Thursday, February 24
Bloomington, Ind.
7:00 PM
Indiana University
vs
Maryland
Jackson-Davis: Hoosiers ‘Aren’t Going Anywhere’
2/24/2022 3:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Of course, Trayce Jackson-Davis finds the silver lining.
Why wouldn't he?
To do otherwise as Indiana's February struggles reach five straight losses and counting would mean quitting.
Not on the junior forward's watch.
Not with Maryland coming to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday night. Not with Minnesota, Rutgers and Purdue still ahead to close out the regular season, and then the Big Ten tourney, and then, perhaps ….
The Big Dance.
Jackson-Davis has worked too hard. The Hoosiers have come so close, and if finishing against some of the nation's best teams remains as elusive as the cure for male pattern baldness, there's always next time.
"We're not going anywhere," he says.
While some see consecutive crunch-time lapses against top-25 Wisconsin and Ohio State as failures, Jackson-Davis sees possibilities.
"The way we've lost the last two is demoralizing," he says, "but at the same time, playing a top-25 team like Wisconsin and bringing that energy, it shows that we're here and fighting.
"It's the same thing against Ohio State. Falling behind by 11 and coming back and taking the lead with a minute left, it shows we're still here.
"We have to close out games and believe. It's just a confidence thing."
Maryland (11-11 overall, 3-8 in the Big Ten) can't be overlooked.
Since getting blown out at Iowa, it barely lost at Purdue, 62-61, then beat Nebraska and Penn State.
"They are playing well lately," Jackson-Davis says. "We have to take it to them. There's no other way to put it.
"It's time to get the bad taste out of our mouths. We're tired of losing."
IU (16-10, 7-9) peaked with a late January victory over then No. 4 Purdue.
It lost at home to Michigan, beat Penn State and Maryland, and hasn't won since.
But if the Hoosiers can, as coach Mike Woodson says, "get over the hump" and win once, it might spark a late-season surge to propel it into the NCAA tourney for the first time since 2016.
"That's a big thing," Jackson-Davis says. "Especially with the way it was early in the season when we were just getting buried on the road. We couldn't find a road win.
"All of a sudden, we beat Nebraska and then beat Maryland on the road. It was just breaking the ice.
"Coach Woodson has talked about that a lot. We've got to get that bad taste out of our mouths. Once we get that win, I feel it will string us to playing better and get that confidence up."
After missing out on the NCAA tourney for five straight seasons, the Hoosiers are, Jackson-Davis says, learning how to win when it matters most.
"A lot of different characteristics go into that," he says. "We have a group of people who have never succeeded and done anything.
"Now we're playing for something. We're playing to get into the (NCAA Tournament). They've never had to do that. They've never had that pressure. Having that pressure for the first time is hard."
In a lot of ways, Indiana's struggles mirror that of guard Xavier Johnson, who has fluctuated between dominance and disappointment.
"He will be okay," Jackson-Davis says. "He's had a few rough games. That doesn't define him. He had a few rough games early in the season and bounced back and played the best he's played with us.
"We'll stay on him and stay in his head and talk him good thoughts, especially with all the negative energy surrounding our program.
"We can't have guys fracturing. We're all we've got. I'm going to keep telling him to do things like shoot and make plays because we need that from him."
IU's lack of crunch-time offensive success, Jackson-Davis says, "Comes down to preparation."
"Coach Woodson draws up a play, and we have to be 100 percent locked in on things such as screening and getting guys in the right position.
"We have to make sure we're executing. We're not executing and that's leading to us not getting the ball where we need to get it.
"Our coaches will keep putting us into positions, but at the end of the day, players play and coaches coach. We're going to have to execute and get it done the next game. We need to put some wins into the W column."
The importance of an Indiana victory Thursday night can't be over-stated. Jackson-Davis understands that because he's lived it as a Hoosier.
Last year, IU lost its final six games to fall out of postseason contention. In 2020, it lost three of its final four regular season games before an impressive Big Ten tourney-opening victory over Nebraska might have been enough to get it into the NCAA tourney if there had been a NCAA tourney.
Covid 19 ruined that.
"It's demoralizing to lose," Jackson-Davis says, "but you can't feed off of that. You have to be ready for the next game.
"College basketball comes quickly. If you are still living in the past you'll never get over the hump. You have to keep going and building."
He pushes that message to his teammates.
"(Johnson) is down on himself right now. A lot of guys are. I will keep trying to pick them up because I've already been through this situation. I'll try to do everything in my power to help us win."
Could that power include more of a mid-range offensive push by Jackson-Davis?
Probably not.
While Woodson has said he's encouraged Jackson-Davis to utilize his perimeter skill set, Jackson-Davis says he's sticking to his coach's inside-out offensive emphasis.
"It's what Coach Woodson wants me to do," Jackson-Davis says. "He wants me to be a back-to-the-basket player.
"I feel I can do more, but at the same time, if that's what he wants, I'm going to do it for him. That's what matters.
"I'm still drawing a lot of doubles. We're getting good shots. We just have to start making them. I believe in our guys and I believe we will start making them.
"That's Coach Woodson's game plan, playing inside-out and pounding the ball inside, so that's what we're going to do."
On Thursday night, the Hoosiers will do it against a team they beat 68-55 on Jan. 29. Forward Race Thompson led with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Jackson-Davis had 17 and nine.
The Terrapins are led by Eric Ayala (15.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, team-leading 55 three-pointers), Fatts Russell (12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, team-leading 80 assists) and Donta Scott (12.3 points, 6.3 rebounds).
Beyond the game, IU will wear "Honoring Black Excellence" uniforms that help celebrate the achievements of African Americans.
