BLOOMINGTON, Ind — Kel'el Ware had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Mackenzie Mgbako added 13 points and Indiana cruised past Maryland 65-53 on Friday night in a Big Ten Conference opener for both teams.
The contest marked the earliest the Hoosiers have opened Big Ten play since defeating Northwestern 68-66 on Dec. 1, 2018.
Malik Reneau made a 3-pointer with 13:51 remaining in the first half to give Indiana its first double-digit lead. Ware's three-point play with 3:20 remaining before the break put the Hoosiers ahead by double-figures for good.
Indiana scored 10 straight points in the second half, with three straight baskets by Trey Galloway, to extend the lead to 52-31. Indiana led by as many as 23 points in the second half. Maryland got within 61-49 after scoring 10 straight points but the 7-foot Ware ended Indiana's scoring drought.
Galloway finished with 12 and Reneau added 11 points for Indiana (6-1). Starting point guard Xavier Johnson did not play.
Jahmir Young led Maryland (4-4) with 20 points and Julian Reese added 14. Senior forward Jordan Geronimo, who played his first three collegiate seasons with the Hoosiers, was scoreless on five field-goal attempts.
The Hoosiers have won five of the last six matchups in the series, with the loss coming in the lone regular-season meeting last season in College Park. Indiana bounced back, behind 24 points from Trayce Jackson-Davis, to take down Maryland 70-60 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
Indiana goes for its fourth straight win on Tuesday against Michigan. Maryland, which had a three-game winning streak snapped, hosts Penn State on Wednesday.
Box score
MARYLAND (4-4)
Geronimo 0-5 0-1 0, Reese 5-11 4-6 14, Scott 1-8 0-1 2, Harris-Smith 4-9 0-0 9, Young 6-14 7-8 20, Kaiser 0-4 0-0 0, Long 4-5 0-1 8, Swanton-Rodger 0-0 0-0 0, Batchelor 0-0 0-0 0, Traore 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-56 11-17 53.
INDIANA (6-1)
Mgbako 4-9 4-4 13, Reneau 4-6 2-2 11, Ware 8-12 1-2 18, Cupps 0-2 0-0 0, Galloway 6-10 0-2 12, Walker 3-5 0-0 6, Gunn 0-4 2-4 2, Banks 1-5 0-0 2, Leal 0-1 0-0 0, Sparks 0-3 1-4 1. Totals 26-57 10-18 65.
Halftime: Indiana 40-28.
3-Point Goals: Maryland 2-16 (Harris-Smith 1-2, Young 1-7, Long 0-1, Scott 0-1, Kaiser 0-2, Geronimo 0-3), Indiana 3-9 (Ware 1-1, Mgbako 1-2, Reneau 1-2, Banks 0-1, Cupps 0-1, Galloway 0-1, Leal 0-1).
Rebounds: Maryland 29 (Reese 8), Indiana 42 (Ware 14).
Assists: Maryland 8 (Young, Long 2), Indiana 17 (Galloway 6).
Total Fouls: Maryland 21, Indiana 17. A: 17,222 (17,222).