ALBANY, N.Y. — Sunday night time gained’t be the primary time Indiana’s Trey Galloway and Miami’s Nijel Pack have stepped foot on the identical ground.
For their freshman and sophomore years of highschool, the 2 Indiana natives performed on the identical AAU staff, Indiana Elite. While they could not communicate a lot main into the sport, the familiarity shall be there.
“After the game, we can talk a little bit,” Galloway stated Saturday. “But right now we’re kinda just focused on being ready to go… we grew up together so it’s a lot of memories. I had a lot of fun playing with him because he’s a really good player. He can pass the ball. Score the ball. Just really poised.”
From spending time collectively on the street and in resort rooms, to now competing as foes on one of many greatest phases, each of them have their work lower out for them.
Galloway’s Hoosiers shall be tasked with stopping Miami’s high-powered guard play within the second spherical of the NCAA match on Sunday.
Pack is capturing 43.8 % from past the arc in his final 17 video games and is averaging 13.4 factors and a pair of.4 assists a sport this season. Galloway remembers his quickness as probably the most difficult half about guarding his former teammate.
“Just his quickness. The way he can get shots off — his release is really quick. He’s really poised. It’s hard to get him to turn the ball over,” Galloway stated.
At his dimension, 6-foot, Pack has to make use of his quickness and burst by way of the lane to his benefit. He had a game-high 21 factors and hit three triples in opposition to Drake.
“Nijel is a great player. Their backcourt is really, really good,” Trayce Jackson-Davis stated Saturday. “Just watching him just grow throughout high school and blossom into the player that he is now…the way he shoots the ball and then passing, his ability to attack the rim is huge.”
Indiana has struggled in opposition to faster guards this season. Boo Buie, Tyson Walker and Jahmir Young are a couple of examples from Big Ten play. With the absence of Xavier Johnson, Jalen Hood-Shifino and Galloway can generally give up and falter in transition protection. Transition offense is the place the Hurricanes thrive.
As a staff this season, Miami is capturing 42.6 % on transition 3s and averaging a stellar 1.211 factors per possession on the break. Keeping Miami within the half-court and out of their transition offense shall be keys for Indiana if they’re to make their first Sweet Sixteen in seven years. Both Galloway and Hood-Schifino might want to keep linked and in fixed communication.
Opposite of Pack within the Miami backcourt is ACC participant of the 12 months, Isaiah Wong. At 6-foot-4 and 184 kilos, the New Jersey native has a protracted and wiry body. Wong can rating in any respect three ranges and there’s little question that the Hurricanes’ offense runs by way of him. Wong averages 15.8 factors per sport, 4.3 rebounds and three.4 assists and is capturing 37.5 % from deep.
Jordan Miller is one other gifted wing participant that Indiana should comprise. Miller’s skillset is more likely to translate nicely to the following stage as he can shoot it nicely and has athleticism. At 6-foot-7, 195 kilos, he offers Jim Larranaga a physique he can put at any place and defend competently.
Miller scored simply seven factors in opposition to Drake within the first spherical. It was the primary time he had scored in single figures since Nov. 23.
“They’re perimeter driven, they’ve got perimeter play that sits at the top of college basketball,” Mike Woodson stated Saturday. “I know Wong struggled yesterday. He’s been kind of their go-to guy. Pack has been solid all season. I thought he carried them yesterday against Drake, after watching it.”
Miami’s offense was out of kinds in its 63-56 win over Drake. The Hurricanes shot simply 30.4 % from the sphere, however with how high-powered the Canes’ offense is, that’s probably to not repeat two video games in a row.
Slowing the sport down and taking good care of the ball shall be a few the keys for Indiana if the Hoosiers wish to cease Miami’s high-powered offense. According to Kenpom, the Hurricanes have the twelfth most effective offense within the nation. The Hoosiers perimeter gamers in Hood-Schifino and Galloway should hone in on their defensive assignments in the event that they wish to transfer on to Kansas City.
(Photo credit score: Miami Athletics)
Filed to: 2023 NCAA match, Miami (FL) Hurricanes
