Indiana University Men’s Basketball hands #11 Michigan State its first home loss Maybe, just maybe, Indiana is ready to win its way to postseason possibilities. Winning at Michigan State and the raucous Breslin Center Tuesday night, where the Hoosiers had lost seven of their previous eight games, and fighting their way to victory despite a 1-7 stretch that resulted in the announced retirement of head coach Mike Woodson, was a huge boost for a team that needed it. Dominant zone defense and clutch down-the-stretch free throw shooting from junior forward Malik Reneau, sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako and fifth-year senior guard Anthony Leal clinched the 71-67 victory and prevented Spartans head coach Tom Izzo from passing former Indiana head Bob Knight as the Big Ten’s career victory leader. Both remain tied at 353. “We’re happy to get off this slide,” assistant coach Yasir Rosemond told “Voice of the Hoosiers”, Don Fischer, during the postgame radio show. “The guys have been working hard. We’re trying to make sure we keep these guys confident. We still have a lot to play for.”
The Hoosiers improved to 15-10 overall, 6-8 in the Big Ten. “This was a total team effort,” Woodson said. “We needed a win badly. These guys have been down. We’ve been scrapping and scratching trying to find a way. “There’s a lot of basketball left. I have to get them to believe. That’s what it’s all about. We’re playing to get into the tournament. Anything can happen. We have to continue to work.” Reneau was the closer as IU handed the No. 11/11 Spartans (19-5, 10-3) their first home loss in 13 games this season. He took charge when it mattered most to finish with 19 points (16 in the second half) and 12 rebounds. It was his second double-double of the season and it occured while coming off the bench.
“I was getting frustrated early on,” Reneau said. “Coach said go straight to the rim. That’s what I did. In the second half, everything was working for me.” Rosemond told Fischer that having Reneau come off the bench was because, “We wanted to switch some things up and jolt our team. Malik had a big second half. He’s returning to form after his injury. He wants to end this for Coach Woodson in the right way.” Sixth-year center Oumar Ballo also delivered a double-double, his eighth of the season, with 14 points and 10 rebounds despite playing just 26 minutes before fouling out. Redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice and senior forward Luke Goode each had 10 points.
IU played Michigan State to a virtual draw in fastbreak points at 17 to 19, huge given the Spartans are one of the nation’s best transition teams. “We were so afraid of their transition,” Woodson said. “They get the ball out so quickly. We couldn’t combat that.” Rosemond told Fischer that the coaches were adamant with the players about getting back on defense. “They are one of the fastest teams in the country,” Rosemond told Fischer. “We knew we had to get our defense set.” IU’s zone defense thrived against a Michigan State team that had struggled from the perimeter all season.
The Spartans were the Big Ten’s worst-shooting 3-point team at 29%. The strategy worked. Michigan State lost its offense in the last eight minutes of the first half and the first three minutes of the second half after building leads as large as 12. The result was an 18-2 Indiana run that gave it a nine-point, early second-half lead, and set the tone for the cliffhanger finish. The Spartans went 4-for-23 from beyond the arc. “The zone saved us,” Woodson said. Rosemond told Fischer they had been working on it in practice. It had been effective in the previous game against Michigan. “Coach Knight probably turned over in his grave, but we’ve been trying to change some things up. Do whatever we can to help us defensively. We’ve been primarily a man team. It might have shocked them a little bit. Our guys did a great job.”
Michigan State scored the game’s first seven points and 10 of the first 12, with eight of those points coming via offensive rebounds. Ballo, Reneau and Mgbako shot IU to within 10-8. The teams were a combined 1-for-10 on 3-pointers in the first eight minutes. The Spartans surged ahead 20-8. Freshman Forward Bryson Tucker ended the 10-0 run with a pair of free throws. Goode followed with a 3-pointer. Rice added a free throw for a 22-14 score. Goode’s second 3-pointer closed the gap to 24-20. A Rice 3-pointer and a Ballo layup got the Hoosiers within 29-28 with three minutes left in the half. Ballo’s two free throws gave IU its first lead at 30-29. Goode added a pair of free throws for the 32-29 halftime lead. The Hoosiers ended the half on a 12-2 run and held Michigan State scoreless in the final four minutes.
