Tuesday, February 7
Bloomington, Ind.
6:30 PM
Indiana University
vs
Rutgers
Toughness Key to IU Fixing Rutgers Struggles
2/7/2023 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Trayce Jackson-Davis remembers, and it burns.
Indiana has never beaten Rutgers during his four years as a Hoosier, but this team -- four months into the season -- is different.
"We've played with a chip on our shoulders since we got punked by Rutgers," the senior forward says.
Mike Woodson remembers, and it burns. The Scarlet Knights roughed up his team at Jersey Mike's Arena in early December, pushed a message that IU plays soft, but these Hoosiers have evolved.
Six victories in seven games and a tough-minded victory over top-ranked Purdue can do that.
"A lot of things have been said," the coach tells Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during his Monday night radio show. "They think they're the better team and they've shown that. They've won. We have to fix that."
On Tuesday night, No. 24 Rutgers (16-7 overall, 8-4 in the Big Ten) comes to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, the scene of that win over Purdue that showed once again why few teams have so big a home-court advantage.
"Assembly Hall is a very hostile environment," Jackson-Davis tells Fischer on the radio show, "but we have to play well to win."
The No. 18 Hoosiers (16-7, 7-5) have overcome a 1-4 Big Ten start to fuel hope that, even if they dug too big a hole in the conference race (the Boilers lead with an 11-2 record), they are building toward March Madness glory. They make crunch-time plays, winning plays, the kind of plays from which championships emerge.
"It's a toughness factor," Jackson-Davis says. "I feel like teams in the past that I've been on weren't that tough. We've found our niche. That's what we're doing and that's how we've got to play the rest of the year."
A victory would tie Indiana for second place with the Scarlet Knights in the Big Ten standings. Michigan, Iowa, Northwestern and Maryland also have five losses to showcase conference parity.
Rutgers has beaten Indiana six straight times, and in eight of the last nine meetings. It has defeated the Hoosiers at home in New Jersey, in Bloomington, and in Indianapolis.
Woodson is well aware of the challenge and the opportunity. That's why he gave the Hoosiers just an hour to celebrate the Purdue victory before telling them to start focusing on the Scarlet Knights.
Senior forward Race Thompson embraced that challenge.
"They're a hard-nosed team," he tells Fischer on the radio show. "They like to make it a rough game. We have to match that intensity and be tough on defense."
Don't expect offensive fireworks.
The Scarlet Knights defend with a boxer's tenacity. They hit hard and often, and if teams don't hit back just as hard, if not harder, they buckle.
The Hoosiers experienced that in December when Rutgers beat them by 15. It was their first defeat of the season and came just four days after a dominant home victory over North Carolina suggested elite status.
In that loss, the Hoosiers shot 30.4% and committed 14 turnovers. Jackson-Davis was held to 13 points and IU scored a season-low 48. Only Miller Kopp's five 3-pointers and 21 points kept it that close.
Defense has become Rutgers' identity under coach Steve Pikiell. It allows a Big Ten best 58.4 points. It has held three of its last four opponents -- Michigan State, Minnesota, and Penn State -- to 55 or fewer points. The loss came when Iowa poured in 90 points at Iowa City.
In beating Michigan State on Saturday at New York City's Madison Square Garden, the Scarlet Knights overcame an eight-point, second-half deficit despite missing 12 free throws and making just three of 16 3-point attempts, plus the loss of top defender Mawot Mag, who suffered a knee injury.
The reason -- they held Michigan State to just two baskets in a defining 12-minute stretch.
Rutgers is led by Clifford Omoruyi (13.4 points, 10.0 rebounds), Cam Spencer (12.8 points, 47 3-pointers, 82 assists), Caleb McConnell (9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds), and Paul Mulcahy (9.3 points, 93 assists). Mag averages 7.8 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Meanwhile, the honors continue for Jackson-Davis. He was named co-Big Ten player of the week for the third straight week after averaging 21.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 1.0 steals against Maryland and Purdue.
That gives him six Big Ten weekly honors, which ties him with Calbert Cheaney and Steve Alford for the most in IU history.
While Jackson-Davis remains the Cream 'n Crimson catalyst, freshmen Jalen Hood-Schifino, Malik Reneau, Kaleb Banks, and CJ Gunn have all had major moments.
Against Purdue, Hood-Schifino had 16 points and four assists, Reneau had eight points and four rebounds, and Banks had four points and three rebounds. Gunn didn't play.
"We've got four competitive freshmen," Woodson says. "It's a shame I can't play them all. I thought Malik gave us some positive minutes. Kaleb gave us some positive minutes.
"Those guys are future guys that we're going to have to lean on to get better over the summer."
That's for later. For now, only beating Rutgers matters.
