LIVE BLOG: Indiana Men's Basketball Hosts Rutgers To Restart Big Ten Play

Indiana takes on Rutgers as the Hoosiers begin the Big Ten gauntlet with the Scarlet Knights.

Indiana Hoosiers center Langdon Hatton (12) blocks a shot attempt from Winthrop Eagles guard Nick Johnson (10) during the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Welcome to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and the Hoosiers On SI live blog.

Straight away, we have breaking news on two fronts.

NJ.com is reporting that Rutgers leading scorer Dylan Harper will not play tonight. Harper is at Assembly Hall, but is in street clothes. Rutgers officials did not comment to NJ.com about the reason, but they reported Harper was "under the weather".

Harper averages 22.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Scarlet Knights. Along with Ace Bailey (18.2 ppg), the freshman duo forms the backbone of the Rutgers scoring attack.

Rutgers did not list Harper on the Big Ten availability report, typically made public 2-3 hours before a game.

As far as Indiana is concerned, center Oumar Ballo is listed as questionable for the second game in a row. He did take part in some of the pregame warmup, but not all of it. For the final warmup taking place now, he is basically a full participant.

• A truncated pregame here in the live blog for breaking news reasons. Here's tonight's starting lineups:

Indiana starters: Luke Goode, Trey Galloway, Mackenzie Mgbako, Malik Reneau, Myles Rice.

Rutgers starters: Jamichael Davis, Ace Bailey, Jeremiah Williams, Zach Martini, Emmanuel Ogbole.

• When Indiana showed the pregame video introductions with moments of the past from coaches Branch McCracken, Bob Knight, Mike Davis, Tom Crean and Mike Woodson - Woodson did get some boos. Didn't get any on Sunday. A lot of fans are restless and irritated at the moment. Why I wrote this.

• In the "I'm getting old department", Rutgers center Lathan Sommerville is the son of a Missouri Valley Conference player I saw a lot - Bradley forward Marcellus Sommerville. He was very good and played on Bradley's 2006 Sweet 16 team. The younger Sommerville is stockier than his old man was.

• Not a bad crowd for a late Thursday night game. Lower bowl is full and the balconies have a solid representation of fans.

• It will be interesting to see how Indiana shoots tonight. There's only one way to be worse than 1 of 20 from 3-point range - the Hoosiers want no part of that. Most of those shots on Sunday were decent looks, so I file it under freak occurence rather than anything else - though Indiana has not shot it well in its last four games. Still, 5% would be hard to repeat.

• During Woodson's actual introduction, there were a few more murmurs. Nothing like a majority of people are expressing themselves negatively. Still a lot of games to play ... and this one is about to begin.

• 2-2, 19:31 1H. Malik Reneau is injured. Went down after an Ace Bailey layup. Was down on the baseline for a bit and then sprung up quickly as if to demonstrate nothing was wrong.

Oumar Ballo checks in and got a decent cheer when he did.

• Indiana 7-5, 17:11 1H. Indiana first two 3-point shots failed to hit the mark - Mackenzie Mgbako bricked the first attempt - but Oumar Ballo tipped out a Trey Galloway 3-point miss out to Mgbako, who buried his 3-pointer from the top of the key. They can make threes.

Indiana Hoosiers guard Myles Rice (1) dribbles the ball while Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Jeremiah Williams (25) defends in the first half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

• Indiana 10-9, 15:00 1H. Hoosiers are in front. An acrobatic layup by Myles Rice, a play where he absorbed significant contact, was a highlight, but there are signs of trouble too. Defensively, Indiana hasn't been good. Oumar Ballo barely moved as Jeremiah Williams drove around him. Luke Goode got pushed around by Ace Bailey on two different drives to the rim too.

• 16-16, 11:51 1H. Following the pattern from the Winthrop game, Indiana took a 16-10 lead, but couldn't hold it. Indiana hasn't scored in 2:11 of game time. Ace Bailey is trying to win this game himself for Rutgers as he already has 11 points.

• Rutgers 26-19, 8:59 1H. Rutgers had a 13-0 run and Bailey was so dominant that fans cheered Anthony Leal when he briefly was able to body him. Leal's stopping power didn't last either, though, as Bailey got by him for another layup. Bailey with 16 already.

