Indiana Opens the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament with Oregon Indiana University begins postseason play in the 125th season of competition in men’s basketball against No. 23 Oregon at noon today in Indianapolis. The second-round game of the Big Ten Tournament will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The game can be viewed on BTN with Guy Haberman (pxp) and Stephen Bardo (analyst) on the call. Rick Pizzo will handle sideline reporting duties. The eighth-seeded Ducks enter the game with a record of 23-8 (12-8 Big Ten) under 15th-year head coach Dana Altman. Oregon is led by senior center Nate Bittle. The All-Big Ten Third Team selection averaged 14.1 points, 7.3 points, and 2.2 blocks per game in the regular season. Sophomore guard Jackson Shelstad (13.3 points per game), senior guard TJ Bamba (10.2), and senior guard Keeshawn Barthelemy (10.2) all contributed double figure scoring for Oregon.
The Hoosiers are 3-1 in the brief series against the Ducks, one of the Big Ten’s newest additions. IU won the first three meetings in Portland as part of the Far West Classic. Indiana defeated Oregon by a score of 68-60 on Dec. 28, 1978, the last time the Hoosiers claimed victory. Current IU head coach Mike Woodson led the way with 36 points and nine rebounds. Oregon used a 10-0 run over the final 1:58 of game time to topple Indiana (73-64) in the first matchup as conference foe at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene. Fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway paced the IU attack with 16 points, three rebounds, and four assists.
Indiana closed out the regular season with a home 66-60 home win over Ohio State on Saturday, March 8. Fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway scored 16 points, including a 30-foot 3-pointer to seal the game, and added six assists to lead IU on Senior Day. Junior forward Malik Reneau paced the Hoosier bench with 16 points and five boards. The IU reserves outscored the second unit from OSU by a mark of 19-9. IU trailed 29-25 at the halftime break and by as many as 10 (46-36) with just over 12 minutes to play before outpacing the visitors 30-14 down the stretch.
Fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway holds the program record for all-time games played with 139. Gallo is eighth in career assists (424), and 56th in career points scored (1,005). He became the 56th player in program history to score 1,000 career points on March 8. He is one of seven players in IU history on both the 1,000-point and 400-assist lists. He joins Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell (2012-16), Tom Coverdale (2000-04), A.J. Guyton (1997-01), Damon Bailey (1991-95), Randy Wittman (1979-84), and Quinn Buckner (1973-77) on the exclusive list. The Culver Academies alum has handed out at least five helpers in 39 career games and at least eight dimes in eight contests. The Hoosiers hold a record of 7-1 in those games. He was one of three B1G players (Brock Harding, Iowa; Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State) to average at least 4.0 assists in under 30.0 minutes per game in the regular season. Galloway is one of two active Big Ten players (Braden Smith, Purdue) to have collected 1,000 points, 400 assists, 300 rebounds, and 100 steals in their careers.
Five Indiana University Divers Qualify for the NCAA Championships on Day 2 of the Zone C Championships Indiana dominated the men’s 3-meter competition as five Hoosier divers added to their NCAA programs on day two of the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships Tuesday inside the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on the campus of the Ohio State University. IU finished first, second and third in the men’s 3-meter event, led by senior Carson Tyler’s decisive performance. Over 12 dives, the reigning NCAA Champion had 10 dives scoring better than 70 points, five better than 80 points as well as a 91-point reverse 3 ½ somersaults tuck during the preliminary round. Tyler’s 927.35 total outscored the field by 136.90 points. Sophomore Maxwell Weinrich (790.45) and senior Quinn Henninger (787.05) finished behind him before another significant, 29.45-point gap between them and the fourth-place diver. All three men’s divers are now qualified for the NCAA Championships on both springboards. Sophomores Ella Roselli and Lily Witte also earned their second qualifications, placing above the cut on the 1-meter board. A two-time Big Ten medalist in the event, Roselli placed second with a 578.15, 10.15 points off the lead, to cruise to her NCAA bid. Witte was fifth with a 561.00, well within the top 12 finish needed as an auto-qualifier on 3-meter.
