Following a two-week hiatus from Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Indiana men’s basketball returned home and defeated Iowa 74-68 Tuesday night.
After being sidelined for two games with an ankle injury, sophomore center Kel’el Ware suited up and was reinserted into the starting lineup. Ware was active from the outset, registering a pair of ferocious dunks, an emphatic block and a banked in 3-pointer by the midway point of the first half.
Iowa boasts the top scoring offense in the Big Ten, averaging 85.3 points per game, but it was Indiana’s shooters who caught fire early. The Hoosiers charged on a 12-0 run that spanned nearly five minutes, pushing the lead to 31-15 with a little over six minutes to go in the first period.
Indiana senior guard Anthony Leal — who had knocked down just a pair of triples all season — splashed two 3-pointers in just over a minute Tuesday night. The Hoosier faithful clamored for the Bloomington native, who played 22 minutes and finished with a season-high 13 points against the Hawkeyes.
With Ware back inside, Iowa found little success near the hoop. Hawkeye freshman forward Owen Freeman was held to 2 points in the first half, and he finished the game with just 4 points.
After failing to make a 3-pointer against No. 10 Illinois on Jan. 27, the Hoosiers made eight of them Saturday night, shooting 8-of-22 from deep. Iowa junior forward Payton Sandfort converted five of his own, finishing the game with 26 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field.
Spurred by a quick 6-0 run, the Hawkeyes shrunk a once-17 point hole to just 2 with a little over 11 minutes remaining in the contest. A couple minutes later, Iowa picked up its first lead since the opening minute.
Battling through clear discomfort in his left leg, Ware remained one of the Hoosiers’ best offensive options. He finished the game with a team-high 23 points and helped anchor Indiana’s defensive efforts.
With a little over a minute remaining, freshman guard Gabe Cupps drilled an open triple to put Indiana ahead 69-68 — a lead they ultimately wouldn’t relinquish in the thrilling finish.
With the win, the Hoosiers moved to 13-8 on the season and 5-5 in Big Ten play. Next, Indiana stays home and hosts Penn State (9-11, 3-6) on Saturday. Tip is set for 12 p.m. and can be watched on FS1.
Follow reporters Will Foley (@foles24) and Matt Press (@MattPress23) and columnist Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.