Thursday, March 10
Indianapolis, Ind.
11:30 AM
Indiana University
19-12,9-11Big Ten
74
vs
69
Michigan
17-14,11-9Big Ten
1
2
F
Indiana
28
46
74
Michigan
41
28
69
Indiana Beats Michigan, Advances to Quarterfinal
3/10/2022 1:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
INDIANAPOLIS – Did you believe?
Did you?
Indiana was on the Big Ten tourney brink against Michigan Thursday afternoon. The Wolverines were dominating. The Hoosiers were struggling. Hoosier Nation was grumbling.
Suddenly, in a blowout turned thriller, IU found its defense and offense, won 74-69 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and might have saved its postseason.
"This is the biggest win for our program in such a long time," coach Mike Woodson said. This team won't quit.
"They played and played and played themselves back into it and pulled it out."
Indiana (19-12) seemed finished trailing 60-43 with 11 minutes left against an opponent that had blown it out six weeks earlier at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, and that had beaten it nine straight times.
In fact, IU was just getting started.
A 28-4 run, fueled by all nine Hoosiers who played, delivered perhaps the greatest comeback in Big Ten tourney history, certainly the biggest for the Hoosiers, who have historically struggled in this event.
"We believed we would win," forward Trayce Jackson-Davis said. "We saw them deflate.
"Even when you're struggling, you can't get too down. You keep playing. We believed we could win and succeed."
Forget talk about IU's inability to finish (two overtime losses, six others by eight or fewer points).
"We learned from our mistakes," guard Xavier Johnson said. "We watched a lot of film. We worked on it. Now we have a chance to prove what we're working on."
Added Woodson: "We had struck out so many times before. We did not let it happen this time. We executed and made plays to secure the win.
"It's really gratifying in terms of getting us over the hump. I'd like to think this puts us over the top."
Jackson-Davis flashed back to the first Wisconsin loss, when the Hoosiers blew a 22-point lead.
"We believed we could win," he said again.
With almost nothing working in the second half, Woodson went small with a heavy dose of Rob Phinisee, Trey Galloway, Jordan Geronimo and not-so-small 7-foot Michael Durr.
Suddenly, the Hoosiers morphed into a juggernaut.
"I was searching, trying to find a combination that could change the game," Woodson said. "Geronimo and Galloway and Rob and the big fellow (Durr) changed the dynamics of the game.
"Everybody who played contributed. We need that."
Michigan coach Juwan Howard, back after a five-game suspension for an altercation against Wisconsin, expected little sleep in the coming days.
"The game was changed with their aggressiveness," he said.
Aggressiveness included ferocious defense (IU forced 10 second-half turnovers) and ruthlessly efficient second-half offense (55.6 percent shooting, 4-for-5 on three-pointers).
"They came out more physical than us," Michigan guard Devante Jones said. "They had more energy and effort."
Or, as Johnson put it, "We locked in. In the last 12 minutes, it was all about getting stops. Everybody held each other accountable for his man. We dug in and got stops."
Jackson-Davis spent the first 14 minutes as an offensive afterthought and last 26 dominating as if he was the Big Ten MVP. He totaled 24 points (19 in the second half), eight rebounds and four blocks.
His final rebound with half a second left, which followed Johnson's clinching free throws, buried talk of IU's season-long inability to close the deal.
Credit an intense halftime lecture from Woodson.
"In the locker room, Coach Woodson got on me," Jackson-Davis said. "He told me to play up to my abilities. He said basketball is two halves."
Added Woodson: "His play in the first half wasn't good. He responded extremely well.
"He's one of the best players in the Big Ten. He didn't play that way in the first half. In the second half, he picked it up."
Johnson, who missed much of the first half because of foul trouble, continued his late-season surge with 17 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and one steal.
"His ability to make shots hurt us," Jones said. "He brought a lot of energy. When he came back in the second half, their energy picked up."
Galloway was back after missing five games with a groin injury. He totaled four points, five assists and three steals.
There were two big Cream 'n Crimson questions entering the game:
Could Indiana contain center Hunter Dickinson as it didn't in the first meeting?