Ace Bailey knocks down another 😤

He has 18 so far for @RutgersMBB 🙌#B1GMBBall on Peacock 💻 pic.twitter.com/4mB8WsdANw

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) January 3, 2025

• Rutgers 28-24, 7:29 1H. Indiana is a mess on the defensive end, but they're scrapping on the other side. Myles Rice had a very nice play where he swooped in from the perimeter to steal a rebound away, which he converted for a reverse layup. Anthony Leal made a similar play, but Langdon Hatton botched the point blank layup.

As for defense? It's been rough. Rutgers constantly getting shooters open. Jordan Derkack missed a wide-open layup that Mackenize Mgbako was late to react to. Tyson Acuff made a 3-pointer ... that Mackenzie Mgbako was late to rotate to.

• Indiana 30-29, 5:18 1H. Indiana is on a 6-0 run. Kanaan Carlyle with a 3-pointer to put the Hoosiers in front.

• Indiana 32-29, 5:06 1H. Run is up to 8-0 now after Mackenzie Mgbako slipped on his initial drive to the rim, but recovered and converted anyway. Weird play right before a Rutgers timeout was granted as action went on elsewhere on the court and Anthony Leal appeared to steal an outlet pass at mid-court, but it was scrubbed off. Assembly Hall is in good voice.

• Indiana 32-29, 4:33 1H. The good men at Kenpom or Bart Torvik need to figure out a floorburn ratio. On a scramble just before Ace Bailey missed an end-of-shot-clock 3-pointer, I think every player on the floor hit the hardwood in the hunt for a loose ball. That's what Rutgers does. Bruisers ... in a good way.

• Indiana 34-31, 3:53 1H. An acrobatic Ace Bailey and-1 puts an end to what ended up being a 10-0 Indiana run. If Bailey had to make a mix-tape to get NBA attention (narrator: he doesn't), this game would be prominently featured. He is very impressive. Athleticism, strength and grace in motion all in one package. He has 18 points and though Indiana is not a good defensive team, a lot of it is due more to Bailey than Indiana's defense.

• Indiana 36-32, 2:36 1H. Oumar Ballo is having a solid half on the offensive end. He has 7 points on 3 of 7 shooting.

THIS SHOT FROM ANTHONY LEAL 🔥 @IndianaMBB ahead at the half pic.twitter.com/hcL7XqPMbG

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 3, 2025

• Halftime - Indiana 41, Rutgers 34. Anthony Leal ends with half with a stunner. After what should have been a goaltending call on a Myles Rice drive, Leal tracked down the loose ball and banked in a fall-away 3-pointer from about 35 feet-ish, out near the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall logo. All of those times he practiced those circus shots in pregame warmups paid off! The house was summarily brought down. Awesome shot.

Indiana had a balanced scoring effort. Mackenzie Mgbako (9), Myles Rice (8), Oumar Ballo (7) and Trey Galloway (6) all contributing.

Rutgers has not had a balanced scoring effort, but Ace Bailey (19 points) has been a lot of fun to watch. Jeremiah Williams is the next closest scorer with six points.

Rutgers shot 50%, Indiana 38%. Hoosiers have a 23-17 rebounding edge and 11 points off Rutgers' five turnovers. Indiana has only turned it over once.

• Of obvious concern is the status of Malik Reneau, who banged his knee in the first minute of the game. Peacock said on its broadcast that he is out for the remainder of the game. A worrying development for the Hoosiers.

• Indiana 54-38, 14:06 2H. Timeout Rutgers as the Scarlet Knights have gone ice-cold in the second half. Rutgers is 1 of 7 in the second half. Mackenzie Mgbako has 5 points so far in the second half as the Hoosiers have put a sizable gap on the Scarlet Knights.

• Indiana 56-40, 12:20 2H. Oumar Ballo gets an ovation from the fans after he was taken out for Langdon Hatton. Ballo has 13 points and 8 rebounds and did a lot to ease the pain of Reneau's absence. He doesn't look 100% percent moving around, maybe 85%, but he's given a good effort.

