Hoosiers Sink Vikings, 85-74, Saturday

Saturday, November 9

Bloomington, Ind.

2:00 PM

Indiana University

2-0,0-0Big Ten

Portland State

1-1,0-0Big Sky

Portland St.

Indiana

11/9/2019 4:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Race Thompson persevered.

A reward came Saturday.

It won't be the last for Indiana's sophomore forward.

His near-miss double-double (10 points, nine rebounds, both career highs) in the Hoosiers' 85-74 victory over Portland State at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall showed the potential that was delayed from last season's severe concussion.

"I felt good out there," he said. "My teammates got my back. Everybody got my back. It's just playing the game. That's what we do. We play basketball.

"I had a good game. It's on to the next one. Excited to keep it going."

Injuries limited Thompson to just nine games last year. He figures to be a 6-8, 235-pound force this season.

"Race in his 16 minutes was very impactful," coach Archie Miller said. "Offensive rebounding was huge. He had five.

"We needed some of his baskets because we were playing ugly for most of the game."

When Thompson wasn't punishing Portland State (1-1) inside, heralded freshman forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was. He totaled 13 points and 10 rebounds in his first college double-double, and credited teammate motivation after flirting with one (eight points, six rebounds) in Tuesday's win over Western Illinois.

"In practice my teammates are always pushing me to rebound," Jackson-Davis said. "We do a lot of rebounding drills. That was big coming into the game.

"And then just taking advantage of opportunities from the point guards, the wings passing me the ball, getting me in position to score."

Miller, recognizing Jackson-Davis' enormous potential, wanted more.

"Trayce has got to be more forceful. He's got to learn to be more forceful. He's got to play with more energy and speed.

"He's so gifted and talented. When the ball finds him around the basket, he's got great hands. He's going to be able to finish.

"He knows he's got to get better. He's very coachable. He'll continue to work at it."

Thompson and Jackson-Davis sparked IU's 41-24 rebound edge.

"(Rebounding) is something we harp on every day in practice," Thompson said. "Coach told us to go hard to the glass. It changes the game."

It did on Saturday.

Indiana (2-0) punished Portland State inside with a 52-to-22 in-the-paint advantage. That offset Viking three-point sharpshooting (8-for-16) that kept them within upset range for much of the game.

The defense that allowed that kind of perimeter shooting must improve, guard Al Durham said.

"We've got to be better in all aspects," he said. "We've got to be better on the ball, be better in help. We've got to close out. We've got things to fine-tune in practice."

Coach Archie Miller was blunter.

"If we don't get our defense going in another direction, we're going to experience some really hard moments in games," he said.

"We can't get stops. (Portland State) had 32 free throw attempts (and made 24). Their two guards (Holland Woods, Matt Hauser) end up going 8-for-14 from three.

"There are some alarming things out there defensively. This team has to grow up faster on the defensive end. We are going to have it a whole lot tougher."

Durham followed his season-opening 21-point season debut with an 18-point encore. He is 14-for-18 from the field this season with five assists and two turnovers this season.

"I've always been more of a let-the-game-come-to-me (player)," he said. "I don't have to force anything. I know my teammates are going to find me. I'm going to find open shots.

"Being efficient is a key for me. I worked hard for it."

Before the season Miller had talked about Jerome Hunter's three-point shooting potential. It turned into reality on Saturday. Hunter hit two behind the arc late in the first half and finished with nine points in 15 minutes.

"Jerome did a great job," Durham said. "He sparked us. He's rebounding. He's playing hard, defending. If he keeps doing this, keeps working how he is, he's going to be a real problem (for opponents)."

IU rocked Portland State in the first half with offensive balance and in-the-paint execution. Forward Justin Smith led the way with eight points and five rebounds.

The Hoosiers continued to attack inside in the second half. The Vikings continued thriving from three-point range.

Then Durham took charge, Jackson-Davis went to work and a potential upset loss became a double-digit Indiana victory.

Portland State coach Barret Peery was impressed.

"Indiana's good," he said. "They have tremendous size and they know who they are. Their guys play their roles very well. They did a good job of taking care of the ball against our pressure."

IU figures to see more pressure defense Tuesday against North Alabama (0-1).

"(We're facing) a lot of styles early with a lot of guys lacking experience against it," Miller said. "We need to see it."