It’s not often a four-year player and two-year starter accomplishes a career first just days before what could be his regular-season finale. Wednesday night at Minnesota, senior guard Trey Galloway did just that.
The Culver, IN, native posted 13 points and 11 assists to lead Indiana men’s basketball to a 70-58 win over the Golden Gophers. He also tied a career high with five steals.
Galloway’s pass-first mentality proved infectious among the team. The Hoosiers tallied 28 assists on 30 field goals, Indiana’s most assists in a game since reaching the same mark Dec. 19, 2016, against Delaware State University.
“Everybody was sacrificing the ball and playing unselfish,” Indiana head coach Mike Woodson said postgame. “We made shots behind the pass, that helps a lot.”
Indiana's unselfishness was prevalent throughout the game, but the Hoosiers didn’t initially find success taking care of the ball, especially Galloway. The senior committed four of the Hoosiers’ eight first-half turnovers in a display of sloppiness and poor decision making.
Still, the Hoosiers took the advantage early and Galloway’s presence as a dual threat kept the Golden Gophers on edge. He scored 6 points on 3-for-4 shooting and assisted on six baskets in the first 20 minutes, attacking the basket and making split decisions whether to keep the ball and shoot or dish it off for someone else.
However, it wasn’t just the Hoosiers’ captain who shared the rock. Indiana capitalized off its height advantage in the paint and in transition off Minnesota turnovers, and the Hoosiers’ ball movement made their offense difficult to stop. Indiana assisted on all 14 baskets in the first half.
Indiana’s passing display continued as the team gradually pulled away from Minnesota in the second half. Galloway kept the Golden Gophers on their toes, starting the frame with a few baskets before resorting to his earlier distributing ways.
Sophomore center Kel’el Ware and freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako became the preferred recipients of Galloway’s passes and made the most of their opportunities. Ware scored 26 points and Mgbako added 15, including back-to-back 3-pointers coming from Galloway in the second half to give Indiana a 15-point lead.
While Galloway continued his spectacle, he did so in a controlled manner for the final 20 minutes. After his turnover prone first half, he limited himself to just one giveaway the rest of the contest. While doing so, he caused havoc on Minnesota’s perimeter by nabbing five steals, helping Indiana turn Minnesota’s 18 turnovers into 21 points.
The Hoosiers’ senior captain commanded Indiana’s offense to a 64% shooting mark in the second half as the team cruised. They led by as many as 19 points in what resulted in a 12-point win.
It took 107 career games, but Galloway achieved his first-ever double double. He shot 6-for-9 from the field and accounted for 38 of Indiana’s 70 points between his points and assists.
Following Wednesday night’s game, Galloway achieved double-digit assists for the third time in six games after never having done so in his career before the stretch. Once an off-ball guard who was seldom a playmaker, injuries to Indiana’s guards the past two seasons caused Galloway to take on the role of primary ball handler. It took time to adjust, but Galloway learned the ropes and his recent numbers reflect it.
“Coach trusts me with the ball in my hands for me to make plays, and I know I can go out there and make plays to get my teammates involved and for myself,” Galloway said postgame. “Just making the right reads and plays and continuing to do that down the stretch is going to be big for us.”
Galloway has received additional help since sixth-year senior guard Xavier Johnson returned from injury but continues to run Indiana’s offense as the primary ball handler. With one game remaining before postseason play, the veteran duo’s backcourt presence will be key in the Hoosiers’ late season push in the Big Ten Tournament.
Michigan State is next up for Indiana, when Johnson and potentially Galloway will celebrate senior day. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and will be televised on CBS.
Follow reporters Will Foley (@foles24) and Matt Press (@MattPress23) and columnist Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