"I think it's cool," Jackson-Davis says. "It symbolizes something. It's something the world needs to see. Black History Month is very important. The strides we've made in the last century have been huge. I can't wait to rock the jersey."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Of course, Trayce Jackson-Davis finds the silver lining.
Why wouldn't he?
To do otherwise as Indiana's February struggles reach five straight losses and counting would mean quitting.
Not on the junior forward's watch.
Not with Maryland coming to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday night. Not with Minnesota, Rutgers and Purdue still ahead to close out the regular season, and then the Big Ten tourney, and then, perhaps ….
The Big Dance.
Jackson-Davis has worked too hard. The Hoosiers have come so close, and if finishing against some of the nation's best teams remains as elusive as the cure for male pattern baldness, there's always next time.
"We're not going anywhere," he says.
While some see consecutive crunch-time lapses against top-25 Wisconsin and Ohio State as failures, Jackson-Davis sees possibilities.
"The way we've lost the last two is demoralizing," he says, "but at the same time, playing a top-25 team like Wisconsin and bringing that energy, it shows that we're here and fighting.
"It's the same thing against Ohio State. Falling behind by 11 and coming back and taking the lead with a minute left, it shows we're still here.
"We have to close out games and believe. It's just a confidence thing."
Maryland (11-11 overall, 3-8 in the Big Ten) can't be overlooked.
Since getting blown out at Iowa, it barely lost at Purdue, 62-61, then beat Nebraska and Penn State.
"They are playing well lately," Jackson-Davis says. "We have to take it to them. There's no other way to put it.
"It's time to get the bad taste out of our mouths. We're tired of losing."
IU (16-10, 7-9) peaked with a late January victory over then No. 4 Purdue.
It lost at home to Michigan, beat Penn State and Maryland, and hasn't won since.
But if the Hoosiers can, as coach Mike Woodson says, "get over the hump" and win once, it might spark a late-season surge to propel it into the NCAA tourney for the first time since 2016.
"That's a big thing," Jackson-Davis says. "Especially with the way it was early in the season when we were just getting buried on the road. We couldn't find a road win.
"All of a sudden, we beat Nebraska and then beat Maryland on the road. It was just breaking the ice.
"Coach Woodson has talked about that a lot. We've got to get that bad taste out of our mouths. Once we get that win, I feel it will string us to playing better and get that confidence up."
After missing out on the NCAA tourney for five straight seasons, the Hoosiers are, Jackson-Davis says, learning how to win when it matters most.
"A lot of different characteristics go into that," he says. "We have a group of people who have never succeeded and done anything.
"Now we're playing for something. We're playing to get into the (NCAA Tournament). They've never had to do that. They've never had that pressure. Having that pressure for the first time is hard."
In a lot of ways, Indiana's struggles mirror that of guard Xavier Johnson, who has fluctuated between dominance and disappointment.
"He will be okay," Jackson-Davis says. "He's had a few rough games. That doesn't define him. He had a few rough games early in the season and bounced back and played the best he's played with us.
"We'll stay on him and stay in his head and talk him good thoughts, especially with all the negative energy surrounding our program.
"We can't have guys fracturing. We're all we've got. I'm going to keep telling him to do things like shoot and make plays because we need that from him."
IU's lack of crunch-time offensive success, Jackson-Davis says, "Comes down to preparation."
"Coach Woodson draws up a play, and we have to be 100 percent locked in on things such as screening and getting guys in the right position.
"We have to make sure we're executing. We're not executing and that's leading to us not getting the ball where we need to get it.
"Our coaches will keep putting us into positions, but at the end of the day, players play and coaches coach. We're going to have to execute and get it done the next game. We need to put some wins into the W column."
The importance of an Indiana victory Thursday night can't be over-stated. Jackson-Davis understands that because he's lived it as a Hoosier.
Last year, IU lost its final six games to fall out of postseason contention. In 2020, it lost three of its final four regular season games before an impressive Big Ten tourney-opening victory over Nebraska might have been enough to get it into the NCAA tourney if there had been a NCAA tourney.
Covid 19 ruined that.
"It's demoralizing to lose," Jackson-Davis says, "but you can't feed off of that. You have to be ready for the next game.
"College basketball comes quickly. If you are still living in the past you'll never get over the hump. You have to keep going and building."
He pushes that message to his teammates.
"(Johnson) is down on himself right now. A lot of guys are. I will keep trying to pick them up because I've already been through this situation. I'll try to do everything in my power to help us win."
Could that power include more of a mid-range offensive push by Jackson-Davis?
Probably not.
While Woodson has said he's encouraged Jackson-Davis to utilize his perimeter skill set, Jackson-Davis says he's sticking to his coach's inside-out offensive emphasis.
"It's what Coach Woodson wants me to do," Jackson-Davis says. "He wants me to be a back-to-the-basket player.
"I feel I can do more, but at the same time, if that's what he wants, I'm going to do it for him. That's what matters.
"I'm still drawing a lot of doubles. We're getting good shots. We just have to start making them. I believe in our guys and I believe we will start making them.
"That's Coach Woodson's game plan, playing inside-out and pounding the ball inside, so that's what we're going to do."
On Thursday night, the Hoosiers will do it against a team they beat 68-55 on Jan. 29. Forward Race Thompson led with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Jackson-Davis had 17 and nine.
The Terrapins are led by Eric Ayala (15.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, team-leading 55 three-pointers), Fatts Russell (12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, team-leading 80 assists) and Donta Scott (12.3 points, 6.3 rebounds).
Beyond the game, IU will wear "Honoring Black Excellence" uniforms that help celebrate the achievements of African Americans.
"I think it's cool," Jackson-Davis says. "It symbolizes something. It's something the world needs to see. Black History Month is very important. The strides we've made in the last century have been huge. I can't wait to rock the jersey."
Players Mentioned
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