Could the Hoosiers limit the Wolverines' three-point shooting? Michigan was 11-for-17 in that first game.
The answers, as it turned out, were yes and yes.
Dickinson finished with 15 points, just two in the second half, and 10 fewer than the first game. Michigan (17-14) was just 6-for-20 from three-point range to IU's 8-for-15.
"They were getting more physical with me in the second half," Dickinson said. "I should have down a better job of establishing position."
IU's first possession was a missed shot and a turnover. It had another turnover on its second possession.
Then the Hoosiers settled in. Race Thompson scored inside. Johnson hit a three-pointer. Johnson drove for a layup, then hit another three-pointer. He had eight of IIU's first 10 points, but Michigan went on an 11-0 run to take control at 21-10.
"They punched us in the mouth," Jackson-Davis said, "and kept punching us."
During that run, Johnson went to the bench with two fouls. Galloway replaced him, and quickly delivered four points (including a dunk) and two assists.
Michigan used a 22-12 edge in points for a 36-23 lead. It attacked the basket, drew fouls and finished with a 41-28 halftime lead. Johnson's eight points led IU.
The Hoosiers opened the second half on a mini run. Michigan shot through it for a 51-35 lead, its biggest of the game, then topped it by going ahead 60-43.
IU surged back behind defense. A 9-0 run gave the Hoosiers hope. An 11-0 run gave them a 63-62 lead. They surged ahead 71-64 to complete the 28-4 run.
They had basically two minutes to close it out and this time, they delivered.
Johnson clinched it with a pair of free throws with 9.7 seconds remaining.
"This was a total team effort," Woodson said. "We haven't quit all year. We've been so competitive. Even at halftime, I thought we still had a shot."
Now comes top-seed and Big Ten co-champ Illinois in Friday's quarterfinals.
"This is the next step to our goal," Johnson said. "We want to win this whole thing. That's what we plan on doing."
IUHoosiers.com
INDIANAPOLIS – Did you believe?
Did you?
Indiana was on the Big Ten tourney brink against Michigan Thursday afternoon. The Wolverines were dominating. The Hoosiers were struggling. Hoosier Nation was grumbling.
Suddenly, in a blowout turned thriller, IU found its defense and offense, won 74-69 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and might have saved its postseason.
"This is the biggest win for our program in such a long time," coach Mike Woodson said. This team won't quit.
"They played and played and played themselves back into it and pulled it out."
Indiana (19-12) seemed finished trailing 60-43 with 11 minutes left against an opponent that had blown it out six weeks earlier at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, and that had beaten it nine straight times.
In fact, IU was just getting started.
A 28-4 run, fueled by all nine Hoosiers who played, delivered perhaps the greatest comeback in Big Ten tourney history, certainly the biggest for the Hoosiers, who have historically struggled in this event.
"We believed we would win," forward Trayce Jackson-Davis said. "We saw them deflate.
"Even when you're struggling, you can't get too down. You keep playing. We believed we could win and succeed."
Forget talk about IU's inability to finish (two overtime losses, six others by eight or fewer points).
"We learned from our mistakes," guard Xavier Johnson said. "We watched a lot of film. We worked on it. Now we have a chance to prove what we're working on."
Added Woodson: "We had struck out so many times before. We did not let it happen this time. We executed and made plays to secure the win.
"It's really gratifying in terms of getting us over the hump. I'd like to think this puts us over the top."
Jackson-Davis flashed back to the first Wisconsin loss, when the Hoosiers blew a 22-point lead.
"We believed we could win," he said again.
With almost nothing working in the second half, Woodson went small with a heavy dose of Rob Phinisee, Trey Galloway, Jordan Geronimo and not-so-small 7-foot Michael Durr.
Suddenly, the Hoosiers morphed into a juggernaut.
"I was searching, trying to find a combination that could change the game," Woodson said. "Geronimo and Galloway and Rob and the big fellow (Durr) changed the dynamics of the game.
"Everybody who played contributed. We need that."
