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Xavier Johnson told reporters prior to Monday's open practice that he and the rest of the team felt disrespected by the selection committee.

Their first four placement, more specifically being a lesser seed than Michigan, put a chip on the Hoosier's shoulders.

They used that chip to grab a 66-58 win over Wyoming as the whole nation watched, eagerly awaiting exciting postseason basketball.

That's not even mentioning the 8,000+ Hoosier fans dawning the cream and crimson that filled the stadium. Indiana fans from all over southwest Ohio and across Indiana packed into the University of Dayton arena to create an Assembly Hall-like atmosphere.

"It was honestly surreal. We didn't want to be in the play-in game, but sometimes the ball doesn't roll your way. . . But just playing in front of our fans and almost like a home crowd one more time, I thought it was awesome. And then just being on this national stage, I thought it was really cool," Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis said.

Whatever nerves may have been there, they weren't very noticeable. Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson, from the jump, were very active on the glass. Getting hands-on balls, keeping plays alive, giving Indiana extra possessions early.

Indiana ended with a 15-7 advantage on the offensive glass. Game-changing numbers.

“Very critical,” IU head coach Mike Woodson said of the advantage on the glass. “Race had a couple of them as well. We knew once the big fellow, Ike, had a few fouls early, we had the advantage on the inside. And I thought Geronimo and Race and Trayce kind of had their way throughout the game which we needed it because we were struggling to get points.”

The Hoosiers were playing a more physical game than the Cowboys. They were playing as they belonged. Mike Woodson had similar feelings.

"I still got a long way to go (laughter). No, it was fun. I mean, being my first time in. But again, guys, this is not about me," said Woodson. "It's about these guys that wear this uniform and my staff and helping me try to push these guys over the top. I thought tonight they answered the bell loud and clear."

It definitely wasn't pretty at times. Woodson's squad needed some bounces to roll their way, they had to take charges, they had to scramble on the floor for loose balls, etc.

It took until the 3:07 mark of the first half for both teams to surpass 20 points. A real pitcher's dual of a basketball game.

"I thought early on we couldn't find offense and they couldn't find it, I told the guys in the huddle, hey, it's going to be a grind, one of those ugly games. But we've just got to stay the course," Woodson said.

Having officially booked their ticket to the first round, Indiana will go from one big stage to the next. The Moda Center in Portland, OR, is the home of the Trail Blazers where the Hoosiers will take on St. Mary's of the WCC.

Indiana's flight left around an hour and a half after the final buzzer sounded on Tuesday night. It will take some serious preparation by staff and players to be ready for the Gaels.

"We already got Saint Mary's kind of -- we planned ahead in case we did win. . . so we already got them ready to go," Woodson said. "So we've got to break this tape down and learn from it and our mistakes. And move on to Saint Mary's.

“We'll get in sometime tomorrow. And we'll spend the whole day getting ready, try to find a gym where we can do some work, and get ready to play on Thursday."

“Even though shots didn't fall tonight, just being able to get our feet wet with the tournament, kind of what's going on with the balls and everything,” Jackson-Davis added. “Thought it was good for us.”

Trayce mentioned that with the preparation they did during the summer that playing back-to-back games was not that big of a factor. We'll see, eventually, if that becomes an issue. Race Thompson should have pretty fresh legs after only playing 20 minutes due to foul trouble, and strength and conditioning coach Clif Marshall will definitely be on high alert making sure his guys are recovered in time for Thursday's tip.

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