Thursday, March 17
Portland, Ore.
7:20 PM
Indiana University
vs
Saint Mary's
‘Whatever It Takes’ – Indiana Ready for Saint Mary’s NCAA Challenge
3/17/2022 3:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
PORTLAND, Ore. – Forget fatigue. Mike Woodson has no time for such talk. Given his NBA background, Indiana's head coach knows how bad it can really get.
What No. 12-seed IU (21-13) has dealt with leading to Thursday night's NCAA tourney first-round game against No. 5 seed Saint Mary's (25-7) is no comparison.
"In the NBA, back in the old days, it might have been the worst travel in the world," Woodson says, reflecting on an 11-year pro playing career that began in 1980.
"There were red eyes that we had to catch to make next game the next day, and we were sleeping in chairs in the airport to try to get to where we were going to go. But we were signed up as NBA players, and that was part of it.
"(College players) have it pretty good right now."
Yes, the Hoosiers beat a physical Wyoming team in Dayton on Tuesday, three days after a grueling, three-day Big Ten tourney run. Then they flew to Portland, Ore., for a Thursday night game rich in possibilities.
No matter. Winning a championship, as the Hoosiers insist is their goal, means overcoming a series of challenges. Woodson relates to that from his assistant coaching days during the Detroit Pistons' 2004 NBA title run.
"It's a grind. I've always said only the strong will survive. That Detroit team, we were so battle tested throughout the playoffs, they just refused to be tired because they was chasing that title.
"When you look at all the good teams in March Madness, everybody wants to win a title. So, really, there is no room to be tired.
"This is what we signed up for. We're here to try to win a game, see if we can advance. I don't want to go home, and I hope these guys feel the same way."
Adds forward Trayce Jackson-Davis: "Maybe you don't get as much sleep as you want, but you're playing one game, and this game could be the last of your season.
"You don't have time to hone in on how tired you are. All you want to do is win. So, basically, it's whatever it takes. We're going to play through it and play as hard as we can."
Woodson says potential fatigue won't change the way he uses his players.
Performance will.
"As the game goes on," he says, "I coach pretty much by feel. We only had three guys that played over 30 minutes (Tuesday) night. So a lot of guys should be fresh and eager and ready to play. That's how I look at it.
"I will gauge it as we go along and see how guys are playing. If they're not giving me anything, then I've got to go elsewhere to try to find it."
Jackson-Davis has become a postseason force of nature. Counting the Big Ten tourney, he's averaged 26.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 65.7 percent in his last four games.
Thursday night's game, and perhaps more with an IU victory, could define his legacy, and that of the Hoosiers.
"It is a big moment," he says, "but you've got to stay level-headed. Coach Woody has put a big emphasis on me. Ever since the Big Ten Tournament, I feel really confident in how I'm playing.
"But at the same time, other guys, like (Xavier Johnson) has been putting me in really good positions to score.
"We have to keep playing how we been playing. And a few of my teammates had a rough game (against Wyoming). I think they had pre-game jitters, but I think they'll be ready."
Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett understands the Jackson-Davis challenge.
"Obviously, he can score," Bennett says. "Not every post man in the country can score. They can throw it into him, and he's -- you're going to have to think about where you're bringing help from, how you're going to do it. You can't just let him go one-on-one down there against one of your guys.
"If you do, the guy will be in foul trouble in a hurry. He can get to his spots and make a bucket.
"What makes him a good scorer is he's really quick. He goes to his move quick. He's got a multitude of moves. He's going to come at you, and he's quick doing it. He's very aggressive."
It started in the second half of the Big Ten tourney win over Michigan. Jackson-Davis went from a first-half non-factor to a second-half superstar, sparked by an intense locker room conversation with Woodson.
"He's starting to find himself again," Woodson says. "It doesn't hurt that he has a coach that's screaming and in his ear a lot, trying to push him in the right direction.
"Halftime of the Michigan game -- it could have gone totally bad for me and the team, but as coaches we always look to find ways to get players to step up and play.
"I challenged him. He could have gone the other way, but he didn't. He responded. And his play from that halftime on has been tremendous.
"He's playing at such a high level. As a team, benefiting from it."
IU should also benefit from improved health. The Hoosiers should be at near full strength with Jordan Geronimo, Rob Phinisee and Trey Galloway back after missing time with injuries.
"It's really good to have all our pieces in place at the same time," forward Race Thompson says. "I think we're playing some of our best basketball as an all-around team.
"But, just having everybody healthy, it just makes everything better. The vibe is better. You get a different spark from each person coming off the bench. Jordan and Trey and Rob gives us extra boosts coming off the bench."
