LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Losing to Iowa, Northwestern and Penn State transformed the Indiana men’s basketball team from favorite to long shot in the Big Ten race.
Losing to a short-handed, sagging Minnesota squad at Williams Arena in Minneapolis Wednesday night would have been the official 10-count for the Hoosiers’ title chances.
Didn't happen. Indiana held the Gophers without a field goal for the final 6 minutes and without a point for the final 3:20 and won, 61-57.
The Hoosiers were short-handed, too. The players learned Wednesday morning that head coach Mike Woodson would miss the game while recovering from COVID.
Assistants Yasir Rosemond, Kenya Hunter and Brian Walsh shared the coaching tasks. Rosemond is a protege of Louisville head coach Kenny Payne -- and created a pregame pep talk with Payne for giving him confidence.
The Hoosiers flirted with trouble for 39 minutes. But, as usual, they were saved by another all-American performance by Trayce Jackson-Davis.
"We just couldn't get in sync," Jackson-Davis said. "We grinded it out."
Sliding around a Minnesota defender, Jackson-Davis grabbed a missed free throw by teammate Race Thompson and scored with 43 seconds to play to put the Hoosiers ahead, 59-57. A pair of free throws by Trey Galloway finished off a 61-57 IU victory.
"I just felt if Race missed, I had to go get the ball," Jackson-Davis said. "I don't know why they didn't try to sandwich me .. at the end of the day we found a way to win so that helps our confidence lot, especially in close games like this. That was great for us."
Jackson-Davis was dazzling for the fourth straight game, leading the Hoosiers with 25 points and 21 rebounds. He also blocked six shots to move past Jeff Newton as IU’s all-time leader in that category.
"I'm just attacking on offense," Jackson-Davis said.
During IU's four-game winning streak, Jackson-Davis has averaged 27.3 points, 14.3 rebounds and 4.8 blocks.
"It's been amazing," said Rosemond, who handled the post-game media session. "I think it's because he's finally healthy ... he's just been playing tremendous to me. For a guy who's at the top of the scouting report to do what he's doing is just tremendous."
IU has won four straight Big Ten games for the first time since 2019. The Hoosiers improved to 14-6 overall and 5-4 in the Big Ten. They are tied for fifth place with Illinois and Michigan State.
Without Woodson, the Hoosiers were also without the edge they showed while delivering consecutive wins over Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan State. Minnesota is the worst team in the Big Ten, winners of only one game. The Gophers were also without their two best inside players because of injuries.
They compounded a lack of defensive energy with too much reaching. They were repeatedly beaten to loose balls and long rebounds. iU guards Jalen Hood-Schifino, Trey Galloway and Tamar Bates scored only 11 points, missing 16 of 19 shots.
The Gophers led by as much as six points in the first half -- and were ahead 57-54 with 3:20 left.
"I think the biggest thing was just their straight-line drives," Jackson-Davis said.
Indiana will have to play better than it played against the Gophers when Ohio State visits Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Saturday night.
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