Sophomore Malik Reneau scored 34 points, setting a career high for a second straight game, to lead Indiana to a 100-87 victory over Kennesaw State on Friday night in Bloomington, Ind.
Simeon Cottle led the Owls (9-5) with 21 points. Terrell Burden had 20 points, nine assists and five of KSU’s 15 turnovers. Jusaun Holt came off the bench to score 16 of his 19 points in the first half as the Owls trailed 50-46 at halftime.
Reneau matched his best effort on the boards with 11 rebounds to finish off his first double-double for the Hoosiers (10-3). He made 13 of 19 shots with a 3-pointer and 7 of 11 free throws, adding four assists and five of Indiana’s 18 turnovers. Reneau had 25 points last time out in Indiana’s 83-66 victory over visiting North Alabama.
Mackenzie Mgbako and Trey Galloway both scored 14. Mgbako made three 3-pointers in the first 2:11 to help Indiana take an 11-5 lead. He grabbed six rebounds, while Galloway had seven assists. Reserves Kaleb Banks and Anthony Walker scored 12 and 10, respectively, and each finished with five boards. Payton Sparks pitched in with 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots.
Cottle and Burden made back-to-back 3-pointers and Kennesaw State took a 68-64 lead with 13:16 remaining in the game. Banks answered with a three-point play, Reneau followed with a layup and Indiana moved back in front by a point. Banks hit a 3-pointer and Walker sank two straight jumpers to push the Hoosiers’ lead to 81-71, and they stayed comfortably in front over the final 7:47.
“We fought to the very end, and that’s what I ask of them,” Kennesaw State coach Antoine Pettway said. “We wanted games like this to prepare us for the ASUN, when you’re in a one-bid league, conference play is what matters the most, we’re happy to have nine wins at this point, wished we got a tenth tonight, but I still consider myself super lucky to be able to coach these guys.”
The Hoosiers shot 61% from the floor (36 of 59) and made 7 of 15 from beyond the arc. They were 21 for 33 at the free-throw line.
Kennesaw State shot 45.1% overall (32 for 71) and 48.6% from distance (17 for 35). The Owls were 6 of 8 at the foul line.
Kennesaw State, which falls to 0-4 against Indiana, returns home to play Queens University in an Atlantic Sun Conference opener on Jan. 6.
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