BLOOMINGTON – Kel’el Ware had done everything but make a free throw. With 17 seconds left in IU’s tug-of-war with Michigan State, Ware had 27 points, 12 rebounds, a made 3-pointer, two assists and two blocks.

But with the score tied at 64, Ware missed his fifth foul shot of the afternoon to drop to 0-for-5 on freebies. The 7-footer stepped off the free-throw line and roamed multiple feet past the 3-point arc to gather himself.

“Just don't think, shoot,” Ware said, explaining his thoughts at the moment. “That was all I was thinking. Just don't think, shoot.”

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Ware got back on the line and sunk his second attempt. The big man’s 28th point was enough to get Indiana its fourth consecutive win.

For Ware, the 20-point, 10-rebound double-double is becoming routine. Sunday was his eighth game this season of that nature. Ware has scored 26 or more points in three of Indiana’s past four games during the winning streak. His 28 points tied a career-high he set on Nov. 26 against Harvard.

Ware’s scoring has picked up because he’s been in attack mode more than ever. He attempted 19 field goals against MSU, the most of the sophomore’s college career. The three highest shot totals of Ware’s season have come in the past three weeks.

At times this year, Ware has mainly been used as a rim-runner and floor-spacer while forward Malik Reneau was the focus of IU’s post touches. But lately, the Hoosiers have fed Ware more frequently on the blocks and trusted him to score with his back to the basket.

“I just need to be more aggressive, and that's what I've been doing on the offensive end,” Ware said.

When Trey Galloway — IU’s offensive table-setter — went down with an injury in the first half and didn’t return, the Hoosiers struggled to generate points against a strong Spartans defense. IU watched a 17-point first-half lead turn into a seven-point second-half deficit.

After Michigan State went ahead 55-48 midway through the second half, Ware scored seven points in the final 9:23 to stop the bleeding.

“Trey is definitely a big part of our offense, with him just being able to get downhill, throw the lob, or get to his flow offensively,” Ware said. “With him going down, I just felt like not even just me, but everybody on the team had to step up if we wanted to get the win.”

Ware stepped up and forced the issue in ways that weren’t common for him in his first year of college. Starting his career at Oregon, the North Little Rock, Ark., native averaged just 6.6 points per game with the Ducks after being a McDonald’s All American.

Questions of Ware’s passion were rampant throughout his freshman season. He graduated high school as a projected first-round 2023 NBA draft pick. A year later, there was seemingly no interest in Ware at the NBA level. In one season in Bloomington, Ware has completely changed the narrative on his pro future.

Indiana’s coaching staff had to shake Ware’s bad habits when he first got to campus. But now, he’s performing like one of the top players in the Big Ten, if not the whole country.

“All I can tell you guys after that first month, he's been a totally different player,” Indiana coach Mike Woodson said. “I got to give tribute to our coaching staff and how they work, and we pushed him, and his teammates believe in him and I believe in him.”

Ware now leads the Hoosiers in points (15.7), rebounds (9.8) and blocks (1.9) per game. At 44.7%, he’s also IU’s top 3-point shooter, albeit on moderate volume (38 total attempts).

The beauty of Ware’s game is he can positively contribute in multiple facets. On Sunday, his impact was felt everywhere… except the foul line.

“Honestly, before he got here I overheard some questions about his motor,” IU sixth-year guard Xavier Johnson said. “I think that was something that was well-known about him. Coach Woodson and the team has stayed on him about it, and I think that's the reason he's averaging what he is averaging right now.”

Johnson, Galloway, Anthony Leal and Anthony Walker celebrated senior day on Sunday. While Johnson and Walker have expired their college eligibility, Galloway and Leal announced after the game they’ll be returning for fifth seasons at Indiana.

Like Johnson and Walker, this was likely Ware’s last game in Assembly Hall. He’s worked his way back into being a fringe lottery selection in this year’s NBA draft. Ware will be an All-Big Ten selection when the accolades are announced in the coming days, and his stock has continued to rise in March.

Even with the win streak, IU is still unlikely to make the NCAA tournament. But despite the tumultuous season (and week) for the program, Ware’s growth is something to celebrate.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana basketball: Surging Kel'el Ware is back on NBA draft radars