10 points. Gabe Cupps who got the start played 30 minutes pulling down 4 rebounds, an assist and committed a turnover. Xavier Johnson who was benched by Head Coach Mike Woodson after he was ejected in the second half Tuesday Night at Rutgers for flagrant two foul after he gave Rutgers Forward Antione Wolfolk a low blow. Johnson played 17 minutes scoring 2 points, a rebound, an assist, a steal and committed one turnover. Head Coach Mike Woodson did not want to say the reason that Johnson was bench when asked the question after the game. “In house stuff. I decided to go with Gabe. Gabe played well. I thought minutes that X gave us were positive minutes” Woodson said.

The Hoosiers finished 26-60 from the field for 43%, 6-14 from three-point range for 43% and 16-27 from the free throw line for 59%, Indiana had 40 rebounds, 17 assists, 6 steals, 2 blocks and committed 10 turnovers. The Hoosiers scored 38 points in the paint, 12 bench points and 16 points off turnovers. Even though the Hoosiers controlled the game they still had lapses when the struggled to score especially in the final three minutes and five seconds of the game not scoring a field goal.

Minnesota got a double-double from Pharrell Payne with 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for his first double-double of the season. Dawson Garcia added 14 points and Joshua Ola-Joseph added 12 points. The Golden Gophers finished 23-59 from the field for 39%, 3-20 from three-point range for 15% and 13-24 from the free throw line for 54%. Minnesota pulled down 42 rebounds, 9 assists, 7 steals, 7 blocks and committed 14 turnovers. Minnesota scored 24 points off the bench, 36 points in the paint and 10 points off turnovers.

In the first half the Hoosiers jumped out a 7-0 lead with back-to-back three pointers from Trey Galloway and Mackenize Mgbako and a made free throw from the freshman. Joshua Ola-Joseph got Minnesota on the board at the 17:38 mark and the Hoosiers went on 4-0 run when Mgbako scored inside, and Kel’el Ware hit both free throws to put the Hoosiers up 11-2 before Ola-Joseph hit two free throws to make 11-4 at the 16-minute mark. Ola Joseph scored the first six points for Minnesota. Indiana went on a 11-2 run to lead 22-8 at 12:44 mark when Xavier Johnson checked in for the first time. Anthony Walker scored and was fouled hit the free throw to make 25-8 before Pharrell Payne who scored 12 first half points as CJ Gunn scored on the fastbreak to give the Hoosiers their largest lead at 16 with 9:17 left leading 28-12. Minnesota cut the lead to five trailing 28-23 at 6:18 mark when Cam Christie drained a three pointer. Minnesota got no closer than 8 points the rest of the half as the Hoosiers went into the locker room leading 41-31 with 14 points from Mackenize Mgbako and 10 points along with 7 rebounds from Kel’el Ware.

In the second half Minnesota scored the first basket as Joshua Ola-Joseph scored on a fastbreak layup to cut the Hoosier lead to 8 points 41-33 at the 49 seconds into the second half. The Hoosiers increased the lead to 21 points on a three pointer by Trey Galloway to make it 56-35 with 15:08 left after Ola-Joseph scored for the Golden Gophers Malik Reneau scored at the 13:54 mark to put the Hoosiers up 21 for the second time at 58-37. Minnesota cut the lead to 11 points with 2:07 left to trail 69-58 but could get any closer despite the Hoosiers not hitting field goal for the last three minutes and five seconds off the ball game.

After a rough performance the Hoosiers responded with a solid win despite rough stretches in the second half where the Hoosiers were not taking care of the ball and getting outrebounded on the boards. Minnesota struggled on the defensive end most of the game and were unable get within reach of winning the game. Kel’el Ware said after the game that since coming home from Rutgers Tuesday Night practice has not been easy. “The last few days of practice have been hard. We were taking it to each other, and you saw a glimpse of that tonight. We’ve just got keep bringing that” Ware said. The Hoosiers will be going hard the next few days to get ready for Purdue in what will be a rowdy crowd as always when the archrival comes to town on Tuesday Night.