SIMON SKJODT ASSEMBLY HALL — After Indiana men’s basketball’s lackluster 2023-24 season, Mike Woodson clearly needed a roster upgrade. The Hoosiers were not nearly deep enough, as by the end of the season, Woodson’s rotation was down to seven or eight players.
In Indiana’s 87-71 win over South Carolina on Saturday, the team showed its improved depth. The 16th-ranked Hoosiers had five different players score at least 11 points in their impressive offensive showing.
IU has plenty of options, which couldn’t be said last year. Saturday’s game saw Washington State transfer Myles Rice (23 points), Mackenzie Mgbako (17), Malik Reneau (13), Stanford transfer Kanaan Carlyle (12) and Trey Galloway (11) all get to double figures. And this was with starting center Oumar Ballo — who was a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 selection at Arizona — scoring just seven points.
At least four players have scored in double figures in all three of IU’s games this season. Several players on this team have been focal offensive players in Bloomington or elsewhere, so they’re comfortable creating for themselves.
“This team is not predicated on one guy now,” Woodson said. “We have enough guys that can put the ball in the hole if they play the right way and play unselfish.”
Having this many scoring threats makes it hard for opponents to game plan for Indiana. Ballo came into Saturday averaging 16 points in Indiana’s first two games, but he had only two field-goal attempts against South Carolina. Rice led the Hoosiers in scoring on Saturday, but he attempted only 10 total field goals in the first two outings.
Rice and his backcourt mates — Carlyle and Galloway — are much more capable lead guards than what the Hoosiers had in 2023-24. The three of them combined for 46 points to help add a new element to the offense.
“I think we all feed off each other really well,” Rice claimed. “That's a credit to not only us, but our teammates as well. They understand how to play with us and we understand how to play with them. Our coaching staff knows how to coach us as well.”
A game like this one was part of Woodson’s vision when rebuilding the team. He said he learned a “valuable lesson” from IU’s lack of explosion and depth in the backcourt last season.
“We have enough perimeter players this season, and I feel good about everybody in case someone goes down,” Woodson said. “I feel good that the next guy can step in and make basketball plays for us.”
All eight players who played against South Carolina got at least 11 minutes of playing time. The Hoosiers did not play Gabe Cupps, who started 22 games last year. Fifth-year guard Anthony Leal still hasn’t played yet this year either.
South Carolina posed the first major test for IU this year, and the Hoosiers passed. IU proved to have a lot more scoring threats than its SEC competition.
If Indiana continues to get meaningful scoring contributions from an array of players, it will be a dangerous team. Stars are great, but balance and depth can take college basketball teams a long way. The Hoosiers showed that they have plenty of depth and plenty of options.
