In the press conference following Indiana men’s basketball’s win over Iowa, senior guard Anthony Leal rubbed the head of freshman guard Gabe Cupps — both smiling and cherishing the moment. The pair played the role of unlikely heroes in the 74-68 win, stepping up when it mattered most and embracing head coach Mike Woodson’s ‘next man up’ philosophy.
“I’ve always said since I’ve been here, it’s the next man up,” Woodson said postgame. “Guys that have been sitting over there, hadn’t played a whole lot, they’ve got to step in and win basketball games because that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.”
When sixth-year senior guard Xavier Johnson went down with a foot injury against Harvard University on Nov. 26, Cupps became the full-time starter. In 10 of the next 13 games — with a brief stint of Johnson back in the lineup from injury — Cupps averaged 25.7 minutes per game. Tuesday night, he played just 11 minutes.
However, Johnson suffered another injury with 2:12 remaining while Indiana trailed by 2 points in a game it once led by 17. Woodson called on Cupps in crunch time and he delivered.
It didn’t appear to be a heroic effort at first. Indiana tied the game at 66, but then Iowa junior forward Payton Sandfort sank a near-impossible shot in the left corner over Cupps’ extended arm — a dagger-like shot for his 26th point, a career high, which silenced Assembly Hall.
On the other end, senior guard Trey Galloway drove toward the right elbow then hesitated. Cupps was wide open on the left wing and Galloway swung the ball his way. Cupps hadn’t attempted a shot all night, but he confidently stepped into the three and drilled it — nothing but net.
“A lot of it is just trusting myself and trusting in my teammates,” Cupps said. “One of the most important things that Coach Woodson said to me during that series of events: ‘It’s in the past, you’ve got to leave it behind.’ Even though he was pretty mad at me, he told me to move to the next play.”
B1G win for the Hoosiers. ? @IndianaMBB pic.twitter.com/6odZIBzGOv
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) January 31, 2024
Cupps’ big shot wasn’t the only unexpected performance. After totaling 23 minutes in his entire junior campaign, senior guard Anthony Leal produced 13 points — including a 3-for-4 effort from the 3-point line — and seven rebounds in 21 minutes.
Leal’s productive night was partially due to another Hoosier injury and a resulting strategic change from Woodson. Two-and-a-half minutes into the game, Indiana leading scorer sophomore forward Malik Reneau jumped then grimaced in pain on the landing, laying on the ground with a lower-body injury. He was seen using crutches several minutes later and didn’t return to action.
Woodson initially opted to stick with a bigger lineup as senior forward Anthony Walker filled in Reneau’s void for the remainder of the first half but eventually shifted to a three-guard or four-guard lineup down the stretch. After years of persistence with the program, Leal was the beneficiary Tuesday night.
With seven minutes remaining, Iowa had just taken the lead for the first time since the opening minute, but Leal knocked down his third triple of the night to take it back. He consistently hustled defensively, earning five of his rebounds in the second half alone and chasing Hawkeye guards around the perimeter even through screens.
Following Cupps’ late 3-pointer, Leal forced Iowa senior guard Tony Perkins right into Galloway’s awaiting hands to nab a steal. Leal capped off his night with one final rebound and free throws to seal the deal.
“I gave him the game ball after the game,” Woodson said. “I mean, he defended his ass off.”
Two of Indiana’s unlikeliest players answered the call to guide the Hoosiers to a crucial conference win. With Reneau and Johnson’s availability in jeopardy, Indiana will need more elevated performances from its role players. While the two injuries may drastically change the outlook for the remainder of the season, the Hoosiers see it as an opportunity to grow.
“I think it’s a way to rally us all together,” Leal said. “One guy goes down, we know the next guy’s got to step up. And we’re all committed to winning and doing what we need to do to win.”
Follow reporters Will Foley (@foles24) and Matt Press (@MattPress23) and columnist Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
