Big Ten Showdown Sees Indiana Crush Southern California in Second Half Blowout

Oumar Ballo scored a game-high 23 points Wednesday night as Indiana pulled away in the second half for an 82-69 Big Ten Conference win over visiting Southern California in Bloomington, Ind. Ballo was 9 of 11 from the field and made all five of his free-throw attempts, helping the Hoosiers improve to 12-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten.

The Hoosiers were down by two points at halftime but came out strong in the second half, outscoring Southern California 43-29 to take control of the game. Indiana shot 58.5 percent from the field, including 63.6 percent in the second half, to overcome a tough defensive effort by the Trojans.

Southern California fell to 10-5 overall and 2-2 in the Pac-12 Conference. The Trojans were led by Boogie Ellis, who scored 17 points, and Kobe Johnson, who added 16 points. However, it was not enough to overcome the strong performance by Ballo and the Hoosiers.

Indiana started the second half on an 11-0 run, with Ballo scoring seven points during the stretch. The Hoosiers extended their lead to as many as 17 points in the second half, and the Trojans were unable to recover.

The win was a big one for Indiana, which had lost two of its last three games. The Hoosiers are now tied for fifth place in the Big Ten Conference and will look to build on the momentum from this win as they head into the second half of the season.

Southern California, on the other hand, will look to regroup after the tough loss. The Trojans have now lost two of their last three games and will face a tough test in their next game against a ranked opponent.

The game was played in front of a sold-out crowd at Assembly Hall, with the Indiana fans providing a significant advantage for the Hoosiers. The crowd was electric throughout the game, cheering on the Hoosiers as they pulled away in the second half.

In addition to Ballo's strong performance, Indiana also got contributions from several other players. Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Jalen Hood-Schifino added 12 points and five assists.

The Hoosiers will look to build on this win as they head into the second half of the season. With a strong performance like this, Indiana is poised to make a deep run in the Big Ten Conference tournament and potentially even the NCAA tournament.