BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Oumar Ballos Hoosier continues to learn, and we know this much – imagine what the 7-foot-1, 220-pound man will do once he’s fully acclimated to coaching Mike Woodson‘s system.

The next step comes Tuesday night when Indiana (5-2) hosts Sam Houston (4-4) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Ballo made a big impression early on. He averages 13.1 points and a team-high 8.4 rebounds. He has a team-leading 16 blocks, 11 more than any other Hoosier. He shoots 67.9% from the field.

Ballo was an offensive force against No. 3/4 Gonzaga in the Battle 4 Atlantis last week, scoring a season-high 25 points on 11-for-13 shooting.

He previously blocked six shots against South Carolina and totaled 17 points, nine rebounds and three blocks against Eastern Illinois.

Ballo said the adjustment to IU has been “good so far,” and the numbers back it up. He was the best of the Hoosiers’ four major transfer portal additions at guards Myles Rice (10.0 points) and Canaan Carlyle (4.5 points) and forward Luke Goode (4.3 points).

“He was everything I imagined he would be when we recruited him,” Woodson said. “He is a well-mannered young man. He works. He’s very coachable.”

Ballo arrived in Bloomington after previous stops at Gonzaga and Arizona. In four college seasons and 132 games, he averaged 9.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 64.6% from the field. He averaged 12.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks last season at Arizona and earned All-Pac 12 honors.

Ballo had interest from several major programs after entering the transfer portal. He said he chose IU because the program and Woodson were the best fit for him to develop his game toward NBA readiness. Ballo saw what Woodson did for former Hoosiers Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kel’el Ware (both are in the NBA) and believed the coach could do the same for him.

“It was a process getting him,” Woodson said, “but once we got him in the uniform, he was everything I could want from a big man. He’s still trying to figure out who I am as a coach. “I’m trying” to learn his game and what he likes to do on both ends.

“We need to continue to encourage each other and help each other. That’s what going into the portal and bringing in players who aren’t used to being around is all about. It was a good process. I can’t help but think we won.” “We don’t grow well together.”

The growth will include greater familiarity with Woodson’s defensive approach. Ballo has seven steals in addition to his blocked shots and extensive rim protection, which has caused his opponents to limit their approach to attacking the basket.

Woodson compared Ballo to the defensive successes he had with Ware and Jackson-Davis.

“His interior presence is tremendous,” Woodson said. “Considering we’ve had it with Ware and Trace for the last three years. Now we have the big ballo.”

“It eliminates a lot of defensive mistakes we could make around him. We don’t like to put all the pressure on him to get all the rebounds and block shots and plug the hole, but that’s what I expect from great players.” That was the reason for bringing him here. He reacted well.

To improve his free throw shooting (it’s at 53.3%), Ballo took over leadership of player development Calbert CheaneyI took the advice and switched to shooting them with my left hand. Cheaney is a former Hoosier All-American and the Big Ten’s career scoring leader. He also shot left-handed.

IU is looking to build momentum from its Battle 4 Atlantis win over Providence after previous tournament losses to Louisville and Gonzaga.

Woodson told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during his weekly radio show Monday night that while IU struggled in its first two tournament games, he didn’t sense any frustration from the team.

“We’re 5-2,” he told Fischer, “and we still have a lot of basketball left.”

Sam Houston has three double-digit scorers in guards Chris Mudge (19.4 points) and Dorian Finister (11.4 points and 7.0 rebounds) as well as forward Cameron Huefner (10.4).

The Hoosiers also host Miami (Ohio) on Friday evening before opening Big Ten play against Minnesota next Monday.