The seats, rafters and floorboards of the basketball court in Assembly Hall longed to be filled with noise after a year of no attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eager fans filled the arena in anticipation of Indiana's season opener against Eastern Michigan, and often rose from their seats as Trayce Jackson-Davis blocked a shot or slammed a dunk through the basket.
"Just having the fans back, I know dang near more than half of our team has never experienced an Assembly Hall crowd," Jackson-Davis said in a press conference after the game. "Just being able to be in front of people and in front of fans again really helped us."
He was the primary source to erupt one of college basketball's cathedrals with the sound of Hoosier fans cheering.
"Coach Woodson, he said that I'm gonna have to be one of the leaders on our team," Jackson-Davis said. "I"m gonna have to bring it every night because if I don't bring it, we're not gonna go."
