Indiana University Athletics
Wednesday, February 15
Evanston, Ill.
9:00 PM
Indiana University
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Northwestern
‘Dogfight’ Expected When Surging IU Faces Northwestern
2/15/2023 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Victories keep coming, national rankings keep rising and Big Ten title prospects keep improving.
Oh. Standout forward Trayce Jackson-Davis keeps winning Big Ten Player of the Week awards. He's at four straight and counting, with an Indiana record seven overall.
The surging Hoosiers (18-7 overall, 9-5 in the Big Ten) are up to No. 14 in the Associated Press poll, No. 15 in the coaches' poll. Winners of eight of their last nine games behind a resurgent defense and a superstar player, they face a huge Wednesday night challenge at surprising Northwestern (18-7, 9-5) for outright possession of second place in the conference standings, and a chance to catch Purdue for the regular-season title.
Coach Mike Woodson knows what that means for this Welsh-Ryan Arena opportunity.
"It's going to be a dogfight," he says. "I'm anxious to see what we're made of when we get there."
Team similarities are everywhere you look. Their records are identical. They've both beaten the then top-ranked Boilers at home, resulting in fans storming the court. They've both won at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Northwestern controlled the game most of the way in an 84-83 January victory.
The Wildcats also have won three straight games, edging Wisconsin by two points, Ohio State by six and Purdue by six.
"It's a big-time game," Woodson says. "Statistically, we're pretty close in (several) areas offensively and defensively in the Big Ten.
"We've got to go in with a defensive mentality. They're a good offensive team and they get after you offensively."
It starts with senior guards Boo Buie and Chase Audige.
Buie averages 16.6 points and 3.4 rebounds. He has a team-leading 111 assists. However, he only shoots 29.1 percent from three-point range.
Audige averages 15.1 points and 3.3 rebounds. He shoots 33.3 percent on three-pointers.
They came up big in Sunday's Purdue victory. Buie had 26 points, four, three assists, three steals and three blocks. Audige had 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals.
In the January game at Assembly Hall, Buie had 26 points. Audige had 19.
"They are two of the best combo guards in the Big Ten," Woodson says. "We've got to combat that, and we've got to combat it for 40 minutes. They're going to play a lot of minutes unless they're in foul trouble, so unless we get them in foul trouble, they're going to be on the floor, and we got to deal with it.
"You can't get around either one of them, so you're going to have to combat that with defense and rebounding, and you're going to have to put the ball in the hole."
Woodson wants to see more of that on the road from Hoosier guards Tamar Bates and Trey Galloway.
In his last four road games, Bates is 1-for-16 from the field. In his last three road games, Galloway is 4-for-12.
"(Bates) has played well at home," Woodson says, "and struggled on the road. Trey has had his ups and downs on the road.
"When you go on the road, it's a different mentality. I've got to get them to understand and help them be better, to put us in a better position to win."
Woodson says he's told both of them to elevate their focus and intensity because they're, "a big piece of what we're doing based on the minutes they're playing."
"I think Gallo gets by because of the energy he brings from a defensive standpoint that help you stay in the game."
Woodson used a seven-player rotation during Saturday's victory at Michigan, and might do it again at Northwestern. Senior forward Race Thompson missed the Michigan game for "pre-cautionary reasons," but he'd missed four earlier games because of a knee injury. Forward Logan Duncombe's status for the rest of the season is uncertain due to surgery for a sinus condition.
Woodson says he wasn't comfortable playing freshmen Kaleb Banks and CJ Gunn at Michigan. The stakes were too high, the youth and inconsistency too great.
"That's the first time I've ever used just seven players in my whole career as a head coach," Woodson says. "I thought that with a minute or two slip-up, you lose.
"It's no knock against Kaleb or CJ because they've given us some positive minutes. It had nothing to do with those guys at all.
"I don't like playing just seven guys. I need to play more guys because you never know when you really have to throw someone in, will they be ready and feel good about their play.
"Hopefully, I can stay away from that by getting some healthy bodies back and go from there."
Senior swingman Miller Kopp, who spent two years at Northwestern before transferring to IU, will play his last game at Welsh-Ryan Arena. In last year's return, he went 1-for-7 from the field for three points and two assists in 34 minutes.
"With Miller, I go back to the NBA," Woodson says. "When you get traded from a team, you always want to go back and show them why they shouldn't have traded me.
"He didn't play particularly well there last season. I'm sure that's on his mind. I'm going to talk to him about relaxing and just play. When it comes your way, and you've got shots, take them. Don't put so much pressure on yourself.