Saint Mary's, which hasn't played in 10 days, is a battle-tested veteran team. In non-conference action, it beat Notre Dame and Oregon, and lost to Wisconsin and San Diego State. It also has a home victory over top-seed Gonzaga to help earn its best-ever NCAA tourney seed.
"We know what we're capable of," senior guard Logan Johnson says, "and that seems to grow every day."
Bennett pushes a control-the-pace style with a defense-first emphasis (it rates among the top-10 nationally in defensive efficiency, and allows 60.5 points), a switch from the more offensive approach from previous years that included a 2010 Sweet 16 run.
For the last two years, the Gaels have used bricks during practice defensive drills. Players hold out bricks to emphasize keeping their hands up and wide. If they don't keep them up, they have to repeat the drill.
It's given them an edge, Bennett says.
"Our leadership is tough. Our play is tough. The single biggest characteristic that gives them a chance is they're tough."
Senior guard Tommy Kuhse shoots 46.9 percent from three-point range and averages 12.0 points and 3.6 assists. Johnson averages 11.5 points and 2.0 steals.
At 6-10 and 245 pounds, senior center Matthias Tass leads the team in scoring (12.6 points) and rebounding (6.0).
The Gaels, who are playing in their 11th NCAA tourney (compared to IU's 40), average 35.1 percent from three-point range and 76.7 percent from the line.
They have struggled to contain three-point shooting. However, IU was just 2-for-13 on three-pointers against Wyoming, and 10-for-42 in its last three games.
Containing Xavier Johnson is a big Saint Mary's priority. Who will guard him? Kuhse pushes Logan Johnson.
"(Xavier Johnson) is pretty quick," Kuhse says. "He's definitely a really good player. We watched a little film on him. We are excited for the match-up. We like going head-to-head with good players."
Adds Logan Johnson: "It's whoever is sticking to him the best. We know what we're capable of at the guard position in terms of defending. We know that we have multiple players at each position that can guard. So whoever is sticking to him the best definitely will get that match-up."
Woodson says Saint Mary's is a formidable challenge.
"Every team is rugged this stage of the year. St. Mary's is a hell of a team. They're well coached. They've had a hell of a season. We've got our hands full. We have to commit for 40 minutes on both ends of the floor.
"Both teams want to advance. Something's gotta give."
IUHoosiers.com
PORTLAND, Ore. – Forget fatigue. Mike Woodson has no time for such talk. Given his NBA background, Indiana's head coach knows how bad it can really get.
What No. 12-seed IU (21-13) has dealt with leading to Thursday night's NCAA tourney first-round game against No. 5 seed Saint Mary's (25-7) is no comparison.
"In the NBA, back in the old days, it might have been the worst travel in the world," Woodson says, reflecting on an 11-year pro playing career that began in 1980.
"There were red eyes that we had to catch to make next game the next day, and we were sleeping in chairs in the airport to try to get to where we were going to go. But we were signed up as NBA players, and that was part of it.
"(College players) have it pretty good right now."
Yes, the Hoosiers beat a physical Wyoming team in Dayton on Tuesday, three days after a grueling, three-day Big Ten tourney run. Then they flew to Portland, Ore., for a Thursday night game rich in possibilities.
No matter. Winning a championship, as the Hoosiers insist is their goal, means overcoming a series of challenges. Woodson relates to that from his assistant coaching days during the Detroit Pistons' 2004 NBA title run.
"It's a grind. I've always said only the strong will survive. That Detroit team, we were so battle tested throughout the playoffs, they just refused to be tired because they was chasing that title.
"When you look at all the good teams in March Madness, everybody wants to win a title. So, really, there is no room to be tired.
"This is what we signed up for. We're here to try to win a game, see if we can advance. I don't want to go home, and I hope these guys feel the same way."
Adds forward Trayce Jackson-Davis: "Maybe you don't get as much sleep as you want, but you're playing one game, and this game could be the last of your season.
"You don't have time to hone in on how tired you are. All you want to do is win. So, basically, it's whatever it takes. We're going to play through it and play as hard as we can."
Woodson says potential fatigue won't change the way he uses his players.
Performance will.
"As the game goes on," he says, "I coach pretty much by feel. We only had three guys that played over 30 minutes (Tuesday) night. So a lot of guys should be fresh and eager and ready to play. That's how I look at it.
"I will gauge it as we go along and see how guys are playing. If they're not giving me anything, then I've got to go elsewhere to try to find it."