Ballo led IU with 12 points and seven rebounds. Goode added eight. Ballo and Reneau combined for six-straight points to open the second half as the Hoosiers surged ahead 38-29. Ballo went to the bench with three and then four fouls and IU didn’t flinch behind Goode, Reneau, Rice and fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway. It went ahead 48-41. Five-straight Reneau points gave the Hoosiers a cushion at 55-50 they extended to 61-52 with 3:14 left. A couple of IU turnovers and a Michigan State basket made it 61-56 with 80 seconds remaining. Mgbako made a free throw. Goode got a steal. The Spartans made a layup for a 62-60 score with 32 seconds left. Rice hit two free throws. The Spartans made two free throws for a 64-62 score with 20 seconds remaining. Reneau and Mgbako combined for five free throws. Anthony Leal made two more to clinch the victory. IU plays again Friday night when it hosts UCLA (18-7, 9-5). “I have to keep pushing them,” Woodson said.
Josh Rife Named Indiana University Women’s Soccer Head Coach Indiana University Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson has announced the hiring of Josh Rife as the head coach for Indiana women’s soccer program. Rife is the fifth head coach in program history and takes over after a six-year stint as the head coach of Ball State women’s soccer. “This is an exciting day for Indiana Women’s Soccer,” Dolson said. “Josh’s background as a Final Four player for our men’s program, coupled with his impressive 20-year coaching resume, caught our eye from the start. Then, once we talked to him, we knew he was the person to lead our program into a new, exciting era. He has extensive recruiting connections in the state and around the Midwest that will pay immediate dividends. He also has a burning desire to see IU Women’s Soccer become a force both in the Big Ten and on the national stage. We could not be more excited to welcome Josh back to Bloomington as the new head coach of our women’s soccer program.”
Rife returns to his alma mater as the Honolulu, Hawaii native played two seasons for Indiana men’s soccer from 2000-01. At Indiana, Rife led the Hoosiers to back-to-back Final Four appearances in 2000 and 2001, and a Big Ten title in 2001. “I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to come back to Bloomington and coach at my alma mater,” Rife said. “My time as a student-athlete was special and I look forward to providing that experience to other student-athletes. I’m appreciative of Scott and the committee for entrusting me to lead the program and I look forward to getting started.”
Rife owns an overall record of 49-38-21 (33-18-13 MAC) in this six-season tenure at Ball State, highlighted by a program record-tying 15 wins in 2019. His teams have been especially good at home, going 29-12-8 at the Briner Sports Complex. Rife has coached 19 All-MAC selections, including 2023 MAC Offensive Player of the Year Lexi Fraley and 2022 MAC Freshman of the Year Delaney Caldwell. In 2020-21, BSU set a program record with four United Soccer Coaches All-Region selections. His teams have also excelled off the field with multiple team academic awards and a total of 73 Academic All-MAC selections. Fraley was voted Second Team Academic All-America by the CSC in 2023. In 2020-21, Mason and Smith became the first players in program history to be named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America teams. Rife led the Cardinals to a second-place MAC finish in his debut season in 2019 and followed it with a MAC West Division title and a MAC Championship Game appearance in the COVID-delayed 2020-21 campaign. The championship game appearance was the third in program history. After Rife introduced a new style of play, Ball State finished 20th in the country in total assists in 2019, and teammates Tatiana Mason and Sam Kambol both set the school record for assists in a single season with seven apiece.
