Bryson Tucker Scores 16, Leads Indiana Past Minnesota in Big Ten Opener

Freshman Bryson Tucker had a season-high 16 points and Indiana had five players in double figures in an 82-67 win over Minnesota.

Indiana forward Bryson Tucker (8) reacts after scoring during the first half against Minnesota. / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana freshman Bryson Tucker has a bright future. The present isn't too bad either for the 18-year-old from Bowie, Md.

Tucker had a season-high 16 points and helped the Hoosiers (8-2) open their Big Ten season with a convincing 82-67 victory over Minnesota on Monday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. He was one of five Hoosiers in double figures.

It was just his third game in double figures, and his best since scoring 14 points against UNC Greensboro on Nov. 21. It was also a nice bounce-back from Monday night, when he went 0-for-4 and failed to score in the win over Miami of Ohio.

It was a much-needed sight to see.

''Indiana coach Mike Woodson said. "He is good in mid-range, and those count, too. He is making them, and tonight he was pretty good in that area. I'll take it. He's coming off the bench, and played extremely well. It's not who starts, it's what you do with the minutes that you get.''

The two teams traded baskets — and a lot of them — early, and Minnesota (6-5, 0-2 in the Big Ten) led 22-20 with 11:42 to go in the first half. But then the Hoosiers went on a 16-1 run to open up a double-digit lead that they never relinquished, and Tucker and senior center Oumar Ballo were right in the thick of it.

Each had eight points, with Tucker making all four of his shots. He was 6-for-10 shooting on the day, and also had six rebounds. Ballo had two buckets and also made four free throws. The lead grew to 13 at 36-23, and stayed in double digits throughout the game. It got as high as 21 in the second half, and Minnesota's mini-runs still never threatened the outcome.

Ballo led the Hoosiers with 18 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field, and he made 8-of-11 free throws. Malik Reneau had 16 and Mackenzie Mgbako had 13. Guard Kanaan Carlyle, who missed three games with an injury, came off the bench and scored 14 points. He made three of Indiana's four three-pointers.

His return to Indiana's lineup was huge, because starting guards Myles Rice and Trey Galloway didn't do much. Rice was 1-for-4 shooting and had just two points. Galloway, who started those three games when Carlyle was out, played 26 minutes and missed his only shot. He also made just 1-of-4 free throws.

"He practiced yesterday full-time for the first time and he said he felt good, so he played,'' Woodson said.

Minnesota struggled to keep Indiana's bigs in check. The Hoosiers shot 63 percent (17-for-27) in the first half and got good looks all night. Woodson stuck with a big lineup much of the night, and the Gophers had no answer.

"It's been good for us both ways. I based it on matchups,'' Woodson said of varying his lineups. "I thought we played great in the first half, but we had some lapses where we just didn't have good offense. We've got to build on this game, but when you get a team down 15-20 points, you have to finish them off.''

Indiana's players were well aware of the importance of this game, getting off to a good start in league play against a Minnesota team that isn't going to win many games. The Hoosiers couldn't afford a slip-up, and they didn't let it happen. They played with a lot of energy and pace on both ends

"He was in all of our heads, making sure we had he s,'' Tucker said. "We all came out on the same page and it being the first Big Ten game, we had to make a statement.''

Pace matters to this team, Carlyle said

"I feel like when we're playing fast and all playing together, it's magic,'' Carlyle said. "When we do get comfortable, that's when things fall off and teams make their runs on us.''

Indiana has another Big Ten game this week, taking on Nebraska in Lincoln on Friday night. The Cornhuskers have been a thorn in the side of the Hoosiers lately. Nebraska won all three meetings a year ago, winning by 16 and 15 points during the regular season and ending Indiana's season with an embarrassing 93-66 loss in the Big Ten Tournament

Related stories on Indiana basketball