No. 17 Indiana uses huge second half to roar past Eastern Illinois

Mackenzie Mgbako scored a game-high 18 points Sunday and No. 17 Indiana erupted in the second half to blow out Eastern Illinois 90-55 in Bloomington, Ind.

Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo each added 17 points for the Hoosiers (2-0), while Bryson Tucker came off the bench to net 12. Indiana made 61.3 percent of its field goal attempts, including 64.7 percent after halftime, and drew 26 assists off 38 made baskets.

Nakyel Shelton scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half to pace the Panthers (1-2), which absorbed their second lopsided loss this week against a Big Ten opponent. They were routed in Monday night's season opener at Illinois 112-67.

Zion Fruster added 13 for Eastern Illinois and Artese Stapleton scored 12 points. The Panthers made only 5 of 30 shots after halftime (16.7 percent) after they were 59.3 percent from the floor in the first half.

Eastern Illinois owned a 37-36 edge at halftime and expanded it to 43-38 with 18:48 remaining when Sekou Kalle scored in transition off a turnover. Beginning with Ballo's layup on the next possession, Indiana outscored the Panthers 52-12 over the final 18:38.

Reneau's layup with 16:53 left put the Hoosiers ahead for good and the margin quickly ballooned. It reached double figures at 56-45 on Tucker's layup at the 13:23 mark and got to 20 at 68-48 when Luke Goode drilled a 3-pointer with 10:08 remaining.

It was a 180-degree turn from the first half, when Eastern Illinois ran the motion offense that coach Marty Simmons learned when he played for Bob Knight at Indiana 40 years ago.

Shelton started the game with a 3-pointer and the Panthers not only connected on 16 of 27 attempts from the floor but nailed half their 3-pointers. Eastern Illinois used a 17-5 run late in the first half to erase a seven-point deficit and went into the break ahead 37-36.

--Field Level Media