No “I” in Indiana’s win

     The Indiana Hoosiers remain unbeaten at home after an 82-69 win over the USC Trojans Wednesday Night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.  Indiana is 13-3 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten and have won five straight and will travel to Iowa Saturday for a Fox Primetime Hoops game at 8 PM. USC is 9-6 and 1-3 in the Big Ten and will travel to Illinois on Saturday for a Noon Showdown. Indiana leads the all-time series 3-2 as the first meeting between the two programs since Indiana beat USC in the CCA Championship Game in St Louis, Missouri 85-60 on March 18, 1974.

    The Hoosiers got a balanced effort with Oumar Ballo leading the way with 23 points and 8 rebounds to lead the Hoosiers with four players in double figures. Myles Rice added 19 points along with 9 rebounds, Luke Goode scored 16 including four three pointers and Trey Galloway scored 11 points.  The Hoosiers finished 29-66 for 44% from the field, 6-21 from three-point range for 28% and 18-23 from the free throw line for 78%. Indiana pulled down 40 rebounds, dished out 17 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks, 38 points in the paint, 13 bench points and committed 6 turnovers.  Goode has gone 10-15 from downtown the last three games and said assistant coach Brian Walsh gave him the book “Mind Gym” and he started reading it three games ago.

    Wesley Yates III led the Trojans with 18 Points, Desmond Claude added 15 points, Saint Thomas and Chibuzo Agbo scored 11 points apiece. The Trojans finished 25-51 from the field for 41%, 6-26 from three-point range and 13-18 from the free throw line for 72%. USC pulled down 33 rebounds, 15 assists, 5 steals, 4 blocks, 34 bench points, 11 bench points and committed 8 turnovers. USC Head Coach Eric Musselman was not happy with Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson as Musselman gave Woodson the blow by handshake after the game and Woodson turned and around looked at him. Musselman was asked about the confrontation and said, “I got no comment on that guy.”

    The game featured 7 lead changes and 5 ties. USC jumped out to a 9-2 lead and led 19-9 with 12:09 left in the first half. Indiana tied the game 24-24 on two Myles Rice free throws with 5:42 left in the first half. The rest of the half was close with a four-point Indiana lead with Luke Goode draining the three ball with 1:16 left before the break. The Trojans and the Hoosiers went to the locker room tied 38-38 as Goode led the Hoosier with 11 points and Chibuzo Agbo leading the Trojans with 11 points as both players hit three 3 pointers and Oumar Ballo had a perfect first half with 10 points on 3-3 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line.

     In the second half Indiana outscored USC 44-31 as Ballo went to work on both ends with size and strength posting up his defender and dunking along with blocking shots at the other end. Myles Rice and Trey Galloway sparked the offense and 9 points off the bench from Bryson Tucker helped sparked the Hoosiers to another Big Ten win and a total team effort. It’s the Hoosiers best start to Big Ten Play since the 2015-16 season.

    The Hoosiers have been without leading scorer Mailk Reneau for three games after he injured his knee 30 seconds into the Rutgers game. Indiana has won without him in the lineup, but Head Coach Mike Woodson stated that once they get him back, he will be in the rotation. “Make no mistake about it, Malik is a big part of what we do. He Ain’t going anywhere” Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson said after the game. Whenever Reneau does return will be a help for the Hoosiers but for now as long as they keep getting wins especially with a tough stretch will help the Hoosiers keep chipping for that NCAA Tournament Bid.