Key takeaways from the Indiana Basketball 78-62 win at Washington

Indiana basketball opened their West Coast trip with a big 78-62 win over Washington on Saturday night.

The Hoosiers have now won four of their last five as they continue their push for a NCAA Tournament bid.

Here are the key takeaways from Indiana basketball’s win.

Malik Reneau shows no rust in return: Just before Indiana hosted Penn State it was reported that Malik Reneau was questionable despite not appearing on the availability report. Reneau ended up missing the game due to illness and was treated at a hospital as a result. Reneau’s status was uncertain coming into tonight’s game but Reneau made his return off the bench. Reneau did not miss a step scoring 14 points in the first half while shooting 6-6 from the field. He consistently got to the rim at ease having no trouble against the Husky defenders. Mike Woodson elected to stagger the bigs which opened the floor for Reneau and he took full advantage. Reneau finished with 22 points and six rebounds while shooting 10-13 in the win and showcased once again how important he is to Indiana Basketball.

Defense smothers Washington: After a lackluster defensive effort against Penn State, Indiana basketball locked in on that end of the court against Washington. The Hoosiers held the Husky’s leading scorer Great Osobor in check with their collective effort. Osobor was a non-factor scoring just four points without making a shot during the entire game. It was a collective effort but Anthony Leal once again played a huge role with three steals and two blocks. Indiana held Washington to just 36.2% from the field and they forced 13 turnovers in this game. Nothing was easy for Washington as they scored just 0.912 points per possession and were forced to play a lot of isolation. Of their 21 made baskets, only eight were assisted on. Indiana stayed connected and forced tough shots all night as they held Washington to just 62 points.

Indiana basketball needs an aggressive Myles Rice: After scoring 12 and 13 points in wins over Purdue and Penn State, Myles Rice once again showcased how important it is for him to be aggressive. Coming off the bench Rice scored eight points with four rebounds in 10 first-half minutes as helped Indiana take a 14-point lead into the break. Six of those points came off a pair of threes which forced Washington to keen in on him throughout the game. It’s been said all year that when Rice is attacking he and this team are at their best. While Rice had a quieter second half, only scoring one more basket, his early aggressiveness forced the defense to focus on him opening up space for the rest of the team. It’s no secret that his speed is his biggest strength, but when he’s not looking to score it’s not nearly as effective as when he’s trying to attack the rim.

Trey Galloway continues to evolve as a playmaker: Mike Woodson has asked so much of Trey Galloway during their time together and the pair are clearly close. Galloway committed to Indiana as an off-ball guard, but due to injuries and roster construction, he had been thrust into a point guard role for much of his career. While it has not always been great, Galloway has consistently improved as a playmaker each year. Even with new additions who were expected to take the job back, Galloway still wound up as the team’s main point guard. After a 16-point and nine assist performance against Penn State, Galloway followed that up with eight points and seven assists with just one turnover. While the scoring is not always there, Galloway has consistently gotten great looks for his teammates all year. His performance in the win over Washington is just another example of Galloway showcasing his playmaking abilities.

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