Hoosier Men's Hoops: Sights Set on Senior Anthony Leal

During his senior basketball season in high school, Anthony Leal shined his way to a Mr. Indiana selection. So far through his the first 10 games of his senior basketball season in college, Leal has not seen the floor much for the Indiana Hoosiers. The 6'5" guard has appeared in just 3 games early on, with nightly averages of 0.7 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. His on court presence has been next to nonexistent, further backed by his downward trending stock report.

Regardless of his lack of numbers, he has undoubtedly found other ways to contribute. With the 2023-2024 Hoosiers looking a lot different in terms of personnel from last season's roster, Leal was one of the few familiar faces returning. The 22-year-old has been a positive influence on the team's overall morale. Despite his minuscule minutes on the court, he has constantly expressed a positive spirit from the sidelines. Leal has seemingly embraced a role as the energetic guy off the bench, always cheering on his teammates enthusiastically and embracing them on the floor during breaks from the action.

Mike Woodson has spoken highly of the senior guard's ability to stay ready and provide positive minutes when called upon. With the Hoosiers generally thin in the backcourt, he will need to remain prepared for action if necessary. There is no telling when Xavier Johnson will be back, and Jakai Newton's timeline for return is even more foggy. Trey Galloway's confidence should increase after his big night against Kansas, which should translate to a steady dosage of minutes for him. True freshman Gabe Cupps has been serviceable, but is certainly overstretched with the increased role he has been forced to fill in recent games. And CJ Gunn had a nice night against Michigan, but has not been as present in any of the other games.

Anthony Leal may or may not hear his number called upon a lot or a little throughout the rest of the year, but regardless he will need to stay ready.