Indiana 82, USC 69
Q. Between and you Miles the assisted turnover numbers are good; the offensive numbers are good. I think even tonight Miles had nine rebounds. Just how is the chemistry between the two of you? I know that kind of thing takes time, but you're halfway throughout season. Where do feel like you are in terms of maybe being the two that have your hands on the wheel for this team?
TREY GALLOWAY: I think it's great. I think just we're continuing to get better and grow as a team. I think that connection between him and I is getting there.
I got to think I missed the whole summer, so it was very tough for me to miss that time with the guys on the court. I didn't really get to start playing until end of October, September time. So just missing that time, it was tough beginning the year to have that connection.
Now since the I've been on the court we're starting to be able to feed off other guys and stuff, so just learn how we play and it's been good.
Just continue to build on that.
Q. Trey, on Oumar, I think over the last three he is averaging like 22 and 11 and 12. Is this effort? Is this energy? Is this matchup? What do you see within that?
TREY GALLOWAY: I think it's everything. We knew what we were getting with him and we knew how dominant he was and how he has been in the past, so just him getting back to that and being able to dominate games with his size in not only scoring, but just affecting shots on the defensive end and be a leader and talking on the defensive end, those things have been so huge and it's carried over to him playing better.
I think it's been great to see that and it's making us better as a team obviously.
Q. Trey, you've been through it all as a veteran. With Mackenzie, his season has seen some really highs and lows. Tonight, off night. What do you tell him as he is searching for consistency as a young player?
TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, I mean, he's a guy that can get it going whenever, so I think just knowing that, I mean, obviously there will be times it's not your night. That's what good teams are all about.
It's teams that can win when guys are not playing as well and other guys can pick it up for them. So just knowing that next game we're going to need him to step it up and he's going to be ready, and to continue to build that confidence with him. He's a confident player and makes shots and he's a shotmaker for us.
We know he's going to do that for us and we just got to continue to get him in the right spots to make shots. Just continuing to tell him he's going to be fine. It's one game. We won, so as long as we win, at the end of the day it doesn't matter. We're trying to win as a team so it's good.
Q. For both you guys, just get your thoughts. Next 11 games with all quad one games. What are three or four things you look at and you feel you need to do consistently well to have a good run here?
TREY GALLOWAY: One game at a time I think. I mean, when you go on the road we're focused on our next game, which is Iowa. Whenever you go on the road it's always challenging and you got to bring it. Just focusing in on Iowa and knowing we got to do, and it starts tomorrow with our preparation.
We got two-day prep to focus on them and go in there and see what we can do.
LUKE GOODE: I think personally, it's defense and rebounding. At the beginning the season, you go back to the trip down to the Bahamas, the biggest issue for us was guarding. We were getting killed by Louisville and Gonzaga. Couldn't guard anybody. The last ten games I think we've out-rebounded our opponents.
I think to be able to continue to be successful in the Big10 in a physical league, we got to keep defending and rebounding. I think what we've been doing in the past, what is it, five Big10 games now, last three, has been great.
Q. Luke, you talk about the defense. How has that helped you guys offensively push the tempo as well over the last five games or so?
LUKE GOODE: Yeah, helps big time, especially when we out-rebound the other time. Something we emphasize in practice is going to get offensive rebounds. I know our numbers have definitely gone up big time since the middle of the season or early season.
But it just helps us by getting easy looks. Miles is a one of the more dynamic guards in the open court in the country. Not even the Big10, the country.
So if we can get the ball in his hands after a missed shot, get it to Gallo who's a great decision maker, me, Mack, Tuck, all the guys that can make plays, whether it's shooting the ball or get to go the rim, just spacing the floor and being able to play off a defensive rebound after a great defensive possession has been really important to us.
Q. Trey, guys were down 22-12; got comeback to 24-24, tied, in a few minutes. What was that turning point? What sparked that comeback right there?
TREY GALLOWAY: I mean, they came out the gate pretty physical. I mean, I think it shocked us a little bit. The way we responded was great. I think just punching back was big for us. The way we responded was great.
Obviously made some shots, but we started to defend and got back in transition. I think they hurt us a little bit early on with them getting quick stops. Our shot selection wasn't great beginning of the game. We started to get open looked we wanted and were able to turn it around.
Q. Trey, you mentioned the late start you got in terms of building a chemistry with your teammates. In respect to Oumar, what have you learned over the course of the games in terms of feeding him -- the best opportunity to feed him to score? What have you learned about working with him over the course of the year? Seems like lately especially he's been working off pick and rolls and getting a lot of opportunities that way.
TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, I think just knowing his game and knowing what he can do, and our spacing has been better, too. Just the way we can find him inside and the way he is able to seal guys is great.
So just knowing that his size is an advantage and we're using that to our advantage. He sets screens, and that's one thing we try to emphasize is him setting screens, because he's going to be open. When he knocks guys off, we're going to find ways to get downhill or find him with that lob or drop-offs and stuff.
He's done a great job of that. Also, just the impact he's made on the offensive glass, just tip-outs and everything. He's going to get rewarded for that because he's playing harder, and the way he's dominating the glass has been great.
Q. Luke, you've had three of your best shooting games in a row. Is that changes you made? Spacing in the offense? Just part of being a shooter?
LUKE GOODE: Yeah, I think it's a little bit of everything you listed honestly. Something the coaches always says is water finds its level. I came into a season as a career 40% guy and people knew that, and when I'm not there it's going to find its level.
So I had the confidence and my teammates had the confidence in me to know when I'm out there it's going to go up. I'm not going to lose that confidence in myself.
Coach Wallace actually played a similar role to me and college so he understand the shooting slumps and ups and downs and having that role on a team. He actually gave me a book that I've been reading it. It's really helped. I started reading it three games ago since I've started shooting the ball] well.
I think that helps a little bit, but it's just a whole lot everything. Staying in the gym, staying consistent to the process and what I do.
When you got teammates that have trust in you and a coaching staff that never loses faith in what you do, good things happen.
Q. (Regarding title of book.)
LUKE GOODE: It's called something mind. It's about a guy that he worked in the MLB and can he was a like a sports psychologist. It's just about clearing your mind and letting everything happen, so, yeah.
Q. Luke, just expanding on that a little bit, you obviously have been starting the last couple games coming off the bench. How much more confidence are you starting to feel with an expanded role here?
LUKE GOODE: Yeah, I'm super comfortable. My teammates make it easy for me. When I'm starting in the game the offense looks a little bit different. I think that helps everybody that's involved. Able to get Ballo looks, spacing the floor with another shooter has been great for our team.
Been the story of my career. In and out of the lineups playing what I need to play. When my teammates have confidence in me, whatever role they want me to play, I'm going to do to to the most I can.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports