cc, the Hoosiers rallied to defeat the Hawkeyes 74-68 in the last 90 seconds with big play after big play.
And the most improbable? Anthony Leal, a senior guard and native of Bloomington, finished with a career-high 13 points, three crucial three-pointers that were all made at the right time, seven rebounds, numerous defensive stops, and two game-winning free throws.
For a young local who had always dreamed of nights like these in an Indiana uniform, it was a game to remember. And that one night, more than a hundred games into his college career, he will never forget.
“After the game, I gave him the game ball. Before Tuesday, Leal had only scored 14 points this season and now has just 94 points in his career. “He was huge,” Indiana coach Mike Woodson said of Leal. “In the NBA, where I’m from, you call
“When it comes to simply sticking with it, Anthony is the perfect teammate. He has completed the tasks assigned to him and has attended practice each day. He has never, ever complained. I’m playing him because he has earned the right to play.
And he engaged in play.
Leal played very little during the first two months of the season, but as the Hoosiers have struggled to find their guards to put in meaningful minutes, he has recently seen increased playing time. He played in three games on Saturday (Kennesaw State, Nebraska, and Illinois) and saw at least 12 minutes of action in each, but he only attempted one shot overall.
He produced them all, but the volume wasn’t high enough. On Tuesday, he was 3-for-4 from deep and made 4-of-6 from the field. And they were all large.
With eight minutes remaining in the first half, he made back-to-back three-pointers, the second of which gave the Hoosiers a thirty-five-point lead. The Indiana fans greeted both makes with thunderous cheers. The Hoosiers had a fantastic start, and they accomplished it all without Malik Reneau, who was hurt in the first three minutes and never came back.
After leading 39-28 at the half, the Hoosiers—who are currently 13-8 overall and 5-5 in the Big Ten—came out and quickly took the lead. The score was knotted at 49-49 at 10:37. With 6:58 remaining, Leal made two more baskets to give Indiana a 59-58 lead after scoring on a layup to put the team ahead 53-51.
Payton Sandfort, who had a fantastic night for the Hawkeyes with 26 points, made a difficult shot from the corner to give Iowa a 68-66 lead with 1:42 remaining. Neither team led by more than four points the rest of the way.
As Anthony mentioned, I consider my presence here at Indiana to be a blessing. I’m here to work and to improve, thus. And I believe that gives me the confidence I need to trust myself and my teammates. Gallo probably doesn’t swing that pass back if he doesn’t trust me. I’m just incredibly appreciative of the chance and these men.
Indiana played excellent defense and made some clutch offensive plays to seal the victory. Galloway got a steal following Cupps’ basket, but he was fouled. completing a single free throw. Another excellent defensive play resulted in a difficult three-pointer from