Indiana Hoosiers forward Mackenzie Mgbako (21) shoots the ball while Rutgers Scarlet Knights center Emmanuel Ogbole (21) defends in the first half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

• Indiana 56-43, 11:21 2H. Scarlet Knights are 3 of 11 from the field in the second half and have none of the verve or oomph they had in the first half when they controlled long parts of it. Ace Bailey has just 2 points in the second half after his star turn in the first half. Mackenzie Mgbako (14), Oumar Ballo (13) and Myles Rice (10) all in double-figures for the Hoosiers.

• Indiana 56-46, 10:47 2H. After a good day on Sunday against Winthrop, it was rougher sledding for Langdon Hatton this time around. He is 0-for-2 from the field, has no rebounds, two turnovers and two fouls in six minutes. Indiana had to put Oumar Ballo back in the game as Rutgers gained momentum with Hatton on the floor.

• Indiana 58-52, 8:46 2H. After Ace Bailey released a corner three that found the mark, Kanaan Carlyle was whistled for off-ball contact. Officials reviewing it and a technical foul is assessed to Carlyle. Can't have it. Everything was going pretty smoothly for the Hoosiers ... until it wasn't. Bailey did miss both technical free throws, but Rutgers got the ball, and Bailey hit another 3-pointer falling out of bounds.

• Indiana 59-52, 8:19 2H. A bizarre foul was called on Luke Goode. The official, not near the play, thought Goode backed into him, but I don't think he did. Bailey missed the 1-and-1 free throw, but plays like that are not what Indiana needs ... not that this one was Indiana's fault.

• Indiana 62-52, 7:38 2H. Myles Rice hits a corner 3 that the Hoosiers badly needed. Officials having a bit of a moment. Luke Goode was victimized again by a weak touch foul on a Trey Galloway miss. All of you paying for Peacock are getting your fair share of the stripes tonight.

• Indiana 65-53, 7:00 2H. Luke Goode hit a corner 3 - Indiana's 10th 3-pointer of the game. Hoosiers are 10 of 23 overall. That 1 of 20 against Winthrop was as fluky as those with a level head thought it was.

Indiana Hoosiers center Oumar Ballo (11) shoots the ball while Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Ace Bailey (4) defends in the first half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

• Indiana 71-57, 3:49 2H. Oumar Ballo swatted a shot out of bounds and at the media timeout stoppage, did a Dikembe Mutombo-style finger wave, as he got the crowd fired up. Ballo with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

• Indiana 71-59, 3:41 2H. Luke Goode, Mackenzie Mgbako and Trey Galloway all have three 3-pointers. As Mike Woodson said on Sunday, "shooting, it's a funny thing, man."

• Indiana 76-64, 2:26 2H. Hoosiers are likely going to win this, but Ace Bailey was worth the price of admission for Rutgers. He has 34 points on 14 of 26 shooting to go with seven rebounds. Some of his made shots were of a high degree of difficulty. One of the best opposing players I've seen inside Assembly Hall. He's going to make some lucky NBA team very happy ... and real soon too.

FINAL - Indiana 84, Rutgers 74. I hoped for a little less of a purgatorial vibe, and for one night, the Hoosiers delivered. Good job to overcome adversity with the early loss of Malik Reneau. Both teams lost their top scorers, but Indiana's depth shined through.

Myles Rice led Indiana with 21 points. Oumar Ballo had 17 points and 12 rebounds. Mackenzie Mgbako had 16 points.

It's a good thing Indiana only sees Rutgers once. Ace Bailey scored 39 points, just one off the all-time visiting Assembly Hall record and just four shy of the all-time building record of 43 points set by Trayce Jackson-Davis against Marshall in 2021.

Indiana improves to 11-3 and 2-1 in the Big Ten and gets a rare win against Rutgers to even the all-time series.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• POINT SPREAD: Big Ten play resumes for Indiana on Thursday night with a home game against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have two talented freshmen. Here's the latest on the point spread, with a great history vs. the number for both teams this season. CLICK HERE

• HOW TO WATCH: Indiana resumes Big Ten play on Thursday night with a home game against Rutgers. Here's how to watch, with gametime, TV information and a good breakdown on both teams. CLICK HERE

• MEET THE OPPONENT - RUTGERS: Scarlet Knights come to Bloomington with two exceptional freshman leading them. CLICK HERE.

• TODD'S TAKE: The wish for 2024 is that the purgatorial vibe around the Indiana men's basketball program subsides. CLICK HERE.