Monday, January 17
Lincoln, Neb.
6:00 PM
Indiana University
at
Nebraska
All For One – Ending Road Woes Starts With ‘Togetherness’
1/17/2022 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The road answer is out there. It has to be. That's the good news as Indiana tries to solve its biggest mystery to what remains a potential-rich season.
Here is junior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, calm after Thursday night's Iowa basketball storm, reflective as to what went wrong and what can go right.
Because, as the Hoosiers (12-4 overall, 3-3 in the Big Ten), brace for Monday night's game at Nebraska (6-12, 0-7), it can get very right.
"Obviously we're disappointed," Jackson-Davis says. "Everyone in the locker room is.
"They out-hustled us all across the board. We can't break up. We have to stay together. We
have another game at Nebraska. That's where all of our focus needs to be."
IU has lost eight-straight true road games since winning at Northwestern last season.
It's been on the cusp of a break-through win. See the double-overtime defeat at Syracuse and the blown-lead at Wisconsin as primary examples.
The Hoosiers have not sealed the deal and frustration lingers even as resolve strengthens.
"We're going to break (this streak)," Jackson-Davis says. "We just have to stay together."
Coach Mike Woodson pushes that theme even while adding an elemental basketball truth.
"We have to commit ourselves to 40 minutes. You have to put two great halves together to win on the road."
Priority No. 1 is fixing the turnover problem that resurfaced with a vengeance at Iowa. The Hoosiers had that under control in their previous three games, with a grand total of 21 turnovers, before committing 23 against Iowa's zone press.
"In the last two games, we dictated the pace," Jackson-Davis says. "We didn't do that (at Iowa). They brought it to us. They were trying to speed the game up and we tried to do the same thing.
"We didn't stick to our game plan. We have to watch film and go back to our game plan. We'll get it straightened out for the next game."
Straightening includes perspective.
"It was just one game," Jackson-Davis says. "We've been pretty good at turnovers lately. (Thursday night) wasn't us. We weren't playing our game. They sped us up a lot. We should have broken the press. We have to get better. Look at the film and learn from it."
Against Iowa, IU led by seven at halftime. It led by 17 at Wisconsin and was just a point behind Penn State at halftime.
Victory was there for the taking, and then vanished like a receding hairline.
"In almost every game, "Jackson-Davis says, "we've had a lead at halftime on the road."
What went wrong in Thursday night's second half? The obvious answer is offense -- IU scored 48 points in the first half, 26 in the second -- but it goes deeper than that.
"They out-hustled us all across the board," Jackson-Davis says.
"They came out with energy. We didn't match it. When the crowd starts getting into it, you've got to make plays. You've got to make the crowd shush up. We didn't do that.
"They went on a run. In first half, we matched it and got it back under control. In the second half, we didn't match it. They kept going and going.
"It was close for a second, but eventually there will be a break. The team that has more energy will bring it to you. That's what they did."
Woodson points to struggling point-guard play. Veterans Xavier Johnson and Rob Phinisee each committed four turnovers and shot poorly (a combined 3-for-12 from the field, 0-for-5 from 3-point range) after thriving in home victories over Ohio State and Minnesota the previous week.
"I've got to get more leadership there in terms of them being able to calm the storm, get the ball up and execute something to get us an opportunity to score," Woodson says.
A big key is continuing to get the ball inside to the 6-9 Jackson-Davis and 6-8 Race Thompson. They dominated the first half, less so in the second as Iowa took charge.
"Sometimes we lose track of that," Jackson-Davis says about the inside emphasis. "In the second half, a big factor was (Iowa's) press. By the time we got the ball across half court, 15 seconds had gone by, you've got to get into your offense quick and we settled sometimes. That was a factor."
Nebraska doesn't press to Iowa's standard, although expect it to test IU's ability to handle pressure.
The last-place Cornhuskers are coming off a 27-point defeat at Purdue on Friday night. They have lost 10 of their last 11 games, including by a 68-55 score at IU's Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in December.
They have three double-figure scorers in Bryce McGowens (15.9 points, 5.5 rebounds), Alonzo Verge (14.2, 5.1) and Derrick Walker (10.2, 6.3).
They shoot -- and miss -- a lot of three pointers. They are just 29% from three-point range, although they did make eight against Purdue.
Still, potential Nebraska vulnerability won't mean anything if the Hoosiers can't take their Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall play on the road.
"It's the little things we've got to get better," Woodson says. "I've got to help them. When we're in tight games, make them comfortable in terms of trying to bring it home."
IU has not lost consecutive games all season, and has no intention of doing so now, guard Trey Galloway says.
"When you lose a game, you have to look forward to the next one. Watch film, find out what you did wrong and correct it so you don't do it again.
"We've done a good job of bouncing back after a loss. We know those are games we could have won, should have won.
"Every game in the Big Ten is so important. Focus on the next one."
Nebraska and Indiana will use Monday's game as an opportunity to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Both teams will wear identical special-edition DREAM warm-up shirts.
"His legacy is what I call the greatest," Woodson says in a release. "He is the GOAT to me in terms of somebody who risked his life to help people understand the importance of unity and getting along. He fought for equal rights.
