Saturday, March 1
Seattle, Wash.
6 p.m.
Indiana University
at
Washington
‘Cherish the Moment’ -- IU Brings Optimism to West-Coast Trip
3/1/2025 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
'Cherish the Moment' -- IU Brings Optimism to West-Coast Trip
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Center Oumar Ballo pushes for his Indiana teammates, for Hoosier Nation fans, for a strong finish that could define this season and those who have been Hoosiers for so long -- specifically fifth-year guards Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal.
In other words, go out the right way.
"We have to finish the season strong, not just for us, but for the fans," Ballo says. "I feel they deserve that. We're pushing forward for that."
The regular season is down to its final week -- Saturday at Washington (13-15 overall 4-13 in the Big Ten), Tuesday at Oregon (20-8, 9-8), and Saturday, March 8, against Ohio State (18-13, 8-10) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. With a two-game winning streak reviving March hopes, perspective joins optimism for a sense that fun has returned to the program.
"I've been in college for quite a long time now," says Ballo, a sixth-year veteran with previous stops at Gonzaga and Arizona. "I know this moment, man, they go fast. And for guys like Trey and Leal that have been here for five years, I know every game means the world to them.
"And for me, too, because this thing goes fast. We have to take every game as important."
Despite IU (17-11, 8-9) disappointments this season, Galloway says there's been much to appreciate.
"We have to keep reminding each other to cherish every moment because wins and losses, it's all special because you're learning through it all," he says.
"Just really cherishing these moments because when it's over, we're all going to miss it. It's going to be tough to understand what it meant to put this uniform on and to go to war with our brothers every day.
"I think really cherishing every moment, highs and lows."
Highs include the 7-foot, 265-pound Ballo, who is coming off his ninth double-double of the season, and the 43rd of his career. Wednesday night against Penn State, he had 20 and 12 while using his size and strength to hammer at 7-foot, 250-pound Yanic Konan Niederhauser.
Ballo averages 13.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 63.8% from the field. He joins Auburn's Johni Broome, Maryland's Julian Reese, and Kansas's Hunter Dickinson as the only players in the nation to average 13.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
"Whenever you have a couple of pounds on the defender, you need to take advantage of that," Ballo says of his match up with Niederhauser. "I was trying to put my body -- even though I missed some shots (he was 8-for-14), but at the end of the day we got the job done. That's what matters."
Galloway is peaking at the right time. In his last two games, he's averaged 15.5 points and 9.0 assists while shooting 11-for-21 from the field.
Early season struggles, which included consecutive games in which he failed to score a point, and then another scoreless effort at Iowa, are distant memories.
"Every season has its own challenges," he says. "I think focusing on how can I make my team better and getting better every day is the biggest thing I've been trying to do because everyone on our team has to make sacrifices for us to be successful.
"Just really buying into the team and buying into everybody else is the biggest thing."
While Woodson pulled Galloway out of the starting lineup for six straight games mid-season, he never stopped giving him major minutes.
"He's had a tough go at it," Woodson says, "but I never stopped believing in Trey. He's been with me the longest. He's put up with a lot of (stuff) from me.
"I trust him. He does a lot of good things. Yeah, he makes mistakes. They all do. I make mistakes. But at the end of the day, I know he's going to play hard and give 100% when he's out there. That's all you can ask for."
Galloway's strong recent play left Penn State coach Mike Rhoades pushing him as a Big Ten most valuable player candidate.
"I don't know if he's the best player in the league, but I think he is the most valuable player," Rhoades says. "The dude is a winner. He is leading the charge for Indiana."
IU's 10-for-15 3-point shooting against Penn State, an anomaly for a team that shoots just 32.1% from beyond the arc for the season, reflected a lineup that surrounded Ballo with four shooters.
"They spread you out with different guys that can make plays in space, but also, they can shoot it," Rhoades said. "They don't always shoot like they did (Wednesday night), but they sure did (against us).
"When you space the opponent out, and you have different guys that can make plays on a perimeter and shoot right, then your big man inside has more space to operate, go to work, and find his angles. So, you are picking your poison at times."
Guard Kanaan Carlyle contributed to that perimeter poison with a 3-pointer. While he hasn't played much recently, he might down the stretch, Woodson says. Others might, as well.
"Stay ready and focused because you just never know. This game is funny. Somebody goes down and you're mad at the coach because he hasn't played you. Now you're not mentally and physically ready to play.
"I tell guys, 'Stay ready and what minutes you do get, make it the best minutes for our team in terms of helping us win games. If you do that, then I'll come back your way again.'"
With forward Malik Reneau's status uncertain after missing the Penn State victory with an undisclosed medical emergency, and IU facing the grind of a two-game West Coast swing, Woodson wants the Hoosiers to continue their balanced offensive productivity. Five players scored in double figures against Penn State and against Purdue. IU had 42 assists in those two games.
"We just can't rely on one guy," Woodson says. "We've had four, five guys in double figures in two straight games. We're going to need that going forward."
Washington has lost three straight games and has a 9-7 home record. It has three double-figure scorers in forward Great Osobor (14.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.9 steals), guard Tyler Harris (12.0) and guard Zoom Diallo (11.1).
Three Huskies have made at least 40 three-pointers this season – guards Mekhi Mason (47), DJ Davis (46), and Harris (43).
