Trayce Jackson-Davis' jubilant smile as he gazed at head coach Mike Woodson during a roundtable interview at Big Ten Basketball Media Days didn't reveal anything new. Instead, it reinforced the idea of Woodson's family and tradition-based atmosphere he instilled since stepping into his new position at Indiana.
Having a new head coach in a year where fans are allowed back in Assembly Hall enabled the team to hit the reset button. And since hitting that button, all systems are back online, bolstered by a strong work ethic.
"The intensity everyone brings, just the work ethic everyone comes with in practice," senior point guard Rob Phinisee said in an interview. "Even when we have off days, everyone's in the gym and works hard."
During the reset, there was also a boost in team chemistry. A few weeks ago, during IU's media day, Jackson-Davis said last year's team typically hung out in smaller groups, but the team is a single unit this year. And it's something that Phinisee emphasized during an interview at Big Ten Media Day.
"Everyone bonds on and off the court," Phinisee said. "The better we bond off the court, the stronger we are on the court."
When asked about their goals for the season, Jackson-Davis and Phinisee talked about how the team is inspired by the very court they play on.
High in the rafters of Assembly Hall are national and conference banners that are pushing the team toward being back on top, accomplishing Woodson's objective.
"We look at the banners every day, we look at the Big Ten titles, that's what we're trying to get to," Jackson-Davis said.
Looking up to the banners is not something new for the Hoosiers. Jackson-Davis and other team members said something similar before, and because he’s a team captain representing the Hoosiers, seemingly the entire team has bought into this mentality.
The work ethic among players is strong, fueled by the team chemistry and the bar that has been set. Now, it's time for the unity between Woodson and his players to show on the court in November.
“IU basketball will never go away," Woodson said. "And for these young guys to understand, there’s a reason why there’s 22 Big Ten titles and then five national titles."
----
• Talk about it inside The Hoops Forum or The Football Forum
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Follow us on Twitter: @IndianaRivals
• Like us on Facebook.
