Indiana's matchup against No. 18 Illinois on Saturday afternoon promised an entertaining showdown between two preseason All-Americans, IU's Trayce Jackson-Davis and Illinois' Kofi Cockburn.
The first half thrillingly went back and forth, but it hardly featured Jackson-Davis or Cockburn. The opposing players shot a combined 2-of-8 from the field.
Jackson-Davis took just one shot in the first half before quickly committing two fouls and being substituted for Michael Durr around the 16-minute mark. Due to foul trouble concerns, the starting forward didn't see the floor for the remainder of the first half.
"He (Jackson-Davis) didn't play particularly well," IU head coach Mike Woodson said after the game. "I thought Mike (Durr) and those guys played well. But, you know, Mike, he was in foul trouble, as well. Ended up fouling out."
Durr stood his ground and held Cockburn, a player averaging 22.1 points per game, to just five in the first half. He answered Woodson's call from the day before.
"But this is the game he's (Durr) got to be ready," Woodson said on Friday afternoon. "That's all I'm going to tell you because we've got a monster in the middle (Cockburn) that somebody's got to deal with him."
The only issue for the senior center was he picked up three personal fouls by halftime and eventually fouled out in the second half. Cockburn's seven-foot 285-pound frame was challenging to defend without fouling.
