Jackson-Davis, Bates lead Indiana in Big Ten opener, 68-55
Trayce Jackson-Davis with the massive swat at the rim
Trayce Jackson-Davis with the massive swat at the rim
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- — Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 14 points and Tamar Bates came off the bench to score a career-high 13, hitting a trio of 3-pointers as Indiana defeated Nebraska 68-55 to open the Big Ten season on Saturday.
Jackson-Davis scored 10 points in the second half when Indiana (7-1, 1-0) took control of the game, adding seven rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals. Race Thompson scored 11 points with 11 rebounds, his third double-double this season and second in a row.
The freshman Bates' three 3-pointers were also the most in his career, and his pull-up 3 on the fastbreak put the Hoosiers up 23-20, a lead they never surrendered.
Alonzo Verge, Jr. led Nebraska (5-4, 0-1) with 15 points, five rebounds and a season-low three assists. Bryce McGowens was held to eight points on 3-for-14 shooting, the first time he hasn't reached double figures in five games.
Nebraska built an early 10-point lead as Indiana suffered seven turnovers while missing 12 of its first 15 shots, showcased by a stolen pass turning into a Huskers fastbreak with Verge skipping a bounce pass to McGowens for the finish.
Late in the first half, the Hoosiers tied at 20-20 on a Thompson dunk and took the lead on a Bates 3-pointer. Indiana cut its turnovers down from 11 in the first half to four in the second.
NOTABLE:
Both teams were coming off of narrow losses in multiple overtimes. The Huskers fell 104-100 in an epic, four-overtime game at N.C. State on Wednesday while Indiana lost 112-110 in double-overtime Tuesday at Syracuse.
Indiana's first-season coach Mike Woodson and Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg are the first former NBA players and head coaches to face each other in a Big Ten game.
Nebraska next faces visiting No. 24 Michigan on Tuesday. Indiana travels to Wisconsin on Wednesday.
------
Game Information
- Referees:
- Chris Beaver
- Paul Szelc
- Brandon Cruz
2024-25 Big Ten Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Michigan State | 5-0 | - | 14-2 |
Michigan | 5-0 | - | 13-3 |
Purdue | 5-1 | 0.5 | 13-4 |
Oregon | 4-2 | 1.5 | 15-2 |
Indiana | 4-2 | 1.5 | 13-4 |
Illinois | 4-2 | 1.5 | 12-4 |
Wisconsin | 3-2 | 2 | 13-3 |
Iowa | 3-2 | 2 | 12-4 |
Maryland | 3-3 | 2.5 | 13-4 |
Nebraska | 2-3 | 3 | 12-4 |
Ohio State | 2-3 | 3 | 10-6 |
USC | 2-3 | 3 | 10-6 |
Penn State | 2-4 | 3.5 | 12-5 |
UCLA | 2-4 | 3.5 | 11-6 |
Rutgers | 2-4 | 3.5 | 9-8 |
Northwestern | 1-4 | 4 | 10-6 |
Washington | 1-5 | 4.5 | 10-7 |
Minnesota | 0-6 | 5.5 | 8-9 |