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Indiana's Malik Reneau (5) celebrates during the Indiana versus Purdue mens basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Top 3 Moments Of Malik Reneau’s Indiana Career

Originally posted on Indiana Hoosiers on SI
By Todd Golden | Last updated Mar 26, 2025 9:16 AM ET

Malik Reneau is a fascinating figure as far as comparing him to other Indiana players of the past.

Reneau entered the transfer portal last week with one year of eligibility left, but he leaves behind a solid legacy.

He is tied with Xavier Johnson as the player who played longest at Indiana solely under the tutelage of Mike Woodson at three seasons. Long-term Hoosiers like Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal go back to the Archie Miller era. So did early Woodson standouts like Trayce Jackson-Davis.

Johnson came to Indiana with experience having played at Pittsburgh, so Reneau stands as the player who was developed by Woodson and his staff right from the start.

Wherever Reneau ends up, he has a lot to be proud of as far as his Indiana career is concerned. Paired with Kel’El Ware or Oumar Ballo in his most productive seasons, Reneau delivered the goods.

And as it was for many post players during the Woodson era, Reneau was a productive player for the Hoosiers. After a freshman season in which Indiana had personnel such as Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson to allow Reneau to learn the ropes, the Miami native began to blossom in his sophomore season.

Reneau averaged 11.4 points and 5 rebounds in his Indiana career. He peaked with a 15.4 scoring average in 2024. His scoring average dropped to 13.3 points per game in 2025 as he fought off injury problems. His per-40-minute stats were higher in 2025.

Reneau was also a bit of a character. He had a burger named after him at a Bloomington restaurant and he played with joy. His enthusiasm was infectious.

Here’s three of his most memorable moments as a Hoosier.

Reneau’s Greatest Statistical Game

In a high-scoring nonconference game against Kennesaw State in late 2023, the Hoosiers needed points, especially with starters Johnson and Ware out of action. The Hoosiers got those points from Reneau.

Reneau was dominant in the post against the high-tempo Owls.

Kennesaw State led Indiana 68-64 in the second half, but a three-point play from Reneau began a 10-0 run that reversed the Hoosiers’ fortunes.

Reneau scored 21 of his career-high 34 points in the second half as Indiana out-paced Kennesaw State in a 100-87 victory.

Reneau was 13 of 19 from the field and 7 of 11 from the line in the victory. He added 11 rebounds and four assists.

Reneau Helps Indiana Rally For A Big Road Win

When Indiana played at Ohio State on Feb. 6, 2024, the Hoosiers were in a bad way. Indiana had lost four of its previous five games and were below .500 in the Big Ten.

Nothing about the game at Value City Arena seemed to indicate that the Hoosiers’ fortunes were going to change. The Buckeyes led Indiana by 13 at halftime, and Ohio State would enjoy a peak lead of 18 points in the second half.

Reneau, in tandem with Galloway, would flip the script on the Buckeyes. The pair alternated scores as Indiana chipped away at Ohio State’s advantage. Reneau was 6 of 8 from the field in the second half and was 4 of 6 at the line for 15 points with five rebounds in the second half alone.

Galloway had 19 second-half points. Indiana grabbed the lead with 2:46 left and took it for good on a Leal 3-pointer with 22 seconds left.

Reneau Does It On The Road Again

Much like the game at Ohio State one year earlier, Indiana entered its road game at No. 11 Michigan State on Feb. 11 reeling in a worse fashion than it had been the season before.

The Hoosiers had lost five in a row and were in the midst of playing 12 Quad 1 games in a row. Winning at Breslin Arena didn’t seem to be a likely outcome going into the contest.

However, Indiana surprised the Spartans with a zone defense, and it kept the game close after Michigan State led by 12 early in the game.

Reneau was the difference-maker in helping Indiana ultimately win the game 71-67. Reneau scored 16 points in the second half on 7 of 11 shooting and added four rebounds after halftime. He finished the game with 19 points and 12 rebounds as Indiana provided itself with a much-needed respite from the gloom that had pervaded in recent games.

It was the last of Reneau’s four career double-doubles in an Indiana uniform.

This article first appeared on Indiana Hoosiers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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