How Trey Galloway plans to get IU back to March Madness: 'We’re gonna get after it this summer.'

MINNEAPOLIS – Trey Galloway’s body language conveyed his disappointment and frustration, in the aftermath of a Big Ten tournament exit he could do nothing to prevent.

Galloway, Indiana’s fourth-year senior captain and fourth-leading scorer, missed each of the Hoosiers’ games last week. A left knee injury suffered in the season finale against Michigan State benched Galloway — also Indiana’s assists leader — for the win over Penn State and the loss to Nebraska that eventually concluded the Hoosiers’ season.

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Sitting in front of his locker Friday night, Galloway spoke softly. He acknowledged his disappointment at not being available for IU’s last-chance push to make something of its postseason. But Galloway also spoke optimistically about Indiana’s future, one he intends to play a leading role in.

“I was upset about it, that I wasn’t able to be there for the guys, to be able to compete in this tournament,” Galloway said. “But the good thing is, I have that chance next year to be back. That’s what we’re looking for. We’re gonna get after it this summer, get ready.”

A 3-and-D impact player last season, Galloway wound up taking over full-time point guard duties this winter after Xavier Johnson’s various injuries cost him more than a dozen games.

In that role, Galloway thrived. He posted some of the best single-game assist numbers in program history, becoming one of just four Hoosiers ever to post at least three 11-assist games. The company he keeps there: Isiah Thomas, Jamal Meeks, Michael Lewis.

Galloway also finished with a Big Ten games-only assist rate of 28.8%, sixth-best in the league. His creativity helped prompt a late-season turnaround that saw the Hoosiers tear off five wins in a row, the last of those the Penn State win on Thursday. A win Galloway watched from the bench in sweats.

“I wasn’t ready to go for the tournament. Obviously, it’s challenging because I want to be out there with my teammates, but I wasn’t able to get myself ready to come out here and compete with the guys,” Galloway said. “It hurts. We got hot at the right time. Having X back was so important to our team. We were clicking at the right time. Having me go out like that, it definitely disrupts things. It’s challenging.”

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Galloway’s long-term prognosis remains positive, according to the player. While he wouldn’t say whether he might require offseason surgery, Galloway suggested he’ll be fully fit for the meat and bones of a crucial summer in Bloomington.

“Long term, I should be good, ready to go this offseason and back to where I was,” he said. “I’m not worried about anything long term, just listen to the doctors, see what they have to do and get ready to go.”

A first-time captain this winter, Galloway stepped into not just a larger statistical role but also one demanding greater leadership from the Culver Academy grad.

That did not always come easily. Galloway knew there would be and acknowledges now the growing pains he navigated. But having already declared his intention to return for his COVID-allowed fifth year — and determined to be an important voice in recruiting needed reinforcements from the transfer portal this spring — Galloway embraces the expectations that will come with doing the whole thing over again next winter.

“There’s a lot to learn,” he said. “Just as a first-year, me being a captain, I learned so many valuable lessons. You’ve gotta go through a lot of hard times to really just learn the good things. With the ups and downs that are gonna come, just a lot of different things, maintaining, staying focused on what I have to do to be better next year, as a captain, to help our team make that jump.”

He’ll have longtime friend and teammate Anthony Leal with him, Leal having also publicly declared his intention to return during Indiana’s senior-day festivities earlier this month.

Leal might well step into the vacancy at captain Johnson will leave, and lead alongside his one-time AAU teammate. Between them, Leal and Galloway know their roles in reviving momentum after a hot-and-cold 2023-24 season will be crucial.

“We learned a lot this year. There were so many times things weren’t going our way. With that, we were able to come together and learn so many things. It was a great learning lesson for us this year. It’s going to help us in the long run,” Galloway said. “We want to make the tournament every year. Not making the tournament, that’s a disappointment for us. We’ve got to get back this summer, get ready to go.”

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How Trey Galloway plans to get Indiana basketball back to March Madness