RESULTS
Women’s 1-Meter
2. Ella Roselli – 578.15 (NCAA Qualifier)
5. Lily Witte – 561.00 (NCAA Qualifier)
12. Mary Kate Cavanaugh – 518.95 (Finalist)
24. Morgan Casey – 233.30
Men’s 3-Meter
1. Carson Tyler – 927.35 (NCAA Qualifier)
2. Maxwell Weinrich – 790.45 (NCAA Qualifier)
3. Quinn Henninger – 787.05 (NCAA Qualifier)
20. Dash Glasberg – 315.20
29. Joshua Sollenberger – 298.50
USC Trojans take down The Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a Double Overtime Thriller #14 Seed USC Trojans and the #11 Seed Rutgers Scarlet Knights needed 10 extra minutes Wednesday Night as The Trojans beat the Scarlet Knights 97-89 in double overtime Wednesday Night in the first round of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament Presented by TIAA at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis. USC is 16-16 on the season and will face # 6 Seed Purdue tomorrow at 9 pm in the second round Rutgers ends its season at 15-17. USC led 41-30 at halftime as there were 3 ties and 1 lead change. Rutgers outscored USC 43-32 in the second half. Desmond Claude’s layup tied the game at 73-73 with nine seconds left. Dylan Harper missed a jumper with two seconds left as the game went to overtime. Both teams scored 8 points in overtime and needed an extra five minutes as Jeremiah Williams missed a three pointer at the end of the first overtime as the game was tied at 81-81 and we played on. USC took control in the Second Overtime outscoring Rutgers 16-8.
Desmond Claude led USC with 28 points and went 12-15 from the free throw line. Wesley Yates III scores 24 points, Rashaun Agee scored 23 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Chibuzo Agbo had 13 points and 10 rebounds. The Trojans were 31-60 from the field for 51 percent, 10-23 for 43 percent and 25-31 at the free throw line for 80 percent. USC pulled down 39 rebounds 19 assists, 6 steals no blocks and committed 21 turnovers. Freshman Dylan Harper scored 27 points, and his classmate Ace Bailey scored 17 points to lead Rutgers. Lathan Sommerville and Tysen Acuff both scored 16 points each off the bench. Rutgers went 33-77 from the field for 43 percent, 6-30 from three-point range for 20 percent and 17-22 from the free throw line down 77 percent. Rutgers pulled down 38 rebounds 21 assists 9 steals 5 blocks and committed 12 turnovers.
The Iowa Hawkeyes Beat the Ohio State Buckeyes to put them on the NCAA Tournament Bubble The #15 Seed Iowa Hawkeyes knocked off # 10 Seed Ohio State Buckeyes 77-70 Wednesday Evening in the first round of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament presented by TIAA at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Iowa improves to 17-15 and will face #7 Illinois tomorrow night at 6:30 PM. Ohio State is 17-15 and the Buckeyes will wait until Sunday Evening at 6 PM for the NCAA Tournament selection show to see if their name is called. Ohio State has been projected as the last team in the field of 68 but two losses in a row the Buckeyes could be on the outside looking in as they wait to see how the rest of the week plays out.
Payton Sandfort led the Hawkeyes with 17 points, Josh Dix added 16 points, Brock Harding and Pryce Sandfort came off the bench to score 15 and 10 points respectively. Iowa wet 29-53 from the field for 54%,10-24 from three-point range for 41% and 9-10 from the free throw line for 90%. Iowa pulled down 29 rebounds, dished out 18 assists, 6 blocks, 5 steals and committed 12 turnovers. Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with 24 points, Devin Royal added 17 points and Micah Parrish added 16 points. Ohio State went 25-59 from the field for 42%, 5-22 from three-point range and 15-20 from the free throw line for 75%. Ohio State pulled down 31 rebounds, 11 assists, 7 steals, a block and committed 10 turnovers.
Ohio State led 6-0 and Iowa got on the board with 14:11 left in the first half by Ladji Dembele on a tip in. Once Iowa got going the game was back and forth with the teams tied 37-37 at halftime. Iowa outscored Ohio State 40-33 in the second half. The game was tied 61-61 with 7:11 left when Iowa outscored the Buckeyes 16-9 to put the game away and live to see tomorrow while Ohio State will have the long wait until 6 PM Sunday to see if they are on the right side or the wrong side of the bubble.
