Indiana Fends Off Penn State With Another 2nd-Half Rally, Keeps Postseason Hopes Alive

Riding the core of Trey Galloway, Anthony Leal, Myles Rice and Luke Goode, Indiana pulled off another dramatic second-half comeback on Wednesday, erasing a five-point deficit to beat Penn State 83-78. It was their 17th win of the year, and keeps their postseason hopes alive.

Indiana's Trey Galloway (32) passes around Penn State's Nick Kern Jr. (3) during Wednesday's 83-78 win. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — There are starting fives in basketball. Indiana seems to have found its ''finishing five,'' and it's helped keep their postseason dreams alive.

For the second straight game, Indiana coach Mike Woodson rode the core lineup of Trey Galloway, Luke Goode, Anthony Leal and Myles Rice down the stretch, and it led to another huge win Wednesday night at Simon Skjodt Assembly. The Hoosiers finished strong and knocked off Penn State, 83-78.

Those four players were on the floor for all 20 minutes of the Hoosiers' dramatic victory over Purdue on Sunday, and Woodson counted on them again in the final nine minutes on Wednesday, helping to erase a five-point deficit. They made critical three-pointers — they were 10-for-15 from deep on the night and 6-for-8 in the second half.

The Hoosiers are now 17-11 overall and 8-9 in the Big Ten with three games to go. They've got a shot still at dancing in a few weeks, which seemed like such a longshot three weeks ago. Three big wins has changed that thinking.

"The seniors don't get another shot at this, and they know what it's about,'' Indiana coach Mike Woodson said. "You've got to ride them and see where they take us. These guys are playing for something. They want to get in the tournament.''

This game was a slugfest throughout, with neither team able to make any kind of run. Penn State never led by more than six points — and that was at 7-1 — and Indiana 's biggest lead was five at 17-12. The Nittany Lions led by two at the break, 39-37.

Penn State still led by five with 8:07 to go, but then the Hoosiers took over, going on a 15-4 run. Oumar Ballo had five points inside, and Galloway hit two threes on back-to-back possessions. Anthony Leal made two free throws to give Indiana a 75-69 lead with 4:51 to go.

Penn State got within three at 81-78 after two Ace Baldwin Jr. free throws with 41 seconds left. Myles Rice was fouled with 31 seconds to go — and missed both. Penn State's Zach Hicks missed a forced three at the 17-second mark and Galloway got the rebound. He got a pass to Goode, who was fouled. He made both to ice the game.

Ballo led the Hoosiers with 20 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, Four others were in double figures, led by Galloway with 16. Rice and Mackenzie Mgbako had 13 and Goode added 10.

Galloway, just a 30.1 percent three-point shooter for his career, hit his first four threes, including the two down the stretch. The fifth-year senior from Culver, Ind. has been a big part of Indiana's resurgence this month.

"It's been challenging. Every season has its own challenges,'' Galloway said of his up and down career. "I'm just trying to get better every day, and everyone on our team has to make sacrifices. I just think we're coming together and we're a better team than what we've shown. We're taking it one game at a time, and we're focusing on buying in.''

It was their best deep shooting night since they went 10-for-13 in beating Penn State on Jan. 26, 2022. Galloway said they thought they would get good looks, and they did.

"We knew that they're a heavy team closing in on gaps and we thought we could get some open shots. It's about staying confident,'' Galloway said. "We're doing a great job of sharing it, and guys aren't being selfish. It's guys trusting each other and making the right reads.''

The Hoosiers have three games left, West Coast games at Washington on Saturday and Oregon on Tuesday, and the home finale against Ohio State on Saturday. Winning two gets them to .500 in the Big Ten, and winning all three would almost certainly secure an NCAA Tournament bid.

Big picture is one thing, but they have been singularly focused on one game at a time, and it's working. They beat No. 11 Michigan State on the road, and No. 13 Purdue at home.

They are finding their stride, and using their core four to finish out games. It's working, at long last, and their perimeter shooting has been better.

"I think at the end of the day, we've lost some games that where we were right there,'' Woodson said. "A bounce of the ball here or there, we're probably not even having this conversation.

"I've been saying that s--- for three years (about three-point shooting). Guys have been getting good looks but hadn't knocked them down, and tonight we made them. It was nice to see. I hope that's a good sign moving forward.''