Fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway elevated from four feet behind the 3-point line with just over a minute remaining in the game and the shot clock ticking in single-digits.
Indiana men’s basketball had trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half of its regular season finale against Ohio State on Saturday inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
But, on senior day, the senior was the hero.
Galloway’s shot splashed the net to give Indiana a 61-56 lead as an ocean of cheers crashed through the Hoosier faithful in attendance. The Hoosiers had taken control, and the Buckeyes were out of time.
Minutes later, the final whistle blew, and Indiana moved one step closer toward an NCAA Tournament berth with a 66-60 win over Ohio State. Junior forward Malik Reneau and Galloway led the Hoosiers’ scoring attack with 16 points apiece in the win.
Poor shooting plagued Indiana’s first half. The Hoosiers opened the game 3 for 18 from the field, and an over five-minute scoring drought allowed Ohio State to build an early lead with a 6-0 run midway through the half. The Buckeyes led by as many as 9 points before halftime and took a 29-25 advantage into the intermission.
Ohio State found success from the perimeter early in the second half, sinking a trio of 3-pointers in the first eight minutes out of the break to extend its lead to double digits. Indiana responded in short order.
A flagrant foul on the Buckeyes’ freshman guard John Mobley Jr. contributed to a 10-0 Hoosiers run that tied the game at 49 with just over eight minutes remaining. The two sides traded the lead four times from that point on.
Indiana led 58-56 with just over a minute remaining when Galloway’s shot built a crucial two-possession lead. The Hoosiers closed their final game at Assembly Hall with free throws, capping off their seniors’ last game in Bloomington with a comeback thriller.
The Hoosiers’ 66 points were the fewest they’ve scored in any win this season.
Indiana secured the No. 9 seed and a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament with the win over the Buckeyes. The Hoosiers will begin postseason play against the No. 8 seed in the second round at noon Thursday in Indianapolis. The contest will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
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.
