IU basketball has been leaning on its seniors during late-season winning streak. Why? Because they understand the need of ‘cherishing every moment’

502 total games and 10,403 total minutes. That’s the total count for the IU basketball seniors throughout their college careers. Now, everything can come down to one game and 40 minutes as postseason play arrives as the Hoosiers look to continue their recent stretch of positive play into Indianapolis — and beyond.

Indiana ended the regular season winning five of the last seven games and it’s been well documented how IU got there. Trey Galloway, Anthony Leal, Luke Goode and Oumar Ballo have played different roles throughout their careers, and even this season. But over the last seven games, they’ve been the group that Indiana has rode the most and the group that has carried Indiana nearly all season.

“These guys are seniors. They don’t get another shot at this, so they know what it’s about,” IU basketball head coach Mike Woodson said earlier this month. “Anthony and Gallo have been with me the longest. Goode has had a good run at Illinois; now he’s with us. Ballo is a senior. Gotta ride them, see where it leads us.”

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Where it has led Indiana is almost certainly to an NCAA Tournament at-large berth — barring some completely unforeseen events over the next few days. Just a month ago, however, that was not the case as IU was not only not in the projected tournament field, it wasn’t even near the bubble.

What’s changed? The mentality and more specifically the sense of urgency — from the entire team, yes, but headlined by that group of seniors who knew their time in college was numbered and the number of times they’d be putting on a college jersey was not infinite like they thought when they were all freshmen.

“You know, I’ve been in college for quite a long time now. I know this moment, man, they go fast,” Ballo said at the end of February. ” … this thing goes fast, and we have to take every game as important and we have to finish the season strong, not just for us but for the fans. And I feel like they deserve that, and we’re pushing forward for that.”

Unlike Ballo and Goode, Trey Galloway and Anthony Leal have been with Indiana for all five of their collegiate seasons. They’ve been through a coaching change, played through covid, missed NCAA Tournaments — but also been part of the group that returned Indiana to the Big Dance.

That holds a different weight and they understand every stop along the way to their final postseason was a learning experience for what’s ahead in their final chapter.

“Yeah, I think we just 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,” Galloway said. “So I think just really cherishing these moments because when it’s over we’re all going to miss it and it’s going to be tough to really understand what it meant to put this uniform on and to go to war with our brothers every day. I think just really just cherishing every moment, highs and lows.”

Through the highs and the lows, each moment has led this group to where they’re at now. And more importantly to a common goal, with everyone now on the same page.

“When we have a collective effort from everybody involved, coaches, guys that are in the rotation, out of the rotation, walk-ons, it all comes together to be something good,” Goode said. “Since that moment, we have all come together really well. We all have a common goal now. I think everybody is all bought into what we want to do, and you know, we’re reaping the benefits now.”

Now that weight of being Indiana kids means even more — including Goode. Not only is it the last time they’ll be able to wear an IU basketball jersey, it’ll be the final time that Mike Woodson is a coach on the Indiana sideline.

There’s pride in that and that pride has been on full display over the last month as this group is reinvigorating an excitement back into the team and the fan base.

“All three of us take a lot of pride in wearing this jersey and representing it the right way, and we know what it means growing up as kids here,” Leal last week. “We love that challenge and knowing that with us as leaders and us as a foundation, like we are going to be willing to overcome a lot of things if we just keep chipping away.

“For us, it’s almost like a dream come true, being senior guards coming down the end of the year going into March. It’s the opportunity to make those sort of plays and trust in each other and all the work we’ve put in and give it our best.”

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