Tuesday, December 20
Bloomington, Ind.
7:00 PM
Indiana University
vs
Elon
Back to Work -- Corrections Top IU Priority List
12/20/2022 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Perspective finds Trayce Jackson-Davis focused on Indiana's big basketball picture.
Consecutive double-digit losses to top-10 Arizona and Kansas, and losses in three of the last four games, are not cause for panic, but for potential growth. Dominating Decembers don't guarantee March success.
Season-long improvement can.
"It's great that we get to play teams like this," Jackson-Davis says. "It's still early in the season. These games show what our weaknesses are."
Weaknesses surfaced in multiple areas in both games. Poor starts were big problems. In the first half, IU fell behind by 19 points against Arizona, by 22 against Kansas.
Could that evolve into strengths? Perhaps, with work and the right perspective.
"We have to be more assertive and ready to go," Jackson-Davis says. "That's not on Coach (Mike) Woodson. He prepared us, and we didn't execute.
"We're all disappointed in ourselves. We can't start flat against ranked opponents in big games. Some of the looks on our faces, we were not necessarily scared, but we weren't ready to go."
Defense was another problem. The Hoosiers (8-3) gave up 89 and 84 points against Arizona and Kansas, well above their 65.6-points-allowed season average. They gave up too many points in the paint, and were too vulnerable in transition.
The good news, Jackson-Davis says, is that's fixable. That includes his position on ball-screen defense.
"There are different things defensively that aren't working," he says. "We have to get back to the drawing board. It's nothing that can't be corrected."
Despite all the struggles against Kansas, Jackson-Davis still set a career high with nine blocks. That's the second most in school history behind the 10 by Steve Downing against Michigan in 1971.
Jackson-Davis has 205 career blocks. Only Alan Henderson (213) and Jeff Newton (227) have more at IU.
Offensively, Jackson-Davis must continue to pass effectively when opponents double- and triple-team him, while teammates must shoot better to punish that strategy.
"It starts with me," Jackson-Davis says. "Every team from here on out will double and triple-team me. We have to find ways to counteract that, make shots."
Jackson-Davis, who already has one triple-double this season, is more than capable of leading the way. He leads IU in scoring (16.4) and rebounding (8.2) while shooting 63.4 percent from the field. He also has 28 assists.
"When teams double team me, I have to continue be a basketball player, and not just a scorer. I can pass the ball, block shots, do other things defensively to help my team.
"I am still the focal point of our offense, but if they want to sag off and put all the attention on me, we have to knock down shots."
Adds Woodson: "There's nothing scientific about it. If they double-team your best player, somebody else has got to make plays."
Finally, turnovers must be reduced. IU committed 23 against Kansas. That was eight more than any other game this season.
"We were very careless with the ball," Jackson-Davis says.
Corrections can come with a pair of home games this week -- Tuesday night against Elon (2-9) and Friday night against Kennesaw State (7-4).
While freshman point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino was back after missing the previous three games with back spasms, IU lost veteran guard Xavier Johnson to a foot injury against Kansas. His status for this week's games is uncertain.
Elon, which is coming off a 55-41 loss at Valparaiso, has three double-figure scorers, led by guard Sean Halloran (13.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 55 assists).
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Perspective finds Trayce Jackson-Davis focused on Indiana's big basketball picture.
Consecutive double-digit losses to top-10 Arizona and Kansas, and losses in three of the last four games, are not cause for panic, but for potential growth. Dominating Decembers don't guarantee March success.
Season-long improvement can.
"It's great that we get to play teams like this," Jackson-Davis says. "It's still early in the season. These games show what our weaknesses are."
Weaknesses surfaced in multiple areas in both games. Poor starts were big problems. In the first half, IU fell behind by 19 points against Arizona, by 22 against Kansas.
Could that evolve into strengths? Perhaps, with work and the right perspective.
"We have to be more assertive and ready to go," Jackson-Davis says. "That's not on Coach (Mike) Woodson. He prepared us, and we didn't execute.
"We're all disappointed in ourselves. We can't start flat against ranked opponents in big games. Some of the looks on our faces, we were not necessarily scared, but we weren't ready to go."
Defense was another problem. The Hoosiers (8-3) gave up 89 and 84 points against Arizona and Kansas, well above their 65.6-points-allowed season average. They gave up too many points in the paint, and were too vulnerable in transition.
The good news, Jackson-Davis says, is that's fixable. That includes his position on ball-screen defense.
"There are different things defensively that aren't working," he says. "We have to get back to the drawing board. It's nothing that can't be corrected."
Despite all the struggles against Kansas, Jackson-Davis still set a career high with nine blocks. That's the second most in school history behind the 10 by Steve Downing against Michigan in 1971.
Jackson-Davis has 205 career blocks. Only Alan Henderson (213) and Jeff Newton (227) have more at IU.
Offensively, Jackson-Davis must continue to pass effectively when opponents double- and triple-team him, while teammates must shoot better to punish that strategy.
"It starts with me," Jackson-Davis says. "Every team from here on out will double and triple-team me. We have to find ways to counteract that, make shots."
Jackson-Davis, who already has one triple-double this season, is more than capable of leading the way. He leads IU in scoring (16.4) and rebounding (8.2) while shooting 63.4 percent from the field. He also has 28 assists.
"When teams double team me, I have to continue be a basketball player, and not just a scorer. I can pass the ball, block shots, do other things defensively to help my team.
"I am still the focal point of our offense, but if they want to sag off and put all the attention on me, we have to knock down shots."
Adds Woodson: "There's nothing scientific about it. If they double-team your best player, somebody else has got to make plays."
Finally, turnovers must be reduced. IU committed 23 against Kansas. That was eight more than any other game this season.
"We were very careless with the ball," Jackson-Davis says.
Corrections can come with a pair of home games this week -- Tuesday night against Elon (2-9) and Friday night against Kennesaw State (7-4).
While freshman point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino was back after missing the previous three games with back spasms, IU lost veteran guard Xavier Johnson to a foot injury against Kansas. His status for this week's games is uncertain.
Elon, which is coming off a 55-41 loss at Valparaiso, has three double-figure scorers, led by guard Sean Halloran (13.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 55 assists).
Players Mentioned
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