INDIANA UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 20, 2023

Xavier Johnson

Trey Galloway

Press Conference

Q. X, you've been here a long time. How do you have this year built up in your mind in terms of team expectation and your own expectation after having been doing this for so long?

XAVIER JOHNSON: Being one of the only experienced players on the team, not only me but I've got Trey, and I have Anthony Leal to help me lead, but my goal is nothing individually, more team-wise. I want to win. That's the last thing on my list to do in college is to win.

Q. Coach got up here and said urgency, urgency, urgency and winning now, not waiting, hanging a banner. How does that rub off on you guys, and is he like that on the court, during practice? Do you sense that urgency from him that it's win-now time?

TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, for sure. He's all about winning, and that's been the thing since day one when he got here. He wants to win and so do we, so it's got to be everybody coming together and doing the right things every day and bringing our guys along so we can be successful and win.

Q. Trayce was one of the best players to ever play here. Race was here as long as you are now here, and Miller obviously played a lot and Hood-Schifino was a first round draft pick. How do you put another team back together?

XAVIER JOHNSON: I mean, buying into Coach Woodson. That's the first thing. All those things were coachable. Listened to Coach Woodson what he had to say when he was coaching, just listened to everything that he told us, and that's what a got of guys got to buy into, because a lot of guys come from different systems, and this is a major time for us as a team because we've got to come together right now. We can't wait until November to come together.

Q. Xavier, you mentioned leadership; Woodson mentioned leadership. What does leadership look like on a day-to-day basis?

XAVIER JOHNSON: They get on me a lot about talking. I'm not the loudest guy, but I like to set everything by example. I like to lead by example. One thing I am one of the most experienced guys on the team this year, so they're expecting me to lead by example and by my voice, honestly.

Q. X, you've obviously spent as much time with Kel'el Ware since he's been on campus as anybody, working out with him. What can you tell us about his game and how you see him fitting into maybe not just this team but the Big Ten in general?

XAVIER JOHNSON: He's a very versatile big. He can shoot threes and he can pick-and-pop, pick-and-roll, so that's big time in the pick-and-roll game with me.

Trayce couldn't pop as much, but Trayce was leading throughout the rim. I don't think nobody could stop him. But Coach Woodson is going to get him on the same track as far as pick-and-roll game.

Q. X, we've asked you so much about your time at Indiana, all the experience you lean on. Has anything been new for you in these last few months, whether it's embracing captaincy or just something else, for all you've been through in your college career, has anything in your sixth year been different or been new?

XAVIER JOHNSON: I would say the only thing that's different is coming off injury. My whole career I've never been injured. This is my first time battling a major injury to my body. One thing the coaches have been preaching to me is about staying in the training room. Training room got to be my best friend.

Q. Trey, for all we've talked about X, just how have you seen him attack this off-season to get himself in the right place both physically and mentally?

TREY GALLOWAY: I mean, it's really cool to see because I dealt with a lot of the same thing. I had a big-time injury last summer that I had to deal with, and kind of just telling him to stick with it, because it's not all going to come at one time. He stuck with it all summer, just got back to myself, and I truly believe is starting to really get back to himself, and he is.

It's going to be huge for us because his leadership and his experience is big for our program, and I think he's going to really help us this year, obviously.

Q. X, just the challenge that you faced with the injury, coming back, what was maybe the toughest part and what was the catalyst for when you realized things are going to get better?

XAVIER JOHNSON: The toughest part was seeing my team. We went on a losing streak last year and i couldn't really help them out, to get on the floor to really help them out, so I had to talk to them and just be the motivational speaker on the sidelines.

What was the second part of your question?

Q. Catalyst for realizing things were going to get better?

XAVIER JOHNSON: I realized things were turning around probably not until I got back on campus honestly. Even though I been already had my waiver, I just think that I just believed things are going to change once I got back on and once I talked to all the coaches and once the whole team came together.

Q. Trey, you took a big step up from the three-point line last year, but the team didn't have a consistent identity beyond the arc. What have you guys been working on in practice to develop that as you head into this year?

TREY GALLOWAY: I'd say just shooting with confidence, because we've got a lot of guys that can make shots, but it's a mindset, I think, and obviously the repetition I think, just getting a lot of reps.

We've done a great job this off-season of holding guys accountable and getting guys in the gym and getting a lot of shots up, so I think that's been really big for our off-season, and it's going to carry over into the season for us.

It's going to be huge for us to stick with it and shoot the ball with confidence.

Q. Trey, when X went down last year, you kind of turned into the backup point guard behind Jalen. What did you get out of that experience?

TREY GALLOWAY: I mean, obviously losing X was tough for us and it was an adjustment for all of us. Even for me because I was the secondary ball handler.

It was challenging, but I definitely learned a lot. And it's not easy. It's not an easy position. It's hard to run the team, so a lot of credit to X and Jalen last year because they did a great job of doing that.

I think just having that experience is good, just to be able to handle the ball and make plays and do certain things, so it was good.

Q. Part of captainship is leading the younger guys that come behind you. You've got a lot of young guards that Woodson said he's counting on to produce. How have you seen them come along and how has the process been for you guys?

TREY GALLOWAY: They've done a great job really just listening. I feel like the younger guys have really bought into our system so far because it's not an easy system to learn, especially defensively. It's one thing that we're really focused on is our defense and it's our identity.

I think just having them come every day prepared, ready to learn, because we're going to make mistakes, all of us are, so it's just part of the program coming together and really truly learning the system, so it'll be good to have them get it.

Q. Trey, being a captain now, obviously you're the son of a couple of coaches and you were sort of that conduit in high school from coach to players and such. Do you feel a lot of that experience will help you sort of be a leader and be a captain with this group here? Does that carry over for you from a personal standpoint?

TREY GALLOWAY: A little bit. Like you said, my dad was a coach in high school, so I kind of learned a lot from him as a leadership standpoint because I was with him so much.

But I think just kind of trusting my instincts and trusting myself because I've been in this position for a while now and I've been here four years, so I know what I'm talking about, and I think it's going to really be important for me to be vocal and help those younger guys.

Q. You talked about some of the younger guys that have come in, Mackenzie obviously being one of the big prospects. What's it been like seeing him get acclimated and how have you taken him under your wings?

XAVIER JOHNSON: To be honest there's not much you need to tell Mack. He's a young guy. He's experienced in an experienced league in high school. He played against good players in high school, as well. He's one of the top recruits, like you said. He's coming along pretty well, though.

One thing we try to hold back on him is taking bad shots. That's the thing that usually freshmen come in and do, they just think it's going to be shoot the ball, shoot the ball, shoot the ball. Nah, you got to play team basketball.

Q. Trey, for your year this year, what are three or four things that are really important you feel for you to do on the court for you to maximize your impact?

TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, I'd say just the biggest thing is lead. I think that's one thing I can really do with that experience, is be an influence on the court when we're playing in big games, just talking and constantly doing certain things to help my teammates.

I'd say the other thing is just making winning plays like I've always done. I think those are certain things I can do to just help our team win, is making winning plays and making the right plays.

I'd say whatever Coach needs me to do, just be ready to be in that position. I feel like I can be thrown into a lot of positions and do them, so I think just being ready for whatever Coach throws at me.