IU and Washington haven't played since 2013, when the Hoosiers won 102-84 in the semifinals of the 2K Sports Classic in New York.
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Center Oumar Ballo pushes for his Indiana teammates, for Hoosier Nation fans, for a strong finish that could define this season and those who have been Hoosiers for so long -- specifically fifth-year guards Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal.
In other words, go out the right way.
"We have to finish the season strong, not just for us, but for the fans," Ballo says. "I feel they deserve that. We're pushing forward for that."
The regular season is down to its final week -- Saturday at Washington (13-15 overall 4-13 in the Big Ten), Tuesday at Oregon (20-8, 9-8), and Saturday, March 8, against Ohio State (18-13, 8-10) at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. With a two-game winning streak reviving March hopes, perspective joins optimism for a sense that fun has returned to the program.
"I've been in college for quite a long time now," says Ballo, a sixth-year veteran with previous stops at Gonzaga and Arizona. "I know this moment, man, they go fast. And for guys like Trey and Leal that have been here for five years, I know every game means the world to them.
"And for me, too, because this thing goes fast. We have to take every game as important."
Despite IU (17-11, 8-9) disappointments this season, Galloway says there's been much to appreciate.
"We have to keep reminding each other to cherish every moment because wins and losses, it's all special because you're learning through it all," he says.
"Just really cherishing these moments because when it's over, we're all going to miss it. It's going to be tough to understand what it meant to put this uniform on and to go to war with our brothers every day.
"I think really cherishing every moment, highs and lows."
Highs include the 7-foot, 265-pound Ballo, who is coming off his ninth double-double of the season, and the 43rd of his career. Wednesday night against Penn State, he had 20 and 12 while using his size and strength to hammer at 7-foot, 250-pound Yanic Konan Niederhauser.
Ballo averages 13.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 63.8% from the field. He joins Auburn's Johni Broome, Maryland's Julian Reese, and Kansas's Hunter Dickinson as the only players in the nation to average 13.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
"Whenever you have a couple of pounds on the defender, you need to take advantage of that," Ballo says of his match up with Niederhauser. "I was trying to put my body -- even though I missed some shots (he was 8-for-14), but at the end of the day we got the job done. That's what matters."
Galloway is peaking at the right time. In his last two games, he's averaged 15.5 points and 9.0 assists while shooting 11-for-21 from the field.
Early season struggles, which included consecutive games in which he failed to score a point, and then another scoreless effort at Iowa, are distant memories.
"Every season has its own challenges," he says. "I think focusing on how can I make my team better and getting better every day is the biggest thing I've been trying to do because everyone on our team has to make sacrifices for us to be successful.
"Just really buying into the team and buying into everybody else is the biggest thing."
While Woodson pulled Galloway out of the starting lineup for six straight games mid-season, he never stopped giving him major minutes.
"He's had a tough go at it," Woodson says, "but I never stopped believing in Trey. He's been with me the longest. He's put up with a lot of (stuff) from me.
"I trust him. He does a lot of good things. Yeah, he makes mistakes. They all do. I make mistakes. But at the end of the day, I know he's going to play hard and give 100% when he's out there. That's all you can ask for."
Galloway's strong recent play left Penn State coach Mike Rhoades pushing him as a Big Ten most valuable player candidate.
"I don't know if he's the best player in the league, but I think he is the most valuable player," Rhoades says. "The dude is a winner. He is leading the charge for Indiana."
IU's 10-for-15 3-point shooting against Penn State, an anomaly for a team that shoots just 32.1% from beyond the arc for the season, reflected a lineup that surrounded Ballo with four shooters.
"They spread you out with different guys that can make plays in space, but also, they can shoot it," Rhoades said. "They don't always shoot like they did (Wednesday night), but they sure did (against us).
"When you space the opponent out, and you have different guys that can make plays on a perimeter and shoot right, then your big man inside has more space to operate, go to work, and find his angles. So, you are picking your poison at times."
Guard Kanaan Carlyle contributed to that perimeter poison with a 3-pointer. While he hasn't played much recently, he might down the stretch, Woodson says. Others might, as well.
"Stay ready and focused because you just never know. This game is funny. Somebody goes down and you're mad at the coach because he hasn't played you. Now you're not mentally and physically ready to play.
"I tell guys, 'Stay ready and what minutes you do get, make it the best minutes for our team in terms of helping us win games. If you do that, then I'll come back your way again.'"
With forward Malik Reneau's status uncertain after missing the Penn State victory with an undisclosed medical emergency, and IU facing the grind of a two-game West Coast swing, Woodson wants the Hoosiers to continue their balanced offensive productivity. Five players scored in double figures against Penn State and against Purdue. IU had 42 assists in those two games.
"We just can't rely on one guy," Woodson says. "We've had four, five guys in double figures in two straight games. We're going to need that going forward."
Washington has lost three straight games and has a 9-7 home record. It has three double-figure scorers in forward Great Osobor (14.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.9 steals), guard Tyler Harris (12.0) and guard Zoom Diallo (11.1).
Three Huskies have made at least 40 three-pointers this season – guards Mekhi Mason (47), DJ Davis (46), and Harris (43).
IU and Washington haven't played since 2013, when the Hoosiers won 102-84 in the semifinals of the 2K Sports Classic in New York.
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