Michigan coach Juwan Howard, back after a five-game suspension for an altercation against Wisconsin, expected little sleep in the coming days.
"The game was changed with their aggressiveness," he said.
Aggressiveness included ferocious defense (IU forced 10 second-half turnovers) and ruthlessly efficient second-half offense (55.6 percent shooting, 4-for-5 on three-pointers).
"They came out more physical than us," Michigan guard Devante Jones said. "They had more energy and effort."
Or, as Johnson put it, "We locked in. In the last 12 minutes, it was all about getting stops. Everybody held each other accountable for his man. We dug in and got stops."
Jackson-Davis spent the first 14 minutes as an offensive afterthought and last 26 dominating as if he was the Big Ten MVP. He totaled 24 points (19 in the second half), eight rebounds and four blocks.
His final rebound with half a second left, which followed Johnson's clinching free throws, buried talk of IU's season-long inability to close the deal.
Credit an intense halftime lecture from Woodson.
"In the locker room, Coach Woodson got on me," Jackson-Davis said. "He told me to play up to my abilities. He said basketball is two halves."
Added Woodson: "His play in the first half wasn't good. He responded extremely well.
"He's one of the best players in the Big Ten. He didn't play that way in the first half. In the second half, he picked it up."
Johnson, who missed much of the first half because of foul trouble, continued his late-season surge with 17 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and one steal.
"His ability to make shots hurt us," Jones said. "He brought a lot of energy. When he came back in the second half, their energy picked up."
Galloway was back after missing five games with a groin injury. He totaled four points, five assists and three steals.
There were two big Cream 'n Crimson questions entering the game:
Could Indiana contain center Hunter Dickinson as it didn't in the first meeting?
Could the Hoosiers limit the Wolverines' three-point shooting? Michigan was 11-for-17 in that first game.
The answers, as it turned out, were yes and yes.
Dickinson finished with 15 points, just two in the second half, and 10 fewer than the first game. Michigan (17-14) was just 6-for-20 from three-point range to IU's 8-for-15.
"They were getting more physical with me in the second half," Dickinson said. "I should have down a better job of establishing position."
IU's first possession was a missed shot and a turnover. It had another turnover on its second possession.
Then the Hoosiers settled in. Race Thompson scored inside. Johnson hit a three-pointer. Johnson drove for a layup, then hit another three-pointer. He had eight of IIU's first 10 points, but Michigan went on an 11-0 run to take control at 21-10.
"They punched us in the mouth," Jackson-Davis said, "and kept punching us."
During that run, Johnson went to the bench with two fouls. Galloway replaced him, and quickly delivered four points (including a dunk) and two assists.
Michigan used a 22-12 edge in points for a 36-23 lead. It attacked the basket, drew fouls and finished with a 41-28 halftime lead. Johnson's eight points led IU.
The Hoosiers opened the second half on a mini run. Michigan shot through it for a 51-35 lead, its biggest of the game, then topped it by going ahead 60-43.
IU surged back behind defense. A 9-0 run gave the Hoosiers hope. An 11-0 run gave them a 63-62 lead. They surged ahead 71-64 to complete the 28-4 run.
They had basically two minutes to close it out and this time, they delivered.
Johnson clinched it with a pair of free throws with 9.7 seconds remaining.
"This was a total team effort," Woodson said. "We haven't quit all year. We've been so competitive. Even at halftime, I thought we still had a shot."
Now comes top-seed and Big Ten co-champ Illinois in Friday's quarterfinals.
"This is the next step to our goal," Johnson said. "We want to win this whole thing. That's what we plan on doing."
Team Stats
IND
Mich
FG%
.464
.379
3FG%
.533
.300
FT%
.737
.905
RB
32
34
TO
12
12
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
10
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
Center
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballGuard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballFB: Under the Hood with Indiana Football - Week 4 (Illinois)
Wednesday, September 17
FB: Kellan Wyatt Media Availability (9/16/25)
Tuesday, September 16
FB: Mikail Kamara Media Availability (9/16/25)
Tuesday, September 16
FB: Curt Cignetti Media Availability (9/15/25)
Monday, September 15