In just 92 seconds, Indiana men’s basketball found itself in a familiar struggle. One day after suffering a 28-point defeat to the University of Louisville, the Hoosiers faced an early 6-0 deficit against No. 3 Gonzaga University in the second round of the Battle 4 Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas. With one turnover, a missed layup, and a failed three-pointer to show for their efforts, head coach Mike Woodson called a timeout to regroup.
Despite an early deficit that grew to 13-3, Indiana rallied to take a brief lead with a 15-3 run. However, the momentum was short-lived; they would not lead again, ultimately falling 89-73 to the Bulldogs.
The No. 14 Hoosiers (4-2) managed to stay competitive for the first 12 minutes, even narrowing the gap to 33-31. However, a devastating 21-2 run by Gonzaga shifted the game’s momentum. Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo was a standout for Indiana, scoring all nine points for the Hoosiers before the Bulldogs’ surge began. By halftime, Ballo had tallied a season-high 19 points, accounting for 57.6% of the team’s scoring at that point. None of his teammates exceeded five points in the same stretch.
“I have no complaints with the big fella,” Woodson remarked after the game, praising Ballo’s growth since joining the team in June. “He’s doing everything that’s been asked of him. We’ve just got to get the supporting cast clicking on all cylinders.”
Similar to their previous game against Louisville, Indiana’s backcourt struggled significantly. The trio of redshirt sophomore Myles Rice, sophomore Kanaan Carlyle, and fifth-year senior Trey Galloway combined for just 3 points against Louisville and only managed 6 points each from Rice and Carlyle, while Galloway added 4 points and a team-high six assists. The guards shot a dismal 6-for-22 from the field and 1-for-9 from three-point range. Woodson acknowledged Rice’s ongoing struggles and emphasized the need to rebuild his confidence, particularly in on-ball defense.
“We need better guard play,” Woodson said. “If we plan on making a good run in the Big Ten, our guard play has got to pick up.”
The frontcourt, including Ballo and 6-foot-9 junior Malik Reneau, also faced criticism. Despite Gonzaga’s starting lineup featuring only one player taller than 6-foot-7, the Bulldogs dominated the boards, out-rebounding Indiana 42-27. Ballo and Reneau combined for just nine rebounds, and Gonzaga outscored the Hoosiers 46-40 in the paint.
Woodson pointed to rebounding as a critical issue, stating, “We’re not putting bodies on bodies to block out, and that’s got to stop. We’ve got to compete better on the boards.”
Defensively, Indiana’s struggles stemmed more from fundamental issues than lack of effort. Woodson’s strategy focuses on protecting the paint and forcing opponents to the perimeter, but the Hoosiers have not positioned themselves effectively to execute this plan.
“A lot of it is about believing in one another and being in the right spots,” Woodson said. “We’ve been very poor in that area the last two games, and I need to help them regain their confidence.”
Despite the team’s challenges, Ballo had a standout performance, shooting 11-for-13 from the field and adding four assists and three steals. His strong showing came against Gonzaga, a team he knows well after starting his college career there before transferring to the University of Arizona.
“I’m glad we got to play,” Ballo said. “I wish we had a different result, but it’s a long season. We’ve got to learn from this and improve for our next opportunity.”
The Hoosiers face a quick turnaround, playing at 11 a.m. Friday against the loser of the Providence College and Davidson College matchup. A victory would secure a seventh-place finish in the eight-team tournament; a loss would leave them in last place.
Looking ahead, Woodson remains optimistic about his team’s potential. “We’ve got to compete against top-notch teams like this, and we will get there,” he said. “We just have to keep working at it.”
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