Mackenzie Mgbako poured in a game-high 31 points and added nine rebounds Wednesday night as No. 17 Indiana opened its season with an 80-61 win over visiting SIU Edwardsville in Bloomington, Ind.
Mgbako hit 13 of 17 shots from the field, including 4 of 5 from the 3-point line, as the Hoosiers steadily pulled away over the final 25 minutes against their Ohio Valley Conference opponent. Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo each added 15 points, while Washington State transfer Myles Rice chipped in 11.
Ray’Sean Taylor scored 17 points for the Cougars (1-1) but made only 7 of 22 shots, including 3 of 10 from the 3-point line. Reserve Myles Thompson added 10 points, but SIU Edwardsville simply didn’t have enough punch to pull off the upset.
The Cougars converted just 35.2 percent from the field, including a measly 5 of 26 from the 3-point line, and were outrebounded 43-34. They earned a 15-12 advantage in fast-break points but were outscored 23-14 in points off turnovers.
Owning a 12-point lead at halftime, Indiana wasn’t seriously threatened in the second half. SIU Edwardsville got within nine points twice, but Mgbako keyed a 12-2 run with a 3-pointer, a layup and a dunk that pushed the Hoosiers’ advantage to 67-48 at the 7:22 mark.
Indiana controlled most of the first half, establishing a 20-9 lead with 12:42 left after Trey Galloway made a free throw. Mgbako was a big part of the early burst, scoring 13 points in a four-minute stretch, including nine in a row.
At that point, the Cougars found some traction as they copied the Hoosiers’ inside-out approach. Four straight buckets in the lane preceded a 3-pointer by Brian Taylor that sliced the deficit to four. When Ray’Sean Taylor drilled a long 3-pointer with 4:48 on the clock, SIU Edwardsville forged a 27-27 tie.
But Mgbako countered with a 3-pointer and a 3-point play off a steal from Ray’Sean Taylor, putting Indiana back in charge. The Hoosiers finished the half on a 15-3 run, giving them a 42-30 cushion at the break.