Career games for Ware and Mgbako lead Indiana past Harvard 89-76
AP
Nov 26, 2023
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Kel'el Ware scored 28 points, Mackenzie Mgbako added 18, career highs for both, and Indiana Hoosiers pulled away for an 89-76 win over Harvard Crimson on Sunday.
The Hoosiers (5-1) shot 59% (19 of 32) and scored 26 of their 50 second-half points in the paint while outscoring the Crimson (5-2) by 14. They did that sharp-shooting despite playing off campus at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the 40th-straight season they have played a game there.
Ware was 12-of-13 shooting with four dunks and three layups and sinking a 3-pointer for measure. Ware, a 7-foot transfer from Oregon, and Mgbako, a 6-8 freshman, both had eight rebounds. Ware also had three assists, three steals and two blocks.
Malik Reneau scored 17 points and had five assists for Indiana.
Malik Mack scored 27 points, 19 in the second half as he tried to keep the Crimson in the game. Chisom Okpara added 13 points, Louis Lesmond had 10 and Thomas Batties II 10 with 10 rebounds.
Mack opened the second half with a 3-pointer for a four-point lead but a 14-2 run gave the Hoosiers a 63-51 lead with 18:07 to go. Mgbako’s three-point play capped the surge. He and Ware, who had a 3-pointer, both had five points in the run.
The Crimson never got closer than seven after that and Ware scored nine-straight Indiana points to keep the lead in double figures down the stretch.
Harvard made eight 3-pointers in the first half, the last a running bank shot by Mack at the buzzer for a 40-39 lead.
The Crimson went 14 of 28, going 7 of 11 inside the arc, to stay in the game in the first half as the Hossiers shot 55% (17 of 31).
Okpara's layup midway through the first half gave Harvard a 24-18 lead, its biggest, while Ware's dunk that capped a 7-0 run gave Indiana its biggest lead at 36-31 with almost three minutes to go.
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1st Half
HARV
Crimson
40
IND
Hoosiers
39
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Justice Ajogbor vs. Kel'el Ware (Malik Reneau gains possession)
19:44
+2
Malik Reneau makes two point hook shot
0-2
19:26
+3
Chisom Okpara makes three point jump shot (Malik Mack assists)
3-2
19:06
+2
Mackenzie Mgbako makes two point jump shot (Malik Reneau assists)
3-4
18:47
Chandler Pigge misses three point jump shot
18:45
Justice Ajogbor offensive rebound
18:42
+2
Justice Ajogbor makes two point dunk
5-4
18:28
Malik Reneau misses two point layup
18:26
Kel'el Ware offensive rebound
18:21
+2
Kel'el Ware makes two point layup
5-6
18:07
Kel'el Ware shooting foul (Justice Ajogbor draws the foul)
18:07
+1
Justice Ajogbor makes regular free throw 1 of 2
6-6
18:07
+1
Justice Ajogbor makes regular free throw 2 of 2
7-6
17:54
+2
Mackenzie Mgbako makes two point jump shot (Kel'el Ware assists)
7-8
17:26
Justice Ajogbor turnover (traveling)
17:02
Chisom Okpara shooting foul (Kel'el Ware draws the foul)
17:02
+1
Kel'el Ware makes regular free throw 1 of 2
7-9
17:02
+1
Kel'el Ware makes regular free throw 2 of 2
7-10
16:51
Chandler Pigge turnover (bad pass) (Kel'el Ware steals)
16:45
Mackenzie Mgbako misses two point jump shot
16:43
Malik Mack defensive rebound
16:33
+3
Chisom Okpara makes three point jump shot (Malik Mack assists)
10-10
16:15
Xavier Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Chandler Pigge steals)
16:02
Malik Mack misses two point jump shot
16:00
Kel'el Ware defensive rebound
15:49
+2
Mackenzie Mgbako makes two point jump shot (Trey Galloway assists)
10-12
15:49
Crimson 30 second timeout
