Tag: Woodson

As Trey Galloway missed another shot — his fourth in the first six minutes of Indiana men’s basketball’s 94-69 loss to Illinois on Jan. 14 — Hoosier fans booed the fifth-year senior and one-time crowd favorite. 

When Galloway left the floor two seconds later, fans cheered. And when Galloway’s face appeared on the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall big screen during a timeout, fans booed once more. 

As an Indiana captain, Galloway is perhaps more exposed to blame and external scrutiny. Indiana head coach Mike Woodson is notoriously difficult on his captains — but he thinks fans have gone too far. 

“It’s just not right that fans are doing what they’re doing to him,” Woodson said on his radio show Monday. “Because I think he’s working his butt off. He plays hard. He tries to do the right things. He doesn’t always get it right — I get that — but I love him to death. His teammates love him.” 

Galloway used to receive the loudest ovations from fans during pregame introductions of the Hoosiers’ starting five. He’s started 12 games this season but has transitioned back to a bench role for Indiana’s past three games amid a rough patch magnified in the Hoosiers’ loss to Illinois. 

The Culver, Indiana, native has played in each of Indiana’s 21 games, but he’s averaging 7.4 fewer minutes per game this season than last. His production has dropped from 10.6 points and 4.6 assists per game in 2023-24 to just 7.1 points and 4.1 assists per contest this year. 

Galloway has shot at a better clip from distance, hitting 35% of his triples after making only 26% last season, but his overall performance from the field has fallen from 46.6% to 41%. 

Part of the reason for Galloway’s struggles stems from the knee injury he suffered at the end of the 2023-24 season. He underwent offseason knee surgery and didn’t participate in summer workouts, which he noted after Indiana’s 82-69 win over USC on Jan. 8 led to what he implied was a lack of chemistry early in the season. 

Woodson said Jan. 21 that Galloway’s surgery will likely take over one year to fully recover from. The injury itself occurred late in the Hoosiers’ regular season, as Galloway played only seven minutes before exiting in pain during a 65-64 victory over Michigan State on March 10. Galloway didn’t play in the Big Ten Tournament the week after Indiana topped the Spartans. 

Galloway faced questions in the lead-up to the season about his health. He didn’t start practicing until late September and didn’t reach full levels of participation until the second week of October. 

Due to his focus on recovery during the offseason and subsequent lack of time on task with his teammates, Galloway’s been behind the 8 ball throughout the campaign. Still, Woodson holds his veteran leader in high regards. 

“Listen, I love everything about Trey Galloway. I’ve always loved Trey Galloway,” Woodson said on his radio show. “Since I’ve had him, he’s been probably one of the hardest working young men that I’ve coached.” 

The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Galloway has battled highs and lows on the court this season. He’s scored in double figures eight times, headlined by an 18-point outburst Nov. 29 against Providence College, but he’s been held scoreless three times and recorded one or fewer field goals in five games. 

Indiana has experienced a similarly rocky season. As losers of four of their last five games, the Hoosiers are 14-7 overall and 5-5 in the Big Ten entering their 8 p.m. tipoff Friday against Purdue at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana. 

For Galloway, Friday’s tipoff marks the last time he’ll play Indiana’s biggest rival on the road. If his first 21 games are any indication, Galloway will blend moments of brilliance with intermittent frustration. 

Hoosier fans may lose hope. Woodson never will. 

“I know when I put him out there, he’s going to work his butt off and play hard for us,” Woodson said. “He makes mistakes just like all players make mistakes, but some of those mistakes, you have to live with them. I’ll go to war with Trey all day long every day.”