Battle of the Blue Bloods did not disappoint. Inside an electrifying Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall during the first stripe out in nearly ten years, it was the Kansas Jayhawks that left victorious 75-71 over Indiana Saturday afternoon.
“I thought we played pretty well,” Mike Woodson said in the postgame press conference, “You got to tip your hat to Bill and his team because they did everything they needed to do to secure the win down the stretch. We just didn't get it done.”
Without a doubt, this will be a game the Hoosiers look back on at the end of the season with a bitter taste in their mouth. Indiana led for the first 35 minutes of the ball game, leading by as much as 13 points in the second half. Leading the charge was senior Trey Galloway who finished with a career-high 28 points while playing nearly all 40 minutes of action.
Galloway has experienced his struggles at the start of the season. Two points against Louisville, four against Harvard, five against Army West Point. With sixth-year guard Xavier Johnson missing his fourth straight contest, someone had to step up as the defense focus has zoned in on Indiana’s frontcourt.
“Well, we knew coming into the game that it was going to be our starting five pretty much against their starting five,” Woodson said postgame, “Their starting five won out.”
Finding themselves down by two points to the second-ranked Jayhawks with 23 seconds to play, Galloway heaved up a triple that careened off the iron resulting in the Hoosiers forcing to foul. In the postgame press conference, Galloway was asked whether he would take the shot again if he could go back.
“Of course. I mean, I thought it was good,” Galloway said postgame, “I mean, not all shots fall. Next opportunity I get, I'm going to shoot it again and make sure I make it.”
An Indiana fan favorite returned to Bloomington wearing a different jersey than in years past. Hunter Dickinson, former Michigan Wolverine, made his presence felt in the second half finishing with a total of 17 points and 14 boards to help will his team to victory.
Christian Watford, Race Thompson, Rob Phinisee, Collin Hartman, and more former Hoosiers were in the house during Indiana’s loss. Each of those players has experienced their signature moment in an Indiana uniform: Rob shot, Wat shot, beating Purdue last season, beating Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.
Saturday afternoon, Hoosier players on the hardwood couldn’t collect their moment.
But a long season of Big Ten play is still ahead for the Cream and Crimson. The Hoosiers will stay in Bloomington for the remainder of the 2023 calendar year for their final three non-conference games. Indiana takes on Morehead State on Tuesday at 6:30 PM.