15:49
TV timeout
15:38
Louis Lesmond misses two point jump shot
15:36
Mackenzie Mgbako defensive rebound
15:19
Trey Galloway misses two point jump shot
15:17
Kel'el Ware offensive rebound
15:17
Chisom Okpara shooting foul (Kel'el Ware draws the foul)
15:17
Kel'el Ware misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:17
Kel'el Ware misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:17
Mackenzie Mgbako offensive rebound
15:14
Mackenzie Mgbako turnover (bad pass)
15:01
Thomas Batties II misses three point jump shot
14:59
Xavier Johnson defensive rebound
14:43
Malik Reneau turnover (bad pass) (Luca Ace-Nasteski steals)
14:36
Thomas Batties II turnover (out of bounds)
14:22
Trey Galloway misses three point jump shot
14:20
Thomas Batties II defensive rebound
14:07
+2
Louis Lesmond makes two point jump shot
12-12
13:50
+2
Malik Reneau makes two point hook shot
12-14
13:27
Justice Ajogbor misses two point layup
13:25
Malik Reneau defensive rebound
13:18
Malik Reneau misses two point jump shot
13:16
Luca Ace-Nasteski defensive rebound
13:06
Louis Lesmond misses three point jump shot
13:04
Malik Reneau personal foul
12:44
+3
Thomas Batties II makes three point jump shot (Malik Mack assists)
15-14
12:27
Payton Sparks offensive foul
12:27
Payton Sparks turnover (offensive foul)
12:22
CJ Gunn shooting foul (Denham Wojcik draws the foul)
12:22
+1
Denham Wojcik makes regular free throw 1 of 2
16-14
12:22
+1
Denham Wojcik makes regular free throw 2 of 2
17-14
12:00
+2
Anthony Walker makes two point layup (Payton Sparks assists)
17-16
11:35
TV timeout
11:27
Malik Mack misses three point jump shot
11:27
Luca Ace-Nasteski personal foul
11:12
Kaleb Banks misses three point jump shot
11:10
Thomas Batties II defensive rebound
11:07
+3
Thomas Batties II makes three point jump shot (Denham Wojcik assists)
20-16
10:35
+2
CJ Gunn makes two point jump shot (Xavier Johnson assists)
20-18
10:22
Anthony Walker personal foul
10:14
+2
Thomas Batties II makes two point layup (Chisom Okpara assists)
22-18
9:59
CJ Gunn turnover (bad pass)
9:40
Chisom Okpara misses three point jump shot
9:38
Justice Ajogbor offensive rebound
9:33
+2
Chisom Okpara makes two point layup (Denham Wojcik assists)
24-18
9:14
+3
Mackenzie Mgbako makes three point jump shot (Kel'el Ware assists)
24-21
8:59
Malik Mack misses three point jump shot
8:57
Kel'el Ware defensive rebound
8:45
Mackenzie Mgbako misses two point jump shot
8:43
Thomas Batties II defensive rebound
8:37
Malik Mack turnover (bad pass) (Malik Reneau steals)
8:22
+2
Kel'el Ware makes two point alley-oop dunk (Malik Reneau assists)
24-23
7:51
Justice Ajogbor turnover (bad pass) (Xavier Johnson steals)
7:49
Malik Mack personal foul (Xavier Johnson draws the foul)
7:49
TV timeout
7:41
+2
Kel'el Ware makes two point dunk (Malik Reneau assists)
24-25
7:28
Thomas Batties II misses two point jump shot
7:26
Thomas Batties II offensive rebound
7:23
Thomas Batties II turnover (bad pass) (Malik Reneau steals)
7:13
Malik Reneau misses two point jump shot
7:11
Kel'el Ware offensive rebound
7:03
+2
Kel'el Ware makes two point jump shot
24-27
6:42
+2
Malik Mack makes two point jump shot
26-27
6:27
Justice Ajogbor blocks Xavier Johnson's two point layup
6:25
Malik Reneau offensive rebound
6:17
Malik Reneau misses two point layup
6:15
Justice Ajogbor defensive rebound
6:10
+3
Malik Mack makes three point jump shot
29-27
5:55
Mackenzie Mgbako misses three point jump shot
5:53
Malik Reneau offensive rebound
5:47
+2
Malik Reneau makes two point layup
29-29
5:23
+2
Justice Ajogbor makes two point layup (Chandler Pigge assists)
31-29
5:02
