Kevin Willard Calls Trayce Jackson-Davis 'The Best College Basketball Player Right Now'
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Maryland coach Kevin Willard is handing out hefty compliments before his team hosts the No. 21 Indiana Hoosiers on Tuesday, specifically to Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis.
"I think he's more dominant than Zach Edey, and that's saying something," Willard said.
In 58-55 win over Willard's Terrapins on Jan. 22 at Mackey Arena, Edey scored 24 points and 16 rebounds.
Jackson-Davis and Edey were named co-Big Ten Players of the Week on Monday after a stretch of eye-popping numbers. In the Hoosiers' win at Minnesota, Jackson-Davis became the first high-major player since UConn’s Hasheem Thabeet on Feb. 14, 2009 to score at least 25 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks.
Jackson-Davis' performance against Ohio State – 18 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocks – somehow felt underwhelming compared to what he's accomplished during Indiana's five-game win streak. After scoring 35 points with nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks at Illinois, Jackson-Davis went for 31 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks and four assists against Michigan State.
"He gets everyone else shots," Willard continued on Jackson-Davis. "He's a willing passer, he's an unbelievable rebounder, he pushes the ball up in transition. He's really, really tough in the mid-post area, he's almost impossible if he posts up in the middle of the lane. He is an unbelievable shot-blocker, he's a very, very good defender. I think over the last five games he's scoring almost at an 82 percent clip on the right block – that's against the best defenses and the best coaches in college basketball. They have very good players top to bottom, but he is the best college basketball player right now."
Edey is considered by most to be the frontrunner for National Player of the Year, and for good reason. The 7-foot-4 center is averaging 22.1 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks while leading the nation's top-ranked team to a 21-1 overall record and 9-1 mark in Big Ten play. Edey most recently went for a career-high 38 points in Purdue's dominant win over Michigan State.
Jackson-Davis and Edey's Player of the Year candidacies – both at a Big Ten and National level – could rely heavily on two upcoming matchups, beginning on Saturday. The Boilermakers head to Assembly Hall for a 4 p.m. ET tipoff, followed by Indiana's trip to Mackey Arena on Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Related stories on Indiana basketball
- BIG TEN PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Indiana senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday, sharing the award with Purdue center Zach Edey. Indiana point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. CLICK HERE
- TOUGH ROAD GAME AHEAD: Maryland is 5-0 at home in Big Ten play, presenting a significant challenge for Indiana on Tuesday. Here's what has made the Terrapins so difficult to beat at the Xfinity Center. CLICK HERE
- INDIANA IN AP POLL: Indiana climbed back into the Associated Press Top-25 Poll on Monday following wins over Minnesota and Ohio State. The Hoosiers are one of two ranked Big Ten teams, along with Purdue, who was voted the unanimous No. 1 team. CLICK HERE
- KALEB BANKS STEPS UP: Freshman Kaleb Banks has had to wait his turn on Mike Woodson's deep Indiana squad, but he seized the opportunity for more playing time during Saturday's 86-70 win over Ohio State. CLICK HERE
- IU COMMENTS ON SCOREBOARD INCIDENT: Indiana University released a statement on the one-pound metal piece that fell from the scoreboard during the Hoosiers' matchup versus Ohio State on Saturday night. There are no other concerns with the scoreboard after inspection. CLICK HERE
- GAME STORY: INDIANA DEFEATS OHIO STATE: Jalen Hood-Schifino hit six first-half three-pointers and scored 24 points, leading Indiana to an 86-70 victory over Ohio State, the Hoosiers' fifth-straight victory. He did it all despite dealing with stomach issues all night. CLICK HERE
- DEFENSE, 15-0 RUN DOOMS BUCKEYES: Ohio State and Indiana went back and forth for the first 16 minutes of the game. The second half score was 40-40. But the Hoosiers' 15-0 run in the final 3:31 of the first half, coupled with what coach Chris Holtmann called the 'poorest defensive output' of the season, was too much to overcome in an 86-70 loss at Indiana. CLICK HERE
- HOLTMANN ON SCOREBOARD INCIDENT: A 10-to-15 pound piece of metal fell from the scoreboard at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall moments before the second half of Saturday's game between Indiana and Ohio State. Here's what Holtmann said about the situation after the game. CLICK HERE
