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NAIA forward Elijah Malone set to visit Indiana basketball this week

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8 months ago

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Indiana basketball
NAIA star center Elijah Malone will be visiting the Indiana basketball program this week, coming off of a fantastic career at Grace College. (Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune-USA TODAY NETWORK)

Indiana basketball is set to host the top player in the NAIA this week for a visit in Elijah Malone from Grace College.

Malone will be on campus starting Wednesday night through Thursday, he confirms to HoosierIllustrated.com.

Malone is a 6-foot-10 big man who was named the 2024 Bevo Francis Award winner, given to the best player among all of ‘small college basketball’ which includes NCAA Div. II, Div. III, NAIA, and all junior colleges.

Malone averaged 17.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.9 assists per game this year in just 24.4 minutes a game. He shot 63 percent from the floor, 37 percent from three and 81 percent from the free throw line.

He was 38-of-103 on 3s, making 1.1 3s per game. He had 10 games with at least two made 3s.

Malone had nine double-doubles and scored in double-figures 34 times.

Malone graduates from Grace ranked No. 1 in career blocks (308) and career field goal percentage (65 percent).

He averaged 14.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game as a junior.

As a sophomore, Malone averaged 14.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. As a freshman his averages were 9.6 points and 5.4 rebounds a game.

Malone has very good skill and great size. He does a tremendous job sealing his defender in the paint and has good footwork and hands that allows him to finish at the rim despite not being a super explosive jumper. He can play on the perimeter as well which makes him a very intriguing player. Malone can take a defender off the dribble with decent handle, but he’s best either on the block or in pick and pop action. Malone is not going to be someone to put up monster numbers in the Big Ten, but he could carve out a very good role in a limited setting because of his ability to pop on the perimeter and defend the rim.

Some of the main programs looking into Malone are Notre Dame, Indiana, Colorado, Northwestern, Liberty, Depaul, Wisconsin, Clemson, Loyola Marymount, Illinois-Chicago, Sam Houston, Utah State, Boise State, San Francisco, West Virginia, Penn State and San Diego, according to NAIA Hoops Report. He has already taken a visit to Notre Dame and is expected to make one to Colorado as well.

Indiana basketball has landed point guard Myles Rice from Washington State and Arizona center Oumar Ballo in the transfer portal this offseason. Indiana has four open scholarships available.

SEE ALSO: Stiff competition for nation’s top 3-point shooter includes Indiana basketball

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Alec Lasley is the owner of Hoosier Illustrated, a comprehensive site covering news, updates and recruiting for Indiana University athletics. Alec has covered Indiana for six years and is a credentialed media member. He has previously worked for both Rivals and 247Sports.

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