Anthony Leal only scored six points in Indiana's Tuesday night contest against Ohio State, but they were undoubtedly the biggest of the game. A late triple from the senior guard was enough to lift the Hoosiers to a 76-73 win over the Buckeyes in a critical Big Ten showdown.
Leal played a great floor game when called on Tuesday night, helping Indiana erase an 18-point deficit in the second half. He totaled six rebounds and had two assists before knocking down the biggest shot of the game.
With the Hoosiers trailing 73-71, a driving Trey Galloway kicked it to Leal, who was wide open for a corner 3-point shot. The senior knocked down the bucket, giving Indiana a 74-73 advantage with 22.4 seconds to play.
3️⃣ with the late 3️⃣‼️@anthonyl3al x @IndianaMBB
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 7, 2024
: Peacock pic.twitter.com/VODzfgEyXx
Leal also knocked down two critical free throws with less than three seconds to play, giving IU the 76-73 lead, which proved to be the final score.
Tuesday night wasn't the first time Leal has hit a big shot. In 2020, The Bloomington South star buried a game-winning triple to sink Silver Creek on the road.
Anthony Leal @anthonyl3al = Game winning shots!! Rewind to January 2020 @ Silver Creek. @GreggDoyelStar @JimGordillo @IUHoosiers @IndianaMBB @MikeGlasscott @KentSterling @ZachOsterman @dandakich @WGCLradio pic.twitter.com/C02g7odXId
— Bloomington South Basketball (@BHSSBasketball) February 7, 2024
Funnily enough, one reporter asked Leal, "Biggest shot you've hit since. ..." Leal didn't hesitate, immediately responding with, "Silver Creek. (In) High school."
Winning on the road is tough in the Big Ten. It's even more difficult when digging out of an 18-point deficit. Somehow, someway, the Hoosiers got it done Tuesday night.
Leal was a big reason why.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!