Happy Monday Hoosiers!
Indiana’s men’s and women’s basketball teams had another strong week, cruising to a combined 3-0 record.
After a euphoric rivalry win over No. 1 Purdue, now No. 14 Indiana men’s basketball stayed home to host then No. 24 Rutgers on Tuesday. The Hoosiers had failed to beat the Scarlet Knights in the last seven matchups, but this time was different. Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, finishing with 20 points, 18 rebounds and six assists, moved to sixth in program history in scoring, third in rebounds and fourth in double doubles. Aside from Jackson-Davis, senior forward Miller Kopp was excellent offensively, tallying 18 points on four made 3-pointers. Despite underwhelming scoring efforts from freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino and junior forward Trey Galloway, the Hoosiers did just enough to seal the 66-60 victory and break the Rutgers curse.
Next up was a road bout against Michigan. Unsurprisingly, Jackson-Davis was dominant, scoring 16 points and notching five rebounds in the first half alone. Jackson-Davis finished the game with 28 points and 11 boards, but it was the bounce back for Hood-Schifino that told the story of the night. The freshman scored 21 points and helped display that, when in peak form, Jackson-Davis and Hood-Schifino are one of the most explosive tandems in the nation. Thanks to a fantastic defensive play from Kopp in the final seconds of the game, the Hoosiers completed the 62-61 win. Indiana has won seven of its last eight matchups and will face off against a scorching hot Northwestern team on Wednesday.
No. 2 Indiana women’s basketball won its sole matchup of the week, but it was perhaps the biggest regular season win the Hoosiers have had in program history. Junior phenom Caitlin Clark and the No. 5 Iowa Hawkeyes came to town for a showdown that would give the winner sole possession of first place in the Big Ten. Powered by a program record 13,046 fans, the Hoosiers took down the Hawkeyes 87-78. Senior forward Mackenzie Holmes had 24 points, and graduate guard Grace Berger put up 26, nine rebounds and six assists to lead the way. Despite 35 points from Clark, Holmes shut down Iowa fifth-year senior center Monika Czinano in a highly anticipated battle of bigs. Freshman guard Yarden Garzon and junior guard Sydney Parrish combined for just 17 points, but the pairing hit massive 3-point shots to help put the Hawkeyes away. Next up, the Hoosiers face No. 13 Ohio State on the road Monday night as the regular season winds down.
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Women's Basketball Reporters: Matt Sebree, Will Foley & Matt Press
Men's Basketball Reporters: Emma Pawlitz, Evan Gerike & Bradley Hohulin
1 (big story with photo):
>> Indiana men’s basketball gets Rutgers-shaped monkey off its back in 66-60 victory
The Hoosiers beat the Scarlet Knights for the first time in their last seven attempts.
>> Offensive drought against Rutgers didn’t hinder Indiana, gives blueprint for Michigan game
>> COLUMN: Indiana men’s basketball found a dozen ways to lose — and chose the won to win
2 (big story with photo):
>> Berger and Holmes deliver, lift No. 2 Indiana women’s basketball over No. 5 Iowa 87-78
The veteran duo scored 50 of Indiana's 87 points.
>> Indiana women’s basketball shuts down Czinano, Iowa to capture Big Ten lead
>> COLUMN: No. 2 Indiana women’s basketball is determined for something special
3 (big story with photo):
>> Jackson-Davis, Hood-Schifino lead No. 18 Indiana men’s basketball over Michigan 62-61
The duo combined for 49 of the Hoosiers’ 62 points.
>> ‘Built for every moment’: Hot and cold Hood-Schifino guides No. 18 Indiana to victory
>> COLUMN: Indiana men’s basketball found a dozen ways to lose — and chose the won to win
4 (only text, no photo): The worst thing that Miller Kopp’s dad ever did was get his sons boxing gloves for Christmas.
Kopp has three brothers: Maddox, a football player at Miami University, Anderson, a basketball player at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and Braden, who played football at Vanderbilt University.
With a family full of athletes, competition was natural. But, according to the Indiana men’s basketball graduate forward, all they ever did was beat each other up.
“We really just fought all the time –– in a good way,” Kopp said. “Playing one-on-one, two-on-two in our driveway late at night, we had the cops called on us a couple times, because there was yelling and screaming.”
But without his rough-and-tumble upbringing, Kopp wouldn’t be the person or basketball player he is right now, and he wouldn’t have the same mental drive that has led the Hoosiers to a recent stretch of success after a three-game losing skid.
“That really shaped me into who I am,” Kopp said. “Without my brothers, I’m not who I am today. Even my mom –– she works her tail off; she works the hardest in my family. It’s in my nature to grind and work and be that dude who is willing to do whatever to win.”
