Up-and-down week for IU’s remade backcourt returns home with fresh injuries, fresh doubts

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PARADISE ISLAND, The Bahamas – Mike Woodson stacked bad news on top of good in his backcourt Friday.

When he met with fifth-year senior captain Trey Galloway pregame, Galloway told Woodson the surgically repaired knee that’s been limiting Galloway’s court time early in this season felt better than ever. That was despite 29 minutes the previous day in a loss to Gonzaga.

“Yesterday, he played 29 minutes, and I was holding my breath that he would wake up and tell me he felt fine, because we haven’t heard that a lot,” Woodson said. “And he got up this morning and told me it’s the best he’d felt in a long time. That was good news to my ears.”

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Indiana needed 30 more minutes (plus 18 points, five rebounds and five assists) from Galloway on Friday, in an 89-73 win against Providence, in part because the Hoosiers were without one of his running mates.

Sophomore Stanford transfer Kanaan Carlyle, who started IU’s first two games in the Battle 4 Atlantis, watched Friday’s win in street clothes. Woodson would not elaborate on what held Carlyle out against Providence beyond describing him as “day-to-day” and saying, “He couldn’t move today, so we shut him down.”

Seasons don’t end in November. IU can’t wipe away Atlantis losses, but must learn from them.

IU vs. Providence player ratings: Galloway return to starting lineup boosts Hoosiers

The Carlyle news capped a decidedly mixed week for Woodson’s remade backcourt. It has, at times in this still-developing season, looked dynamic and dangerous, but IU’s guards undeniably struggled this week.

Guards scored a combined eight points and were responsible for their share of the 23 turnovers that doomed IU to an ugly defeat in its Battle 4 Atlantis opener against Louisville. They were not dramatically better in a 16-point loss to Gonzaga on Thursday, shooting a combined 5-of-13 from the field.

Galloway appeared to come through three games in three days unscathed, saving his best…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/down-week-ius-remade-backcourt-204222223.html

Author : IndyStar | The Indianapolis Star

Publish date : 2024-11-29 20:42:00

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