Rife came to Muncie from Starkville, Mississippi, where he spent one season as an assistant coach at Mississippi State. During his lone year in Mississippi, Rife helped lead the Bulldogs to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Rife led a record-breaking defense at MSU, holding opponents to 11.6 shots per game and allowing only 17 goals. Before Mississippi State, Rife spent two seasons in Virginia as an assistant coach for the women’s soccer team at Liberty University. There, he guided the Flames to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016 after winning the Big South Conference title. Prior to Liberty, Rife served as an assistant for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the United Soccer League (USL), and was head coach of the team’s U-23 squad. Additionally, he became the youngest head coach in the Major Indoor Soccer League when he was hired by the Rochester Lancers in 2013. Rife’s coaching career began in 2003 as an assistant with Missouri Baptist University. He also made a stop at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida where he worked as an assistant coach. In 2010, he led the Sailfish to the National Christian College Athletic Association National Championship after compiling a 15-6 record. Rife also served as a volunteer assistant at Gardner Webb University in 2012.
In addition to his several years of coaching experience, Rife played professionally both indoor and outdoor. From 2003-2012 he played in the USL for the Charlotte Eagles and then spent the 2013 season with VSI Tampa Bay FC. From 2005-2013, Rife also spent time in the MISL, playing for the Philadelphia Kixx, Detroit Ignition and Milwaukee Wave. Rife played collegiately for Texas Christian University for two years before transferring to Indiana University. After graduating from Indiana with a degree in general studies and a business certificate, Rife has gone on to receive his premier diploma and advanced national diploma from the United Soccer Coaches. Rife and his wife Christy have two daughters, Maddison and Kilee.
Three Indiana University Baseball Players Named to the Big Ten Preseason Watch List The Big Ten Conference released its preseason baseball poll and its players to watch list ahead of the 2025 season. The respective league coaches voted on all awards, as announced on Wednesday afternoon. Junior outfielder Devin Taylor, junior shortstop Tyler Cerny and graduate student right-handed pitcher Ben Grable were Indiana’s three “Players to Watch” in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers were picked third by the league’s coaches.
Taylor, the consensus Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, is coming off a tremendous sophomore season in 2024. The Cincinnati, Ohio native hit .357 and led the Big Ten with 20 home runs. He recorded 86 hits and struck out just 38 times compared to 37 walks. He led the Hoosiers in batting average (.357), runs (67), hits (86) and home runs (20) a season ago. Taylor spent time with the USA Baseball Collegiate National team and played the whole summer in the Cape Cod League with Cotuit.
Cerny started all 60 games a season ago as the team’s shortstop. He enters his third year playing up the middle after spending his freshman campaign at second base. He’ll play alongside sophomore second baseman Jasen Oliver in the middle of IU’s defense. The Greenwood, Indiana native was a revelation in the middle of IU’s lineup last season. He smashed 10 home runs and a Big Ten leading 24 doubles. He helped IU break a team program record with 140 doubles in 2024. Cerny led the Hoosiers with 60 RBIs and joined Taylor with over 80+ (81) hits on the campaign.
Grable missed all of the 2024 season through an injury suffered last January. He’s expected to be available to pitch this weekend in Arizona. He transferred to IU before the 2023-24 school year after three seasons with Northwestern. During his time with the Wildcats, he pitched in 31 games with a 5.03 earned run average. He had a career outing against the Hoosiers in May of 2023 with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. In total, he racked up 36 strikeouts in 2023 to just 16 walks. IU opens the 2025 season in Surprise, Arizona against UNLV on Friday, February 14th. The Hoosiers will also play Xavier and Oregon State before meeting the Rebels for a second time (Feb. 17) to close out the first weekend of the year.
Bloomington South Freshman Hadley Laughlin takes home Girls Diving Regional Title Bloomington South Freshman Hadley Laughlin won the Jasper Girls Diving Regional Tuesday Night with a score of 419.65. as the top eight advance to Saturday’s State Finals at the Indiana University Natatorium on the campus of Indiana University Indianapolis. Laughlin’s teammate Lucinda Miskza finished 12th with a score of 303.50 and did not advance.
