No. 15 IU basketball lost 89-61 to Louisville in the opening game of the Battle 4 Atlantis in The Bahamas. It was a disastrous effort from the Hoosiers (4-1) and it tied for the most lopsided nonconference loss of Mike Woodson’s tenure.
Here are the match ratings:
‘This is not Indiana basketball.’ IU fans disgusted by blowout loss to Louisville
STARTERS
∎ Myles Rice: 3/10
Rice’s frustration started to show early in the second half when he launched a contested 3-point shot from the top of the key early in the shot clock without even looking to set up the offense. He missed his first 10 field goal attempts and was a complete non-factor in the loss with as many turnovers (3) as points. The Hoosiers backcourt (starters and reserves) didn’t have a single point in the first half and the whole group was outclassed by Louisville’s starting point guard Chucky Hepburn, who had 16 points and 10 assists.
∎ Kanaan Carlyle: 3/10
He picked up his third foul less than three minutes into the second half. His on-ball pressure remains impressive and clearly frustrates the opposing team’s backcourt, but he just can’t get going offensively.
∎ Mackenzie Mgbako: 2/10
Indiana’s leading scorer attempted just two shots in the first half and finished the game with just eight points (2 of 7). The performance was reminiscent of how he played last November as a true freshman when he looked completely unsure of himself and his role on the team.
∎ Malik Reneau: 4/10
Reneau accounted for much of IU’s offense in the first half with 15 points including a pair of 3-pointers and two assists. He led all scorers with 21 points, but his offense was all empty calories.
∎ Oumar Ballo: 3/10
Ballo was an energetic presence in the early moments and threw down a thunderous dunk in the paint, but those good vibes were short lived. Louisville neutralized IU’s significant size advantage by outscoring them in the paint 48-20 and nearly won the rebounding battle as well (40-35). He looked lost at sea trying to defend the pick and roll, and rarely contested a shot in the second half.
RESERVES
∎ Trey Galloway: 4/10
This was the first time this season Galloway hasn’t provided IU with a lift off the bench. This was only the second time this season he hit the 20-minute mark.
∎ Luke Goode: 3/10
Goode’s fast break layup with 14:18 left in the game was IU’s first points off the bench. His lone 3-pointer came with IU trailing by more than 20 points. His struggles would make more sense if he was coming off the bench for the first time in his career, but he only started seven games in three years for Illinois.
∎ Bryson Tucker: 4/10
He plays with a consistent effort even when the team is struggling, but the Hoosiers shouldn’t need a true freshman coming off the bench to carry the team when he’s on the floor after signing some of the most talented transfers in the country.
∎ Gabe Cupps: 6/10
Cupps made the briefest of appearances at the end of the first half. Indiana had a foul to give with four seconds to go and Woodson sent Cupps into the game to take it. He checked back in for the final minutes as Woodson emptied out the bench.
∎ Langdon Hatton: N/A
Checked in for the first time with IU trailing 84-50.
∎ Anthony Leal: N/A
Checked in for the first time with IU trailing 84-50.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana vs Louisville player ratings: Hoosiers no-show in Atlantis
