There was just under a minute remaining. Finally, Indiana men’s basketball could feel relieved.
Trey Galloway sprinted down the court, fielded the high-arching pass and took one dribble before rising above the rim to slam home a dunk. Turning and running past his teammates on the bench, who all rose from their seats in celebration, the fifth-year senior guard flashed a smile.
The emotion was fleeting as Galloway immediately began to point at different Washington players, directing defensive assignments for his team. Regardless, it was there all the same.
Galloway’s smile reflected the satisfaction of Indiana’s 78-62 victory over Washington on Saturday night at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle. But its quick dissipation also represented the Hoosiers’ necessity to build upon it with only two games remaining in the season — and a possible berth in the NCAA Tournament on the line.
It was a game Indiana was supposed to win as it entered the contest ninth in the Big Ten while Washington sat in dead last in the conference. But throughout the turbulent season, each game has featured a different level of play, and regardless of the opponent, the Hoosiers have struggled to maintain consistent success.
Until Saturday night, when Indiana produced its most complete performance of the season.
“We’ve been playing much, much better basketball, and these last three games, these guys have come and showed up,” head coach Mike Woodson said postgame. “You can call it [playing less stressed]. I call it when you win, it eases the mind.”
From the outset, Indiana’s offensive dominance overpowered Washington. After seven minutes, the Hoosiers led 15-5 with a 12-0 run. Almost exactly four minutes later, redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice’s 3-pointer increased the advantage to 15, forcing a Husky timeout.
It was uncharted territory for an Indiana squad that has largely struggled in the early portion of games. But with every key member of the team healthy, the Hoosiers never faltered in the first half — and for that matter, largely the whole game.
Indiana led for the rest of the half, and the lead never ducked below 8 points. With a 44-30 scoreline entering the intermission, the Cream and Crimson had finished one of their most complete performances of the season.
In the 20-minute frame, eight different Hoosiers scored and six netted at least 4 points. They shot 5 for 13 from behind the arc, averaged 1.257 points per possession and only turned the ball over five times while distributing 10 assists on 17 made field goals.
Junior forward Malik Reneau led the scoring from the bench, totaling 14 of Indiana’s 25 bench points on 6-for-6 shooting. The Hoosiers also forced seven Washington turnovers, which they turned into only 2 points, signaling their proficiency in the half-court offense.
Barring a quick blip at the start of the second half that brought the Huskies within 7, Indiana largely cruised to victory. With about six and a half minutes to go in the game, the Hoosiers led by 21.
When Galloway finished off the dunk with only a minute remaining, the margin had not been single digits in almost 15 minutes. But the basket finished a game that was never tight — the Hoosiers led for just over 37 minutes — and gave Indiana a comfortable finish to a contest for the first time on the road this season.
Indiana now turns to a matchup with Oregon on Tuesday in Eugene, Oregon, before returning home to face Ohio State on March 8. The Ducks are only a game above the Hoosiers in the Big Ten standings, and the Buckeyes are only a game behind.
The games will be against top competition as Oregon and Ohio State are 32nd and 33rd, respectively, in the NCAA Net Rankings. But it will also be Indiana’s trial for March Madness.
If Saturday night was any indication for how the games will play out, the Hoosiers will be just fine.
Offensively, Indiana shot 49.2% from the field and 39.1% from behind the arc on 23 attempts. Four players scored in double digits as Reneau led with 22 points.
But what made the performance complete was Indiana’s defense, spearheaded by fifth-year senior guard Anthony Leal. Despite going scoreless, the Bloomington native had a game-high plus/minus of 26. He also tallied four rebounds, four assists, two blocks and three steals.
“Anthony didn’t play in the early years that much, but he still was every day in practice putting in the time,” Woodson said. “I knew if we threw him in there, he’d be ready to play and do some positive things. All that work that he’s done is paying off.”
Indiana now rides its joint-highest conference win streak this season with three straight wins.
Indiana has now won three straight conference games for the first time since Jan. 2-8. Dating back to Feb. 11, the Hoosiers have won four of their last five games, including victories over then-No. 11 Michigan State and then-No. 13 Purdue.
Most importantly, Indiana is hot right before the NCAA Tournament — making it all the more likely that the Hoosiers will be dancing in March — but it will all be for naught if it can’t handle business in its upcoming games.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa) and columnist Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
