Indiana head coach Mike Woodson, guard Trey Galloway and center Oumar Ballo spoke with the media following Indiana's win over Miami (OH).
Below are their full Q&As, as well as full transcripts of each of their conversations.
Q. Off to a hot start, 10 minutes really sharp, then the swings. What is your concern that you haven't had that level of consistency yet?
MIKE WOODSON: Just got to keep working and grinding is all I could say.
We did get off to a great start. We went to the bench, then they were able to get back in it. We couldn't find it. We had I think four turnovers coming down the stretch of that first half that gave them the opportunity to get back into the game.
You go in up three... You got to give them credit because, again, we controlled it early, but we let it slip away.
These are growing pains, man. When you get a team down, you just got to keep stepping and building. We just didn't do that early on.
Q. On Oumar, I want to say he had 14-18-6. Do you feel he's almost found his niche here?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, I'm pleased with his play. This is really the first time Ballo in his career has been featured. I mean, he's such a big load. We had the size advantage tonight. I thought we took advantage of it, especially in that stretch where I think they went like six minutes without even scoring. Our defense was pretty good.
We were able to get the ball inside to Ballo and Malik to make plays.
Q. You had 16 turnovers tonight. How much of that is just not the best passing lanes or things like that? Is there something you can pinpoint as to why there's so many?
MIKE WOODSON: Right before the half, I'm thinking time scoring situation. Our players are still thinking home run plays. I mean, we were just taking chances on passes that just weren't there and doing things with the ball off the dribble that just wasn't there.
So these are things that, man, you just got to fix. Moving forward, once we start playing Big Ten basketball, plays like that can really put you in the hole with these good teams.
Q. Good defensive performance in terms of shooting percentage. Where does this game fit in terms of the path towards creating a defensive identity for this team?
MIKE WOODSON: We still got work to do, man. I mean, even though they went six minutes without scoring the ball, they still had good looks. The looks came on our inability to not switch correctly. You know what I mean? We screwed up so many switches tonight I thought.
Those are things that I just got to get us right. When you switch, that means you got a body on a body. Nobody's breaking free for easy shots. We got to clean that up. That's something that we got to continue to work on and practice to get better.
Q. Myles Rice had three turnovers to one assist tonight. How much of that falls on his shoulders?
MIKE WOODSON: Well, again, his all came right before the half. When you got the ball in your hand, you got to make better decisions. I didn't think he did that right before the half. That was the difference in them cutting the lead, we going in up three at halftime.
Q. On Ballo, you mentioned he's a big load. Do you think this could be foreshadowing for what he can do in the Big Ten and other teams will be really conscious of him now?
MIKE WOODSON: Sure. I mean, I think they've seen Ballo over the years. Yes, the Big Ten is big. Everybody's got big guys. Four and fives are huge in the Big Ten. It won't be a surprise when we play Big Ten schools that got the five and four that matches Ballo and Malik.
I mean, we just got to continue to get him better. Malik's got to continue to grow because it will be a challenge each and every night that we step out on that floor once we start the Big Ten.
Q. You were really getting on Mackenzie several times tonight. Especially defensively, where do you feel he needs to improve?
MIKE WOODSON: Listen, it wasn't just Mackenzie. Our perimeter play from a defensive standpoint... Even though we got them to miss shots, I look at the big picture, man, in terms of how the ball is being moved, if we're switching, are we switching correctly. Once the ball goes up on the glass, are we in position to rebound the ball. I think we gave up 15, 16 offensive rebounds. That's way too much. These are things we got to fix.
Q. On Mackenzie, do you think his offensive struggles and his lack of defensive focus were correlated?
MIKE WOODSON: Again, he didn't have a good night. I ain't taking anything. Mack has been playing pretty good basketball for us. He had a tough night.
Again, we'll bounce back. We'll start back on the practice floor tomorrow, get him back going, get him ready for Monday.
Q. You said on Tuesday that 46 points in that second half was a bit too much. Tonight just 21. How pleased are you with that?
MIKE WOODSON: I'll take it. I'll take that all day long. I know if we do that, we'll put ourselves in position to win basketball games.
Q. Trey, is it fair to say you're a more confident shooter now than last year?
TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, I would say a little bit. I'm making shots right now, so it's good. Just the same work I've been doing, just continuing to be consistent with it.
But I think just trusting it and having confidence.
Q. Oumar, you had some big numbers rebounding in points tonight, but you also had six assists. Are you starting to feel more comfortable with the looks you see when you're passing the ball in this offense?
OUMAR BALLO: Yeah, for sure. Coach have a lot of trust in me to making the right play. That's why ball screen situation, the ball is in my hand a lot, to make the right read. Fortunately for us tonight the shots were falling, so happy with the result.
Q. Held Miami to a good percentage tonight. Coach Woodson said there were some breakdowns that would have hurt you more against a higher-caliber team. How close do you feel you are to developing a defensive identity?
TREY GALLOWAY: I think it's just continuing to get better. It is early. We got to learn quick. And we can't have those breakdowns. There was a lot tonight. I think it's just our attention to detail and really focusing and sticking to the game plan.
There's a lot of miscues that we had that we shouldn't have. If we clean those up, it takes away a lot of those buckets that they got.
Overall just really kind of focusing on that and making sure we clean up everything with that. It's little things, but we got to make sure we take care of that.
Q. You open Big Ten play next week. Is there enough urgency from the players? Who is leading the charge to make sure you can turn the page on those?
TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, I mean, it's here now. The Big Ten is real. Anybody can win on any given night. You got to be prepared and practice with urgency and with a purpose.
I think that's our biggest focus, is getting back to work tomorrow and getting ready for Minnesota because that's our first game.
But we got to take it one game at a time because every team is a good opponent and you got to focus on each team.
Q. How confident are you right now and comfortable playing alongside Malik?
OUMAR BALLO: Really good. Malik is not the first big that I play with. Malik is really easy to play with 'cause whenever he get the ball to him, I know he going to try to find me or find an open guy. I feel we have a really good flow together. I'm excited to see it for the rest of the season how it going to turn out to be.
Q. Oumar, did you feel comfortable today that you could throw your weight around a little bit? Was that satisfying and fun?
OUMAR BALLO: Oh, yeah, a little bit for sure (smiling). Whenever you play against guys you got a couple of pounds on, you have to take advantage of that.
Q. Oumar, there were several stretches tonight it seemed they couldn't stop you. Can you sense that out there? When you do, does it make you more aggressive to take advantage of it?
OUMAR BALLO: Yeah, for sure. My teammates are doing a really good job trying to find me in early transition. I have to take advantage of trying to see my guy and get real easy, quick layups.
Q. (Question about points given up in last game compared to this one and if anything was said at halftime.)
TREY GALLOWAY: Yeah, I mean, nothing specific. Just more urgency just because we shouldn't go into halftime only up three. We got to find ways to fix that. Obviously we're a better team than that.
So just coming out with that sense of urgency in the second half, trying to extend the lead. I think, I mean, it's nothing specific being said. It's just, like I said, really focusing on what we need to do to make sure we can stop them.
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