Postgame Quotes: vs Maryland
12/1/2023 9:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Postgame Quotes
Indiana vs. Maryland
Dec. 1, 2023
MIKE WOODSON | INDIANA HEAD COACH
WOODSON: Before we get started, I want to send a shoutout to our new coach. First off, just want to say welcome to Bloomington. Couldn't have picked a better place to come.
That being said, let's go.
Q. On using the team's aggressiveness and size as leverage…
WOODSON: No. I just thought our wings, our perimeter play, was really good tonight from a defensive standpoint. I mean, you know, held this team to 53 points, I'd say you've done a pretty good job defensively. I've got to do a better job helping this team offensively because I didn't think we executed the last seven, eight minutes of this ballgame, and that's on me.
Q. On the turnovers in the last stretch of the second half…
WOODSON: It's a learning tool for me. I've got to be better in helping them. They didn't do anything any differently than they did in the first half. I thought their press the first half slowed us down a little bit. But we were still able to execute the press, and they were matching defense in the halfcourt and we were still able to still get points and move the ball.
I just thought we got so stagnant the last seven, eight minutes where we didn't move the ball, bodies weren't moving, and that's something that can be corrected and I've got to help them correct it.
Q. On the difference the rebounding in the first half made in the game…
WOODSON: It makes a big difference. That's something we talked about in pregame that our wings and perimeter guys had to get in and mix it up a little bit and get rebounds, and I thought we did a great job in that regard.
We've got to continue to do that. We can't put all the pressure on Ware and Malik and big Payt and Walker to get all the rebounds.
Q. On the team's response to Maryland's physicality…
WOODSON: Again, it's the Big Ten in general. I mean, it's going to be this way every night you jumping up in the Big Ten. It won't be any easier when we go to Michigan next week. I mean, the Big Ten is tough. They let you play.
So if you don't come and meet the challenge, then you'll be exposed as a team. I thought tonight we were the more aggressive team tonight.
Q. On Trey Galloway's and Gabe Cupp's performance with the absence of Xavier…
WOODSON: I thought they handled it very well. I mean, we can't -- you know, we can't -- I wish X was in uniform but he's not here. He's just going to have to continue to rehab. The guys that are in uniform, they have to just pick it up and play. I thought our perimeter play was pretty decent tonight. I just thought we didn't execute from an offensive standpoint bringing it in the down home stretch.
Q. On what clicked defensively for the team tonight…
WOODSON: I thought we were connected tonight. We didn't give up a lot of threes. I thought our switching was right on par.
You know, we had a few miscues but we didn't let this team get into the teeth of our defense very much. And then early on, we kind of had our way from an offensive standpoint in the paint where Malik and big Ware were able to make buckets for us.
I just thought defensively, we were solid tonight for 40 minutes.
Q. On Galloway's impact during the game despite his offensive struggles…
WOODSON: Well, he knows we're a little shorthanded not having his running mate with X out. He's going to have to do more and give us more, and he's a senior; that's what he's supposed to do.
So I was pleased with his play from the beginning to the end, you know what I mean. We've just got to execute better offensively, and I've got to help this team do that.
Q. On Kel'el Ware's play with the physicality of the Big Ten…
WOODSON: Well, he's been smacked around a little bit this early season. Hey, it's part of the game, man. You've got to get in the fight. I thought he did a great job in holding his own and demanding the ball and making plays when he got the ball.
TREY GALLOWAY | INDIANA GUARD & KEL'EL WARE | INDIANA CENTER
Q. On the team's improvement in rebounding…
GALLOWAY: Yeah, I think just a little bit of everything. I mean, early in the season, we were getting killed on the offensive glass in every aspect. We wanted to clean that up and make sure we're finding guys and boxing out, and also getting the offensive glass. I think we have got a good amount of those tonight. We've got guys that are athletic enough to go get rebounds. We just have to stick our head in there and go get them, and we did a good job of that.
Q. On the importance of getting off on a good start in tonight's game…
WARE: I felt like it was good us as a team to get that start early, just to show the team that we came here to play today and just complete the mission to win the game.
Q. On what it means to you to be able to respond to the defensive, physical challenge…
WARE: Now that I know that I can do that, even if they keep sending people at me, I can find the open guys and get them open shots, like I said, yeah.
Q. On the team's perimeter defense…
GALLOWAY: I think with such two post presents out there like Kel'el and Malik down there teams are going to start doubling now. So we know and we've got to be ready to knock it down and it comes out of the post and just shoot it with confidence.
So I think just it's going to keep happening and they are going to keep coming. So we've got to be ready to shoot it.
