Indiana University Athletics
Tuesday, February 21
East Lansing, Mich.
9:00 PM
Indiana University
at
Michigan State
IU at Michigan State Is ‘Bigger Than Basketball’
2/21/2023 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- There's a bigger picture at stake. The Indiana Hoosiers understand that; Trayce Jackson-Davis articulates it.
Yes, Tuesday night's game at Michigan State has huge Big Ten and national implications, but the tragedy that rocked the East Lansing campus and beyond last week affects the humanity in everyone.
Michigan State suspended classes and all university events -- including the Spartans game against Minnesota last week -- after the shooting that left three students dead and five others critically wounded. Memorials were held, tributes were given, and speeches were delivered, including an emotional one from Spartans coach Tom Izzo. Spartan Strong messages were displayed nationwide.
Athletic events resumed over the weekend. On Saturday, Michigan State lost at Michigan, 84-72. Classes resumed on Monday.
"First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers out to them," Jackson-Davis said. "I love Coach Izzo. That place (the Breslin Center) is going to be rocking. They're going to play with a lot of emotion, a lot of heart. We've got to be ready. But sometimes, it's bigger than basketball."
Still, basketball is Tuesday night's priority.
"It's business," Jackson-Davis said. "We're going to play hard. They're going to play hard. We've got to go at them."
The No. 17 Hoosiers are 19-8 overall, 10-6 in the Big Ten, good for third place in the conference standings behind Purdue (13-4) and Northwestern (11-5). The top-four seeds get a double bye in the Big Ten tourney in Chicago and don't play until Friday, March 10.
Jackson-Davis leads IU with averages of 20.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and three blocks. He continues his player-of-the-year pace and was a huge factor in Saturday's Illinois victory.
"I thought we did a great job on Trayce," Illini coach Brad Underwood said, "and he still got 26 and 12."
Freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino is averaging 12.1 points over the last 10 games.
Forward Race Thompson continues to battle through issues from a knee injury that sidelined him for five games and limits his practice time. He played 25 minutes at Northwestern (13 points, three rebounds) and 22 against Illinois (10 points, six rebounds).
"I think he's coming along smoothly," Woodson said. "I've got to gauge (his minutes) a little bit."
Added Jackson-Davis: "Race is a great player. He helps our team.
"It's hard for him, especially mentally, because he wants to be out there. Even if he says he's good, that he's 100%, I know he's still going through things, but he's playing as hard as he can, and that's what we need from him. He's starting to get back healthy."
Woodson hopes to get more from guard Tamar Bates and forward Jordan Geronimo.
"I've got to get them back in the swing of things because we're going to need guys like that as we continue this journey."
Swingman Miller Kopp, meanwhile, remains IU's best three-point-shooting option.
He ranks second in the Big Ten at 47.4% and is a big reason why the Hoosiers are the conference's second-best three-point-shooting team, at 38.8%.
He benefits from Jackson-Davis's dominant inside presence that draws double and sometimes triple teams, freeing up the perimeter, as well as Jackson-Davis's strong passing skills.
Jackson-Davis is always looking for Kopp.
"He says to me, 'Be ready, be ready, be ready,'" Kopp said. "It's literally every time, 'be ready'"
When Jackson-Davis passes Kopp the ball, and he doesn't shoot, the forward isn't happy.
"Every time he touches it, I want the ball up," Jackson-Davis said. "I'm so angry if he doesn't shoot it every single time."
Michigan State (16-10, 8-7) has its own three-pointer shooters in Joey Hauser (team-leading 52 three-pointers) and Tyson Walker (43 three-pointers).
Hauser leads the Spartans in scoring (13.9) and rebounding (7.0). Walker averages 13.7 points with a team-high 31 steals. A.J. Hoggard averages 11.8 points, 5.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds, plus has 24 steals.
Michigan State is 10-2 at the Breslin Center, with the losses coming to Purdue and Northwestern. It is 4-6 in its last 10 games.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- There's a bigger picture at stake. The Indiana Hoosiers understand that; Trayce Jackson-Davis articulates it.
Yes, Tuesday night's game at Michigan State has huge Big Ten and national implications, but the tragedy that rocked the East Lansing campus and beyond last week affects the humanity in everyone.
Michigan State suspended classes and all university events -- including the Spartans game against Minnesota last week -- after the shooting that left three students dead and five others critically wounded. Memorials were held, tributes were given, and speeches were delivered, including an emotional one from Spartans coach Tom Izzo. Spartan Strong messages were displayed nationwide.
Athletic events resumed over the weekend. On Saturday, Michigan State lost at Michigan, 84-72. Classes resumed on Monday.
"First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers out to them," Jackson-Davis said. "I love Coach Izzo. That place (the Breslin Center) is going to be rocking. They're going to play with a lot of emotion, a lot of heart. We've got to be ready. But sometimes, it's bigger than basketball."
Still, basketball is Tuesday night's priority.
"It's business," Jackson-Davis said. "We're going to play hard. They're going to play hard. We've got to go at them."
The No. 17 Hoosiers are 19-8 overall, 10-6 in the Big Ten, good for third place in the conference standings behind Purdue (13-4) and Northwestern (11-5). The top-four seeds get a double bye in the Big Ten tourney in Chicago and don't play until Friday, March 10.
Jackson-Davis leads IU with averages of 20.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and three blocks. He continues his player-of-the-year pace and was a huge factor in Saturday's Illinois victory.
"I thought we did a great job on Trayce," Illini coach Brad Underwood said, "and he still got 26 and 12."
Freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino is averaging 12.1 points over the last 10 games.
Forward Race Thompson continues to battle through issues from a knee injury that sidelined him for five games and limits his practice time. He played 25 minutes at Northwestern (13 points, three rebounds) and 22 against Illinois (10 points, six rebounds).
"I think he's coming along smoothly," Woodson said. "I've got to gauge (his minutes) a little bit."
Added Jackson-Davis: "Race is a great player. He helps our team.
"It's hard for him, especially mentally, because he wants to be out there. Even if he says he's good, that he's 100%, I know he's still going through things, but he's playing as hard as he can, and that's what we need from him. He's starting to get back healthy."
Woodson hopes to get more from guard Tamar Bates and forward Jordan Geronimo.
"I've got to get them back in the swing of things because we're going to need guys like that as we continue this journey."
Swingman Miller Kopp, meanwhile, remains IU's best three-point-shooting option.
He ranks second in the Big Ten at 47.4% and is a big reason why the Hoosiers are the conference's second-best three-point-shooting team, at 38.8%.
He benefits from Jackson-Davis's dominant inside presence that draws double and sometimes triple teams, freeing up the perimeter, as well as Jackson-Davis's strong passing skills.
Jackson-Davis is always looking for Kopp.
"He says to me, 'Be ready, be ready, be ready,'" Kopp said. "It's literally every time, 'be ready'"
When Jackson-Davis passes Kopp the ball, and he doesn't shoot, the forward isn't happy.
"Every time he touches it, I want the ball up," Jackson-Davis said. "I'm so angry if he doesn't shoot it every single time."
Michigan State (16-10, 8-7) has its own three-pointer shooters in Joey Hauser (team-leading 52 three-pointers) and Tyson Walker (43 three-pointers).
Hauser leads the Spartans in scoring (13.9) and rebounding (7.0). Walker averages 13.7 points with a team-high 31 steals. A.J. Hoggard averages 11.8 points, 5.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds, plus has 24 steals.
Michigan State is 10-2 at the Breslin Center, with the losses coming to Purdue and Northwestern. It is 4-6 in its last 10 games.
Players Mentioned
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