Indiana’s ‘Other’ Big Men Sparkle With Jackson-Davis Out In Win Over Little Rock

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The graceful left-hander dominated inside early for Indiana, and he performed nice buddy-ball along with his operating mate, Race Thompson. Simply not THAT left-hander.

We have seen three-plus years of lefty Trayce Jackson-Davis having his manner within the submit, however he is ”banged up,” and missed Wednesday evening recreation. As a substitute, fellow 6-foot-9 lefty Malik Reneau bought his first begin, and the Hoosiers did not miss a beat. Thompson had 20 factors and eight rebounds and Reneau added 10 factors — with eight of them coming within the first 5 minutes — in Indiana’s 87-68 win over Little Rock.

Junior Trey Galloway (knee) and Anthony Leal (ankle) additionally did not gown, however Indiana coach Mike Woodson wasn’t in the least involved about it.

“I simply mentioned subsequent man up,” Indiana coach Mike Woodson mentioned about his depleted roster. “He and Gallo had been out and I mentioned subsequent man up. That is what this workforce has bought to be about.

“I’ve all the time been about that as a coach. I’ve coached video games the place my greatest gamers have been out of the lineup. I can not wait on these guys. I’ve bought to nonetheless coach and get guys to carry out and play at a excessive stage. I anticipate guys to be able to play.”

Woodson did not get particular about Jackson-Davis’ harm and mentioned they will consider once more earlier than Friday’s recreation with Jackson State, the ultimate recreation of the Hoosier Traditional. That is not practically as necessary as subsequent Wednesday’s showdown in Bloomington with No. 1-ranked North Carolina within the ACC/Massive Ten Problem. Jackson-Davis had began 98 video games in a row earlier than lacking Wednesday’s outing.

“We’ll proceed to judge him. He is type of beat up slightly bit bodily. Nothing main. We rested him tonight, and we’ll get him prepared for hopefully Jackson State. I imply, that is the subsequent one on our schedule.”

The Hoosiers (5-0) struggled to place Little Rock (2-4) away till halfway by means of the second half, however they scored 80-plus factors for the fifth straight time, and did most of that harm inside. In was the primary time they’ve scored 80 factors or extra in 5 straight video games since Dec. 5-22, 2015.

It was the primary time Indiana opened a season with 5 straight over 80 because the 1969-70 12 months. (They did it seven occasions in a row.)

Reneau was nice early and Thompson did not miss a beat all evening, regardless of taking an elbow to the pinnacle that opened up ”a giant ol’ gash” and required some glue to shut the minimize. He wore a headscarf within the second half. He was 7-for-8 from the sector and made all six free throws. His 20 factors Wednesday practically matched his complete (22) within the first 4 video games.

Buddy ball was alive as properly, even with Jackson-Davis out. Reneau had 4 assists, two for straightforward Thompson dunks. It was simply the second time in his profession that he had scored 20 factors or extra. 

Thompson, who’s spending his sixth 12 months at Indiana, can admire Indiana’s depth higher than anybody. Ahead Jordan Geronimo had 11 factors on 5-of-6 taking pictures and had 5 blocks, and sophomore Logan Duncomb made each of his pictures and had. three rebounds in seven minutes of motion.

This workforce is deep — and completely different.

“I’d say we’re doing nice (by means of 5 video games),” Thompson mentioned. “I have been part of plenty of groups right here at IU, and we have had groups be cliquey, we have had all sorts of issues. I do not suppose now we have that in any respect this 12 months.

“Everyone sits with all people, we’re all joking round, laughing within the locker room. We’ve got a extremely tight-knit group, so it is plenty of enjoyable to be round them.”

Indiana’s backcourt performed properly too in lengthy stretch. Wingman Miller Kopp was 3-for-5 from three for his 9 factors, and he hit two essential back-to-back threes within the second half when Little Rock had minimize the result in seven.

Level guard Xavier Johnson was stable with 9 factors and 10 assists, the place a number of of them approaching the display screen/roll actions that always work so properly with Jackson-Davis.

“I feel me and X, we bought into like slightly ball display screen factor,” Thompson mentioned. “You see Trayce and X do it on a regular basis, however you get X and (Hood-Schifino) on a ball display screen and also you set display screen, you are going to make one thing occur. They will make the play for you. It was actually simply X taking part in, and he made the performs.”

Hood-Schifino had 13 factors on 6-of-13 taking pictures, together with seven rebounds and three assists. 

“With Trayce out, that is a giant a part of what we have got right here,” Hood-Schifino mentioned. “I feel immediately, clearly, as everybody has seen, Race and Xavier had been nice tonight, particularly within the pick-and-roll actions. They made performs, and I feel they stepped up as our seniors and actually led us tonight.”

The Hoosiers shot 67 % from the sector within the second half and had been 5-for-10 from three after going simply 1-for-7 within the first half. And outdoors of three Kaleb Banks misses, the others made all 10 second-half free throws.

It was god to see others step up.

“X is able to doing that, and I anticipate him to do this,” Woodson mentioned. “I assumed he was stable even after issues weren’t going properly early.

It was the third straight recreation the place the Hoosiers had been dramatically higher than they had been within the first half. Woodson does not see that as a pattern, and he isn’t even actually involved about it.

“Properly, we got here in up 9 after the half, however you have to give them credit score, too. They seem to be a aggressive workforce, they usually had been competing identical to we had been making an attempt to compete,” Woodson mentioned. “You need to come back within the locker room up 20. I assume that is what you wish to see. But it surely was 9, and I used to be happy with that. 

I assumed we began the second half slightly sluggish. They scored, I feel, the primary 4 factors, and now we have got to actually play and choose it up, and I assumed we responded.”

• LIVE BLOG: Relive all of the motion from Wednesday evening’s Indiana recreation in actual time with Tom Brew’s stay weblog. CLICK HERE
• HOW TO WATCH: Indiana hosts Little Rock within the Hoosier Traditional on Wednesday in Bloomington, Ind. This is the best way to watch, with recreation time and TV data, three main storylines, the most recent on the purpose unfold, the teaching matchup, sequence historical past and extra. CLICK HERE
• OPENING LINE: The Hoosiers, who’ve received and coated in all 4 video games to this point, are heavy favorites over Little Rock. CLICK HERE
• TOM BREW COLUMN: Little Rock coach Darrell Walker has a connection to Indiana coach Mike Woodson as properly. He was on Woodson’s employees when he was the pinnacle coach of the NBA’s New York Knicks. They will oppose one another when the Hoosiers tackle Trojans Wednesday evening at Simon Skjodt Meeting Corridor. CLICK HERE