"I should be able to go into the banks. I should be able to sit anywhere on a bus ride. I should be able to go into any restaurant and eat. That is his legacy. He fought for that so those that follow never will have to experience the inequities again. I can promise you that."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The road answer is out there. It has to be. That's the good news as Indiana tries to solve its biggest mystery to what remains a potential-rich season.
Here is junior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, calm after Thursday night's Iowa basketball storm, reflective as to what went wrong and what can go right.
Because, as the Hoosiers (12-4 overall, 3-3 in the Big Ten), brace for Monday night's game at Nebraska (6-12, 0-7), it can get very right.
"Obviously we're disappointed," Jackson-Davis says. "Everyone in the locker room is.
"They out-hustled us all across the board. We can't break up. We have to stay together. We
have another game at Nebraska. That's where all of our focus needs to be."
IU has lost eight-straight true road games since winning at Northwestern last season.
It's been on the cusp of a break-through win. See the double-overtime defeat at Syracuse and the blown-lead at Wisconsin as primary examples.
The Hoosiers have not sealed the deal and frustration lingers even as resolve strengthens.
"We're going to break (this streak)," Jackson-Davis says. "We just have to stay together."
Coach Mike Woodson pushes that theme even while adding an elemental basketball truth.
"We have to commit ourselves to 40 minutes. You have to put two great halves together to win on the road."
Priority No. 1 is fixing the turnover problem that resurfaced with a vengeance at Iowa. The Hoosiers had that under control in their previous three games, with a grand total of 21 turnovers, before committing 23 against Iowa's zone press.
"In the last two games, we dictated the pace," Jackson-Davis says. "We didn't do that (at Iowa). They brought it to us. They were trying to speed the game up and we tried to do the same thing.
"We didn't stick to our game plan. We have to watch film and go back to our game plan. We'll get it straightened out for the next game."
Straightening includes perspective.
"It was just one game," Jackson-Davis says. "We've been pretty good at turnovers lately. (Thursday night) wasn't us. We weren't playing our game. They sped us up a lot. We should have broken the press. We have to get better. Look at the film and learn from it."
Against Iowa, IU led by seven at halftime. It led by 17 at Wisconsin and was just a point behind Penn State at halftime.
Victory was there for the taking, and then vanished like a receding hairline.
"In almost every game, "Jackson-Davis says, "we've had a lead at halftime on the road."
What went wrong in Thursday night's second half? The obvious answer is offense -- IU scored 48 points in the first half, 26 in the second -- but it goes deeper than that.
"They out-hustled us all across the board," Jackson-Davis says.
"They came out with energy. We didn't match it. When the crowd starts getting into it, you've got to make plays. You've got to make the crowd shush up. We didn't do that.
"They went on a run. In first half, we matched it and got it back under control. In the second half, we didn't match it. They kept going and going.
"It was close for a second, but eventually there will be a break. The team that has more energy will bring it to you. That's what they did."
Woodson points to struggling point-guard play. Veterans Xavier Johnson and Rob Phinisee each committed four turnovers and shot poorly (a combined 3-for-12 from the field, 0-for-5 from 3-point range) after thriving in home victories over Ohio State and Minnesota the previous week.
"I've got to get more leadership there in terms of them being able to calm the storm, get the ball up and execute something to get us an opportunity to score," Woodson says.
A big key is continuing to get the ball inside to the 6-9 Jackson-Davis and 6-8 Race Thompson. They dominated the first half, less so in the second as Iowa took charge.
"Sometimes we lose track of that," Jackson-Davis says about the inside emphasis. "In the second half, a big factor was (Iowa's) press. By the time we got the ball across half court, 15 seconds had gone by, you've got to get into your offense quick and we settled sometimes. That was a factor."
Nebraska doesn't press to Iowa's standard, although expect it to test IU's ability to handle pressure.
The last-place Cornhuskers are coming off a 27-point defeat at Purdue on Friday night. They have lost 10 of their last 11 games, including by a 68-55 score at IU's Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in December.
They have three double-figure scorers in Bryce McGowens (15.9 points, 5.5 rebounds), Alonzo Verge (14.2, 5.1) and Derrick Walker (10.2, 6.3).
They shoot -- and miss -- a lot of three pointers. They are just 29% from three-point range, although they did make eight against Purdue.
Still, potential Nebraska vulnerability won't mean anything if the Hoosiers can't take their Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall play on the road.
"It's the little things we've got to get better," Woodson says. "I've got to help them. When we're in tight games, make them comfortable in terms of trying to bring it home."
IU has not lost consecutive games all season, and has no intention of doing so now, guard Trey Galloway says.
"When you lose a game, you have to look forward to the next one. Watch film, find out what you did wrong and correct it so you don't do it again.
"We've done a good job of bouncing back after a loss. We know those are games we could have won, should have won.
"Every game in the Big Ten is so important. Focus on the next one."
Nebraska and Indiana will use Monday's game as an opportunity to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Both teams will wear identical special-edition DREAM warm-up shirts.
"His legacy is what I call the greatest," Woodson says in a release. "He is the GOAT to me in terms of somebody who risked his life to help people understand the importance of unity and getting along. He fought for equal rights.
"I should be able to go into the banks. I should be able to sit anywhere on a bus ride. I should be able to go into any restaurant and eat. That is his legacy. He fought for that so those that follow never will have to experience the inequities again. I can promise you that."
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