With Malik Reneau sidelined due to a right knee injury, Indiana University is turning to Oumar Ballo to anchor its offense and defense. As the Hoosiers prepare to face Big Ten rival Southern California (USC) on Wednesday night in Bloomington, Indiana, Ballo’s performance could be the deciding factor in maintaining their strong conference start. Oumar Ballo has shown flashes of dominance this season and in his prior two years at Arizona. Now, with Reneau’s absence removing 14.1 points and 5.9 rebounds from Indiana’s lineup, Ballo’s contributions are more critical than ever. Ballo delivered an exceptional game against Penn State on Sunday, notching 25 points and 13 rebounds in Indiana’s 84-74 victory. His efforts underscored his potential to step into a

As the Illinois Fighting Illini gear up for their Big Ten showdown against the Penn State Nittany Lions, the spotlight falls on Illinois junior forward Tre White. A player initially overshadowed in the team’s star-studded recruitment class, White has risen to become a key contributor, elevating Illinois’ aspirations for the 2024-25 season. Meanwhile, Penn State, ranked in the Top 40 of KenPom and the Top 50 in NET, will look to reignite its competitive edge after a tough loss to Indiana. Wednesday’s game in Champaign, Ill., promises to be a battle of grit and execution as both teams seek to solidify their standings in the Big Ten. Tre White, a 6-foot-7 junior transfer from Louisville, wasn’t one of the marquee

After contrasting results in their SEC openers, No. 23 Ole Miss and Arkansas are set to clash Wednesday night in Fayetteville, Ark., in a game packed with high stakes and compelling storylines. The Rebels (12-2, 1-0 SEC) enter the matchup with momentum after a 63-51 home victory over Georgia. This win propelled them up one spot in the Associated Press rankings, reflecting their strong start to the season under head coach Chris Beard. Despite a sluggish first half that saw them trailing 28-26, Ole Miss rallied in the second, showcasing suffocating defense and disciplined play. They held Georgia to a dismal 29.3% shooting overall and a shocking 11.1% from beyond the arc. Notably, the Rebels amassed 10 steals and 10

As No. 17 Oklahoma prepares to host No. 10 Texas A&M in Norman, Okla., on Wednesday, the Sooners are keenly focused on one critical aspect of the game—rebounding. After a humbling 107-79 loss to No. 5 Alabama in their SEC debut, Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser is demanding a stronger, collective effort on the boards to counter Texas A&M’s dominance. In the loss to Alabama, Oklahoma (13-1, 0-1 SEC) was outrebounded 51-26. The Sooners were simply outmuscled, and Moser is determined to correct that. Drawing from lessons he learned under legendary coach Rick Majerus, Moser emphasized the fundamentals of blocking out and rebounding as a team effort. “You’re not going to play jump ball in the paint,” Moser said. “We