Todd’s Take: Mackenzie Mgbako Is Ready To Roll From The Get-Go For Indiana

Indiana’s sophomore swingman has dominated the first 10 minutes of games in the Hoosiers’ 3-0 start.

Indiana Hoosiers forward Mackenzie Mgbako (21) shoots the ball while South Carolina Gamecocks forward Collin Murray-Boyles (30) defends in the first half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana’s men’s basketball team gave its fans a refreshing change on Saturday in the Hoosiers’ 87-71 victory over South Carolina at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

After the Gamecocks took a very early four-point lead, No. 16 Indiana punched back with a 17-1 run. While Indiana’s execution waxed and waned for the rest of the game, the Hoosiers never really surrendered control. That early run set the tone as the Gamecocks were in chase mode for the remainder of the contest and they never tracked the Hoosiers down.

While Myles Rice got off to a great start with eight points in the first 10 minutes, his partner in scoring is a familiar early starter for the Hoosiers.

Indiana swingman Mackenzie Mgbako must not be a snooze alarm guy. He has come out ready for every game this season from a scoring standpoint and Saturday was no exception.

Indiana Hoosiers forward Mackenzie Mgbako (21) and guard Kanaan Carlyle (9) celebrate a play in the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Mgbako matched Rice with 8 points in the first 10 minutes of the game. He had a transition dunk and an additional fastbreak layup. He made his only 3-point bucket in the first 10 minutes. As he has been all season, he was good straight out of the box.

Ultimately, Mgbako scored 12 of his 17 points for the game in the first half. This continues the pattern of Indiana depending on its sophomore for early scoring.

The most striking example of Mgbako’s first half influence was in the opener against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, an 80-61 victory for the Hoosiers.

On his way to a career-high 31 points, Mgbako scored 19 points before halftime on 8 of 10 shooting, including 2 of 2 from 3-point range. In that game, Mgbako scored 13 of those 19 in the first 10 minutes of the game, giving the Hoosiers a jolt straight away.

Mgbako scored nine points in the first half of a 90-55 victory against Eastern Illinois, a game in which the Hoosiers trailed 37-36 at halftime.

This was a case where Mgbako’s scoring helped the Hoosiers keep their heads above water. All of those nine points were scored in the first 10 minutes. Indiana only led 22-20 at that stage, but where would the sleepwalking Hoosiers have been without Mgbako’s early burst?

The hope coming into the season was that Mgbako would take a step forward based on the encouraging way he ended the 2023-24 season. In February and March games last season, Mgbako averaged 14.7 points, converted 40% of his shots, and became a passable threat from the 3-point arc at 33.3%.

Mgbako has increased those numbers dramatically in the first three games of this season. The sophomore is averaging 22 points, 7.7 rebounds and is shooting an impressive 63.6% from 3-point range. He’s connected on 7 of 11 from long range, three of those made in the first 10 minutes of Indiana’s games.

“I feel like if I play within the offense and play with what the team gives me, I can make the right shots and right reads. Taking every game in stride and learning from every game so I can move forward and keep elevating my game.

Indiana's Mackenzie Mgbako (21) celebrates during the Indiana versus South Carolina men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mgbako credits the presence of Rice and Kanaan Carlyle with easing his offensive mindset. Part of the reason Mgbako has been able to start well is that those two are on the court with him.

“It's amazing. (It’s) so much easier just being able to run with Myles and K, getting on the break and easy buckets and us feeding off each other and the energy,” Mgbako said.

Will Mgbako be consistently good right out of the chute in every game? That’s unrealistic, but his quick-strike scoring capability is going to draw more attention from opposing coaches as a focus of scouting reports, which are most often paid attention to at the start of games.

That should open things up for his teammates. Rice may have been the beneficiary of that against South Carolina on Saturday.

Woodson was just happy the Hoosiers took control of the game and didn’t let go of the rope.

“It's nice to see,” Woodson said. “They knew coming into tonight's game that they had to be better. I thought they responded.”

Woodson was talking about the entire team when he said that. There was no need to absolve Mgbako from not starting right. Indiana fans have seen with their own eyes that he’s been ready to roll right from the get-go.

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