Amidst a maelstrom of extenuating circumstances, Indiana men’s basketball proved one big thing on Tuesday.
This team hasn’t given up.
The Hoosiers had lost seven of their last eight games going into Tuesday’s game at No. 11 Michigan State. and the program announced it will part ways with head coach Mike Woodson at the end of the season — which means uncertain futures for both IU players and staffers.
But none of that mattered on this night at the Breslin Center. Indiana completed the upset, pulling out a 71-67 victory over the Spartans. IU players ran out on the court as the final buzzer sounded to celebrate their victory. Oumar Ballo jumped around in excitement.
It’s a scene that wouldn’t suggest this team is in the position it’s in. And, even if only for one night, the Hoosiers played like they aren’t in that position. They rallied together to get the job done.
“I think everybody knows what the situation is now,” junior Malik Reneau said after the game. “So we’re just coming together, trying to play as hard as we can every time we step on the court, no matter if we’re home or away.”
Reneau was the biggest exemplar of the strong effort Indiana played with on Tuesday.
The forward had begun turning the corner from his knee injury on Saturday against Michigan, but he got off to a rough 1-for-8 start in the first half against MSU. But Reneau turned it on after halftime, when IU needed him most, as Oumar Ballo got into foul trouble. The Spartans struggled to stop Indiana in the post, whether it was Ballo in the first half or Reneau in the second.
Reneau, in the second half, looked as healthy as he has in over a month. He sprawled for loose balls, executed strong post moves seamlessly, and just generally gave Indiana a badly-needed spark in a big game. This after Woodson benched him for the second time all season, with the only other time being his return from the five-game absence.
“I can’t say enough about Malik, cause I went to him the other day and told him he wasn’t starting. And it probably didn’t sit well with him. But he said, ‘Coach, whatever you need me to do.’ And he came in and played his ass off,” Woodson said. “That’s all you can ask for.”
After the game, Anthony Leal shared a clip of his high-fives and celebrating the victory on his Instagram story and added, “For our coach,” with a heart emoji.
No matter how things have turned out this season for Indiana — whose NCAA Tournament hopes may somehow still have some life —this team is playing for Woodson. The Hoosiers have found a lot of different ways to lose games, but realistically, they could’ve beaten Maryland and Purdue with a few more bounces or calls going their way.
But in East Lansing, Mich. Tuesday, Indiana finally closed out the game. MSU repeatedly put the Hoosiers at the foul line late, and they stepped up and went 10 for 13 at the stripe over the last 1:14 of game time. The Spartans chipped away at a nine-point IU lead over the last 3:14, as good teams do, but Woodson’s group finished the job.
“It means a lot,” Woodson said. “We’ve lost some close games, even though — we just haven’t been able to finish. I take a lot of pride in that as a coach. The Purdue game was a game that we could’ve won. Maryland at home. Northwestern on the road. I could just name them so quickly. But we didn’t win them.”
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