At the Buzzer: Indiana 89, Harvard 76

Quick thoughts on an 89-76 win against Harvard:

How it happened

Indiana was sharp offensively in the first half against Harvard, scoring 1.13 points per possession on 17-for-31 shooting from the field. Mackenzie Mgbako scored seven quick points, Kel’el Ware was the recipient of some lobs and the Hoosiers built as much as a five-point lead in the opening 20 minutes. But the defensive struggles continued, as Harvard closed the half on a 6-0 run to go into the locker room with a 40-39 lead. The Crimson made eight 3-pointers in the first half, outscoring the Hoosiers by 18 points from the perimeter.

Xavier Johnson, who looked gimpy in the first half, was ruled out for the second half with a foot injury, forcing Gabe Cupps into the lineup. Malik Reneau left the game early in the second half with an apparent back injury, another injury for the Hoosiers to overcome. Still, Indiana led 54-49 with 15:52 to play on a Ware 3-pointer. The Hoosiers created some separation once Reneau came back into the game at the 14:35 mark. Indiana went on a 9-3 run to push their lead to 65-54 at the under-12 media timeout. By the final media timeout, Indiana’s lead was 79-69 after a Ware rebound and putback. The Hoosiers were never challenged the rest of the way as they cruised to a 13-point victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Standout performer

Ware poured in a career-high 28 points on 12-for-13 shooting from the field. He also had eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots in 32 minutes. Mgbako also had his best game as a Hoosier, finishing with 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting. He also had eight rebounds. Reneau also had a stellar performance with 17 points, five assists and three steals. Kaleb Banks also deserves a mention for coming off the bench and knocking in a pair of 3-pointers.