Going through its first take a look at of the early season, No. 12 Indiana males’s basketball traveled to Xavier College on Friday and snuck out with an 81-79 victory.
Within the winding seconds of the sport, Indiana’s protection was stoic, forcing a missed layup with simply two seconds left on the clock and coming down with the rebound. Senior guard Xavier Johnson, who was fouled after grabbing the board, made his second free throw and helped shut out the sport when the following inbounds go was deflected to him.
After years of struggling in nonconference true highway video games, Indiana’s win broke a dropping streak relationship again to November 2011, the longest amongst Energy-6 conferences.
“Clearly, we had excessive expectations coming into this 12 months,” senior ahead Trayce Jackson-Davis stated in a post-game press convention. “First massive take a look at, and it was a very hostile setting. I believe it was actually good for our staff.”
To drag off the victory, Indiana relied on senior management from Johnson and Jackson-Davis. Jackson-Davis scored 30 factors on 13-for-16 taking pictures, whereas Johnson added 23 factors and 7 rebounds.
“They have been great, and I say that as a result of they hadn’t been in apply the final three, 4, 5 days,” head coach Mike Woodson stated. “(They have been) underneath the climate with little nicks right here and there, so I used to be involved coming in of the place we have been going to get it from.”
Johnson’s influence because the staff’s level guard and flooring common was clear early on. Indiana was sped as much as a tempo it wasn’t snug enjoying at, and Xavier pressured Indiana into small errors, missed passes and poor pictures.
When Johnson returned to the ground, his management aided the Hoosiers as they settled into the sport. Shortly after getting back from the bench with simply over 9 minutes left within the first half, Johnson helped the Hoosiers start to dig out of a nine-point deficit.
“He was sporadic right here and there, however for probably the most half he was stable,” Woodson stated. “I used to be on X lots, particularly after he obtained the tech… He did all of the issues we wanted him to do to safe this win.”
Johnson’s solely blemish was foul bother, together with a technical he was given after hitting a 3-pointer within the first half and turning in the direction of the bench to have a good time. Freshman ahead Malik Reneau was given a technical of his personal within the second half.
“I addressed that, and I’m going to remain on them about that,” Woodson stated. “That may very well be the distinction in profitable and dropping video games. When you make a shot, you’re purported to make a shot… so that you don’t should taunt and do all of the pointless issues to get us in bother.”
Johnson’s efficiency opened the door for Jackson-Davis, whose means to work the baseline shined for a staff who performed nicely low all night time. Indiana had 50 factors within the paint.
Woodson’s lineups usually included each Jackson-Davis and Reneau, who scored 12 factors. With opponents specializing in Jackson-Davis down low, Reneau had little problem making a mismatch in opposition to Xavier’s protection.
“They’re too nervous about Trayce,” Reneau stated.
Ten of Reneau’s factors got here within the second half, 4 of which got here after choosing up his fourth private foul. Regardless of being a freshman, Woodson stated he trusted Reneau to remain within the sport, particularly with senior ahead Race Thompson on the bench because the backup plan.
“Malik, for the way younger he’s, he’s so mature as a participant,” Jackson-Davis stated. “He’s a matchup nightmare for groups. He has an ideal really feel for the sport, particularly in conditions with IQ and consciousness.”
After Indiana’s win over Bethune-Cookman, wherein they have been in a position to end up considered one of their finest 3-point taking pictures performances of the final two years, the Hoosiers struggled once more from vary Friday. They missed a number of open pictures, whereas the Musketeers knocked down pictures in massive moments.
Indiana shot 4-for-12 from 3-point vary, together with 4 misses from Thompson, whereas Xavier shot 7-for-17.
The Hoosiers will return to the state of Indiana to play Miami College at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Observe reporters Evan Gerike (@EvanGerike) and Emma Pawlitz (@emmapawlitz) and columnist Bradley Hohulin (@BradleyHohulin) for updates all through the Indiana males’s basketball season.
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