What Anthony Walker, CJ Gunn Said After Indiana's 74-52 Win Over Indianapolis

Here's everything Indiana senior forward Anthony Walker and sophomore guard CJ Gunn said following the Hoosiers' 74-52 win over Indianapolis.

Jack Ankony | Oct 29, 2023

In this story:

Indiana Hoosiers

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana found production up and down the roster during Sunday's 74-52 exhibition win over Indianapolis.

The second unit sparked a strong second half, with senior forward Anthony Walker and sophomore guard CJ Gunn playing important roles. Gunn finished the game with eight points on 3-for-8 shooting with four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Walker, a transfer from Miami, contributed six points on 3-for-5 shooting with three rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.

Here's everything Walker and Gunn said postgame.

On his own performance and second half turnaround...

Gunn: :"It was just, you know, it's a blessing to be back out there on the court. We've been beating up on each other all summer. Finally to go against another team to showcase what we can do as a team out there, it was a great time. Had a lot of fun."

On coach Mike Woodson's halftime speech...

Walker: "Yeah, I mean, he is who he is. Real Coach Woody came out. He wanted us to play Indiana basketball like he's been coaching us all summer and the way he's coached since he's been here. That's exactly what I feel like we did in the second half."

On the benefit of length on defense...

Walker: "For sure. That's something Woody stated at the beginning of the year when he assembled this team, put the team together. This team is a lot taller than last year and a lot longer. We plan to use it to the best of our ability on offense and defense."

Gunn: "We've just got to help each other, be in the gaps on defense and get deflections. As a team, I feel everybody on the floor can guard the 1 through 4, and as a team that's a capability that differentiates us from everybody else."

On what he learned about the team in this game...

Walker: "Right. Me, personally, I think that first half that we played was probably the best thing that could have happened to us coming out as our first game, knowing that we need to play basketball to the best of our ability against everybody. We need to play as hard as we can against everybody. So us being able to take that punch that they gave and come together and work as a team in the second half and pull it through, I think it was something that was really important."

On difference between freshman and sophomore year...

Gunn: "Of course, I'm definitely more comfortable just practicing and being out there with the guys. Like we said, this is a whole different team. I'm as comfortable as ever out on the floor. We missed a couple shots, but that's not much, we are just going to keep going. We've got Marian on Friday. That's where my head's at."

On Gabe Cupps' defense...

Gunn: "We just need it every night. His effort and his defensive pressure, that does nothing but it's contagious to all of us. Seeing him work and seeing him apply pressure on the ball, it makes us want to get stops and get deflections and get steals. We need that type of energy coming off the bench to lift us up as a team."

Walker: "Especially coming from a freshman. For him to come out his first game, apply the pressure he did made a statement for the team and other guards and our perimeter players on defense. So it was very important for him to do that."