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Indiana head coach Mike Woodson was 3-0 as a player against defending National Champions and on Saturday afternoon, he has a chance to improve that record, but this time as a coach.

Indiana travels to No. 8 Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse looking to knock off the 2022 National Champs. And while he has the experience of playing in these games, this is yet another new experience as a coach.

"I always tell these players it's really not about me. My day is behind me in terms of when I played," Woodson said. "... I just try to get our players to understand that, hey, you got to seize the moment. This is a big-time game, it really is. Nationally televised."

'Seize the moment' is something Indiana will try to do -- something not many teams have been able to do at Kansas. And that is win. In 20 years on the sidelines, Jayhawks head coach Bill Self has just 16 losses at home.

"You got a chance to go in and do something that a lot of teams hadn't done in years there," Woodson added. "They haven't lost very many games in the last 16 or so years. I don't want to say it's like maybe five, six, seven. It ain't a lot of games that they've lost there in that Fieldhouse."

Indiana is coming off of an 89-75 loss to No. 10 Arizona last weekend. The Hoosiers have also lost two of their last three games after defeating No. 18 North Carolina at home. This is the last signature moment in the non-conference schedule before diving head first into Big Ten play. It's the last opportunity for a key out of conference win.

“It’s exciting," IU senior forward Race Thompson said. "I’m really excited to go away. I think this is what me and Trayce (Jackson-Davis) came back for. We wanted a tough schedule. Games like this is what it’s all about, really.”

"At the end of the day, man, you playing a top-ranked team. You're ranked. You're playing on their floor in front of a hostile environment," Woodson added. "It's kind of what you live for when you play basketball in college. You can't run from it."

Indiana has shown it's a team that won't shy away from the big moment despite often times taking the first, and even second punches in a game. It fell behind early against Xavier on the road and came out on top. It took numerous punches against Arizona and found ways to scratch and claw its way back into the game. It took significant punches against Rutgers as well and wasn't able to come through on top.

Kansas will be another opponent looking to land the first punch and Indiana knows it has to be ready. Not only ready to respond, but then throw the second punch.

"I mean, they play well at home. If you look at their record over the last 16, 17 years or so, they haven't lost very many games at home," Woodson said. "We're going to have to go in there and commit to 40 minutes, do it on both ends of the floor and see what happens.

"I know one thing, we can't come out and start a game like we did against Arizona and dig a hole and expect to win. That was tough the other night. We fought back and did a lot of good things. Against good teams you got to be in the game early, give yourself a chance."

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