It’s Personal – Race Thompson Embraces Rivalry with Minnesota

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It's personal. For Race Thompson, it has to be, and he cuts to the heart of it about Sunday's home matchup with Minnesota, or any time Indiana plays the Gophers.

"This is almost like a rivalry game for me," the senior forward says. "A personal rivalry. You never want to lose to the hometown team."

Thompson has deep Minneapolis-area roots. He grew up 15 minutes from the Minnesota campus. His father, Darrell, is the Gophers' career rushing leader in football.

Yes, Minnesota recruited him hard, both coming out of high school and again last spring, when he briefly entered the transfer portal after the Hoosiers made a coaching change.

Mike Woodson arrived and convinced Thompson to stay.

"He was one of the first guys I talked to," Woodson says.

Now IU (11-3 overall, 2-2 in the Big Ten) seeks a strong follow up to Thursday's win over No. 13/12 Ohio State, and Thompson ups the stakes. He says he's told teammates that, "I don't want to lose this game. It's personal for me. I think we'll be ready to go."

The Hoosiers certainly were ready while ending Ohio State's five-game winning streak. After a slow start, they surged to a lead they never lost in an impressive rebound from the Penn State loss a few days earlier.

"We came out with more energy," Thompson says. "That's something we have to do day in and day out, in practice and games. We have to find that energy no matter who we're playing or what time the game is. When we find that type of energy, we'll be tough to beat."

IU faces a rebuilt Minnesota squad with a new coach in Ben Johnson, who is in his first role at running a program after assistant coaching stops at Xavier and Minnesota.

The Gophers (10-2, 1-2) are led by 6-7 forward Jamison Battle, a transfer from George Washington who averages 18.2 points and 6.2 rebounds. Like Thompson, he is from Minnesota.

"He's a tough player," Thompson says. "He's someone I played against in high school. I know his game a little bit."

Thompson has kept up with Minnesota games.

"I always watch Minnesota play. It's a different prep this season because we've never played against many of these guys. We have to stay locked in during practice. Focus on the scout and we'll be fine."

The Gophers, coming off a 76-53 loss to Illinois, have one of the Big Ten's top defenses, holding opponents to 61.6 points.

Indiana has the best at 60.8 points.

The defense was ruthless against Ohio State, limiting one of the conference's best offenses to 31% shooting.

"It's Woodson's philosophy," Jackson-Davis says about the strong defense.

"I don't think defense has really been our problem this year. It's just been movement and cutting (on offense), and that's what we did (Thursday night). Offensively, we had it all going. Defensively, we just stuck with our game plan. We listen to what Coach Woodson says, and it's worked most of the time."

Something else that's starting to work is limiting turnovers. The Hoosiers had nine against Ohio State after totaling just six the previous game at Penn State. They average 14.3 for the season.

The improvement comes, Thompson says, "Because we're thinking about taking care of the ball.

"We want to get shots up, and if you don't get shots up, you can't score. Our guards are doing a good job. Trayce (Jackson-Davis) and I are doing a better job with turnovers.

"Take care of the ball and get shots. That's the main thing."

Thompson has been solid the last two games (a total of 20 points and 17 rebounds) as he has all season. He ranks sixth in the Big Ten in rebounding at a career-best 7.9.

He's also scoring (10.8) and shooting (58.7%) at the highest levels of his career.

"It goes into all the work I put into the offseason," he says. "The game has slowed down for me.

"It's the work we put in, and the confidence I have with Coach Woodson pushing me to be more aggressive. That gives me more confidence."

All the Hoosiers were confident against Ohio State, with Jackson-Davis (27 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks and two assists) leading the way. Guard Trey Galloway added eight points, four assists and three rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes off the bench.

Galloway, who had missed 10-straight games with a wrist injury, set a prime example of how to maximize playing opportunity.

"I'm going to play guys that play hard," Woodson says. "That's how you build a winning team.

"If I see that you're not giving me that, you've got to sit next to me. It's just that simple.

"You would think some of the young guys after watching Galloway being out that long and coming back and producing like he did, that's got to be encouraging for these guys to pick it up some, too."

Woodson wants a face pace against Minnesota, and every opponent.

"That's the whole thing when we are at our best is we're getting stops, deflections and we're getting up and down the floor, where we're getting quick strikes," he says. "That's what I call them. Buckets over the top behind the defense and where we're spraying it around getting three-point shots early.

"But you've got to get stops. That's the name of the game."

It’s Personal – Race Thompson Embraces Rivalry with Minnesota

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Players Mentioned

Trey Galloway

Race Thompson

Indiana University Athletics