Indiana freshman forward Trayce Jackson-Davis has already cemented himself as one of the team's best players, and opposing coaches have taken note. During the grueling schedule of Big Ten matchups, he's put up career-lows in three of the last four games.
Today, Jackson-Davis faces a team he dominated as Indiana continues to search for its first road win of the year.
On Dec. 13, freshman forward Trayce Jackson-Davis led Indiana to a 96-90 overtime victory over Nebraska by posting career-highs with 25 points and 15 rebounds — his fifth double-double of the season.
The game also marked Jackson-Davis’ last double-double of the season. The freshman has only scored double figures in two of the team’s conference matchups, both of which came inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
“He's a young player who is going through a normal progression of the Big Ten schedule,” Indiana head coach Archie Miller said in a press conference Friday. “He's not an average freshman that's asked to come in the game and give you a role and give you spot minutes.”
Jackson-Davis leads the Hoosiers with meaningful minutes in field goal percentage, scoring, rebounds and free throw attempts. In his first year, he’s become the team’s best player and one that other schools are attempting to shut down.
He put up double-digit scoring in seven of Indiana’s first eight games of the season. But since entering the grueling Big Ten schedule, his production has slowed.
In three of the last four games, the 6-foot-9 forward has set career lows in scoring. He scored only four points against Rutgers on Wednesday and took zero shots from the foul line.
“It’s tough, especially as a freshman when you get scouted and it shows on the court,” senior guard and team captain Devonte Green said. “I guess during those, just tell him don’t force anything that’s not there, and it’ll come to you.”
Today, Jackson-Davis gets an opportunity to break away from recent struggles against the team he dominated back in December. This time, however, the Hoosiers will step inside Pinnacle Bank Arena in search of their first win on the road.
Miller said that he and Jackson-Davis engaged in a private conversation Thursday night. He told the media that players continue to evolve as the season goes and said sometimes players have ruts, without going into much detail about the actual discussion.
For Indiana to finally walk away with a road win, it will need Jackson-Davis to bring the unrivaled effort that earned him the team’s gold practice jersey before the start of the season.
Whether it’s with six points and a handful of defensive plays, or a new career-high scoring total, the first-year player has been a catalyst for the success of Miller’s team.
“He always plays to win,” Miller said. “That's the great thing about him, and he cares a great deal about playing to win and us winning, and that means something to him.”
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