Trayce Jackson-Davis' Triple-Double Highlights Balanced 81-65 Win for Indiana Over Nebraska
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Assembly Hall crowd rose to its feet in anticipation as the clock ticked below two minutes. But it wasn't because Indiana played a down-to-the-wire battle with Nebraska.
They wanted to witness history.
Indiana senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis palmed the ball with his left hand at the top of the key, scanning the floor. Trey Galloway caught the Nebraska defense sleeping and made a back-door cut along the baseline. Jackson-Davis zipped the ball to the left block, and Galloway converted the layup through contact.
The pass gave Jackson-Davis his 10th assist of the night, completing a 12-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple double. It's the third triple-double in Indiana men's basketball history, joining Juwan Morgan in 2018 and Steve Downing in 1971.
"It honestly solidifies why I came back," Jackson-Davis said. "I came back to do big things, not only individually but with the team, too, and we have high aspirations this year. So just continue to just play my hardest every game and play for my teammates and the man above, and that's what I'm going to do. Just moments like that make it special to me, and just kind of is a reminder why I came back, especially when the times are getting tough, especially in practice and stuff when you're just down on yourself sometimes and think of that and then you get bright moments like this."
Indiana took home an 81-65 win over Nebraska on Wednesday night in Bloomington, moving the Hoosiers to 8-1 on the season with a 1-1 record in Big Ten play. The win snaps Nebraska's three-game win streak and gives Indiana its seventh consecutive win over the Cornhuskers.
While Jackson-Davis' final assist of the night led to the loudest Assembly Hall roar of the night, the final outcome was a collection of strong performances up and down the roster. Jackson-Davis only needed six shots to score 12 points, and for most of the night, Nebraska's swarming double and triple teams forced the Indiana forward to kick the ball outside.
Indiana coach Mike Woodson expects more teams to play zone and double team Jackson-Davis, and the best way for the Hoosiers to combat this is by maintaining correct spacing and moving the ball.
"The fact that he's being double and triple teamed, [Jackson-Davis] has got to sacrifice the ball," Woodson said. There's nowhere to go with the ball but to get it out and try to find open shooters. Tonight we were really good in that area. We made shots tonight. Life is pretty damn good when you can make shots when your best player is being double teamed."
Unlike Indiana's 6-for-25 3-point shooting performance at Rutgers on Saturday, the Hoosiers found their rhythm from beyond the arc. Galloway led the way with a career-high 20 points, including a 4-for-6 night from 3-point land.
"The big thing is getting [Galloway] back healthy," Woodson said. "He works. I have no problems with that kid. He works his butt off on the floor. In practice he gives you effort and it spills over in to the game. Tonight he was reckless. Defensively he was great, and he made shots, which was kind of nice to see."
Tamar Bates fell just short of his career-high 22 points, which came against Jackson State on Nov. 25, but he added 19 points with a 5-for-8 mark from 3. As a team, Indiana made a season-high 11 3-pointers on 25 attempts, good for 44.0 percent.
Woodson called his team out for a lack of toughness in Saturday's loss at Rutgers, primarily when rebounding the ball. This week in practice, Woodson said Indiana went back to the basics with rebounding drills, and it led to a stronger performance. The Hoosiers out rebounded Nebraska 35 to 25, which included seven Indiana offensive rebounds.
"My whole thing has been, hell, if you play defense tough and you rebound the ball, that's the reward," Woodson said. "Now you can go down on offense and have fun."
Next up for Indiana is a trip out west to take on No. 10 Arizona (7-1) in the Las Vegas Clash. Arizona dropped six spots in the AP poll this week after an 81-66 loss at Utah. The Wildcats are led by second-year coach Tommy Lloyd and the dominant front court duo of Azoulas Tubelis (20.1 ppg) and Oumar Ballo (19.1 ppg). Arizona defeated Cincinnati, No. 22 San Diego State and No. 21 Creighton en route to winning the Maui Invitational on Nov. 23.
Related stories on Indiana basketball
- WHAT MIKE WOODSON SAID: Indiana basketball defeated Nebraska 81-65 on Wednesday at Assembly Hall to move to 8-1 on the season. Here's the full transcript of coach Mike Woodson's postgame press conference with video attached. CLICK HERE
- WHAT GALLOWAY, JACKSON-DAVIS SAID: Trayce Jackson-Davis recorded the third triple-double in Indiana men's basketball history, and Trey Galloway scored a career-high 20 points as Indiana defeated Nebraska 81-65 on Wednesday at Assembly Hall. Here's the full transcript of Jackson-Davis and Galloway's postgame press conference with video attached. CLICK HERE
- INDIANA-NEBRASKA LIVE BLOG: Indiana's first Big Ten home game tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Welcome to our live blog straight from press row at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. We'll keep you updated on all the news, views and opinion in real time. CLICK HERE
