BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Kel’el Ware had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Mackenzie Mgbako added 13 points and Indiana cruised past Maryland 65-53 on Friday night in a Big Ten Conference opener for both teams.
The contest marked the earliest the Hoosiers have opened Big Ten play since defeating Northwestern 68-66 on Dec. 1, 2018.
Malik Reneau made a 3-pointer with 13:51 remaining in the first half to give Indiana its first double-digit lead. Ware’s three-point play with 3:20 remaining before the break put the Hoosiers ahead by double-figures for good.
Indiana scored 10 straight points in the second half, with three straight baskets by Trey Galloway, to extend the lead to 52-31. Indiana led by as many as 23 points in the second half. Maryland got within 61-49 after scoring 10 straight points but the 7-foot Ware ended Indiana’s scoring drought.
Galloway finished with 12 and Reneau added 11 points for Indiana (6-1). Starting point guard Xavier Johnson did not play.
Jahmir Young led Maryland (4-4) with 20 points and Julian Reese added 14. Senior forward Jordan Geronimo, who played his first three collegiate seasons with the Hoosiers, was scoreless on five field-goal attempts.
The Hoosiers have won five of the last six matchups in the series, with the loss coming in the lone regular-season meeting last season in College Park. Indiana bounced back, behind 24 points from Trayce Jackson-Davis, to take down Maryland 70-60 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
Indiana goes for its fourth straight win on Tuesday against Michigan. Maryland, which had a three-game winning streak snapped, hosts Penn State on Wednesday.
