Indiana University Athletics
DIPRIMIO: Indiana Poised For A Stretch Run To Remember
2/22/2020 7:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Get Trayce Jackson-Davis the ball.
You know that, right?
Eliminate inconsistency of effort and focus.
Could it be any clearer?
Do that Sunday afternoon at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and IU will get its first victory over a top-10 team -- No. 9 Penn State – this season to follow wins over then No. 17 Florida State, No. 11 Ohio State, No. 11 Michigan State and No. 21 Iowa.
Get Jackson-Davis the ball.
Play hard and focused.
Imagine the Cream and Crimson possibilities.
IU (17-9 overall, 7-8 in the Big Ten) has five games left in the regular season, and then the Big Ten tourney in Indianapolis. A strong finish not only would get the Hoosiers into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016, it could deliver a solid seed to launch a March Madness run.
Keys are everywhere you look, and they start with Jackson-Davis, the dynamic 6-9 freshman forward who alters games at both ends of the court.
He's totaled eight double-doubles (IU is 8-0 in those games) and has won Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors four times. He leads Indiana in scoring (14.0 a game), rebounding (8.0), shooting (60.1 percent), blocked shots (1.9), free throws made (105), attempted (149) and buzzed haircuts.
How does this compare to previous Hoosier freshman big men currently in the NBA?
In his first season, Cody Zeller was at 15.6, 6.6 and 62.3 percent.
Noah Vonleh was at 11.3, 9.0 and 52.3 percent.
Thomas Bryant was at 11.9, 5.8 and 68.3 percent.
As for Sunday's game, Jackson-Davis needs to touch the ball in every half-court possession. Because Penn State will strive to limit him better than Minnesota did Thursday night (when he set careers highs with 27 points and 16 rebounds in a Hoosier victory), his passing skills will come into play.
Guess what? The guy can pass. He has 34 assists against 33 turnovers.
This is why coach Archie Miller says Jackson-Davis should win Big Ten freshman –of-the-year honors.
Beyond Jackson-Davis, there's 6-8 forward Race Thompson, who is finding his form after a variety of injuries that have cost him multiple games in recent years.
He played a career-high 25 minutes at Minnesota and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds. His nine points were one off his career high.
Add 6-10 De'Ron Davis (18 points on 9-for-9 shooting at Michigan), 6-11 Joey Brunk (who's had as many as 16 points and 14 rebounds in a game this season) and 6-7 Justin Smith (10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds), and you have enough inside muscle to control the glass, crucial in Hoosier plans.
IU ranks fourth in the Big Ten in rebound margin (6.3).
If guards Devonte Green, Rob Phinisee, Aljami Durham and Armaan Franklin play with poise and tenacity -- get Jackson-Davis the ball, push the pace, take good shots, get Jackson-Davis the ball, stay under control, defend, get Jackson-Davis the ball -- it could be a big Cream and Crimson day.
Yes, Penn State beat IU 64-49 earlier in the month at Happy Valley, but the Assembly Hall advantage is a game changer if the Hoosiers are dialed in.
Still, the Nittany Lions (20-6, 10-5) are a formidable challenge. They remain in Big Ten title contention thanks to a combination of toughness, defense (they lead the Big Ten in steals at 8.0 a game), good shooting and experience.
Penn State's break-through season includes a 5-3 road record with victories at Michigan State and at Purdue. Its No. 9 national ranking ties the best in school history.
The Nittany Lions have one of the Big Ten's best players in senior forward Lamar Stevens. He averages 17.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. Both averages lead the team.
A big question is whether guard Myreon Jones, Penn State's second-leading scorer and the Big Ten leader in three-point shooting percentage, is available. He's missed the last four games with an undisclosed illness. He averages 14.1 points and has a team-leading 66 assists.
The only thing coach Pat Chambers would say about Jones was, "I just want to make sure he's as healthy as possible before he puts on the uniform again."
Penn State had been the Big Ten's hottest team with an eight-game winning streak until last Tuesday's home loss to Illinois. In the aftermath, Chambers was asked if there was a silver lining to the defeat.
"No. I was really enjoying winning. Maybe we can start a new one. That will be the next step for this group."
The key to doing that, Chambers added, was, "You have to show up every night. The answers are simple. You practice, compete, get better. We have to do that."
The Nittany Lions project as a No. 3 seed in next month's NCAA tourney.
That means nothing to Indiana. Despite a recent rough 1-5 stretch against brutal Big Ten competition, the Hoosiers are poised for a special run.