Q. On playing two Big Ten games in December…
GALLOWAY: It's a little different. I mean, but I think it's good, just to get a feel what the Big Ten is like. It's physical every night. You've got to be ready to go out there and compete. So I think getting a little taste of it is good, and then refocusing back in January is good.
WARE: Well, this is my first year in the Big Ten, so I don't really know too much but just going off what Trey said, like I said, we can get a feel of what the Big Ten is like right now and then play other games and then get back to the Big Ten, we're going to already be prepared.
Q. On the emphasis of starting both halves strong…
GALLOWAY: Yeah, I think any time you're at home or on the road, you want to get off to a good start to kind of set the tone. And it just wasn't offensively; it was defensively, too. We were able to go out there and with high intensity and we knew our coverages, and we executed well early and often, so it was good.
Q. On the staff's message to the team before this game…
GALLOWAY: We've got two freshmen starting, so we've got to kind of pull those guys along. It starts with me being the most experienced guy, so I've got to do a great job and do better in practice and come -- leading into games, to help lead and we get into game time just be ready to go and play hard.
But I mean, obviously Jahmir Young is a good player and he's quick and he can really score. But it's all five of us guarding collectively.
Q. On Galloway and Cupps' ability to get the ball to you down low…
WARE: I would say they were more active tonight. Even when they were sending guys, trapping me, they were cutting just attacking the basket, leaving other teammates open, and I feel like, yeah, we just keep doing that, we're going to be good.
Q. On the balance it brings to the team having all four starters score in double figures…
GALLOWAY: I think so, because we've got a lot of guys that can score. They are going to take certain things away front of us and we've got to be ready to go to all our other options.
The main thing is we're not really worried about who is scoring. We want to get the win. I think all five guys knowing, whatever it takes to get the win, and the bench, it's going to play a big role in us and the rest of the season.
KEVIN WILLARD | MARYLAND HEAD COACH
Q. On the message to the team…
WILLARD: Get back to work on Sunday. They have the day off tomorrow, get back to work on Sunday.
Q. On the energy level from the start…
WILLARD: This is our second true road game. This is a much better environment than (against Villanova). The early timeout was to try and calm them down.
Q. On the poor three-point shooting…
WILLARD: (Indiana's) defense. They are a very good defensive team on the three-point shot.
Q. On not taking care of the ball…
WILLARD: We missed 14 threes. That's 14 possessions that we don't have an opportunity to get an assist. I thought Trey Galloway played great. He was the difference in the game.
Indiana vs. Maryland
Dec. 1, 2023
MIKE WOODSON | INDIANA HEAD COACH
WOODSON: Before we get started, I want to send a shoutout to our new coach. First off, just want to say welcome to Bloomington. Couldn't have picked a better place to come.
That being said, let's go.
Q. On using the team's aggressiveness and size as leverage…
WOODSON: No. I just thought our wings, our perimeter play, was really good tonight from a defensive standpoint. I mean, you know, held this team to 53 points, I'd say you've done a pretty good job defensively. I've got to do a better job helping this team offensively because I didn't think we executed the last seven, eight minutes of this ballgame, and that's on me.
Q. On the turnovers in the last stretch of the second half…
WOODSON: It's a learning tool for me. I've got to be better in helping them. They didn't do anything any differently than they did in the first half. I thought their press the first half slowed us down a little bit. But we were still able to execute the press, and they were matching defense in the halfcourt and we were still able to still get points and move the ball.
I just thought we got so stagnant the last seven, eight minutes where we didn't move the ball, bodies weren't moving, and that's something that can be corrected and I've got to help them correct it.
Q. On the difference the rebounding in the first half made in the game…
WOODSON: It makes a big difference. That's something we talked about in pregame that our wings and perimeter guys had to get in and mix it up a little bit and get rebounds, and I thought we did a great job in that regard.
We've got to continue to do that. We can't put all the pressure on Ware and Malik and big Payt and Walker to get all the rebounds.
Q. On the team's response to Maryland's physicality…
WOODSON: Again, it's the Big Ten in general. I mean, it's going to be this way every night you jumping up in the Big Ten. It won't be any easier when we go to Michigan next week. I mean, the Big Ten is tough. They let you play.
So if you don't come and meet the challenge, then you'll be exposed as a team. I thought tonight we were the more aggressive team tonight.
Q. On Trey Galloway's and Gabe Cupp's performance with the absence of Xavier…
WOODSON: I thought they handled it very well. I mean, we can't -- you know, we can't -- I wish X was in uniform but he's not here. He's just going to have to continue to rehab. The guys that are in uniform, they have to just pick it up and play. I thought our perimeter play was pretty decent tonight. I just thought we didn't execute from an offensive standpoint bringing it in the down home stretch.
