Sunday, March 5
Bloomington, Ind.
4:30 PM
Indiana University
vs
Michigan
Second Chance -- Thompson Seeks Senior Night Win
3/5/2023 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Race Thompson gets a second Senior Night crack at a positive ending.
Indiana's senior forward is determined to make the most of it.
The No. 15/13 Hoosiers (20-10 overall, 11-8 in the Big Ten, host Michigan (17-13, 11-8) Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in the final regular season game.
Last year, in what at the time Thompson thought would be his final college home game, IU lost 66-63 to Rutgers. He gave a senior speech. He thought he was ready to move on. He was not.
"Last year was heartbreaking," he says. "It was not the way I wanted to leave. That was part of my decision to come back. I want to go out with a win."
He'll get his chance in a game full of Big Ten tourney implications.
IU has a shot at earning a top-four seed and a double bye, which would mean not playing until Friday. Seven teams are tied for second with 11-8 conference records. Purdue (14-5) has clinched the regular-season title and No. 1 seed.
"I'll leave it all out of the court," Thompson says. "My teammates will do the same thing. We'll get a good effort from everybody."
The Hoosiers seek to bounce back from last Tuesday's 90-68 home loss to Iowa.
There's a lot to fix.
"Watching the film was embarrassing," coach Mike Woodson says. "It was probably the worst display of basketball since I've been here as a coach. It was awful. We didn't do anything that we set out to do."
IU never led against Iowa.
"I didn't see that coming," Woodson says. "You've got to build on and try not to let it happen again."
The players had Wednesday off, then had full-throttle practices on Thursday and Friday.
"I thought practice was sharp," Woodson says. "It was a tough practice, but everybody put forth effort and got through it. We've got to work our way back to where I think we need to be."
Adds Thompson: "We didn't perform the way we wanted. That's something we all knew. Film doesn't lie. We went at each other in practice. I think that will help us."
Beating Michigan is critical. Fixing the problems from the Iowa game is critical. Even though postseason success depends on keeping players healthy and fresh, there's no time to dial back the intensity.
"The Big Ten Tournament is grueling," Woodson says. "I think back to last year when we played Thursday, Friday and Saturday. That's tough. We're a shot away from playing Sunday. My thing is only the strong survive.
"It's hard to balance because we need the practice based on how we played the other day. Practice is the only way we can get back together.
"You don't want anybody getting hurt. You want fresh legs. I get all of that. But we've got to work."
Thompson says the Hoosiers aren't worried about Big Ten tourney seeding implications.
"We focus on controlling the controllables, focus on winning our game, getting our defense right. We have a good challenge against Michigan."
Senior guard Xavier Johnson has decided he won't return this season after having surgery to repair a broken foot. He will apply for a medical hardship waiver to play for the Hoosiers next season.
He hasn't played since hurting his foot at Kansas in mid-December.
In nine games, Johnson averaged 9.9 points, 4.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds.
Last year, his first as a Hoosier after transferring from Pitt, he averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 assists. He has more than 1,600 career points and more than 600 career assists.
Michigan is coming off an overtime defeat at Illinois. A NCAA tourney bubble team with only one Quad 1 victory, it needs as many wins as possible.
The Wolverines are led by Hunter Dickinson (17.6 points, 8.6 rebounds), Jett Howard (14.4 points) and Kobe Bufkin (13.4 points, 4.2 rebounds).
IU won the first meeting 62-61 last month in Ann Arbor. The Hoosiers held the Wolverines scoreless over the final five minutes.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Race Thompson gets a second Senior Night crack at a positive ending.
Indiana's senior forward is determined to make the most of it.
The No. 15/13 Hoosiers (20-10 overall, 11-8 in the Big Ten, host Michigan (17-13, 11-8) Sunday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in the final regular season game.
Last year, in what at the time Thompson thought would be his final college home game, IU lost 66-63 to Rutgers. He gave a senior speech. He thought he was ready to move on. He was not.
"Last year was heartbreaking," he says. "It was not the way I wanted to leave. That was part of my decision to come back. I want to go out with a win."
He'll get his chance in a game full of Big Ten tourney implications.
IU has a shot at earning a top-four seed and a double bye, which would mean not playing until Friday. Seven teams are tied for second with 11-8 conference records. Purdue (14-5) has clinched the regular-season title and No. 1 seed.
"I'll leave it all out of the court," Thompson says. "My teammates will do the same thing. We'll get a good effort from everybody."
The Hoosiers seek to bounce back from last Tuesday's 90-68 home loss to Iowa.
There's a lot to fix.
"Watching the film was embarrassing," coach Mike Woodson says. "It was probably the worst display of basketball since I've been here as a coach. It was awful. We didn't do anything that we set out to do."
IU never led against Iowa.
"I didn't see that coming," Woodson says. "You've got to build on and try not to let it happen again."
The players had Wednesday off, then had full-throttle practices on Thursday and Friday.
"I thought practice was sharp," Woodson says. "It was a tough practice, but everybody put forth effort and got through it. We've got to work our way back to where I think we need to be."
Adds Thompson: "We didn't perform the way we wanted. That's something we all knew. Film doesn't lie. We went at each other in practice. I think that will help us."
Beating Michigan is critical. Fixing the problems from the Iowa game is critical. Even though postseason success depends on keeping players healthy and fresh, there's no time to dial back the intensity.
"The Big Ten Tournament is grueling," Woodson says. "I think back to last year when we played Thursday, Friday and Saturday. That's tough. We're a shot away from playing Sunday. My thing is only the strong survive.
"It's hard to balance because we need the practice based on how we played the other day. Practice is the only way we can get back together.
"You don't want anybody getting hurt. You want fresh legs. I get all of that. But we've got to work."
Thompson says the Hoosiers aren't worried about Big Ten tourney seeding implications.
"We focus on controlling the controllables, focus on winning our game, getting our defense right. We have a good challenge against Michigan."
Senior guard Xavier Johnson has decided he won't return this season after having surgery to repair a broken foot. He will apply for a medical hardship waiver to play for the Hoosiers next season.
He hasn't played since hurting his foot at Kansas in mid-December.
In nine games, Johnson averaged 9.9 points, 4.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds.
Last year, his first as a Hoosier after transferring from Pitt, he averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 assists. He has more than 1,600 career points and more than 600 career assists.
Michigan is coming off an overtime defeat at Illinois. A NCAA tourney bubble team with only one Quad 1 victory, it needs as many wins as possible.
The Wolverines are led by Hunter Dickinson (17.6 points, 8.6 rebounds), Jett Howard (14.4 points) and Kobe Bufkin (13.4 points, 4.2 rebounds).
IU won the first meeting 62-61 last month in Ann Arbor. The Hoosiers held the Wolverines scoreless over the final five minutes.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
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