It starts, but certainly doesn't end, with this key:
Get Jackson-Davis the ball.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Get Trayce Jackson-Davis the ball.
You know that, right?
Eliminate inconsistency of effort and focus.
Could it be any clearer?
Do that Sunday afternoon at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and IU will get its first victory over a top-10 team -- No. 9 Penn State – this season to follow wins over then No. 17 Florida State, No. 11 Ohio State, No. 11 Michigan State and No. 21 Iowa.
Get Jackson-Davis the ball.
Play hard and focused.
Imagine the Cream and Crimson possibilities.
IU (17-9 overall, 7-8 in the Big Ten) has five games left in the regular season, and then the Big Ten tourney in Indianapolis. A strong finish not only would get the Hoosiers into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016, it could deliver a solid seed to launch a March Madness run.
Keys are everywhere you look, and they start with Jackson-Davis, the dynamic 6-9 freshman forward who alters games at both ends of the court.
He's totaled eight double-doubles (IU is 8-0 in those games) and has won Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors four times. He leads Indiana in scoring (14.0 a game), rebounding (8.0), shooting (60.1 percent), blocked shots (1.9), free throws made (105), attempted (149) and buzzed haircuts.
How does this compare to previous Hoosier freshman big men currently in the NBA?
In his first season, Cody Zeller was at 15.6, 6.6 and 62.3 percent.
Noah Vonleh was at 11.3, 9.0 and 52.3 percent.
Thomas Bryant was at 11.9, 5.8 and 68.3 percent.
As for Sunday's game, Jackson-Davis needs to touch the ball in every half-court possession. Because Penn State will strive to limit him better than Minnesota did Thursday night (when he set careers highs with 27 points and 16 rebounds in a Hoosier victory), his passing skills will come into play.
Guess what? The guy can pass. He has 34 assists against 33 turnovers.
This is why coach Archie Miller says Jackson-Davis should win Big Ten freshman –of-the-year honors.
Beyond Jackson-Davis, there's 6-8 forward Race Thompson, who is finding his form after a variety of injuries that have cost him multiple games in recent years.
He played a career-high 25 minutes at Minnesota and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds. His nine points were one off his career high.
Add 6-10 De'Ron Davis (18 points on 9-for-9 shooting at Michigan), 6-11 Joey Brunk (who's had as many as 16 points and 14 rebounds in a game this season) and 6-7 Justin Smith (10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds), and you have enough inside muscle to control the glass, crucial in Hoosier plans.
IU ranks fourth in the Big Ten in rebound margin (6.3).
If guards Devonte Green, Rob Phinisee, Aljami Durham and Armaan Franklin play with poise and tenacity -- get Jackson-Davis the ball, push the pace, take good shots, get Jackson-Davis the ball, stay under control, defend, get Jackson-Davis the ball -- it could be a big Cream and Crimson day.
Yes, Penn State beat IU 64-49 earlier in the month at Happy Valley, but the Assembly Hall advantage is a game changer if the Hoosiers are dialed in.
Still, the Nittany Lions (20-6, 10-5) are a formidable challenge. They remain in Big Ten title contention thanks to a combination of toughness, defense (they lead the Big Ten in steals at 8.0 a game), good shooting and experience.
Penn State's break-through season includes a 5-3 road record with victories at Michigan State and at Purdue. Its No. 9 national ranking ties the best in school history.
The Nittany Lions have one of the Big Ten's best players in senior forward Lamar Stevens. He averages 17.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. Both averages lead the team.
A big question is whether guard Myreon Jones, Penn State's second-leading scorer and the Big Ten leader in three-point shooting percentage, is available. He's missed the last four games with an undisclosed illness. He averages 14.1 points and has a team-leading 66 assists.
The only thing coach Pat Chambers would say about Jones was, "I just want to make sure he's as healthy as possible before he puts on the uniform again."
Penn State had been the Big Ten's hottest team with an eight-game winning streak until last Tuesday's home loss to Illinois. In the aftermath, Chambers was asked if there was a silver lining to the defeat.
"No. I was really enjoying winning. Maybe we can start a new one. That will be the next step for this group."
The key to doing that, Chambers added, was, "You have to show up every night. The answers are simple. You practice, compete, get better. We have to do that."
The Nittany Lions project as a No. 3 seed in next month's NCAA tourney.
That means nothing to Indiana. Despite a recent rough 1-5 stretch against brutal Big Ten competition, the Hoosiers are poised for a special run.
It starts, but certainly doesn't end, with this key:
Get Jackson-Davis the ball.
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