Here's What Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jordan Geronimo Said After Win at Illinois
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It wasn't a perfect victory for Indiana over Illinois on Thursday night, but it was pretty darn close. The Hoosiers won 80-65 for their first Big Ten road win of the year, and one point early in the second half, Trayce Jackson-Davis was 9-for-9 from the field and Jordan Geronimo was 6-for-6.
That is perfect.
Jackson-Davis finished with 35 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks, the first major-conference player to do that in a road game. He was 15-for-19 from the field, and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Geronimo had 13 points on 6-fo-8 shooting, with eight rebounds and three blocks of his own.
The two Hoosiers met with the media after the game. Here's what they said:
QUESTION: "Trayce, you had a big offensive game tonight. What did you feel led to this kind of offensive performance?''
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: "I think the biggest thing for me is just getting healthier and healthier. This week was the first time that I've actually practiced in about a month and a half. Just be able to get touches on the floor and being able to run up and down a little bit, just getting comfortable with my teammates. It was really big for me, and my teammates put me in position to score. They didn't send a double, so I had to make them pay. ''
Q: "Your thoughts on Geronimo, just what he gave you guys in the first half?''
JACKSON-DAVIS: "JG has been playing really really big for us. He could have really shut it down, especially after the first two games when he got thrown into the fire and he didn't. Instead, he took coach's criticism and he worked hard and he's showing us the player he can be. I'm really proud of him and we need him to do it with Race out.
Q: "It's a loaded question, but on a percentage basis, where were you health-wise, and where have you gotten to with being able to, other than games, being able to really rest?
JACKSON-DAVIS: "I would say in mid-December I was probably playing at like 60-70 percent, and now I'm up to like 85-90 percent. I'm almost fully healthy There's still a little pain in my back, but it's nothing that a painkiller can't fix. That's really where I'm at right now.''
Q: Jordan, how much more comfortable are you getting with the little buddy-ball thing you guys had going on there? You seem like you've been able to read when to cut and where to go.
JORDAN GERONIMO: Yeah, just being able to play with Trayce a lot and getting a lot more time on the floor, I've been able to just read what he does, and get used to his game so I know where to be. I know when to cut, when to seal, and try to score the ball. He's been doing a great job of finding me.''
Q: "Trayce, you're so used to seeing double teams at least. What was your level of surprise that you never saw it?''
JACKSON-DAVIS: "Coach kind of told me before the game that they probably won't start off doubling you, so you just have to go play and so that's what I did. They just never sent it. Sometimes they crowded a little bit and I kicked it out or kicked it to JG or tried to make the right play. But most of the night they let me get a crab dribble to the middle. If it's not broken, don't fix it. I'm just taking what the defense gives me, honestly, and make the right play. They decided they were going to let me beat them, and that's what I had to do.''
Q: Trayce, how important was it for you to get a Big Ten road win like this? You guys have struggle through the first few.
JACKSON-DAVIS: "It just builds confidence for our team. We got won at home against Wisconsin and a lot of people probably thought we were going to lay an egg here against Illinois because this is a hot team and it's a team that's won four straight. We had to come in and battle and grind it. We did it on the defensive end of the floor. We really started in the first half grinding it out, and we got a lead and never looked back.''
Q: "What are you guys finding that's working well? Race and Xavier are obviously going to be out for a while, but you. guys are now playing better. What are you finding that's working?''
JACKSON-DAVIS: "It's just the first two games, Race and X are just huge keys to our team. Whenever they get back, they are going to help us a lot. It's kind of like I said when you get thrown into the fire. We've got (Jalen Hood-Schifino) playing the primary point guard spot and JG coming in at the four, and we just needed time to figure things out. A lot of people wrote us off because of those two games, but we're still 3-4 and we have to keep grinding. We're three points away from being 5-2, so we just need to keep playing.''
Q: "Mike Woodson said that you called a players only meeting before Wisconsin. Why was that important for you to do, and as much detail as you want to go in, what was said in that meeting?''
JACKSON-DAVIS: "It wasn't really a players-only meeting, it was more about me just talking to our guys. I told them we just have to relax and take it one game at a time. Take it one game, one possession, and everything will take care of itself and that's what we've been doing since the Wisconsin game. We can't look ahead. We just have to focus on the team ahead of us.''
Q: "As a team, this was the second-straight really solid defensive performance. Why do you think that is and what have you been doing on that end?''
JACKSON-DAVIS: "I'm just honestly trying to play good defense and help my teammates out if one of the guards get downhill. Dain Dainja is a great player and he got me on a few moves tonight. Credit to him, but at the same time, I've just got to be solid and anchor our defense and alter shots and stuff of that nature.''
Related stories on Indiana basketball
- GAME STORY FROM INDIANA'S WIN OVER ILLINOIS: Illinois chose not to double-team Trayce Jackson-Davis on Thursday night, and the senior made them pay. He scored 35 points and the Hoosiers got a huge road win with an 80-65 victory. Jackson-Davis made 15 of his 19 field-goal attempts and his 35 was a season-high. CLICK HERE
- WHAT WOODSON SAID: Indiana got a much-needed road win on Thursday night, beating Illinois 80-65 and snapping the Illini's four-game winning streak. Here's what Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson said when he met with the media after the game, with full video and transcript. CLICK HERE
- UNDERWOOD 'NOT WORRIED' ABOUT JACKSON-DAVIS' 35: Indiana star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 35 points in a 80-65 win, but Illinois coach Brad Underwood was more concerned with the Illini's 14 missed free throws, 13 missed layups and plenty more. CLICK HERE
- LIVE BLOG: Welcome to Champaign, where Indiana is set to tangle with Illinois in a critical Big Ten game on Thursday night. Here's our live blog, with news and views straight from press row. CLICK HERE
- WATCH JACKSON-DAVIS' BLOCK: Illinois forward Dain Dainja drove to the left block, but Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis was there to reject the shot off the backboard. CLICK HERE
- WATCH HOOD-SCHIFINO'S DUNK: Indiana freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino split the Illinois defense and dunked over Coleman Hawkins in the first half. CLICK HERE
- WATCH JACKSON-DAVIS' DUNK: Indiana star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis spun past Dain Dainja for a massive slam dunk in the second half against Illinois. CLICK HERE
