Indiana basketball returns to the hardwood as they make the quick trip up to Indianapolis to host Harvard at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Hoosiers coming off going 1-1 at the Empire Classic having lost to No. 5 UConn but ending on a high note with a win over Louisville.
The Crimson enter the contest with a 5-1 record including three wins away from the Lavietes Pavilion in Boston. Harvard owns true road victories over Rice (89-76), UMass (78-75), and Colgate (76-70). Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker is in his 16th season as the Crimson head coach. He holds a record of 283-167 while working the sidelines at Harvard.
Scouting Notes: Harvard
Tip off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET on BTN.
Below is the full live blog
Pregame Notes
Indiana Injury Report:
QUESTIONABLE: Xavier Johnson, Anthony Walker
OUT: Jakai Newton
Indiana starters:
G – Xavier Johnson
G – Trey Galloway
F – Mackenzie Mgbako
F – Malik Reneau
C – Kel’el Ware
First Half
Indiana basketball wins the tip and we are off. Malik Reneau scores first with his signature hook shot. Harvard responded with a three.
Mackenzie Mgbako hits his first three attempt. Very encouraging start for him.
Ware got dunked on but responded with a score. He would pick up his first foul quickly afterwards.
Mgbako would nail his second shot attempt with a turnaround jumper.
Ware would get fouled on a shot attempt. He would go 2-2 at the line.
Xavier Johnson would have his first turnover but would make up for it by stopping the easy transition bucket by Harvard.
Harvard timeout. Mackenzie Mgbako up to 7 points here early. Shooting 3-4 from the field.
Indiana basketball leads 14-10 at the 15:49 mark.
Trey Galloway would airball a floater but Ware would get the rebound and foul. He’d miss his Free throw attempts, however.
Payton Sparks first player off the bench for Indiana coming in for Ware. Gabe Cupps follows subbing in for Xavier Johnson.
CJ Gunn, Kaleb Banks, and Anthony Walker enter the game. Mike Woodson going with an all-bench lineup.
Under-12 Media Timeout: Indiana basketball 16, Harvard 17
Harvard leads 20-16 now.
CJ Gunn connects with his first shot attempt.
Woodson puts all the starters back in.
Mgbako nails a three. Little ‘buddy ball’ action would following with a Reneau baseline drive leading to a Ware ‘oop-slam.
Under-8 Media Timeout: Harvard 24, Indiana basketball 23
Ware with back-to-back scores out of the break.
Mgbako would pick up his first foul hustling for the loose ball.
Trey Galloway would miss a transition bucket but would recover with a made one on the next play.
Xavier Johnson would get a shot plus the foul ahead of the break. He walked off a little hobbled.
Under-4 Media timeout: Indiana basketball 33, Harvard 31.
Gabe Cupps comes in for Xavier Johnson. Johnson made the FT attempt.
Mgbako with an inbounds lob to Ware. Harvard would answer with a deep three.
Indiana basketball would have a turnover but Cupps would stop the transition with a charge.
Kaleb Banks would nail a three. Indiana up 39-34.
Harvard answered with a three. Mike Woodson calls timeout with 37 sec left.
Harvard’s Malik Mack hits a three at the buzzer to give Harvard the 40-39 lead at the half.
Xavier Johnson appeared out of the tunnel then went back into the locker room during the halftime warmups
Second Half
No Xavier Johnson to start the half. Gabe Cupps starts.
Malik Mack nails a three right out of the break. Harvard up 43-39.
Reneau answers with a two.
Xavier Johnson appears out of the tunnel back in his candy stripes with ice on his foot.
Malik Reneau exists the game holding his lower back. He is going back to the locker room.
Indiana basketball on a 6-0 run and takes the lead 47-45. Timeout Harvard.
Cupps with back-to-back fouls.
Malik Reneau returns out of the locker room. Still holding his back but not in near as much pain.
Under-16 media timeout: Indiana basketball 54, Harvard 51.
Anthony Leal set to check in. Reneau back in now.
Mgbako goes 2-2 at the line out of the break.
Reneau would score in the spot and get fouled. He would miss the FT but Mgbako would would get the rebound, put-back, and the foul. Mgbako would convert the free throw.
Malik Mack again gets away with a leg kick-out and is rewarded with foul shots. Mike Woodson is livid and so is the crowd. He went 1-3 at the line.
Reneau would gets fouled but makes the shot. He was extremely fired up after that. He has a shot at the FT lie after the break.
Media timeout at the 11:54 mark: Indiana basketball 65, Harvard 54.
Reneau converts the FT out of the break.
Reneau would miss a layup but Walker would get the easy put-back.
Kaleb Banks in for Mgbako.
Indiana basketball would have a couple of ugly turnovers. Harvard cuts the lead down to 68-61. Mike Woodson calls a timeout.
Hoosiers on a 2:29 scoring drought.
Trey Galloway with back-to-back missed threes.
Kaleb Banks three extends the lead to 71-61.
Under-4 Media TO: Indiana basketball 79, Harvard 69
Indiana’s front court has combined for 59 of the team’s 82 points and 25 of the teams 34 made field goals.
Final: Indiana basketball 89, Harvard 76.
Final Box Score + Expanded Stats:
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