‘We needed him back in the worst way’: Kel’el Ware dominates Iowa on his return from injury.
Kel’el Ware was chastised for not playing hard enough during his freshman season at Oregon, but he played with real grit in Indiana’s 74-68 victory over Iowa, scoring 23 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while keeping Iowa’s leading scorer, big Ben Krikke, to only two points.
Bloomington, Indiana – Nobody could question Kel’el Ware’s effort, toughness, or drive Tuesday night against Iowa.
In his first game back after an ankle injury, he led Indiana with 23 points (8-for-10 shooting), 10 rebounds, and three blocks. After a few plays, Ware appeared handicapped, but he pushed through the agony to lead the Hoosiers to a crucial 74-68 victory.
“It really took a toll on him, mentally, emotionally,” Indiana senior guard Anthony Leal said of Ware’s injuries. “Obviously, he was out physically, but he loves us as teammates and wants nothing more than to win. So it was nice to see him express emotion and fight through some nicks and bruises. But, especially with Malik [Reneau] out, he stepped up significantly for us.”
Every aspect of Ware’s varied game shone against the Hawkeyes, from limiting Iowa’s leading scorer, forward Ben Krikke, to only two points on 1-for-9 shooting to electrifying dunks that had opponents wondering why they’d even dare to jump with Indiana’s 7-footer.
“We desperately needed him back,” Indiana coach Mike Woodson said. “Games like these, man, are vital for our ballclub. He has 23 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks. We missed his length and ability to block shots. We just did not have it. It was good to have him back. He was huge tonight for our baseball team. And we hadn’t defeated this squad since I’d been here. Fran [McCaffery] has basically had his way with “This ball club.”
