Indiana Basketball Game Preview: Penn State – key storylines, injury report, how to watch

Indiana basketball will open play in the 2024 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday, March 14, against the 11-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions.

Indiana head coach Mike Woodson has led the Hoosiers to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament in each of his first two trips to the postseason event. Woodson holds a record of 3-2 in the Big Ten Tournament.

Scouting Notes: Penn State

Tip is tentatively set for 9 p.m. ET from the Target Center in Minneapolis. The game will carry a BTN broadcast.

Below is the full preview of Indiana basketball vs Penn State.

Key Storylines

Can Indiana basketball sustain this momentum and go on a run?  

The Hoosiers enter the Big Ten Tournament as one of the hottest teams in the conference and honestly could not have asked for a better draw given the teams they have to go through to at least get to Sunday.

The Hoosiers have won their last four games with two of those games coming in a true road environment. They now need to wins games in a neutral site but should still have a heavy presence when it comes to fanbase.

The question now is what does Indiana basketball have to do to make the NCAA Tournament? Do they need to win the entire game or would making it to the championship game be just enough? When you look at a lot of the ‘bubble team’ Indiana has the same resume as most of them.

“I don’t know,” said Mike Woodson. “We’re playing as good as any team in the country right now based on the last four games. We got to take it a game at a time, man. I’ll never jump ahead.”

The Hoosiers have all the momentum right now and can be a team that makes the run they need. The could even be build as the team you don’t want to play this tournament with how well they are playing.

Ride the momentum and find ways to win each game.

Give Mackenzie Mgbako the greenlight

In all honesty, Indiana basketball would not be where they are at currently without the emergence of Mackenzie Mgbako, who was named as Co-Freshman of the year in the Big Ten.

“Sometimes you gotta fail to be successful,” Indiana basketball head coach Mike Woodson said last month. “I like his work ethic. When he’s in practice, he gives you what he’s got … I’m happy with Mack, man, I just think he’s gonna continue to get better as the games go along.”

Mgbako is averaging 12.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game this season. He finished the regular season shooting 40.6 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from three and 81.2 percent from the free throw line. Mgbako ranks third in Big Ten games alone in three-point percentage, shooting 37.9 percent.

The biggest part of Mgbako’s play as of late is the confidence in which he is playing with. He is shooting the ball without hesitation as well as attacking the basket much than what he did in the very early part of the season. Yes, the defense is still a work in porgress, but Mgbako is competing.

He is Indiana’s best outside threat with all that said. You have to give him the greenlight this tournament. If Mgbako continues to connect from behind the arc, Indiana basketball is a dangerous team.

Will someone unexpected step up for this team? 

By this point we know who the main core of this Indiana basketball team is: Xavier Johnson, Trey Galloway, Mackenzie Mgbako. Malik Reneau, and Kel’el Ware.

Come postseason play however, you always need to have someone extra bring it and step up for a team to be successful. For this year’s Indiana basketball team, you look at guys such as Gabe Cupps, Anthony Leal, Anthony Walker, and even someone like CJ Gunn (if he gets his opportunity). Cupps has been a starter most of the year, Leal has stepped up at times throughout the season, Walker is the most consistent player off the bench, and CJ Gunn has shown flashes at times.

Mike Woodson has really tighten his rotation after expanding it way to wide to start the season so each substitution has made sense for the most part now. For a tournament like this, you often want to stick with core group and only go deep in your bench if you absolutely have to.

Guys that you may not expect to step up really have to do so this time around. Indiana basketball needs everyone on the same page if they want to make a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament.

Related: 3 Keys to a deep Big Ten Tournament run for Indiana basketball

Series History

Indiana holds a 42-17 series lead over Penn State. The two sides met in the semifinals round of the 2023 Big Ten Championship. PSU advanced on the strength of a 77-73 result.

The Nittany Lions, led by head coach Mike Rhoades, swept the season series with an 85-71 victory at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington on Feb. 3, and an 83-74 result at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park on Feb. 24.

PSU guard Ace Baldwin Jr. averaged 22.5 points, 8.5 assists, and 3.0 steals in the two games. The sophomore tandem up front of Malik Reneau and Kel’el Ware averaged 42.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, and shot 63.8% (30-of-47) from the floor.

More: ‘I don’t feel like I’ve proven myself just yet’: Kel’el Ware turns in another dominant performance for Indiana basketball as he continues to change his narrative

Injury Updates

Trey Galloway: Galloway left the floor at the 12:54 mark of the first half of the Michigan State game and was visibly limping. He would not return to the floor the rest of the game. Mike Woodson did provide an update on Galloway saying that he was being evaluated and did not know if he would be available for the Big Ten Tournament. Galloway did state that he should be good to go, however. As of right now, his status is TBD.

Jakai Newton: Newton had a lower body surgical procedure done this past offseason to help fix a previous injury he sustained during high school. He is still recovering and is not expected to play for the rest of the season. The good news is there was video surfacing of Jakai Newton going almost full speed in a workout. He probably won’t play the rest of the season, but this a great sign. He was also dressed in full uniform in Indiana basketball’s latest game.

Read: Trio of Indiana basketball players receive All-Big Ten honors as full awards announced

Quick Hitters

Who?: Indiana (18-13)  vs Penn State (16-16)

When?: Thursday, March 14, 2024 • 9 p.m. ET

Where?: Target Center (17,222) • Minneapolis

TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Robbie Hummel, Andy Katz)

Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)

Betting Lines: Indiana basketball is listed as a 2-point underdog via DraftKings Sportsbook.

SEE ALSO: ‘We’re playing as good as any team in the country right now’: Indiana basketball enters Big Ten Tournament with extreme confidence as season hangs in the balance

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