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Indiana Basketball defeats Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in their season opener

Indiana Basketball took down Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in their season opener 80-61 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

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Nov 6, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Mackenzie Mgbako (21) makes a three-point basket during the first half against the SIU Edwardsville Cougars at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. © Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Indiana Basketball took down Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in their season opener 80-61 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

It was a rocky performance for the Hoosiers, but they were able to get the win nonetheless.

Mackenzie Mgbako led the way for Indiana basketball scoring a a career-high  31 points while shooting 13-17 from the field and 4-5 from three. He also added nine rebounds.

The Hoosiers struggled to take care of the basketball in the win as they finished the game with 16 turnovers. SIUE was able to score 14 points off of the Indiana turnovers.

The Cougars were able to stay within striking distance for much of the game, but the Hoosiers never trailed during the game. They ultimately used a strong second half to pull away and secure the win.

Myles Rice had a mixed performance for his Indiana basketball debut. Rice finished the game with 11 points while shooting 3-7 from the field. Rice also added four assists four rebounds, and two steals, but had five turnovers.

RELATED: HoosierIllustrated Live Blog: FINAL – Indiana basketball 80, SIUE 61

Malike Reneau scored 15 points and added 7 rebounds. Reneau also had two blocks and two steals on the defensive end.

Trey Galloway had an impressive performance after returning to action in Indiana’s second exhibition. Galloway scored six points but had a team-high nine assists for the Hoosiers.

As a team, Indiana shot 53% from the field and 38% from three in the win. They also converted on 14-17 free throw attempts.

Oumar Ballo and Kanaan Carlyle both showcased a small part of what they can bring to the table for Indiana basketball. Ballo scored 15 points and had six rebounds and a block, but also had four turnovers.

Carlyle did not score but grabbed six rebounds and had three assists. He showed his prowess on the defensive end with intense ball pressure on the Cougar guards.

Ray’Sean Taylor struggled against Carlyle and the Indiana defense. He finished the game with 17 points while shooting 7-22 from the field.

Indiana basketball struggled on the glass allowing 16 offensive rebounds to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The Cougars turned those offensive rebounds into 13 second-chance points.

Senior guard Anthony Leal was the only Hoosier inactive as he missed the game due to an unspecified injury.

While it wasn’t pretty at times Indiana basketball got the job done to win their first game of the season. They will be back in action on Sunday when they host Eastern Illinois at Assembly Hall.

SEE ALSO: ‘The disrespect to the Hoosiers is real’: Reaction and thoughts on Indiana football from across the country after initial CFP Ranking reveal

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Drew Rosenberg is a staff writer for HoosierIllustrated.com and hosts 'The Talkin' Bout the Hoosiers Podcast' covering Indiana University athletics. Drew graduated from Indiana University's Sports Media program in 2024.

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