Nick Martinelli leads the Northwestern Wildcats to over the Minnesota Golden Gophers Nick Martinelli scored 28 points and pulled down 7 rebounds to lead the #13 seed Northwestern Wildcats over the #12 Seed Minnesota Golden Gophers 72-64 in the first round of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament Presented by TIAA Wednesday Afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Northwestern improves to 17-15 and will face #5 seed Wisconsin tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 PM in the second round. Minnesota ends their season at 15-17. Northwestern led ,32-29 at halftime and outscored Minnesota 40-35 in the second half. Ty Berry scored 14 points, Jordan Clayton scored 11 points and K.J. Windham who played at Ben Davis HS on the Westside of Indianapolis scored 10 points off the bench. Northwestern went 27-56 from the field for 48 percent, 6-21 from three-point range for 28 percent and 12-22 from the free throw line. The Wildcats pulled down ,36 rebounds, dished out 20 assists, 4 blocks, 4 steals and committed 11 turnovers.
Dawson Garcia led Minnesota with 22 points and Frank Mitchell added 11 points. The Golden Gophers went 20-53 from the field for 37 percent, 7-22 from three-point range for 31 percent and 17-21 from the free throw line for 81 percent. Minnesota pulled down 32 rebounds, 12 assists, 7 steals, 7 blocks and committed 12 turnovers. Nick Martinelli and Dawson Garcia was a good matchup. The 6-7 Martinelli who is a Junior from Glencoe, Illinois went 12-22 from the field, 0-3 from three-point range and 4-10 from the free throw line along with 3 assists and a block. Garcia the 6-11 Senior from Savage, Minnesota went ,7-13 form the field, 2-2 from three-point range and 6-6 from the free throw line. Garcia had 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Windham had the shot of the game in the second half going for a loose ball towards the baseline and shooting off one leg with 4:47 left in the second half that the Indianapolis native will not forget playing in front of the hometown crowd.
Indianapolis Colts agree to a three year $60 Millon Dollar Contract with Cornerback Charvarius Ward Upgrading the secondary was primary, and expensive. Shortly after investing heavily in free-agent safety Camryn Bynum, the Indianapolis Colts added arguably the top cornerback on the open market. The team has agreed to a three-year deal with former San Francisco cornerback Charvarius Ward, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The contract is worth a maximum of $60 million and includes a $20 million signing bonus and $35 million in guarantees, according to ESPN and other outlets. Ward’s lucrative deal follows the four-year, $60 million agreement the Colts reached with Bynum.
In short order, Chris Ballard arranged the two largest free-agent contracts in his nine seasons as general manager by adding two players he had targeted in the days leading up to free agency. He also added two key components to first-year coordinator Lou Anarumo’s defense. Ward steps in as one outside corner and Bynum as the free safety alongside strong safety Nick Cross. The Athletic ranked Ward as its top available cornerback and the No. 6 overall.
Ward, who turns 29 next month, has started 46 of 51 games the last three seasons with San Francisco. He signed with Dallas as an undrafted rookie in 2018, was traded to Kansas City and emerged as a defensive standout with the Chiefs from 2019-21. The 6-1, 196-pounder started for Kansas City in its 31-20 win over San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV and its 31-9 loss to Tampa Bay in Super Bowl LV.
Ward earned his only Pro Bowl nod in 2023 and was named second-team All-Pro on the strength of five interceptions and a league-high 23 passes defended, then started 12 games for the Niners last season. He dealt with hamstring and knee injuries in 2024, but also with personal tragedy. In October, Ward suffered the loss of his 1-year-old daughter Amani Joy. At the end of the season, he told members of the media a new location might prove beneficial. “You know, I’ve got a lot of trauma in California,’’ Ward said. “There were great times, but the worst thing that’s happened to me – that’s probably ever gonna happen to me, knock on wood – happened in California. It just brings back bad memories.’’
That fresh start will be in Indy. No one should be surprised that Ballard has invested so heavily in Anarumo’s secondary. The Colts’ defense ranked No. 29 overall and No. 26 against the pass last season. It allowed quarterbacks to complete 69.4% of their passes (3rd-worst in the league) and average 7.6 yards per attempt (8th-worst). The cornerback room includes top nickel Kenny Moore II; Jaylon Jones, who started all 17 games in ’24; and JuJu Brents, who’s missed 23 of 34 games because of injury since being selected in round 2 of the 2023 draft.