INDIANA UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

February 23, 2025

Trey Galloway

Malik Reneau

Postgame Media Conference

Indiana Hoosiers 73, Purdue Boilermakers 58

Q. Trey or both of you, you guys had nine days between games. It would have been easy to pack it in. You were down 12 at halftime. Would have been easy to pack it in. Can you talk about the mindset coming out and playing probably the best half of basketball all year?

TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, we had a pretty good break there with games offer to kind of let our bodies recover. Obviously we really competed this week and got after each other because we're not satisfied with where we are at right now.

But I really like how we responded in the second half because that's what we've been doing all year is just fighting. We've been in these games and we've been in big-time games where we haven't closed them out. But we've continued to keep fighting and that's all you can ask for, and it's going to pay off. Just got to keep the momentum and keep moving forward.

Q. Trey, wanted to get your thoughts on the way Malik played today, 15 points, perfect from the field, six rebounds, four assists, the whole thing. How good was he?

TREY GALLOWAY: He was great. And I think just him just being patient, because he knows he demands a double because of how good and how skilled he is. So by opening things up for himself and making the right reads out of the double, and he did that all night. We knew by watching film and prepping all week that he was going to get a double.

Like I said, nobody can guard him one-on-one. Just having that mindset of the willingness to pass shows the kind of teammate he is, and it's pretty special to see that. It's going to continue to happen. For us to continue to win, he's got to continue to do that for us and be big all the rest of the year.

Q. You, Myles and Anthony didn't come off the floor in the second half. Was there a moment where you felt like the three of you just kind of had a connection that almost just sort of said, we're going to set the terms for this game in the second half?

TREY GALLOWAY: I think it really all started with Myles and his ball pressure. Obviously, Braden (Smith), when he's comfortable, he's one of the best in the country. So you've got to make it tough on him and he really good a great job of that by setting the tone in the second half.

We kind of followed his lead on that. I think just the intensity we had to get ourselves back into it, because I mean, that thing could have gone two ways. We were down 12. Just the little plays that Myles made and Anthony made early on in the half just defensively pushed us to get that start that we wanted.

Q. The rivalry, was that on your mind, and was a team, was that ever mentioned beforehand?

TREY GALLOWAY: For sure. We know how much it means to Coach but it means a lot to all of us. It means so much to the state of Indiana. Everybody from Indiana knows about the rivalry and it's a blessing to be a part of it. I'm just happy that we had the chance to go out there and compete and have an amazing atmosphere and great crowd today.

I think it's just really cool to see that and be a part of it and for Coach to have a win at home against Purdue because he's been a part of it, too. And it's not just him; it's everybody who is a part of it. It's special.

Q. On that note, I want to say, Woodson came in and he said that was really special afterwards how everyone rallied around him. What sparked that, and what was that like for you guys?

TREY GALLOWAY: I thought it was great. I mean, we're a family, and we've been a family since we all got together in June, and through highs and lows, you've got to find ways to continue to stick together. That's one thing we've really tried to preach this last week, even with what we've been going through and the tough losses, we still have a chance to compete and make the tournament.

So our focus is just rallying around each other and really sticking together through thick and thin.

Q. Was there any particular message coming into today? And then was it the same message at halftime and was there something that changed?

MALIK RENEAU: I'd say the message was the way -- from the meeting last week, Monday, we knew coming in that this was a must-win game. Everybody had that feeling, and was ready to go for the game.

I mean, when we got down and we were at halftime, it was the same thing. Just go out there and put your all out on the floor and let's see the results, and it came out our way. So congrats to my teammates and me.

Q. It's been tough at home this year, a lot of tough losses, and at halftime, you know, we said amongst the students, there are with some boos when you didn't finish the first half. Does it say to the fans that you can put a performance like that together, but also protect the home court which has been difficult this season?

MALIK RENEAU: Yeah, we had some tough losses at home but we bounced back bigger and better today, and just having the crowd behind us, when we started making our run, that felt good. I just do it for my teammates and Coach. That's all I can say.

Q. For both of you guys, we haven't had much of a chance to talk to you guys since all the news broke with Coach Woodson. Would it be fair to say you guys are playing for him right now and what have been some of the conversations amongst the players?

TREY GALLOWAY: Like I said earlier, we're all playing for each other because we're all in it together. And obviously this is Coach's last year, and we want to make it special for him. We want to make it special for everyone.

This team was assembled for a reason, and we have a chance to really keep competing down the stretch to win games and put ourselves in the right position.

So I wouldn't say just for him but like I said, it's a collective unit and it's all together, and we're trying to do it for each other, including Coach and the rest of the coaching staff and all the players, and everybody.

Q. What has it meant to you, seems like Woodson has really been riding on the three Indiana guys down the stretch. What has it been like for you to get a big win for those guys?

TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, it means a lot. For me, I grew up around the rivalry, and it's an important game.

But I think just keeping my body ready and knowing that I've got to be prepared to play whenever Coach needs me to play, whatever minutes he needs me to play.

Just continue to get better every day and practice and keep building good habits for us to be successful, and we've got to continue to get better as the season goes on.

Q. You guys have a goal in mind of making the NCAA Tournament, but how does that carry over to Wednesday and Penn State?

MALIK RENEAU: Having two great practices Monday and Tuesday and going into the game Wednesday.

Q. You're the 55th person here at Indiana to score a thousand points. You're now on that list, and your name stays on it forever. What does it mean to cross that milestone?

MALIK RENEAU: It's super special. Thank the Lord. I don't know, it's just a big moment for me. That's all I can say pretty much. It's a special moment from me.