Laughlin becomes the First South Diver since Courtney McKeen in 2015 to win the Regional Title. There were 29 divers with 11 dives each and 7 Judges. Mooresville Teammates Mackenzie Pierson and Tatum Humphrey finished second and third. Marissa Schaefer of Tecumseh finished fourth, Bree Cleary of East Central finished fifth. Alexandra Pfaehler of Indian Creek was Indian Creek finished sixth, Cali Kruer of New Albany was seventh and Gabriella Ludwig of Borden was eighth and clinched the final spot for the State Finals.
Kendall Guernsey of Indian Creek was 9th. The Jasper Trio of Madison Mauck, Katherine Woebkenberg and Rylin Truesdale finished 10th, 11th and 18th. Evansville Memorial’s Trio of Sophie Lanman, Ruby Farner and Emma Hosley finished 13th, 14th and 15th. Elise Butrum of Evansville Memorial finished 16th. Brynn Hamlett of South Dearborn finished 17th, Eva Ellis of Jeffersonville finished 19th and Maggie Calhoun of Seymour finished 20th.
Three Indy Ignite Players Selected for the Pro Volleyball Federation All Star Game in Fishers Three members of the Indy Ignite were selected for the 2025 Pro Volleyball Federation All-Star match, which will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 22 at the Fishers Event Center and broadcast by CBS. Ignite setter Sydney Hilley will play for the team coached by Georgia Tech’s Michelle Collier, outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh and opposite/middle blocker Azhani Tealer will play for the team coached by Purdue’s Dave Shondell. Players were selected by online fan voting, coaches voting and input from the league’s operations staff. For tickets, go to: ProVolleyball.com.
Team Collier: Leah Edmond, Atlanta; Morgan Hentz, Atlanta; Megan Lush, Columbus; Marin Grote, Grand Rapids; August Raskie, Grand Rapids; Kaitlyn Hord, Omaha; Brittany Abercrombie, Orlando; Adora Anae, Orlando; Ronika Stone, San Diego; Camryn Hannah, Vegas; Hannah Maddux, Vegas.
Team Shondell: Merritt Beason, Atlanta; Khori Louis, Atlanta; Carli Snyder, Grand Rapids; Camila Gómez, Omaha; Brooke Nuneviller, Omaha; Kaz Brown, Orlando; Pornpun Guedpard, Orlando; Shara Venegas, San Diego; Alisha Childress, Vegas; Berkeley Oblad, Vegas.
Doug Boles Named the President of IndyCar A local icon for racing fans is the new president of IndyCar. Doug Boles will be the president of both IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Penske announced Tuesday morning. Boles, who has been president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2013, will be succeeding Jay Frye. “Racing is in my DNA, and no form of racing resonates more personally and strongly with me than the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” Boles said in the announcement. “I’m honored to lead the amazing team at INDYCAR, and I truly believe the future is bigger and brighter than ever for our sport and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I’m extremely grateful to Mark Miles for this opportunity, and fans can rest assured the hard work is already under way and 2025 will be a fantastic season.” Under Boles’ leadership, the Indianapolis 500 saw the first sold-out crowd in the event’s history for their 100th race.
“Doug is the ideal choice to lead both INDYCAR and IMS as we enter a new era of opportunity and visibility,” said Penske Entertainment President & CEO Mark Miles. “He’s an exceptional leader and motivator who is appreciated by our fans and respected by our owners, drivers, partners and additional key stakeholders.” Frye is leaving his tenure as president of IndyCar after 10 years with a legacy of “tremendous successes at INDYCAR.” In addition to Boles being named president of IndyCar, Penske Entertainment also announced multiple other leadership changes. Mark Sibla is promoted to senior vice president of IndyCar Competition and Operations. Kyle Novak will become IndyCar’s vice president of officiation and race control. Alex Damron will add the responsibility of chief marketing officer while maintaining his position as vice president of corporate communications. And Louis Kissinger will be general manager of IMS operations. The 2025 NTT IndyCar Series begins Sunday, March 2.