Freshman Mackenzie Mgbako scores season-high 19 and Indiana beats Minnesota 74-62

Last updated: 2024/01/13 at 2:20 AM

BigP Published January 13, 2024

Freshman Mackenzie Mgbako scored a season-high 19 points, Kel’el Ware had 17 points and 14 rebounds and Indiana beat Minnesota 74-62 on Friday night to end the Gophers’ seven-game winning streak.

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Kel’el Ware throws down a ferocious alley-oop to extend Indiana’s lead over Minnesota Indiana’s Kel’el Ware makes a huge block that seals the 74-62 win vs. Minnesota

Kel’el Ware throws down a ferocious alley-oop to extend Indiana’s lead over Minnesota

Indiana has won nine of the last 10 matchups with the Gophers, including seven straight. The Hoosiers have also claimed the last eight games against Minnesota in Bloomington.

Indiana scored 11 of the opening 13 points of the game and added a 9-0 spurt, capped by Anthony Walker’s three-point play, to build a 25-8 lead with 12:14 remaining. Mgbako scored 14 points in the first half and Ware added 10 to help the Hoosiers lead 41-31 at the break.

Indiana made 8 of 10 field goals early in the second half — with Ware scoring the first five points of an 11-0 run — to extend its lead to 60-39. Indiana’s lead didn’t drop below 11 points the rest of the way.

Malik Reneau scored 16 points and Trey Galloway added 10 points for Indiana (12-5, 4-2 Big Ten). Xavier Johnson, who was ejected from a game against Rutgers on Tuesday, did not start for Indiana and scored two points in 17 minutes.

Pharrel Payne secured his first double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds, to go with five blocks, for Minnesota (12-4, 3-2). Dawson Garcia had 14 points and nine rebounds, and Joshua Ola-Joseph scored 12.

Indiana stays home to play No. 1 Purdue on Tuesday. Minnesota hosts Iowa on Monday.