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Indiana had a bit of a scare tonight against Marshall, but Trayce Jackson-Davis managed to carry his team to a 90-79 victory.
Collectively, Indiana played poorly tonight for much of the game. They started out very sluggish and had it not been for Jackson-Davis taking over the game, they likely would have lost.
Jackson-Davis had a great scoring night after scoring just 11 points in Indiana's last outing against Jackson State. Jackson-Davis had 12 points in the first eight minutes alone and would finish with 43 in the game - an Assembly Hall record.
The Herd had no answer for the All-American all night. It was the single best offensive performance of his career and he carried his team to a victory.
Xavier Johnson was the other standout for IU. He finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and five steals. When Johnson is in the game, he makes the Hoosiers a dangerous team with his shot-making and elite passing.
Taevion Kinsey was the leading scorer for Marshall with 21 points. Obinna Anochili-Killen also had a nice game, finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. Andrew Taylor was also a key contributor, scoring 20 and recording four assists and four steals.
The Hoosiers once again struggled to take care of the ball, especially the point guards. Marshall went on a 17-0 run in the first half, and the Hoosiers turned the ball over five different times in that four-minute span. They had a better time taking care of the bell in the second half but still finished with 15.
For the first time all season, Indiana's defense struggled. Marshall is one of the nation's worst three-point shooting teams, but they were able to dominate the paint in the first half.
Indiana came into the night as the best in the country at opponent field goal percentage. The Hoosiers had held teams to a collective 28.4 percent from the field this season, but Marshall shot 49.2 percent from the field in this game. The Hoosiers did manage to start forcing some turnovers in the second half, which helped generate a multiple-possession lead.
This game could prove to be a valuable lesson for Mike Woodson's team. They tried to meander their way through the first part of the game, but Marshall outplayed them in nearly every aspect. However, where past Indiana teams may have folded, this team fought back and overcame adversity.
The Hoosiers will take this lesson into the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, which tips Tuesday at 7:00 pm ET.
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