National Stakes High When Indiana Faces Kansas

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana's last chance to make a big 2022 national basketball impression has arrived, and for this, a Saturday trip to No. 8/6 Kansas, senior forward Race Thompson gives thanks.

"I'm excited for the opportunity," Thompson says. "I'm excited to go away and play. This is what (Trayce Jackson-Davis) and I came back for.

"We wanted a tough schedule. Games like this are what it's all about. Having these road tests will help us in Big Ten and later on in the season."

It doesn't get much tougher than playing at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas (9-1), the defending national champion, has won 12-straight home games, and as many as 62 straight. Under coach Bill Self, it has won at least 30-straight home games three times, and twice more than 50 in a row. Self's Allen Fieldhouse record is 152-10. He took over the Jayhawks in 2003.

IU coach Mike Woodson is aware.

"If you look at their record over the last 16 to 17 years or so, they haven't lost very many games at home. You're playing in a hostile environment. It's what you live for when you play college basketball. You can't run from it.

"We're going to have to go in there and commit to 40 minutes, do it on both ends of the floor and see what happens."

This is IU's second top-10 challenge of the season. Last Saturday, it lost to then No. 10/9 Arizona 89-75 in Las Vegas. The No. 14/16 Hoosiers (8-2) fell behind by 19 in the first half and rallied to within three before losing.

"We can't start like we did against Arizona, dig a hole and expect to win," Woodson says. "Against good teams, you've got to be in the game early, give yourself a chance."

Kansas has won three straight since a loss to then No. 6 Tennessee in the finals of the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. The Jayhawks also have beaten Duke, North Carolina State and Wisconsin in overtime.

Tennessee routed Kansas with its size and Jayhawks point guard Dajuan Harris' foul trouble. Since then, they have won by an average of 29 points while shooting 56.3 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range.

They are led by 6-8 forward Jalen Wilson (a Big-12-leading 22.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 23 three-points and a 32-19 assist-to-turnover ratio), 6-8 freshman guard Grady Dick (15.4, 4.4, 27 three-pointers), 6-6 guard Kevin McCuller (11.8 points, 7.2 rebounds) and Harris (7.8 points 23 steals, 65-to-19 assist-to-turnover ratio).

Also, in the last three games, forward KJ Adams has averaged 13.3 points while shooting 77.3 percent from the field.

"They've got Wilson and Dick who can really score the basketball," Woodson says. "For a freshman, (Dick) is really good.

Thompson figures to get the first defensive crack at Wilson.

"It's a mindset," he says. "You know you have a tough matchup. You have to be ready to guard.

"For me, I have to be up on him. He can really shoot. He's a talented player. I'm excited for the matchup. It's a mindset of lock in on defense, key in on what he likes to do and try to take something away."

Indiana freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, who has missed the last three games with back spasms, is making progress. He's been shooting in practice, with limited contact. He averages 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds, and has 29 assists against 18 turnovers.

"You've got to be patient with it," Woodson says. "The player will lead you in the direction he wants to go.

"From a medical standpoint, I think he's fine."

Expect a better game from Jackson-Davis, who finished with 11 points and five rebounds against Arizona. A key will be, when he's double teamed and passes the ball, the Hoosiers hit their outside shots.

Thompson, who had 16 points and was 4-for-7 on three-pointers against Arizona, will have a big role in that.

"When Trayce gets it, you cut and find an open spot," Thompson says. "You occupy the defense. As soon as a man comes down on me, I'm either posting him up if it's a smaller guy and I can get a layup, or Trayce has an easy pass across the court to whoever is open to knock down a shot."

IU is 2-1 against strong non-conference competition, winning at Xavier and beating North Carolina at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall before losing against Arizona. With two mid-majors up next in Elon and Kennesaw State before a long break until playing at Iowa on Jan. 8, this is the Hoosiers' last chance of the year to make a national statement.

"I try to get our players to understand that, 'Hey, you got to seize the moment,'" Woodson says. "This is a big-time game. It really is.

"You get a chance to do something that a lot of teams hadn't done in years there.

"We've got to play with confidence. That's going to be a big key. Compete for 40 minutes."

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Players Mentioned

Jalen Hood-Schifino

Trayce Jackson-Davis

Race Thompson

Indiana University Athletics