By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Maybe, just maybe, Indiana is ready to win its way to postseason possibilities.
Winning at Michigan State and the raucous Breslin Center Tuesday night, where the Hoosiers had lost seven of their previous eight games, and fighting their way to victory despite a 1-7 stretch that resulted in the announced retirement of head coach Mike Woodson, was a huge boost for a team that needed it.
Dominant zone defense and clutch down-the-stretch free throw shooting from junior forward Malik Reneau, sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako and fifth-year senior guard Anthony Leal clinched the 71-67 victory and prevented Spartans head coach Tom Izzo from passing former Indiana head Bob Knight as the Big Ten’s career victory leader. Both remain tied at 353.
“We’re happy to get off this slide,” assistant coach Yasir Rosemond told “Voice of the Hoosiers”, Don Fischer, during the postgame radio show. “The guys have been working hard. We’re trying to make sure we keep these guys confident. We still have a lot to play for.”
The Hoosiers improved to 15-10 overall, 6-8 in the Big Ten.
“This was a total team effort,” Woodson said. “We needed a win badly. These guys have been down. We’ve been scrapping and scratching trying to find a way.
“There’s a lot of basketball left. I have to get them to believe. That’s what it’s all about. We’re playing to get into the tournament. Anything can happen. We have to continue to work.”
Reneau was the closer as IU handed the No. 11/11 Spartans (19-5, 10-3) their first home loss in 13 games this season. He took charge when it mattered most to finish with 19 points (16 in the second half) and 12 rebounds. It was his second double-double of the season and it occured while coming off the bench.
“I was getting frustrated early on,” Reneau said. “Coach said go straight to the rim. That’s what I did. In the second half, everything was working for me.”
Rosemond told Fischer that having Reneau come off the bench was because, “We wanted to switch some things up and jolt our team. Malik had a big second half. He’s returning to form after his injury. He wants to end this for Coach Woodson in the right way.”
Sixth-year center Oumar Ballo also delivered a double-double, his eighth of the season, with 14 points and 10 rebounds despite playing just 26 minutes before fouling out.
Redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice and senior forward Luke Goode each had 10 points.
IU played Michigan State to a virtual draw in fastbreak points at 17 to 19, huge given the Spartans are one of the nation’s best transition teams.
“We were so afraid of their transition,” Woodson said. “They get the ball out so quickly. We couldn’t combat that.”
Rosemond told Fischer that the coaches were adamant with the players about getting back on defense.
“They are one of the fastest teams in the country,” Rosemond told Fischer. “We knew we had to get our defense set.”
IU’s zone defense thrived against a Michigan State team that had struggled from the perimeter all season. The Spartans were the Big Ten’s worst-shooting 3-point team at 29%.
https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2025/2/12/mens-basketball-postgame-notes-michigan-state
The strategy worked. Michigan State lost its offense in the last eight minutes of the first half and the first three minutes of the second half after building leads as large as 12. The result was an 18-2 Indiana run that gave it a nine-point, early second-half lead, and set the tone for the cliffhanger finish.
The Spartans went 4-for-23 from beyond the arc.
“The zone saved us,” Woodson said.
Rosemond told Fischer they had been working on it in practice. It had been effective in the previous game against Michigan.
“Coach Knight probably turned over in his grave, but we’ve been trying to change some things up. Do whatever we can to help us defensively. We’ve been primarily a man team. It might have shocked them a little bit. Our guys did a great job.”
Michigan State scored the game’s first seven points and 10 of the first 12, with eight of those points coming via offensive rebounds. Ballo, Reneau and Mgbako shot IU to within 10-8.
The teams were a combined 1-for-10 on 3-pointers in the first eight minutes. The Spartans surged ahead 20-8.
Freshman forward Bryson Tucker ended the 10-0 run with a pair of free throws. Goode followed with a 3-pointer. Rice added a free throw for a 22-14 score. Goode’s second 3-pointer closed the gap to 24-20. A Rice 3-pointer and a Ballo layup got the Hoosiers within 29-28 with three minutes left in the half.
Ballo’s two free throws gave IU its first lead at 30-29. Goode added a pair of free throws for the 32-29 halftime lead. The Hoosiers ended the half on a 12-2 run and held Michigan State scoreless in the final four minutes.
Ballo led IU with 12 points and seven rebounds. Goode added eight.
Ballo and Reneau combined for six-straight points to open the second half as the Hoosiers surged ahead 38-29.
Ballo went to the bench with three and then four fouls and IU didn’t flinch behind Goode, Reneau, Rice and fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway. It went ahead 48-41.
Five-straight Reneau points gave the Hoosiers a cushion at 55-50 they extended to 61-52 with 3:14 left. A couple of IU turnovers and a Michigan State basket made it 61-56 with 80 seconds remaining. Mgbako made a free throw. Goode got a steal.
The Spartans made a layup for a 62-60 score with 32 seconds left. Rice hit two free throws. The Spartans made two free throws for a 64-62 score with 20 seconds remaining. Reneau and Mgbako combined for five free throws. Anthony Leal made two more to clinch the victory.
IU plays again Friday night when it hosts UCLA (18-7, 9-5).
“I have to keep pushing them,” Woodson said.
