Indiana coach Mike Woodson met with the media after the Hoosiers' thrilled 83-78 victory over Maryland in College Park, Md. Indiana trailed by 16 points early in the second half before rallying for their second-straight win. They're now 16-13 on the season and have won back-to-back games for the first time since December.
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00:00 >> Certainly a tale of two halves there,
00:02 what can you say about just how the switch got flipped?
00:06 >> Well, we went into halftime and we had made some adjustments and
00:12 where didn't give us much in the first half.
00:17 And so I kind of let in him a little bit and
00:21 I thought he picked it up the second half.
00:24 Everybody else who played the second half was a big part of us winning.
00:27 >> What did you think about the way Mbaka played, particularly as 18 in second half?
00:31 >> Well, he made shots and I mean, once he started to make shots,
00:35 we started running plays that would direct the ball towards him a little bit more.
00:40 And our pick and roll game was going nicely and we made three throws,
00:45 we made some threes, so I mean, out-rebounding our opponent.
00:49 So that's huge when you're talking about going on the road and winning.
00:54 >> What do you, you guys shot a good percentage from two point,
00:57 you shot a good percentage from the three point line.
00:59 And also made, I think only missed one free throw, that one that X missed.
01:03 Just talk about the shooting today.
01:05 >> Well, it's something that we've lacked this season, man.
01:08 I mean, we've struggled to put the ball in the hole.
01:11 Tonight it all came together a little bit.
01:15 I think X had a lot to do with it, being out there and
01:18 taking some of the pressure off the game.
01:22 Game got off to a great start for us.
01:25 I just thought X was Xavier Johnson.
01:28 I mean, he did a lot of good things on the floor from a defensive standpoint,
01:33 but just controlling the game along with him and Gallo out front,
01:37 our two seniors, man, I missed that this season, I really have.
01:41 >> Seemed like this game meant a lot to X,
01:42 to be back, his last game back close to home.
01:45 Just for him to have a game like this, just how big was this for you guys?
01:48 >> No, it's huge for everybody.
01:50 I mean, it's hard to win on the road in the Big Ten.
01:54 I mean, we've had our struggles this year, but
01:57 just to have him back out on the floor, and his family, his mother and
02:02 father, and all of his family members were here tonight.
02:05 And he had a good showing, man, and most importantly, we won.
02:09 That's what counts.
02:10 >> Mike, what's the say about the personality of this team to be down 16 in
02:14 the second half and come back and win?
02:16 >> Well, again, I mean, we've played a lot of good basketball in spurts, man.
02:21 I've said that all season long, man.
02:25 And I would like to think things would have been a lot different if we had had X
02:31 in a lot of those games that we let get away.
02:34 But we can't look back, we gotta get ready for Minnesota and
02:39 see where the next game leads us.
02:41 >> You talked about what you can do with the full deck,
02:44 gotten that back the last couple games.
02:45 What's it been like to just watch it actually actualize and
02:48 come to life in the way of these games?
02:49 >> Well, again, I mean, it's nice to see.
02:52 I mean, I don't think anybody on our team ever stopped believing.
02:58 We just haven't been able to put 40 minute ball games together like I envisioned.
03:05 And I thought tonight we played a terrible first half, but we never quit.
03:10 And came out the second half, and defensively, we were tremendous.
03:15 >> How good were X from Galway in this guard play overall,
03:20 offense, defense, defense?
03:23 >> As well as they played together, since I've had them together,
03:28 that's probably the two best games that they've had.
03:32 Where we just haven't been able to get to that point.
03:39 It's just what it is, man.
03:42 But to see them play together tonight, lead like they did,
03:46 being seniors was kinda nice.
03:48 >> What does a two game winning streak do for you with a full deck of cards there?
03:52 >> Just gotta take it a game at a time, George.
03:54 I mean, Minnesota's playing good basketball.
03:57 And we gotta go in another hostile environment and
04:02 see if we can get another win.
04:03 >> You put X in back into the game 90 seconds from the second half.
04:07 Was there any specific message in going back and
04:09 forth between the two of you?
04:10 >> He's a senior, man, and I expect him to lead.
04:15 I mean, that's what seniors do.
04:17 I've been in those shoes, man, I know what it's like.
04:20 And it's been tough for him.
04:21 I mean, the guy's been hurt.
04:23 And they haven't been able to play since last year.
04:26 He can't come back.
04:27 He has nowhere else to go, man.
04:31 So you gotta pat him, show him some love.
04:37 >> How do you kinda sense the momentum in this game flipped as you were coming back?
04:41 Last question.
04:41 >> I don't know.
04:42 Our defense was solid.
04:44 I mean, we gave up a couple of buckets at the end, but
04:46 we probably would have held them to about 30 points that half, which is,
04:51 that gives you a chance to win, especially on the road.
04:53 Gave up 43 to second, the first half.
04:59 So I mean, we were playing Indiana basketball from a defensive standpoint.
05:06 And they knew what they had time, and we let them know that, and
05:09 I thought they responded.