Quick thoughts on a 65-53 win against Maryland:
How it happened
With Xavier Johnson on the sideline in a boot, Indiana entered Friday’s Big Ten opener against Maryland short-handed. But the Hoosiers didn’t skip a beat. Indiana raced to an 8-2 lead, forcing Kevin Willard to burn a timeout less than four minutes in. Kel’el Ware, as he’s done all season, made an impact on both ends. The 7-footer challenged Julian Reese at the rim and showed off his incredible touch from the perimeter and in the paint. The Hoosiers led by as many as 15 at 39-24 before settling for a 12-point halftime lead. Mackenzie Mgbako also continued the stellar play he exhibited against Harvard, scoring 11 first-half points. The Hoosiers scored 1.17 points per possession in the opening 20 minutes and held Maryland to .82 points per trip on just 42.9 percent shooting.
The Hoosiers kept their energy as the second half began, extending the lead to 21 points at 52-31 with 14:57 to play. By the 11:01 mark, Indiana led 58-35 on a Trey Galloway layup. The Indiana lead was 19 at the under-eight media timeout with 6:53 remaining. A 10-0 run by Maryland got the Terps within 12 at the 5:09 mark. But a Ware bucket stopped the run with 4:31 to play, giving the Hoosiers a 63-49 advantage. Indiana was never challenged the rest of the way as the Hoosiers improved to 6-1 ahead of a road trip to Michigan on Tuesday.
Standout performers
Ware’s early season dominance continued as he notched a double-double, finishing with 18 points and 14 rebounds in 33 minutes. Ware was 8-for-12 from the field and also had an assist and a blocked shot. Galloway played his best game of the young season, finishing with 12 points, six rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes.
Statistics that stand out
Indiana again dominated in the paint, outscoring Maryland 40-26. The Hoosiers also dominated on the glass as they scored 14 second-chance points and only allowed the Terps to grab 24 percent of their missed shots.
Final IU individual statistics
Final tempo-free statistics
Assembly Call postgame show
Filed to: Maryland Terrapins
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
