MINNEAPOLIS -- Indiana entered its first Big Ten Tournament matchup against Penn State shorthanded, as senior captain Trey Galloway missed his first game of the season with a lower leg injury he suffered against Michigan State on Sunday. Xavier Johnson returned to the starting lineup in his absence.
“Even with one guy out, we’ve always got to come together as a team,” Kel’el Ware said. “Just play together and lock in on defense, and just be able to execute the offense well to be able to come out with a win.”
With 24 seconds left, the game was tied, and Malik Reneau put up an awkward floater as the shot-clock hit zero. That’s when Anthony Leal came flying in for an offensive rebound and putback to secure the 61-59 Hoosiers victory. With five seconds left, Penn State ran the length of the court and put up a 3 that bricked off the front iron.
“I know with the shot clock running down and everything that we're going to get a chance to get a shot, but the odds of that shot going in aren't always high,” Leal said. “The odds of losing on a tip-in or a rebound is something we talk about a lot on defense. If there's a buzzer beater, we've got to be boxing out. So I knew that, if he did happen to miss a shot, to go in there and try to make something happen is a possibility. I'm blessed I was able to do that.”
It was a strong start defensively for Indiana, forcing Penn State to shoot 1-for-11 through the first six minutes. Ultimately, the Nittany Lions finished the half shooting 7-for-33 (21%), but only trailed 32-27.
Penn State came out firing in the second half, making their first three shots from beyond the arc including a four-point play that gave them a six-point lead. Gabe Cupps, who started once again, stepped up in Galloway’s absence knocking down two 3-pointers including a big one late to give Indiana a 43-42 lead. He finished 2-for-3 from deep -- the team shot 3-for-12.
After a back and forth battle that included 10 lead changes and nine ties, Leal sealed the deal when it mattered most.
“He's come in and given us a helluva lift, and tonight he hits the biggest shot of his college career,” head coach Mike Woodson said. “So that's beautiful for him, I think, in terms of the hard work that he's put in. I couldn't be more proud of him.”
Woodson said that although it was an ugly game, he is proud of his players for making the winning plays down the stretch, and Leal has the entire coaching staff’s full trust behind him.
Indiana is now 5-0 since the return of Xavier Johnson, and his presence has not gone unnoticed.
“Getting [Johnson] back gives us some stability a little bit in the backcourt, and defensively we've picked up,” Woodson said. “Offensively we've made shots. We didn't tonight, but in the previous four games, we've really been shooting the ball extremely well from the three-point line, and we've been making our free throws.”
Ware added that Johnson’s speed and veteran experience helps the team on the court and even during huddles. Leal said that Johnson is “ultra-competitive” and “he hates losing more than anything” which is a great feature of his.
While Leal had the moment of the game, Ware may have been the most impactful player as he finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocked shots through 36 minutes.
“You just have to play smart and try not to foul the opponents. That's really it,” Ware said.
Indiana snaps its four-game losing streak to Penn State while simultaneously extending its current win streak to five. Their match against Nebraska marks the third consecutive year Indiana has reached the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals.
Woodson said he does not know at this point if Galloway will be able to play at all during the tournament, adding another player to Indiana's injury-riddled season, likely meaning they will need to put their resiliency on full display against the Cornhuskers.
