Indiana Topples Little Rock, 87-68

Wednesday, November 23

Bloomington, Ind.

6:30 PM

Indiana University

5-0,0-0Big Ten

Little Rock

2-4,0-0OVC

Little Rock

Indiana

11/23/2022 9:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Blood flowed and Race Thompson didn't rattle, although he did end up with a rare Hoosier head-band look. There was a game to win, leadership to show, and this Indiana senior forward was more than up to it.

He wasn't alone.

On a night when All-America forward Trayce Jackson-Davis didn't play, IU cruised to an 87-68 Hoosier Classic victory over Little Rock. Ten Hoosiers played. Ten Hoosiers scored.

"We have a deep team," Thompson said. "You've seen what we can do with and without Trayce. That's why this team is so special."

Thompson shook off a bloody gash to his head that required a quick first-half trip to the locker room for 20 points, eight rebounds and two steals, plus enough rim-rattling dunks -- thanks to pick-and-roll teamwork with guard Xavier Johnson -- to fill a Sportscenter highlight segment.

"Me and X got into a ball-screen thing," Thompson said. "You see Trayce and X do it all the time. When you set good screens, good things are going to happen. They guards will make plays for you. It was X playing and making the plays."

As far as the cut, which resulted in a Flagrant 1 foul on Little Rock (2-4), Thompson said, "I guess it was an elbow. I have a big, old gash, but I'm good."

So are the No. 11 Hoosiers, who are 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Hoosier Classic, which wraps up on Friday against Jackson State.

"We have great chemistry off the court," guard Jalen Hood-Schifino said, "and on the court, it shows."

Victory came with a physical price. Forward Malik Reneau took a hard first-half fall on his back and briefly went to the locker room. Thompson soon joined him.

Reneau started after Jackson-Davis, along with guard Trey Galloway, were held out for "precautionary" reasons. Guard Anthony Leal was sidelined with an ankle issue.

That forced coach Mike Woodson to go to his bench early and often.

"Trayce was out, it's next man up," Woodson said. "Gallo was out, and it's next man up. That's what this team has to be about.

"I've coached games where my best players were out of the lineup. I can't wait on those guys. I've got to get guys to perform."

As far as Jackson-Davis, Woodson said, "We'll continue to evaluate him. He's beat up a little bit. It's nothing major. We rested him tonight. We hope get him ready for Jackson State."

Johnson just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 assists. He added four rebounds.

"X is capable of doing that," Woodson said. "I expect him to do that. He was solid when things weren't going well for him early. He got everyone else involved and was making basketball plays."

Added Hood-Schifino: "With Trayce out, Race and X were great in the pick and rolls. They stepped up and led us."

Hood-Schifino had 13 points and seven rebounds. Reneau finished with 10 points and six rebounds. Geronimo had 11 points and five blocks of IU's 11 blocks.

The Hoosiers held Little Rock to 33 percent shooting and forced 12 turnovers.

"Defensively, we're doing good," Thompson said. "When we get all our pieces together, when you have Trayce protecting the rim, you see JG (Geronimo) blocking a bunch of shots, but we can still get better. It just takes time."

Reneau was the main early offense with eight points and an assist on a Thompson dunk as IU pushed ahead 10-2.

Guard Tamar Bates came in after seven minutes and quickly hit a basket. Johnson followed with a driving layup. Geronimo added a reverse layup. Hood-Schifino delivered an alley-oop pass for a Geronimo dunk. IU led 20-11.

The Hoosiers unleashed fast-break fury for a 37-22 lead. Eight straight Little Rock points followed. Reneau ended that streak with a basket. The Hoosiers took a 39-30 halftime lead. Reneau led with 10 points and four rebounds.

Little Rock twice closed within six points in the first four minutes of the second half. IU's 2-for-10 three-point shooting didn't help. A couple of Thompson dunks did.

Enter Miller Kopp. Shrugging off an earlier three-point airball, his consecutive three-pointers pushed the lead to 13 after eight minutes.

A minute later, the Hoosiers were up 60-45. A minute after that, the lead was down to 10, then seven.

Geronimo hit a three. Bates drove for a layup. Johnson hit a three-pointer. The 15-point lead was restored with 7:45, and then extended to 20, at 78-58, with 6:15.

Little Rock was finished.

"We were up nine at half, and you've got to give them credit, they're a competitive team," Woodson said. "They were competing like we were.

"You'd like to come to the locker room up 20, but it was nine and I was pleased with that. We started the second half a little slow. We had to pick it up. I thought we responded."