BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Trey Galloway scored 16 points, Kel’el Ware had 13 points and 12 rebounds in his Indiana debut, and the Hoosiers beat Florida Gulf Coast 69-63 on Tuesday night in a season opener for both teams.
Indiana trailed 48-42 midway through the second half before scoring 14 straight points. Malik Reneau started the run with a three-point play and he capped it with two more free throws to make it 56-48.
Xavier Johnson made 1 of 2 at the free-throw line with 28.2 seconds left to extend Indiana’s lead to 66-63. FGCU had a good look at a 3-pointer from the corner, but Chase Johnston’s 3-pointer hit off the rim and the Eagles were called for a foul battling for the rebound. Johnson sealed it with two free throws.
![Florida Gulf Coast head coach Pat Chambers calls a play during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Indiana, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)](https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/20231107201156-654aeb5ac990e2c1b61b259cjpeg.jpg?w=1000)
Reneau added 15 points and Johnson, who played for the first time since December, finished with 14 points for Indiana. Ware, a 7-foot-2 center, is looking for a new start after an underachieving season at Oregon.
Indiana went seven-plus minutes without making a field goal in the first half, but still led 28-26. The Hoosiers also struggled from the free-throw line, making just 10 of 18. Five of FGCU’s 10 first-half field goals were from 3-point range.
Zach Anderson led FGCU with 19 points. Dallion Johnson, who averaged 2.0 points a game during the 2022-23 season with Penn State, added 17 points with five 3-pointers.
Indiana faces Army — Bob Knight’s former school — on Sunday.
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