Xavier Johnson misses two point jump shot
4:58
Mackenzie Mgbako personal foul
4:48
Malik Mack misses three point jump shot
4:46
Trey Galloway defensive rebound
4:40
Trey Galloway misses two point layup
4:38
Thomas Batties II defensive rebound
4:28
Louis Lesmond misses three point jump shot
4:26
Kel'el Ware defensive rebound
4:20
+2
Trey Galloway makes two point layup
31-31
4:00
Chandler Pigge turnover (lost ball) (Kel'el Ware steals)
3:41
+2
Xavier Johnson makes two point jump shot
31-33
3:41
Louis Lesmond shooting foul (Xavier Johnson draws the foul)
3:41
TV timeout
3:41
+1
Xavier Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1
31-34
3:14
Chandler Pigge misses three point jump shot
3:12
Malik Reneau defensive rebound
2:57
Chandler Pigge personal foul
2:56
+2
Kel'el Ware makes two point alley-oop dunk (Mackenzie Mgbako assists)
31-36
2:35
+3
Louis Lesmond makes three point jump shot (Luca Ace-Nasteski assists)
34-36
2:11
Malik Reneau turnover (lost ball)
1:48
Malik Mack turnover (out of bounds)
1:29
Malik Reneau turnover (bad pass) (Denham Wojcik steals)
1:24
Malik Mack offensive foul (Gabe Cupps draws the foul)
1:24
Malik Mack turnover (offensive foul)
1:13
+3
Kaleb Banks makes three point jump shot (Kel'el Ware assists)
34-39
0:50
Chandler Pigge misses two point jump shot
0:48
Justice Ajogbor offensive rebound
0:41
+3
Louis Lesmond makes three point jump shot (Tyler Simon assists)
37-39
0:37
Hoosiers 30 second timeout
0:07
Trey Galloway misses three point jump shot
0:05
Crimson defensive rebound
0:01
+3
Malik Mack makes three point jump shot
40-39
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
HARV
Crimson
36
IND
Hoosiers
50
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:38
Kel'el Ware blocks Chisom Okpara's two point jump shot
19:38
Thomas Batties II offensive rebound
19:38
+3
Malik Mack makes three point jump shot (Thomas Batties II assists)
43-39
19:08
+2
Malik Reneau makes two point hook shot
43-41
19:02
+2
Chisom Okpara makes two point layup (Louis Lesmond assists)
45-41
18:47
+2
Malik Reneau makes two point layup
45-43
18:24
Thomas Batties II misses two point layup
18:22
Gabe Cupps defensive rebound
18:01
Jump ball. Malik Reneau vs. Louis Lesmond (Hoosiers gains possession)
17:55
+2
Anthony Walker makes two point floating jump shot (Trey Galloway assists)
45-45
17:40
Kel'el Ware blocks Chisom Okpara's two point dunk
17:38
Trey Galloway defensive rebound
17:33
+2
Mackenzie Mgbako makes two point layup (Trey Galloway assists)
45-47
17:27
Crimson 30 second timeout
17:27
TV timeout
17:11
Gabe Cupps shooting foul (Malik Mack draws the foul)
17:11
+1
Malik Mack makes regular free throw 1 of 2
46-47
17:11
+1
Malik Mack makes regular free throw 2 of 2
47-47
16:54
+2
Mackenzie Mgbako makes two point jump shot
47-49
16:41
Louis Lesmond misses three point jump shot
16:39
Kel'el Ware defensive rebound
16:38
Kel'el Ware turnover (out of bounds)
16:34
Gabe Cupps shooting foul (Malik Mack draws the foul)
16:34
+1
Malik Mack makes regular free throw 1 of 2
48-49
16:34
+1
Malik Mack makes regular free throw 2 of 2
49-49
16:21
+2
Trey Galloway makes two point layup (Gabe Cupps assists)
49-51
16:06
Thomas Batties II misses three point jump shot
16:04
Mackenzie Mgbako defensive rebound
15:51
+3
Kel'el Ware makes three point jump shot (Trey Galloway assists)
49-54
15:34
+2
Malik Mack makes two point jump shot
51-54
15:18
Mackenzie Mgbako misses three point jump shot
15:16
Thomas Batties II defensive rebound
14:50
Thomas Batties II misses two point hook shot
14:48
Gabe Cupps defensive rebound
14:35
Chandler Pigge shooting foul (Mackenzie Mgbako draws the foul)