Freedman

BLOOMINGTON — His first name is unusual.

But there is appropriate evidence that after just three Indiana University outings of a possible nickname or flat-out change. Perhaps Kel’el Ware, a 7-foot sophomore for the Hoosiers men’s basketball team, should be called “Lethal.”

Easier to spell and more descriptive of his wares. It’s a reach, but it almost rhymes with his given name. Fans at Assembly Hall are already showering Ware with love each time he blocks a shot or slams home a basket-shaking dunk. He earned more adoration Thursday night when IU turned Wright State of Fairborn, Ohio, into Wrong State with an 89-80 defeat.

Ware scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Those types of statistics are becoming habits in the box score for 3-0 IU in this young 2023-24 season. Ware, of North Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was a high school All-American and five-star recruit, spent last season with Oregon before transferring.

Absorbing the applause as if he is a Broadway actor, Ware said he notices the crowd response to his showy actions.

“Yeah, all the time,” Ware said. “I love when the fans get involved in the game because it just makes us — not even just me, but the whole team, even the bench — just the chemistry grows, the energy grows, and if we can just keep that going on and the fans just keep on cheering, I feel like we’ll be great.”

Ware has been an intimidating factor and he passes well, particularly for a big man with his particular set of skills. He had a couple of blocks and a couple of assists, too.

Partnering with sophomore Malik Reneau (16 points, eight rebounds, five assists) up front, the duo shows signs of developing a formidable two-man game. Reneau called it buddy ball. This is opposed to what became termed Billy Ball in Major League Baseball when Billy Martin was managing.

“Get their big men in foul trouble so we can have an easier game plan there,” Reneau said, “secondary unit and stuff like that. But yeah, buddy ball is huge for us.”

Reneau was a budding star last year but seems more polished now. He said he watched how Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson worked together last season and feels he and Ware can make similar teamwork pay off.

“Kel’el is a big frame, very agile, can move, and just knowing that any step he gets on his defender, he’s got a chance to raise up and get dang near to the top of the backboard,” said Reneau, who is 6-9 himself. “You can throw it anywhere to him.”

The Hoosiers were sluggish at game’s start against both Florida Gulf Coast and Army before holding off the visitors. This time, IU upped the pace, running as much as possible and burst to a game-high 15-point lead at 28-13.

Once again, however, an opponent rained 3-pointers like a hail storm on the Hoosiers. Both of those other foes made 13 long-range shots. Wright State, led by Andrew Welage (25 points) and Tanner Holden (24), hit 11 three-pointers.

IU coach Mike Woodson is not pleased by the defensive trend.

“Just us switching correctly and getting next to a guy before he shoots the basketball,” Woodson said. “That would help.”

The Hoosiers kept spurting ahead by double figures and then allowed the Raiders to get back within shouting, or shooting, distance of the lead. Yet they are still 3-0 with their next game Sunday against defending NCAA champion Connecticut in the Empire State Classic at Madison Square Garden.

Woodson still had some other gripes, though, including the Hoosiers doing their best Shaquille O’Neal imitation from the free throw line, going just 20 for 32.

There was diversified scoring, including 15 points from Trey Galloway and 13 from Mackenzie Mgbako, but overall, IU shot just 3 for 16 on three-point tries. And Woodson was irked starting guards Galloway and Xavier Johnson totaled just one rebound apiece.

“That just can’t happen,” he said. “Hell, I can get a rebound at 65 years of age probably, stumble into one. They’ve got to help rebound the ball.”

One thing Thursday that did make Woodson smile was an addition to his immediate family, not his Hoosier basketball family.

“I should send out a shoutout to Mariah Adams and her husband for having our first grandbaby tonight,” Woodson said. “Way to go, Mariah, if you’re listening.”

The kid may not have much experience yet, but Woodson will perk up if early lessons feature blocking out on the boards, making foul shots and hitting the three-pointer.