"They play hard," Woodson tells Fischer. "They do a lot of things defensively. We have to commit for 40 minutes. Be ourselves. I feel good about how we're playing."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Trayce Jackson-Davis remembers, and it burns.
Indiana has never beaten Rutgers during his four years as a Hoosier, but this team -- four months into the season -- is different.
"We've played with a chip on our shoulders since we got punked by Rutgers," the senior forward says.
Mike Woodson remembers, and it burns. The Scarlet Knights roughed up his team at Jersey Mike's Arena in early December, pushed a message that IU plays soft, but these Hoosiers have evolved.
Six victories in seven games and a tough-minded victory over top-ranked Purdue can do that.
"A lot of things have been said," the coach tells Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer during his Monday night radio show. "They think they're the better team and they've shown that. They've won. We have to fix that."
On Tuesday night, No. 24 Rutgers (16-7 overall, 8-4 in the Big Ten) comes to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, the scene of that win over Purdue that showed once again why few teams have so big a home-court advantage.
"Assembly Hall is a very hostile environment," Jackson-Davis tells Fischer on the radio show, "but we have to play well to win."
The No. 18 Hoosiers (16-7, 7-5) have overcome a 1-4 Big Ten start to fuel hope that, even if they dug too big a hole in the conference race (the Boilers lead with an 11-2 record), they are building toward March Madness glory. They make crunch-time plays, winning plays, the kind of plays from which championships emerge.
"It's a toughness factor," Jackson-Davis says. "I feel like teams in the past that I've been on weren't that tough. We've found our niche. That's what we're doing and that's how we've got to play the rest of the year."
A victory would tie Indiana for second place with the Scarlet Knights in the Big Ten standings. Michigan, Iowa, Northwestern and Maryland also have five losses to showcase conference parity.
Rutgers has beaten Indiana six straight times, and in eight of the last nine meetings. It has defeated the Hoosiers at home in New Jersey, in Bloomington, and in Indianapolis.
Woodson is well aware of the challenge and the opportunity. That's why he gave the Hoosiers just an hour to celebrate the Purdue victory before telling them to start focusing on the Scarlet Knights.
Senior forward Race Thompson embraced that challenge.
"They're a hard-nosed team," he tells Fischer on the radio show. "They like to make it a rough game. We have to match that intensity and be tough on defense."
Don't expect offensive fireworks.
The Scarlet Knights defend with a boxer's tenacity. They hit hard and often, and if teams don't hit back just as hard, if not harder, they buckle.
The Hoosiers experienced that in December when Rutgers beat them by 15. It was their first defeat of the season and came just four days after a dominant home victory over North Carolina suggested elite status.
In that loss, the Hoosiers shot 30.4% and committed 14 turnovers. Jackson-Davis was held to 13 points and IU scored a season-low 48. Only Miller Kopp's five 3-pointers and 21 points kept it that close.
Defense has become Rutgers' identity under coach Steve Pikiell. It allows a Big Ten best 58.4 points. It has held three of its last four opponents -- Michigan State, Minnesota, and Penn State -- to 55 or fewer points. The loss came when Iowa poured in 90 points at Iowa City.
In beating Michigan State on Saturday at New York City's Madison Square Garden, the Scarlet Knights overcame an eight-point, second-half deficit despite missing 12 free throws and making just three of 16 3-point attempts, plus the loss of top defender Mawot Mag, who suffered a knee injury.
The reason -- they held Michigan State to just two baskets in a defining 12-minute stretch.
Rutgers is led by Clifford Omoruyi (13.4 points, 10.0 rebounds), Cam Spencer (12.8 points, 47 3-pointers, 82 assists), Caleb McConnell (9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds), and Paul Mulcahy (9.3 points, 93 assists). Mag averages 7.8 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Meanwhile, the honors continue for Jackson-Davis. He was named co-Big Ten player of the week for the third straight week after averaging 21.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 1.0 steals against Maryland and Purdue.
That gives him six Big Ten weekly honors, which ties him with Calbert Cheaney and Steve Alford for the most in IU history.
While Jackson-Davis remains the Cream 'n Crimson catalyst, freshmen Jalen Hood-Schifino, Malik Reneau, Kaleb Banks, and CJ Gunn have all had major moments.
Against Purdue, Hood-Schifino had 16 points and four assists, Reneau had eight points and four rebounds, and Banks had four points and three rebounds. Gunn didn't play.
"We've got four competitive freshmen," Woodson says. "It's a shame I can't play them all. I thought Malik gave us some positive minutes. Kaleb gave us some positive minutes.
"Those guys are future guys that we're going to have to lean on to get better over the summer."
That's for later. For now, only beating Rutgers matters.
"They play hard," Woodson tells Fischer. "They do a lot of things defensively. We have to commit for 40 minutes. Be ourselves. I feel good about how we're playing."
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
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