Hoosiers Show Fight on Senior Night, Claim They're Not Done Yet

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana concluded the 2022-23 regular season Sunday with a 75-73 win over Michigan in overtime.

The Hoosiers jumped out to an early 27-13 lead, but found themselves trailing by 10 points with 10 minutes left in the game. Miller Kopp, Tamar Bates and Jalen Hood-Schifino each knocked down crucial 3-pointers down the stretch, and Indiana locked in on the defensive end, with two steals from Race Thompson and two blocks from Trayce Jackson-Davis.

"We have had some ups and downs and it's been a roller coaster, but we fight," Jackson-Davis said. "There's been a lot of fight from this group of guys. We could have easily quit when we were down ten early in the second half. They were hitting shots, but instead we dug in on the defense and we counteracted their runs and we just played hard and played for each other."

Jackson-Davis and Thompson, Indiana's long-time duo in the paint, fittingly led the Hoosiers to victory on Senior Night. Jackson-Davis scored 27 points with nine rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals, and Thompson posted a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double in their final games at home.

Jackson-Davis ended the regular season averaging 20.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.8 blocks per game, all career-high numbers.

"Knowing that it's my last time in this building, playing in front of these fans in Assembly Hall is bittersweet," Jackson-Davis said. "Wish I could play here forever. But at the same time, we have the best fans in the country. We have the best student section in the country, and it's been an honor and a privilege to play in front of them and to put on this uniform every day. I'm going to cherish every second that I have in it from here on out, and hopefully we get to play for a little bit longer. That's the plan."

While Sunday produced the final memories in Assembly Hall for Jackson-Davis, Thompson, Kopp, Michael Shipp and Nathan Childress, Indiana coach Mike Woodson made sure to recognize that the story of the 2022-23 season is far from over.

"Somehow, we've got to put another Big Ten banner up there," Woodson said. "And the only way we're going to do it, we gotta go to Chicago and win. So with that being said, you still have coach Woodson for a while."

With this win, Indiana finished in third place in the Big Ten with a 21-10 overall record and a 12-8 mark in conference play in year two under Woodson. The Hoosiers have been ranked in the AP top-25 poll in 15 of 18 weeks this season, peaking at No. 10 on Nov. 28.

Indiana also earned the highly-coveted double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, which begins on Wednesday at the United Center in Chicago. On Friday night, Indiana will play the winner of No. 6 Maryland versus No. 11 Nebraska/No. 14 Minnesota.

Since becoming Indiana's head coach before the 2021-22 season, Woodson has been clear in stating his aspirations of winning a Big Ten title and a national title. And Jackson-Davis, ending his Senior Night speech, emphasized that message.

"As coach Woodson would say, 'Gentlemen, we got a lot of ball left to be played. And now, we've got to go win one of those,'" Jackson-Davis said, pointing to the Big Ten championship banners. "And then we've got to get number six."

Related stories on Indiana basketball