2/18/2020 basketball Edit

Heat Check: De'Ron Davis posts career-high against Michigan

D.J. Fezler • TheHoosier

TheHoosier.com

Indiana senior forward De'Ron Davis scored a career-high 18 points against Michigan on Tuesday and was a perfect 9-for-9 from the field. Even though his minutes couldn't propel Indiana from a deficit, he was a bright spot in yet another loss on the road.

Against Michigan on Tuesday night, Indiana was once again void of consistency on the road. The team was caught out of position defensively, failed to generate points offensively and found itself on the negative end of the rebounding margin by the end of the game.

The end result was an 89-65 defeat in Ann Arbor, marking the sixth loss in true road games this season. The single positive constant was senior forward De’Ron Davis making the most of his minutes off the bench in relief of redshirt junior Joey Brunk and freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis.

He was flawless from the field, scoring on all nine of his shot attempts en route to a career-high 18 points which led the team. While his numbers weren’t reflective of a competitive matchup, he was the lone beacon of efficiency for Indiana.

“De’Ron did a good job, he was effective not only in different portions of the game, but start to finish he was able to command some attention,” Indiana head coach Archie Miller said after the game. “He handled himself well in and around the basket and knocked shots down. Hopefully, he can build on the performance.”

Davis first checked into the game with just under 13 minutes remaining in the opening half. In a three-minute span, he knocked down three shots before returning to the bench.

He was decisive with the basketball in the paint, only making moves necessary to position himself to shoot or pass.

Davis corralled a pass from senior guard Devonte Green in a low pick and roll scenario that led to his first basket of the night. The senior was in the same position on the next position, but this time Davis backed down his defender, darted into the lane and finished off the glass.

He scored 10 points in the first half in only nine minutes of play, trailing only junior guard Al Durham’s 11 before the start of the second.

“My guys were finding me, my shots were falling and my work has been paying off that I’ve been doing all year,” Davis said.

At 6-feet-9-inches tall, the forward flashed versatility with the ball in the opening period that carried over to the rest of the game. In his first series on the floor, Davis was unable to swing a pass on the perimeter, so he instead dribbled into the lane and scored himself.

His ability to make quick decisions has come with experience and led to an increase in playing time over the last few games. What kept him off the court, however, was foul trouble and a clear lack of conditioning needed to sustain long periods of play.

While Davis looked fatigued at times on Tuesday, he kept himself from fouling early which allowed for more sizable chunks of time on the court.

“I started the season healthy and I’m going to finish the season healthy,” Davis said. “Just continue to take care of my body and continue to do what I’m doing. I’m seizing my opportunity every time I get on the court. I just want to do the best I can.”

For 10 minutes in the second half, he continued to retain an unblemished shooting percentage, garnering eight more points and contributing two of the team’s 21 total rebounds. Davis said the Hoosiers were doing a good job of getting to the basket, but couldn’t put together a string of defensive stops to keep them in the game.

But even when the game got out of control for Indiana, Davis worked hard in the post and had the confidence to knock down two tough shots from the baseline — one on each side of the basket. Both Brunk and Jackson-Davis proved ineffective against Michigan, combining for just 11 points and shooting 5-13 from the field.

After Davis’ performance, Miller said he was the team’s most effective player in the game but also stated Indiana needs more than just one or two to win games down the stretch. If he can stay out of foul trouble and continue to make smart decisions on offense, Davis will continue to be a valuable rotational forward as Indiana fights for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.