Hoosiers Earn Road Victory over Cornhuskers, 78-71

Monday, January 17

Lincoln, Neb.

6:00 PM

Indiana University

13-4,4-3Big Ten

Nebraska

6-13,0-8Big Ten

Indiana

Nebraska

Hoosiers Earn Road Victory over Cornhuskers, 78-71

1/17/2022 8:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

LINCOLN, Neb. - The hump was hurdled. Road misery ended.

Indiana coach Mike Woodson was so pumped after Monday night's 78-71 victory at Nebraska's Pinnacle Bank Arena that he was ready to embrace wear-suits-on-the-road superstition for the rest of the road schedule.

"Jackets might be the way to go," he told Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer with a chuckle.

More on that in a moment.

Unwanted streaks hovered over both programs. IU had lost eight straight road games, four this season. Nebraska was 0-7 in the Big Ten.

Something had to give, and it went the Hoosier way. They built leads as large as 10, and never trailed to improve to 13-4 overall, 4-3 in the Big Ten.

"This was a great team effort," Woodson told Fischer during his post-game radio show. "It was a great team win. We needed it in the worst way. We're trying to stay in the hunt in the Big Ten."

A post-game IU athletics video showed Woodson addressing his team in the locker room.

"Yes! Let's go home, refocus and get ready to play."

This was an opportunity that demanded leadership. All-America forward Trayce Jackson-Davis has said he wants the pressure and he delivered a fourth straight double-double, something he'd never done before.

He finished with 23 points (on 10-for-16 shooting) and 12 rebounds despite missing the final seven minutes after a hard fall injured his back.

"I don't know the extent of it," Woodson told Fischer. "We'll see what happens."

With a home game against rival Purdue on Thursday night, Jackson-Davis tweeted what will happen.

"Don't even worry. I'll be back Thursday. Great road win."

Forward Race Thompson added 12 points (on 3-for-6 shooting), seven rebounds, a block and a steal.

"Our length and size bothered them," Woodson told Fischer. "Race and Trayce had their way around the rim."

With Jackson-Davis sidelined in crunch time, fouls mounting and Nebraska (6-13, 0-8) rallying, IU needed strong bench play, and the second unit delivered behind Jordan Geronimo and Trey Galloway.

Geronimo regained the dominating form last seen in December with his 13-point, 13-rebound effort against Merrimack.

Against Nebraska, he had 10 points (on 4-for-4 shooting) and eight rebounds in a season-high 21 minutes. His clutch crunch-time shot helped hold off Nebraska.

"Whatever it takes to win," Geronimo told BTN after the game.

Added Woodson: "He was huge. That was the most minutes I've played him, but if he keeps playing that way, he's going to earn more minutes."
Galloway added nine points and two assists.

IU also got key minutes from guard Tamar Bates (two points, one assist).

"Our bench was great tonight," Woodson told Fischer. "I've been on them about stepping up. Tamar gave us some positive minutes. Trey was great. Geronimo was fantastic.

"We're going to need that as we navigate through the Big Ten."

And then, in the post-game press conference, he added, "The bench is just as important as the starters. Our bench has been struggling a little bit. Tonight, they came in with the right mindset. We got some good production."

IU attacked the smaller Cornhuskers inside from the start with Jackson-Davis and Thompson. They delivered nine of the Hoosiers' first 11 points on 4-for-4 in-the-paint shooting.

Nebraska countered with 3-for-3 three-point shooting to trail 11-9.

Indiana surged for a 17-9 lead.

The Hoosiers kept attacking the paint while punishing Nebraska on defense with an 18-6 advantage in points in the paint and a 7-0 edge in points off turnovers. An alley-oop pass from Bates for a Jackson-Davis dunk pushed the Hoosiers ahead 31-21.

Geronimo had a big role with six points and three rebounds in a six-minute, off-the-bench burst.

Nebraska stayed within range from the free throw line as five Hoosiers had two fouls. Consecutive IU turnovers became consecutive Cornhusker baskets to make it 37-31. Then Geronimo tossed a pass to Jackson-David for a dunk, then made a mid-range jumper to restore the 10-point lead.

IU ended the half ahead 45-39. Jackson-Davis and Thompson combined for 22 points on 8-for-10 shooting.

That led to the big question -- could the Hoosiers win the second half and end the road misery?

Parker Stewart hit a pair of early three-pointers to boost IU ahead 53-43. But 2-for-11 shooting helped Nebraska close with four points. A Geronimo jumper and a Jackson-Davis dunk restored some offensive consistency.

Consecutive Jackson-Davis baskets put the Hoosiers ahead 65-55.

A few minutes later, a hard foul left him hobbling. Add a fourth foul and he went to the bench.

Guard Xavier Johnson hit a three-pointer, but picked up his fourth foul. He went to the bench.

Nebraska closed within six. Thompson scored, but six turnovers in the last five minutes gave the Cornhuskers a chance.

They couldn't take advantage.

With Johnson and Galloway hitting free throws, IU held on.

That set up a huge Thursday night showdown with No. 4 Purdue at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The Boilers (15-2) have won nine straight in the series since 2016.

"Thanks for reminding me," Woodson joked in the post-game press conference. "My message is still you can't lose at home. They are a great team."

As for Woodson's attire, he skipped the sweatsuits he'd previously worn on road games to wear a sports coat over a Martin Luther King-themed t-shirt as part of the Hoosiers and the Cornhuskers honoring the legacy of the Civil Rights leader.

"We had short sleeve T-shirts representing Martin Luther King," Woodson told Fischer. "I thought it would be appropriate to wear a jacket. We might be wearing jackets on the road (the rest of the season)."