After a legendary night from forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Hoosiers now see their record at 6-0. Adding to his 43 points, five rebounds, five blocks, and four assists, Jackson-Davis also found himself in each of IU’s best lineups on Saturday night. What other combinations and trends stood out from IU’s 11-point victory?
Notes:
- Indiana’s starting lineup of Xavier Johnson, Parker Stewart, Miller Kopp, Race Thompson, and Trayce Jackson-Davis thoroughly dominated Marshall. The group went +15, outscoring Marshall 40-25, and Mike Woodson leaned on them for over 14 of the game’s 40 minutes.
- IU’s second-best and second-most used group was the starting five, except with Tamar Bates in for Kopp. Against Marshall, they were instrumental in bringing IU back from a double-digit deficit in the first half, as their shift started with 6:21 left in the first half and IU down 10. Over the next 3:36, they brought IU within 38-35, when Kopp came in for Thompson.
- This unit also closed out the game vs. the Thundering Herd. Woodson trusted them from the 8:07 mark remaining in the game all the way until 45 seconds were left. During that time, this lineup pushed a 70-64 IU lead to 88-76 and sealing the game.
- IU’s most efficient lineup on a per-minute basis was the starting lineup, but Bates in for Thompson, instead of Kopp. It’s a lineup that makes a lot of sense on the surface; let Jackson-Davis own the paint, and surround him with four skilled guards or wings who can shoot and move the ball.
- Jackson-Davis’ impact on the stat sheet was jaw-dropping, to say the least. Add this to the list of impressive notes from Saturday: Jackson-Davis never came out of the game during the second half. Actually, Jackson-Davis played the final 26:21, and IU outscored Marshall 68-47 in that window.
- Indiana’s bench, outside of Bates, had a difficult time acclimating themselves to Marshall’s pace and aggressive style of play. Khristian Lander, Jordan Geronimo, and Michael Durr each had a +/- of -9 or lower. They will look to bounce back at Syracuse.
- In the second half, Woodson made just four substitutions. He knew what lineups and personnel worked in this game, and he leaned on them to get to the finish line. This is a significant departure from the Archie Miller era, where IU still rotated players in and out to keep them fresh in both halves.
- Johnson led the team at +27, and he vaulted back up to the lead in season-long +/-. IU has outscored its opponents by 105 with Johnson on the court. IU’s point differential on the season is +122.
- IU’s offense was at its best with Johnson in the game, too. In his 29:43, IU scored 79 points, or 2.66 points per minute (PPM). In the 10:17 with him on the bench, IU put up just 11 points, or 1.07 PPM.
- Even though the defense wasn’t great, it was at its sharpest with Stewart in the game. IU gave up 61 points in his 35:10, or 1.74 PPM. In the 4:50 he was on the bench, IU leaked 18 points, or 3.72 PPM.
Featured Photo: IndianaHQ / Collin Ebel
