Players Q&A: Indiana Basketball Players Kel’el Ware and Trey Galloway react to Indiana’s victory over FGCU

Indiana basketball players Kel’el Ware and Trey Galloway spoke to reporters following IU’s season opening victory against Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday.

They discussed the defensive miscommunications, Gabe Cupps, the team’s fight and more.

Below is the full video Q&A and transcript.

Q. Trey, wanted to ask about the three-guard lineup and you guys closing the game down the stretch. What goes into the cohesiveness of that unit?

TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, I think it was a good job down the stretch of finding ways to get stops. It’s got to be the whole game. No matter what lineup it is, we got to do a better job on the defensive end and know our coverages and what we need to do on the backside.

So I think just whatever lineup it is, finding ways to be better and get better. Obviously they made a lot of threes and we got to be able to limit that more.

Q. Trey, when you see a freshman like Gabe in crunch time getting those minutes, season opener as a true freshman, what goes through your head? What impresses you the most since you’ve been here a long time?

TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, I thought he did a great job coming in, stepping up in a big time moment. I think he was really good at talking and kind of just staying poised.

So good to see that, and know we can rely on him and trust him in crunch time. I think just him staying ready and being ready off the bench was good.

Q. Kel’el, you came out had a couple blocked shots early, got into the flow. What did it mean to you in your first Indiana game to demonstrate what you can do at your best?

KEL’EL WARE: Every night it’s just going to be a night that not even just me, but the whole team just come out and play hard and just going to have to try our best to win the game and show the fans what this team is capable of.

Q. Kel’el, I guess guys talk at different times about their offense getting them into a game, their defense getting them into a game. What is it for you when you can score like you can, the rebounds, three blocks in the first half, four assists in the second half, just staying involved, whatever it is, at both ends?

KEL’EL WARE: Well, it’s a 40-minute game, so no matter what it is, if I can just get a block at one point or even just get a rebound and run at the end and get a fast break, it’s like I said a 40-minute game, so we can just score throughout the whole game.

Q. Trey, what did a game like this show you about yourselves? You guys really never took over this game. Almost did, but then they got back into it. What did it show you about this team?

TREY GALLOWAY: I mean, obviously we wanted to be up more because we’re capable of that. But I liked our fight when we got down six late in the second half, because you could easily break there and kind of fall apart.

We made that run and got back in it with our intensity and defensive energy and our stance. So I think just knowing that we got guys willing to fight when things aren’t going well, I like to see that.

Obviously we got to be better and not put ourselves in that position, but to be able to climb out of that and come out with a win was huge for us.

Q. Kel’el, with you being by the rim, wanted to ask you, you get the best view of it. What are you seeing that is causing you guys to break down a little bit off the ball in your rotations?

KEL’EL WARE: I feel like it’s just miscommunication. Once we get the communication down I feel like we’ll be well, even just when, you know, off the ball and getting back to our minutes.

Q. Trey, how important is it for and you X and Malik, the guys that have been with this program for a while, to step up in moments like did you in the second half?

TREY GALLOWAY: It’s huge. Like you said, we have the time and time spent here the longest and we know what it takes to win at the highest level.

I think just pulling guys along and knowing that it’s not going to be easy like it was tonight. That’s the big thing for us really, just focus on the task at hand, one possession at a time, and try to fight for the win.

Q. Trey, you guys gave up 13 threes tonight; a lot of them were clean looks. What did you see break down to give them those looks and those threes?

TREY GALLOWAY: I think just missed communication and knowing our spots, knowing where we need to be. They made a lot of shots, but a lot of the those we could have affected more. I think just going back and watching film and knowing what they need to do next time to prevent that from happening.

I think just going back and watching it and really getting a look at it. I can’t really tell right now, but a lot of missed communication and not being in our spots at the right time. We’ll work on it and get better.

Q. On Malik specifically, obviously last season he kind of would fall into foul trouble issues and was headed down that road again tonight, and then checked in, 12 minutes or whatever it was and played without fouling and really made a lot of big plays. How much have you seen him grow in that way since last year?

TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, our biggest thing is we want him on the floor. I think in the off-season telling him we need you on the floor and you can’t foul. Obviously last year he had a lot of times where he got in foul trouble and a lot of the dumb fouls.

So him being disciplined and not gambling, because he had that one, got him the third foul. So I think just knowing we need him out there and to not gamble will be huge for him to stay on the floor because we need him.

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