"We're going to need a total team effort from everybody, not just Miller, to beat this team there."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Victories keep coming, national rankings keep rising and Big Ten title prospects keep improving.
Oh. Standout forward Trayce Jackson-Davis keeps winning Big Ten Player of the Week awards. He's at four straight and counting, with an Indiana record seven overall.
The surging Hoosiers (18-7 overall, 9-5 in the Big Ten) are up to No. 14 in the Associated Press poll, No. 15 in the coaches' poll. Winners of eight of their last nine games behind a resurgent defense and a superstar player, they face a huge Wednesday night challenge at surprising Northwestern (18-7, 9-5) for outright possession of second place in the conference standings, and a chance to catch Purdue for the regular-season title.
Coach Mike Woodson knows what that means for this Welsh-Ryan Arena opportunity.
"It's going to be a dogfight," he says. "I'm anxious to see what we're made of when we get there."
Team similarities are everywhere you look. Their records are identical. They've both beaten the then top-ranked Boilers at home, resulting in fans storming the court. They've both won at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Northwestern controlled the game most of the way in an 84-83 January victory.
The Wildcats also have won three straight games, edging Wisconsin by two points, Ohio State by six and Purdue by six.
"It's a big-time game," Woodson says. "Statistically, we're pretty close in (several) areas offensively and defensively in the Big Ten.
"We've got to go in with a defensive mentality. They're a good offensive team and they get after you offensively."
It starts with senior guards Boo Buie and Chase Audige.
Buie averages 16.6 points and 3.4 rebounds. He has a team-leading 111 assists. However, he only shoots 29.1 percent from three-point range.
Audige averages 15.1 points and 3.3 rebounds. He shoots 33.3 percent on three-pointers.
They came up big in Sunday's Purdue victory. Buie had 26 points, four, three assists, three steals and three blocks. Audige had 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals.
In the January game at Assembly Hall, Buie had 26 points. Audige had 19.
"They are two of the best combo guards in the Big Ten," Woodson says. "We've got to combat that, and we've got to combat it for 40 minutes. They're going to play a lot of minutes unless they're in foul trouble, so unless we get them in foul trouble, they're going to be on the floor, and we got to deal with it.
"You can't get around either one of them, so you're going to have to combat that with defense and rebounding, and you're going to have to put the ball in the hole."
Woodson wants to see more of that on the road from Hoosier guards Tamar Bates and Trey Galloway.
In his last four road games, Bates is 1-for-16 from the field. In his last three road games, Galloway is 4-for-12.
"(Bates) has played well at home," Woodson says, "and struggled on the road. Trey has had his ups and downs on the road.
"When you go on the road, it's a different mentality. I've got to get them to understand and help them be better, to put us in a better position to win."
Woodson says he's told both of them to elevate their focus and intensity because they're, "a big piece of what we're doing based on the minutes they're playing."
"I think Gallo gets by because of the energy he brings from a defensive standpoint that help you stay in the game."
Woodson used a seven-player rotation during Saturday's victory at Michigan, and might do it again at Northwestern. Senior forward Race Thompson missed the Michigan game for "pre-cautionary reasons," but he'd missed four earlier games because of a knee injury. Forward Logan Duncombe's status for the rest of the season is uncertain due to surgery for a sinus condition.
Woodson says he wasn't comfortable playing freshmen Kaleb Banks and CJ Gunn at Michigan. The stakes were too high, the youth and inconsistency too great.
"That's the first time I've ever used just seven players in my whole career as a head coach," Woodson says. "I thought that with a minute or two slip-up, you lose.
"It's no knock against Kaleb or CJ because they've given us some positive minutes. It had nothing to do with those guys at all.
"I don't like playing just seven guys. I need to play more guys because you never know when you really have to throw someone in, will they be ready and feel good about their play.
"Hopefully, I can stay away from that by getting some healthy bodies back and go from there."
Senior swingman Miller Kopp, who spent two years at Northwestern before transferring to IU, will play his last game at Welsh-Ryan Arena. In last year's return, he went 1-for-7 from the field for three points and two assists in 34 minutes.
"With Miller, I go back to the NBA," Woodson says. "When you get traded from a team, you always want to go back and show them why they shouldn't have traded me.
"He didn't play particularly well there last season. I'm sure that's on his mind. I'm going to talk to him about relaxing and just play. When it comes your way, and you've got shots, take them. Don't put so much pressure on yourself.
"We're going to need a total team effort from everybody, not just Miller, to beat this team there."
Players Mentioned
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Guard
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Forward
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Forward
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