Trayce Jackson-Davis Said 'I Don't Think It Had Anything To Do With Legs' After Falling To Saint Mary's
PORTLAND, Ore. — Hoosier forwards Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jordan Geronimo headed to the press room to talk about their 82-53 loss to Saint Mary's in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.
Jackson-Davis led the team with 12 points, and Geronimo contributed nine points and a team-high six rebounds. It wouldn't be enough as Indiana only shot 34 percent from the field.
Read what Jackson-Davis and Geronimo had to say in the press conference, or watch the attached video of their full interviews.
Q. On Indiana's stamina...
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: I feel like we started off pretty good, pretty solid, then towards the middle of the game we started hitting shots. We weren't up on ball screens. I don't think it had anything to do with legs. Obviously, when you start playing a lot of minutes, you get tired regardless.
I just think that overall they were a sharper team than us today. They hit their shots and ran their offense, and they were an overall better team.
Q. On Jackson-Davis's plans for next season...
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: I'm not really worried about that right now. Right now I'm just kind of worried about just being with my teammates, just being in the moment. I'll talk to Coach Woodson, like I did last off-season, and we'll go from there. So preparation in everything I do. I'll have a plan in sight, but there's no timetable right now.
Q. On what wasn't working defensively...
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Overall, it was our defense. We've been really, really good on the defensive end of the floor, and tonight we just didn't have it. We didn't have the spark. We were letting guys dribble drive past us, screen and rolls, open layups, and just not being tough at the rim. Stuff of that nature where we make it hard for teams.
Tonight they really dictated to us, and we didn't punch back.
Q. On Geronimo making a difference the last few games...
JORDAN GERONIMO: I just gained, I guess, a lot of confidence in myself, knowing that I'm able to provide to help my team win. And just being able to work with my team is always a good experience. It was a good experience.
Q. On how well Saint Mary's played...
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: I bet you they started scouting us right when they saw who they were playing. We had a game to worry about it with Wyoming. I think that they had a really, really good game plan going in. They doubled. They came from the back side of the post. They watched my spinoffs, and then we couldn't hit anything, and they were making their shots.
They had an excellent game plan, and they executed it very well. So it's props to them because they deserved to win that game.
Q: On Jackson-Davis's favorite part of the season...
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: I just think overall just being with my guys and backs against the wall, going into the Big Ten tournament. Even being seeded lower than what we thought we were, and then beating Michigan and going and beating Illinois. I think, if we wouldn't have gotten the Illinois game, we probably wouldn't have been here at all.
Seeing the Hoosier hysteria around the state, it was a blessing to be a part of it. Just seeing the guys rally when adversity struck and being able to compete and clawing our way back in and making the Big Dance.
I know it's not how we wanted to go out, but it's an honor and blessing to be here. I'm proud of my guys for always fighting, and that's probably my favorite part.
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- WHAT WOODSON SAID: The Hoosiers will return home following their 82-53 loss to Saint Mary's in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night. Here's what Indiana head coach Mike Woodson had to say following the defeat. Read his full transcript, or just watch the attached video. CLICK HERE.
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