Follow along with live updates below as the Hoosiers host Rutgers to bring back conference play.

Feel free also to join the discussion thread below to share your views.

Indiana and the Scarlet Knights tip-off at 8:30 p.m. ET on BTN.

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FINAL: Indiana 84, Rutgers 74

SECOND HALF

Indiana starting to pull away with a 71-57 lead with 3:49 left.

• Ballo gets another block and wags his finger, prompting a nice response from the crowd. Energy in the building has been bought in for every second of the game, something that wasn’t present in any of IU’s previous games this season.
• Ballo is up to a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. One of four Hoosiers in double figures.

Hoosiers lead 62-52 with 7:38 left in the game.

• Certainly hasn’t been the smoothest half offensively for Indiana. Overall they’re only shooting 38 percent from the field, and 36 percent in the half so far.
• Indiana has taken 24 more shots than Rutgers. IU has seven turnovers on the game, and Rutgers has 11.

Indiana up 56-43 with 11:21 in the second half.

• Ace Bailey gets his first points of the second half with 11:57 to go. The Hoosiers have done a great job denying him defensively.
• Some good games all around for the Hoosiers, but if I had an MVP award, I gotta give it to Oumar Ballo so far. 13 points and eight rebounds, with six of them being on the offensive glass.

7-0 run in the past minute and four seconds sees Indiana’s lead up to 54-38.

• Great half defensively so far for the Hoosiers. Rice again on the floor with another steal. He’s got two tonight.

The first media timeout is right at 16 minutes and IU leads 47-36.

• For those wondering about Reneau, he has returned to the bench with a pack of ice on his right knee. He will be unavailable for the rest of tonight’s game.
• Myles Rice with a nice game on both ends so far. Making a few stops on defense, and holding his own offensively with 10 points and an assist.

HALFTIME: Indiana 41, Rutgers 34 

FIRST HALF

The half-court practice paid off. Anthony Leal with a twisting heave that banks in to give the Hoosiers a 41-34 lead.

34-31 Hoosier lead with 3:53 in the half.

• Indiana was on an 8-0 run before Ace Bailey gets a friendly bounce on an offensive rebound and converts. IU is perfect on their last four field goal attempts.

Indiana takes the 32-29 lead with 5:06 in the first half.

• Impressive effort for Indiana on both sides of the ball on that stretch gets them the lead. Getting chippy on both sides as well.
• I don’t have specific matchup stats, but it seems like Leal has been making Ace Bailey a bit more uncomfortable on the defensive end. Indiana has also double-teamed him on the perimeter.

Rutgers with a 28-24 lead with 7:29 left to play in the first.

• Bailey goes to the bench for the first time but leaves the floor with 16 points. No answer defensively yet, as both Goode and Anthony Leal continue to guard him.
• A major development that went under the radar was Ballo checking in for Reneau. Only played eight minutes before Hatton subbed for him.

All knotted up at 16 with 11:51 left to play.

• Ace Bailey is the real deal folks. 11 points on a few tough drives and mid-range jumpers. Goode is still the main defender on him so far.
• On the bright side, Indiana has more made threes than their last game at Winthrop already, on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Goode, Galloway, and Mgbako each with a make.
• Still no Reneau on the bench yet.

Indiana up 10-9 through five minutes in the first half.

• Still a situation to monitor with Reneau. I do not believe he has returned to Indiana’s bench yet.
• On defense, Goode is matched up with Ace Bailey, and he has gotten beat off the dribble a few times already. Four points for Bailey, and he’s going to the line for two more out of the timeout.

Reneau is up pretty quickly. Initially looked serious, but he was able to get up on his own power.

Through 29 seconds, Malik Reneau is down on the floor with some pain in his right knee. Oumar Ballo to check in for him.

PREGAME

• Oumar Ballo was listed as questionable on the injury report but did participate in pregame warmups. Signs point to him seeing the floor at some point tonight.
• On Rutgers’ side, standout Freshman Dylan Harper is OUT tonight. He is not listed on the pregame injury report, but he is in sweats and not participating in warmups. He averages 22.8 ppg.
• Luke Goode will make the start tonight, with Rice, Reneau, Galloway, and Mgbako.

Game Day Essentials:

Indiana (10-3, 1-1) vs. Rutgers (8-5, 1-1)

• Tip Time:  8:30 p.m. Eastern, Thursday
• Location: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222), Bloomington, Ind.
• Television: Peacock (Noah Eagle, Robbie Hummel, Caroline Pineda)
• Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
• Stream: Peacock
• Point Spread:  Indiana is a 5.5-point favorite
• KenPom Projected Score:  Indiana 81  Rutgers 76
• History: Indiana trails, 9-8.
• Last Meeting: RUT 66, IU 57 on Jan. 9, 2024 in Piscataway
• Tickets (via our StubHub affiliate link)

For complete coverage of IU basketball, GO HERE.    

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