After one of its biggest wins of the season, Indiana will try to avoid a letdown performance when it tips off against Penn State in a Big Ten Conference matchup Wednesday evening in Bloomington, Ind.
Indiana (16-11, 7-9 Big Ten) is coming off a 73-58 victory against then-No. 13 Purdue on Sunday. Now, the Hoosiers will go for back-to-back wins for the first time since winning five straight from Dec. 21-Jan. 8.
Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson praised his team as it enters its final four games of the regular season.
“We’ve been in a lot of close games over the last month and a half, man,” Woodson said. “And I just haven’t been able to get them over the hump. (Playing against Purdue), they refused to lose.”
Indiana will try to bring the same intensity in its game against Penn State (15-13, 5-12). The Nittany Lions have won two straight against Nebraska and Minnesota and are looking to notch three wins in a row for the first time since Dec. 14-Jan. 2, when they won four straight.
A high-scoring attack has helped Penn State in recent games. The Nittany Lions are averaging 79.4 points per game this season.
“This is how we want to play and this is how we want to be,” Penn State coach Mike Rhoades said. “… The best teams I’ve coached have had a hot basketball and had high-assist games where different guys are scoring in different ways.”
Ace Baldwin Jr. leads Penn State with 13.7 points and 7.3 assists per game. Four other players are averaging in double digits, including Yanic Konan Niederhauser (12.9 points per game), Nick Kern Jr. (11.9) and Zach Hicks (11.7).
Indiana’s top scorer is Oumar Ballo, who is averaging 13.4 points and 9.3 rebounds. Malik Reneau (12.8 ppg), Mackenzie Mgbako (12.6) and Myles Rice (10.9) round out the top four scorers.
Woodson also highlighted the recent contributions of Luke Goode, Anthony Leal and Trey Galloway, the latter of whom had 15 points and a season-high-tying nine assists against Purdue.
“They’re seniors,” Woodson said. “This is their last go.”
Indiana is 12-4 at home this season. Penn State is 2-7 on the road.
–Field Level Media
