Don't be surprised if Indiana gives Kansas a run for their money on Saturday afternoon. I know that's a risky statement considering how the Hoosiers have fared against better competition this season. Combine that with the fact they're playing the #2 team in the nation, and I can understand the lack of confidence coming from the Hoosier faithful. But we've seen this movie before. No matter how previous games have looked, when the Hoosiers play a ranked team in Bloomington, you can expect a different effort on the court.
I could give you examples from every season in the last two decades: Indiana plays poorly on the road or plays down against a weaker opponent, and fans automatically assume they'll get blasted by the better opponent. When IU has played on the road or on neutral courts, that has often been the case. Not at Assembly Hall. Not in big games in front of their fans. Even last season, when the Hoosiers lost by 11 at Maryland in late January, the rhetoric on social media was "Purdue will beat this team by 30." I'm sure you will recall what actually happened. Indiana took the #1 ranked Boilers down just days later.
"But that team was different, and they had Trayce Jackson-Davis." You could definitely be right if that's how you feel. I still wouldn't count on it. I've seen this play out time and time again over the years, and I think we'll see it once again on Saturday. Assembly Hall will be a mad house, and the Hoosiers will play with a passion we haven't seen yet this season.
Am I predicting a win for the Hoosiers? Not quite. I would like to see the final injury report for the game before going that far. The status of Xavier Johnson will be important to monitor. And make no mistake about it: This Kansas team is elite. They have the ability to run any team off the floor on any given day. Even a great Hoosier performance could result in a double-digit loss. I will just be very surprised if the Jayhawks dominate the entire game, because that just doesn't happen often in Bloomington.
Mackenzie Mgbako chose Indiana over Kansas in his final two this past May. The freshman should be motivated to have a big game, and the Hoosiers will need it. Liam McNeeley also chose Indiana over Kansas in next year's class. Will Bill Self and the Jayhawks use this as a little extra motivation? I'm not sure they need it. Down low, the match-up of Hunter Dickinson and Kel'el Ware will be highly intriguing. Dickinson is probably excited that Trayce Jackson-Davis is no longer around, but he'll have a new challenge with Indiana's sophomore standout. Dickinson has been a monster this season, averaging 19.4 points and 12.6 rebounds per game, while Kel'el Ware comes into Saturday's game at 16.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
The home crowd will undoubtedly give the Hoosiers a big boost against Kansas, but that can only take you so far. Indiana will have to play their best basketball to even make things interesting. Maybe I'll be wrong, and the Hoosiers will get embarrassed in their second straight contest. But if there's one thing you should never underestimate- it's the Hoosiers on their home court in a big game.
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