By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Double-double opportunity came for Oumar Ballo against Miami of Ohio and Indiana’s 7-foot center was ready. Was he ever.
Ballo had 14 points and 18 rebounds in 28 minutes Friday night during the Hoosiers’ 76-57 victory at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. It was his first Hoosier double-double. He added six assists and two blocks while making five of six shots.
“My teammates were doing a good job of trying to find me in early transition,” Ballo said. “I have to take advantage of sealing my guy and get quick, easy baskets.”
Ballo had been close to a double-double before this season, most recently against Providence in the Battle 4 Atlantis with 10 points and eight rebounds. At 265 pounds, he exploited the physical mismatch against the smaller and lighter RedHawks (5-3).
“It was fun,” Ballo said. “When you have a couple of pounds on guys, you have to take advantage of that.”
Coach Mike Woodson exploited that advantage relentlessly.
“I’m pleased with his play. This is the first time in his career that he’s been featured. He’s such a big load. We had the size advantage and took advantage of it.”
This why what Ballo came to IU for after transferring from Arizona.
“Coach has a lot of trust in me to make the right play. That’s why in the ball-screen situation, the ball is in my hands a lot to make the right read. Fortunately, the shots were falling, so happy with the result.”
When Ballo wasn’t punishing the RedHawks, forward Malik Reneau was. He had 19 points and seven rebounds. Guard Myles Rice had 17 points while going 6-for-7 from the field. Guard Trey Galloway added 13 points while making three of four three-point attempts.
One glitch — Rice only had one assist against three turnovers, all coming late in the first half.
“When you’ve got the ball in your hands, you have to make better decisions,” Woodson said.
The Hoosiers shot 54 percent from the field, but their 16 turnovers against 15 assists left Woodson in fix-it mode.
“Right before halftime, I’m thinking time-score-situation,” Woodson said. “Our players were thinking home run plays. We were taking chances on passes that weren’t there. We have to fix it.”
That’s especially true with IU (7-2) opening Big Ten play Monday night against Minnesota (6-4).
“If we start Big Ten play like that,” Woodson said about the turnovers, “it puts you in a hole.”
https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2024/12/6/mens-basketball-postgame-quotes-miami-ohio
IU built an early 11-point lead, but couldn’t deliver the knock out — it led just 39-36 at halftime — until the final seven minutes. A 12-0 run fueled by ruthless defense and effective offense was too much for Miami, which went scoreless for more than six minutes during that stretch while going 0-for-10 from the field.
The Hoosiers held the RedHawks to 31-percent shooting overall and just 21 second-half points.
“We had more urgency,” Galloway said about the second-half defense. We shouldn’t go into the half only up three. We have to find ways to fix that. We’re a bigger team. It was about coming out with urgency, and focus on what we need to do to stop them.”
Rice and Reneau went right to work to open the game, each scoring four points for an 8-0 IU lead. A Galloway three-pointer, combined with Hoosier defense that limited Miami to 1-for-8 shooting, produced a 14-3 lead five minutes into the game.
The RedHawks closed within five points. Luke Goode hit a three-pointer. Ballo scored inside. Galloway drove for a layup. IU led 23-11.
Consecutive three-pointers drew Miami to within 25-21 before Rice hit a three-pointer, Reneau followed with two free throws and Ballo made one free throw for a 31-21 score with six minutes left in the half.
The RedHawks surged back to within four points. IU responded by hitting four of its next five shots. Miami closed to 38-36 before the Hoosiers reached halftime with a 39-36 lead. Rice led with 14 points. Reneau had nine.
https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2024/12/6/mens-basketball-postgame-notes-miami-ohio
IU opened the second half with a Ballo layup and a Galloway three-pointer for a 44-36 lead. Three straight Goode free throws pushed the Hoosiers ahead 53-45 with 11 minutes left.
Galloway’s third three-pointer gave IU a 61-50 lead after the Hoosier defense forced Miami into a series of empty possessions. A Renau basket and a three-point play by Goode made it 67-50 with five minutes left.
The RedHawks were finished. Woodson wanted to see that far earlier.
“We controlled it early and couldn’t keep it going,” he said. “These are growing pains. When you have a team down, you have to keep stepping and building.
“We’ve got to keep working and grinding.”
