What Mike Woodson Said After Indiana's 106-64 Exhibition Win Over Marian

Mike Woodson spoke to the media after Indiana maintained a perfect exhibition campaign.

Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson during the the Indiana versus Marian men's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Mike Woodson spoke to the Indiana media after the Hoosiers defeated Marian 106-64 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday.

Trey Galloway, Bryson Tucker and Jakai Newton saw their first action of the preseason. All three missed Indiana's exhibition win at Tennessee on Sunday. Anthony Leal and Kanaan Carlyle sat out with injuries.

Tucker led Indiana with 19 points. Malik Reneau added 18.

Here what Woodson had to say about the game.

On Indiana shooting well overall (65.7%), but not from 3-point range (6 of 25) ...

Woodson: Again, we didn't shoot it well from the three-point line. We shot it well from twos. You know, we had all about looks and we're going to keep shooting them. You know, eventually they will go in. But you know, what I like most about the game tonight, we defended. We had 33 assists and ten turnovers. So that's a positive.

On Bryson Tucker ...

Woodson: I'm high on everybody on this team, not just Bryson Tucker. He's a young freshman that has got a nice skill set and especially on both ends of the floor. He's long and athletic and he handles the ball. He can score the ball. He can do a lot of things. But he's got to learn the college game, and he's young at it right now and we've just got to keep pushing him in the right direction.

On what Woodson saw from Jakai Newton ...

Woodson: Jakai, this is the first time he's played, which just brought a smile to my face because this young man has been working and working and working to get back, and finally got a chance to get a few minutes and I thought it's positive. You could tell he's rusty. He hasn't played.

But he's a talented young man. You know, I've seen him in practice do things that I knew he could do when we recruited him, and we just got to continue to nurse him and get him back a 100 percent because he's not there yet.

(Oumar) Ballo's the same way. We monitored both of those guys' minutes tonight, and it's going to be that way until we think they are truly comfortable in playing big minutes.

On what has impressed Woodson most about Oumar Ballo since he arrived ...

Woodson: Ballo has proven what he did at Arizona, he's a double-double guy. He's capable of getting you ten points, ten rebounds. I mean, and he plugs the middle up.

So I mean, there's a reason why we went after him hard when he became -- when he went into the portal, and you know, we've just got to keep working with him, get him in tiptop shape because he's not where I want him to be yet and we're going to keep pushing him until he gets there.

But hey, he's headed in the right direction and doing some nice things for our ballclub.

On Ballo's passing (he had four assists) ...

Woodson: No, he can pass the ball. He's a big man that's been proven that he can pass the ball. I mean, he hits cutters. He plays good buddy ball, like we call. He and Malik are learning each other more and more that they have been together.

And he's unselfish. I mean, it's not just about him thinking he needs to demand the basketball. I mean, he's a good team player that does a lot of good things for your team.

On Ballo and Malik Reneau "buddy ball" ...

Woodson: Again, they both can pass the ball and they both can score down low and they both can handle the basketball. That's a nice combination. We're going to need them to continue to grow together, man, if we're going to be a big-time team.

On Indiana's depth and ability to spread out scoring ...

Woodson: Again, I mean, this is the deepest team that we've had since I've been here. Knowing that we've got a lot of work in terms of what I'm looking for in a team, and you know, we're not shooting the ball well right now from the three-point line, and that's kind of disturbing.

But you know, I'm not going to harp on it because again, we are getting them up, and coming into the Tennessee game and this game, we had been shooting the three ball really well.

We've just got to keep working at it and get guys comfortable and see where it leads us.

On Kanaan Carlyle's injury ...

Woodson: He's got some bruised ribs. He took a shot in the Tennessee game, and so we just kind of are nursing him back and taking it a day at a time. I mean, eventually he'll be back on the floor.

On the support from the extended Indiana family and Bob Knight's family (Pat Knight is Marian's coach) ...

Woodson: Not only Steve (Downing, former Indiana player and current Marian athletic director), we had Nancy Knight back, and I had not seen Ms. Knight in 40 years. It was really nice seeing her.

Steve and I have stayed in contact for many, many years and we talk off and on, so it was great having him back.

And it was nice having Pat back here in Assembly Hall. You know, it's been a while. You know, Pat is special to this program because of his dad and he's gone through it, and to get his mom back here, boy, was kind of special tonight, I think.

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