Rutgers uses balanced attack to beat Indiana 66-57 for 1st Big Ten victory

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Showtime! Mawot Mag reaches back for big dunk

Mawot Mag increases Rutgers' lead with a steal and slam in the second half.

Jan 10, 2024, 02:47 am

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- — Mawot Mag scored 13 points to lead five players in double figures and Rutgers picked up its first Big Ten Conference win of the season with a 66-57 victory over Indiana on Tuesday night.

Mag, who recorded career highs of 24 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to Iowa last time out, added eight rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Scarlet Knights (9-6, 1-3). Aundre Hyatt made two 3-pointers and scored 12 with six rebounds to help Rutgers beat the Hoosiers (11-5, 3-2) for the ninth time in the last 11 matchups.

Austin Williams, Derek Simpson and reserve Jamichael Davis all scored 10 for Rutgers. Williams and Davis both finished with six boards. Clifford Omoruyi had just five points, but he grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked five shots to increase his conference-leading total to 52.

Kel'el Ware had 13 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, pacing Indiana with his sixth double-double of the season. Malik Reneau finished with 13 points, seven assists and six boards. Mackenzie Mgbako hit three 3-pointers and also scored 13.

Simpson sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer and Rutgers took a 30-27 into halftime. The Scarlet Knights scored seven of the first nine points, but Indiana used a dunk by Ware to cap a 16-4 run and the Hoosiers led 18-11 at the midway point. Rutgers retook the lead with 2:34 left and never trailed again.

The second half saw Xavier Johnson, a sixth-year senior and Indiana's lone returning starter, ejected for a flagrant foul with 13:10 remaining and the Hoosiers trailing 39-35.

Indiana closed to within a point, but Williams had a layup and two offensive rebounds that led to Hyatt's 3-pointer and another Williams bucket the next two trips down the floor, giving the Scarlet Knights their biggest lead to that point at 47-38 with 8:18 left to play. Williams scored again and Mag had a steal and a layup as the run grew to 12-0 and the lead reached 51-38.

Mgbako had a layup to end Rutgers' run and an Indiana scoring drought that lasted 5:38, but Mag answered with a jumper in the paint and the Scarlet Knights maintained a two-possession lead from there.

Rutgers turned 18 Indiana turnovers into 18 points. Both teams shot under 40% overall and under 30% from distance. The Scarlet Knights made 19 of 28 at the free-throw line, while the Hoosiers missed 11 of 15 attempts.

Rutgers leads the all-time series 9-8. The Scarlet Knights used a 19-0 second-half run at home last season to beat then-No. 8 Indiana 63-48.

UP NEXT

Indiana: The Hoosiers return home to play Minnesota on Friday.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights travel to play Michigan State on Sunday.

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