Hoosiers Hurry Past Heels

Wednesday, November 30

Bloomington, Ind.

9:20 PM

Indiana University

7-0,0-0Big Ten

North Carolina

5-3,0-0ACC

North Carolina

Indiana

11/30/2022 11:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Trey Galloway took the closing-seconds blow.

Of course, he did.

Knocked to the floor by North Carolina's RJ Davis in a late-game, loose-ball battle, Indiana's junior guard got up, made a free throw, ran back on defense.

Three games missed from injury caused by, in so many ways, playing too hard, and Galloway was back at it, wrapping up No. 10 Indiana's 77-65 win over No. 18 North Carolina Wednesday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Of course, he was.

"Galloway was phenomenal," coach Mike Woodson said. "He hadn't practiced in the last 10 to 11 days. It's nice to have him back."

In a night full of Hoosier heroes, Galloway was an off-the-bench catalyst with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 23 full-throttle minutes.

"A lot of it is just playing hard," Woodson said. "That's 90 percent of it. You figure out the other 10 percent through X's and O's. He's figured that out."

Added forward Trayce Jackson-Davis: "He brings so much energy, especially on the defensive end. He always guards the other team's best guard. He's always in their heads. We call him Crazy Man because that's how he is on defense. He's a big playmaker for us."

IU (7-0) had plenty of other playmakers in this Big Ten-ACC Challenge finale. Jackson-Davis was a double-double force with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in winning his individual matchup with North Carolina standout forward Armando Bacot (12 points, 10 rebounds). Guard Xavier Johnson had 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Guard Jalen Hood-Schifino had 14 points and six rebounds.

Then there was the defense that forced 10 turnovers and held North Carolina (5-3 with a three-game losing streak) to 34 percent shooting and just 6-for-15 on layups.

"It was a total team effort," Woodson said. "From a defensive standpoint, we were solid from the beginning to the end."

Or, as Jackson-Davis uniquely put it, "Our defense was very constrictive. It was like an anaconda. We sucked the life out of North Carolina early, got that eight-to-10-point lead and road it out to the end."

Cream 'n Crimson basketball as full-force endorsement of college excitement delivered a sleep over, a white out, a marching band, a sellout, the mop lady and enough noise to shatter the healthiest of eardrums.

And that was before the game started.

"I want to thank the fans who slept overnight outside in the cold and rain to be here," Woodson said. "That means a great deal to our players and this program."

Added Jackson-Davis: "The crowd was electric. It was a great atmosphere to play in."

Wednesday night brought back some Hoosier greats of titles past, including Steve Green, Ted Kitchel, Jim Crews, Cody Zeller, Randy Wittman, Matt Roth, Jared Jeffries, James Blackmon, Lyndon Jones, Tom Abernethy and Kentucky Wildcat beater Christian Watford.

A day earlier, Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight visited practice.

It reflected a matchup of traditional powerhouses that had combined for 11 national titles.

"To have two storied institutions that have been great in basketball for many years clash like this ... To beat a team like that, that's well coached, means a great deal to our program," Woodson said.

Added Jackson-Davis: "We're going to fight and battle. We go at each other every day in practice to put on a show in front of these fans."

IU overcame a big free-throw disparity. North Carolina was 20-for-27 from the line to the Hoosiers' 12-for-18.

"A lot of things didn't go our way from a foul standpoint," Woodson said, "but that's what it is. We played through the fouls and brought home the game."

For those who saw this as a statement victory, Woodson applied the brakes.

"It's not a statement, it's our schedule. It was a great matchup. We came out on top. I don't think it's a statement."

IU brought its early defense, contesting everything, conceding nothing. North Carolina opened 1-for-8 from the field, including 0-for-2 on layups. IU inched ahead 8-5. Hood-Schifino had seven points, including a three-pointer.

After eight minutes, the Tar Heels had made just two baskets -- both three-pointers. They were 0-for-5 on layups and had made just one of their previous 13 shots.

Still, the Hoosiers only led 12-8.

After a series of counter punches by both teams, Jackson-Davis rebounded and dunked, and kept going, willing the Hoosiers ahead 26-22.

Then the Hoosiers unleashed defense-and-fast-break fury. Galloway was the catalyst with a layup, a steal and a dunk off a Johnson assist. Johnson added a basket for a 34-24 IU lead.

North Carolina cut the margin in half before a Johnson free throw produced a 35-29 halftime lead. The Tar Heels benefited from 9-for-14 free throw shooting to Indiana's 3-for-6. Schifino had 12 points. Jackson-Davis had 10.

"Jalen came out and was our spark to start the game," Jackson-Davis said. "He was hitting big shot after big shot. It was ridiculous. Our team fell off of that."

Jackson-Davis opened the second-half scoring with a basket, and a free throw. Hood-Schifino scored. So did Jackson-Davis and Miller Kopp. The Hoosiers led 44-31 four minutes into the second half.

North Carolina called a timeout, then committed a turnover that became a Jackson-Davis basket and a 46-31 Indiana lead with 15 minutes left.

The Tar Heels cut it to nine. A Johnson steal and layup, and then a Tamar Bates three-pointer, pushed IU ahead 57-43 as the clock approached nine minutes.

Indiana fouls mounted. North Carolina closed within 10, then eight, then seven with six minutes left.

Galloway followed his steal with a layup. Jackson-Davis scored off a left hook. The double-digit lead was restored, and never really lost.

"To beat a great team like North Carolina," Woodson said, "means a great deal to our team."

Still, Jackson-Davis said, opening Big Ten play Saturday with a win at Rutgers would mean more.

"We haven't beaten Rutgers since I've been here," he said. "The RAC (Rutgers' home court) has always been a hostile environment. They've had our number there. That's the biggest test. This was an important game, but the real test is what we do on Saturday."