Jackson-Davis has become a postseason force of nature. Counting the Big Ten tourney, he's averaged 26.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 65.7 percent in his last four games.
Thursday night's game, and perhaps more with an IU victory, could define his legacy, and that of the Hoosiers.
"It is a big moment," he says, "but you've got to stay level-headed. Coach Woody has put a big emphasis on me. Ever since the Big Ten Tournament, I feel really confident in how I'm playing.
"But at the same time, other guys, like (Xavier Johnson) has been putting me in really good positions to score.
"We have to keep playing how we been playing. And a few of my teammates had a rough game (against Wyoming). I think they had pre-game jitters, but I think they'll be ready."
Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett understands the Jackson-Davis challenge.
"Obviously, he can score," Bennett says. "Not every post man in the country can score. They can throw it into him, and he's -- you're going to have to think about where you're bringing help from, how you're going to do it. You can't just let him go one-on-one down there against one of your guys.
"If you do, the guy will be in foul trouble in a hurry. He can get to his spots and make a bucket.
"What makes him a good scorer is he's really quick. He goes to his move quick. He's got a multitude of moves. He's going to come at you, and he's quick doing it. He's very aggressive."
It started in the second half of the Big Ten tourney win over Michigan. Jackson-Davis went from a first-half non-factor to a second-half superstar, sparked by an intense locker room conversation with Woodson.
"He's starting to find himself again," Woodson says. "It doesn't hurt that he has a coach that's screaming and in his ear a lot, trying to push him in the right direction.
"Halftime of the Michigan game -- it could have gone totally bad for me and the team, but as coaches we always look to find ways to get players to step up and play.
"I challenged him. He could have gone the other way, but he didn't. He responded. And his play from that halftime on has been tremendous.
"He's playing at such a high level. As a team, benefiting from it."
IU should also benefit from improved health. The Hoosiers should be at near full strength with Jordan Geronimo, Rob Phinisee and Trey Galloway back after missing time with injuries.
"It's really good to have all our pieces in place at the same time," forward Race Thompson says. "I think we're playing some of our best basketball as an all-around team.
"But, just having everybody healthy, it just makes everything better. The vibe is better. You get a different spark from each person coming off the bench. Jordan and Trey and Rob gives us extra boosts coming off the bench."
Saint Mary's, which hasn't played in 10 days, is a battle-tested veteran team. In non-conference action, it beat Notre Dame and Oregon, and lost to Wisconsin and San Diego State. It also has a home victory over top-seed Gonzaga to help earn its best-ever NCAA tourney seed.
"We know what we're capable of," senior guard Logan Johnson says, "and that seems to grow every day."
Bennett pushes a control-the-pace style with a defense-first emphasis (it rates among the top-10 nationally in defensive efficiency, and allows 60.5 points), a switch from the more offensive approach from previous years that included a 2010 Sweet 16 run.
For the last two years, the Gaels have used bricks during practice defensive drills. Players hold out bricks to emphasize keeping their hands up and wide. If they don't keep them up, they have to repeat the drill.
It's given them an edge, Bennett says.
"Our leadership is tough. Our play is tough. The single biggest characteristic that gives them a chance is they're tough."
Senior guard Tommy Kuhse shoots 46.9 percent from three-point range and averages 12.0 points and 3.6 assists. Johnson averages 11.5 points and 2.0 steals.
At 6-10 and 245 pounds, senior center Matthias Tass leads the team in scoring (12.6 points) and rebounding (6.0).
The Gaels, who are playing in their 11th NCAA tourney (compared to IU's 40), average 35.1 percent from three-point range and 76.7 percent from the line.
They have struggled to contain three-point shooting. However, IU was just 2-for-13 on three-pointers against Wyoming, and 10-for-42 in its last three games.
Containing Xavier Johnson is a big Saint Mary's priority. Who will guard him? Kuhse pushes Logan Johnson.
"(Xavier Johnson) is pretty quick," Kuhse says. "He's definitely a really good player. We watched a little film on him. We are excited for the match-up. We like going head-to-head with good players."
Adds Logan Johnson: "It's whoever is sticking to him the best. We know what we're capable of at the guard position in terms of defending. We know that we have multiple players at each position that can guard. So whoever is sticking to him the best definitely will get that match-up."
Woodson says Saint Mary's is a formidable challenge.
"Every team is rugged this stage of the year. St. Mary's is a hell of a team. They're well coached. They've had a hell of a season. We've got our hands full. We have to commit for 40 minutes on both ends of the floor.
"Both teams want to advance. Something's gotta give."
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ 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