That’s A Wrap: Trey Galloway
Welcome to “That’s A Wrap,” our player-by-player recap of the 2023-24 Indiana Hoosiers. Today: Trey Galloway.
Galloway (31 games): 10.6 points, 4.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 46.6 FG% in 33.4 minutes per game.
Previously: Gabe Cupps, Mackenzie Mgbako, Malik Reneau, Kel’el Ware, Kaleb Banks, CJ Gunn, Payton Sparks
Following an efficient third season in Bloomington – one in which he posted vastly improved perimeter shooting numbers – Trey Galloway’s role changed in his fourth season as a Hoosier.
With Jalen Hood-Schifino gone to the NBA and Xavier Johnson in and out of the lineup due to injuries, Galloway had the ball in his hands more than ever. He was also more of a focus for opponents on the scouting report as IU’s best guard all season.
The result was a much higher usage rate for the Culver Academies product, along with a step back in efficiency.
Playing point guard – not his natural position – Galloway thrived at times as IU’s primary playmaker. He developed synergy with Kel’el Ware as Mike Woodson often ran actions to get Galloway going downhill with Ware as an option for a lob or a pass. In conference play, Galloway finished with the sixth-best assist rate in the conference at 28.8 percent.
When he was able to get past his defender, Galloway proved effective in the paint or at the rim. His floater was a reliable option and he shot 55.7 percent overall on 2s, the 18th-best mark in Big Ten play. Overall, for the season, Galloway shot a sparkling 58 percent on 2s, a career-best mark.
One thing that suffered with increased reps, however, was Galloway’s perimeter shot. After connecting on 46.2 percent of his triples in the 2022-23 season, he went just 26-for-100 on 3s last season. The backslide was costly for an IU team that needed reliable shotmakers from the perimeter.
Galloway remained one of IU’s best defenders on and off the ball. He was often tasked with difficult defensive assignments and never backed down from a challenge. His steal percentage in conference games rose from 1.3 percent in his third season to 2.4, which ranked 19th in the league.
His two best offensive games came in a narrow loss to Kansas at home on Dec. 16 and a come-from-behind road win at Ohio State on Feb. 6. Against the Jayhawks, Galloway exploded for a career-high 28 points on 12-for-17 shooting from the field. Against the Buckeyes, his 25 points helped the Hoosiers erase an 18-point second-half deficit. Late in the game, Galloway found Anthony Leal in the right corner for a game-winning 3-pointer.
Unfortunately for Galloway, his season ended with a knee injury that only allowed him to log seven minutes against Michigan State on March 10 and forced him to miss Big Ten tournament contests against Penn State and Nebraska in Minneapolis.
A participant in senior day, Galloway announced in his speech that he would return for a fifth season in Bloomington and utilize an extra season of eligibility granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bottom line: Ware was Indiana’s best player, but Galloway was crucial to the Hoosiers being competitive throughout the season. Miscast as IU’s point guard for most of the season, he made the best of a challenging situation and always brought tremendous effort on both ends of the floor. With IU bringing in reinforcements at guard for next season, some of the weight will be taken off Galloway’s shoulders next winter in Bloomington. Galloway is a fan favorite who maximizes his talent and is an integral part of the IU program.
Quotable: “When I think about when I played, coach (Knight) always placed it on the senior guys to lead and do the things that help us win. I thought tonight Gallo was huge in the second half. Our defense was solid; we held this team to 31 points. That was the difference in the ball game. Gallo down the stretch, and then Leal making the big three. It was huge.” – Woodson after Indiana’s win at Ohio State in early February.
Filed to: Trey Galloway