Q. On what clicked defensively for the team tonight…
WOODSON: I thought we were connected tonight. We didn't give up a lot of threes. I thought our switching was right on par.
You know, we had a few miscues but we didn't let this team get into the teeth of our defense very much. And then early on, we kind of had our way from an offensive standpoint in the paint where Malik and big Ware were able to make buckets for us.
I just thought defensively, we were solid tonight for 40 minutes.
Q. On Galloway's impact during the game despite his offensive struggles…
WOODSON: Well, he knows we're a little shorthanded not having his running mate with X out. He's going to have to do more and give us more, and he's a senior; that's what he's supposed to do.
So I was pleased with his play from the beginning to the end, you know what I mean. We've just got to execute better offensively, and I've got to help this team do that.
Q. On Kel'el Ware's play with the physicality of the Big Ten…
WOODSON: Well, he's been smacked around a little bit this early season. Hey, it's part of the game, man. You've got to get in the fight. I thought he did a great job in holding his own and demanding the ball and making plays when he got the ball.
TREY GALLOWAY | INDIANA GUARD & KEL'EL WARE | INDIANA CENTER
Q. On the team's improvement in rebounding…
GALLOWAY: Yeah, I think just a little bit of everything. I mean, early in the season, we were getting killed on the offensive glass in every aspect. We wanted to clean that up and make sure we're finding guys and boxing out, and also getting the offensive glass. I think we have got a good amount of those tonight. We've got guys that are athletic enough to go get rebounds. We just have to stick our head in there and go get them, and we did a good job of that.
Q. On the importance of getting off on a good start in tonight's game…
WARE: I felt like it was good us as a team to get that start early, just to show the team that we came here to play today and just complete the mission to win the game.
Q. On what it means to you to be able to respond to the defensive, physical challenge…
WARE: Now that I know that I can do that, even if they keep sending people at me, I can find the open guys and get them open shots, like I said, yeah.
Q. On the team's perimeter defense…
GALLOWAY: I think with such two post presents out there like Kel'el and Malik down there teams are going to start doubling now. So we know and we've got to be ready to knock it down and it comes out of the post and just shoot it with confidence.
So I think just it's going to keep happening and they are going to keep coming. So we've got to be ready to shoot it.
Q. On playing two Big Ten games in December…
GALLOWAY: It's a little different. I mean, but I think it's good, just to get a feel what the Big Ten is like. It's physical every night. You've got to be ready to go out there and compete. So I think getting a little taste of it is good, and then refocusing back in January is good.
WARE: Well, this is my first year in the Big Ten, so I don't really know too much but just going off what Trey said, like I said, we can get a feel of what the Big Ten is like right now and then play other games and then get back to the Big Ten, we're going to already be prepared.
Q. On the emphasis of starting both halves strong…
GALLOWAY: Yeah, I think any time you're at home or on the road, you want to get off to a good start to kind of set the tone. And it just wasn't offensively; it was defensively, too. We were able to go out there and with high intensity and we knew our coverages, and we executed well early and often, so it was good.
Q. On the staff's message to the team before this game…
GALLOWAY: We've got two freshmen starting, so we've got to kind of pull those guys along. It starts with me being the most experienced guy, so I've got to do a great job and do better in practice and come -- leading into games, to help lead and we get into game time just be ready to go and play hard.
But I mean, obviously Jahmir Young is a good player and he's quick and he can really score. But it's all five of us guarding collectively.
Q. On Galloway and Cupps' ability to get the ball to you down low…
WARE: I would say they were more active tonight. Even when they were sending guys, trapping me, they were cutting just attacking the basket, leaving other teammates open, and I feel like, yeah, we just keep doing that, we're going to be good.
Q. On the balance it brings to the team having all four starters score in double figures…
GALLOWAY: I think so, because we've got a lot of guys that can score. They are going to take certain things away front of us and we've got to be ready to go to all our other options.
The main thing is we're not really worried about who is scoring. We want to get the win. I think all five guys knowing, whatever it takes to get the win, and the bench, it's going to play a big role in us and the rest of the season.
KEVIN WILLARD | MARYLAND HEAD COACH
Q. On the message to the team…
WILLARD: Get back to work on Sunday. They have the day off tomorrow, get back to work on Sunday.
Q. On the energy level from the start…
WILLARD: This is our second true road game. This is a much better environment than (against Villanova). The early timeout was to try and calm them down.
Q. On the poor three-point shooting…
WILLARD: (Indiana's) defense. They are a very good defensive team on the three-point shot.
Q. On not taking care of the ball…
WILLARD: We missed 14 threes. That's 14 possessions that we don't have an opportunity to get an assist. I thought Trey Galloway played great. He was the difference in the game.
Players Mentioned
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