BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — In an exciting matchup, Oumar Ballo delivered an impressive performance with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists, while Myles Rice contributed significantly with 11 of his 13 points coming in the second half as Indiana triumphed over Penn State 83-78 on Wednesday night.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Trey Galloway drained 3-pointers on successive possessions, followed by Anthony Leal’s two free throws, which propelled Indiana to a 75-69 advantage with just under five minutes left to play. During a critical stretch, Rice made another crucial contribution, pushing the Hoosiers’ lead to 80-73. He first nailed a corner 3-pointer thanks to a well-timed pass from Galloway, and then capitalized on Ace Baldwin Jr.’s missed opportunity by trailing the play for an easy fast-break layup after Galloway snagged the loose ball and quickly advanced it forward.
With just a minute left, Ballo secured an important offensive rebound, leading to Rice being fouled with 56.5 seconds remaining. Rice managed to hit one of his two free throws, extending their lead to 81-76. Despite missing two crucial free throws at 31.7 seconds, which gave Penn State a chance to come back, Zach Hicks failed to convert a potential game-tying 3-pointer, allowing Indiana to reclaim possession. Luke Goode then solidified the victory for the home team from the free-throw line.
Shooting 10 of 15 from beyond the arc, Indiana overcame a less consistent 15 of 25 performance from the free-throw line. Alongside Galloway’s 16 points and four successful 3-pointers, Mackenzie Mgbako also added 13 points, with Goode chipping in 10. This win improved Indiana’s record to 17-11 overall and 8-9 in Big Ten play.
For the Penn State side, Ace Baldwin Jr. stood out with 22 points, alongside five rebounds, five assists, and an impressive six steals. Yanic Konan Niederhauser also made notable contributions with 16 points. Penn State, now standing at 15-14 overall and 5-13 in conference play, is set to host No. 16 Maryland on Saturday before wrapping up the regular season travels to face No. 11 Wisconsin on March 8.
Looking ahead, Indiana has three more games left in their schedule, beginning with an away game at Washington on Saturday.
