Opening Tip
• Indiana University continues its 124th season of competition in men’s basketball at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall against Morehead State. Tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 19 on BTN.
• Morehead State (8-3) enters the game on a six-game winning streak behind stellar play from fifth-year senior guard Riley Minix. The former NAIA All-American averages 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest.
• Three additional Eagles average at least 10.0 points per game, including UTEP transfer guard Jordan Lathon (12.5), senior guard Drew Thelwell (11.8), and fifth-year senior guard Kalil Thomas (11.5). Thelwell and Thomas combined for 11 points on 4-of-19 shooting from the floor at SSAH last season.
• MSU is led by eighth-year head coach Preston Spradlin. His 124 career wins rank fourth in program history. He trails Ellis T. Johnson (179), Bobby Laughlin (166), and Wayne Martin (130).
Game Information
Saturday, Dec. 19, 2023 • 6:30 PM ET
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) • Bloomington, Ind.
TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Bruce Weber)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Series History: Indiana leads, 6-0
Last Meeting: IU 88, MSU 53 on Nov. 7, 2022 in Bloomington
Series History
• The two programs have met six previous times on the hardwood with Indiana holding a 6-0 advantage. All six matchups have taken place in Bloomington.
• Indiana turned in a dominating, season-opening victory over Morehead State (88-53) on Nov. 7, 2022, The Hoosier frontcourt consisting of Trayce Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson, Malik Reneau, and Jordan Geronimo combined for 49 points on 21-of-34 shooting from the floor and 16 rebounds.
• The Hoosiers hold an all-time record of 20-0 against teams currently residing in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Last Time Out
• Indiana went toe-to-toe with No. 2/2 Kansas (Dec. 16) for 40 minutes behind a career day from senior guard Trey Galloway. The Culver, Ind., native netted 28 points on 12 made field goals, both personal bests. Galloway added three rebounds and one assist in nearly 38 minutes of run.
• Freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako continued his run of double-digit scoring outputs with 14 points on 2-of-4 shooting from the 3-point line. Sophomore forward Malik Reneau posted 13 points, while sophomore center Kel’el Ware ripped down a career-high 15 rebounds to pair with 11 points.
• The Hoosiers led for the first 35 minutes of game time before ultimately falling by a final count of 75-71.
Big Man Transformation
• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware, a transfer from Oregon, has upped his scoring (from 6.6 points to 16.1), rebounds (4.1 to 9.8), assists (0.5 to 1.8), and field goal percentage (45.7% to 56.3%) in his second season. He leads the Hoosiers in points, rebounds, and blocks in 32 minutes per game.
• Ware has scored at least 10 points in all 10 games this season after producing just eight such games as a rookie. In his last four outings, the 7-footer has averaged 10.6 rebounds, including a career-high 15 against No. 2/2 Kansas (Dec. 16).
• Ware tallied a career-high 28 points on 12-of-13 shooting from the floor in an 89-76 win over Harvard (Nov. 26) in Indianapolis. The 92.3% shooting split marked the highest by a Hoosier with at least 10 made field goals this century.
Paint Production
• Indiana averages 39.4 points per game in the paint and shoots 55.1% (226-of-410) from inside the arc. The Hoosiers hold opponents to 27.2 points per night in the key.
• IU scored a season-best 56 points in the paint against Wright State (Nov. 16). The Hoosiers also tallied 50 paint points against Harvard (Nov. 26).
Sons of Coaches
• Senior guard Trey Galloway, known primarily for his on-ball defense, scored a career-high 28 points against No. 2/2 Kansas (Dec. 16). He converted 12-of-17 shots. Galloway has scored at least 15 points in five career games. IU holds a record of 4-1 in those contests.
• Galloway, who won the 2018 Indiana 3A state title for Culver Academies coached by his father, Mark, turned in his best collegiate season in 2022-23 with career highs in games played (32), games started (25), minutes per game (27.6), points per game (6.7), rebounds per game (3.0), assists per game (2.1), and 3-point field goal percentage (46.2).
• Freshman guard Gabe Cupps, the 2022 Mr. Basketball in the state of Ohio led Centerville, coached by his father Brook, to the 2021 state title.
• Cupps has started each of the first two Big Ten games for the Hoosiers.
Indiana Takes Kansas Down to the Wire
• The Hoosiers led the second-ranked Kansas Jayhawks for the first 35 minutes of the game before falling by a score of 75-71 on Dec. 16 in front of a striped-out crowd at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
• Senior guard Trey Galloway posted a career night with 28 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the floor. Sophomore center Kel’el Ware tallied an 11-point, 15-rebound double-double.
• Freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako added 14 points and five rebounds, while sophomore forward Malik Reneau scored 13 points. The quartet scored 93.0% (66-of-71) of the IU points.
COMPLETE INDIANA GAME NOTES: https://iuhoosiers.com/documents/2023/12/18/23_24_GM11_Morehead_State.pdf
COMPLETE MOREHEAD STATE GAME NOTES: https://iuhoosiers.com/documents/2023/12/18/Game12-Indiana.pdf