Indiana Defeats Rutgers 84-74 Despite Key Player Absences

Myles Rice and Oumar Ballo step up for Indiana as Ace Bailey's career-high 39 points fall short for Rutgers.

Indiana's Myles Rice led the team with 19 points, controlling the game's tempo and providing crucial leadership in the absence of leading scorer Malik Reneau, who exited early with a knee injury.
Oumar Ballo, returning from a one-game absence, posted a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, filling the void left by Reneau's injury and dominating Rutgers' younger big men.
Rutgers' star freshman Ace Bailey scored a career-high 39 points but lacked sufficient support, with no other teammate scoring more than nine points in the game.
Both teams were missing their top scorers, as Rutgers' Dylan Harper, the Big Ten's leading scorer, was sidelined due to illness, and Indiana's Malik Reneau left the game after just 29 seconds.
Indiana broke out of a recent 3-point shooting slump, hitting 12 of 27 from beyond the arc, including key late-game shots that secured their victory.