Gallery: IU beats the Northern Illinois Huskies 85-49

BLOOMINGTON, UNITED STATES – 2021/11/12: Indiana University’s Race Thompson (25) plays against Northern Illinois University’s Adong Makuoi (13) during an NCAA basketball game on November 12, 2021 at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. The Indiana Hoosiers beat NIU 85-49.

Indiana Men’s Basketball Rolls Over Northern Illinois 85-49
By Nick Jenkinson

Indiana Men’s Basketball bounced back after a 6-point win Tuesday night against Eastern Michigan to beat Northern Illinois 85-49 Friday Night in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.”It was a total team effort,” Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson said in his post-game press conference “Everybody did what we asked them to do, which was nice to see.” The Hoosiers led by double digits at halftime Tuesday night but Eastern Michigan got back in the game in the 2^nd half. The Hoosiers led 47-20 at half and never let up outscoring the Huskies 38-29 in the 2^nd half. “We played 28 minutes the other night. Tonight, we sustained it all the way through” Woodson Said.

Trayce Jackson-Davis led the way with had 19 points, 7 rebounds and 7 blocks to lead the Hoosiers. Jackson-Davis recorded the fourth most blocks in Indiana History behind Steve Downing’s 10 in 1971 and Dean Garrett’s 8 in 1986 and 1988. Xavier Johnson added 13 points for his 2^nd straight game in double figures. Race Thompson scored 12 points and added 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Khristian Lander and Anthony Leal each scored 7 points in their first game of the season after not playing Tuesday Night, South Florida transfer Michael Durr played 10 minutes and scored 2 points in his Hoosier debut. Freshman Logan Duncomb made his first appearance as Hoosier as Duncomb played 4 minutes had 1 rebound and had 2 assists.

Indiana was 23-30 at the free throw line for 76 percent. The Hoosiers were 8-23 from three-point range which needs to improve throughout the season after a 4-24 performance against Eastern Michigan takes them to 12-47 from beyond the arc through 2 games. The Hoosiers had 9 Blocks, 6 Steals, 38 points off the bench and14 assists.

Northern Illinois led twice early in the first half struggled throughout the game with going 14-46 from the field for 30 percent, 2-11 from three-point range for 18.2 percent. The Huskies committed 23 turnovers, 3 assists, 1 block and 10 steals. Coming off an upset victory on the road at the University of Washington Tuesday Night. Northern Illinois hit 12 three pointers in the game but Indiana frustrated the Huskies holding them scoreless for nearly eight minutes and the first basket came on an Hoosier goaltend. “We were solid right from the start,” Woodson said. “We kept them in front of us. We did it for 40 minutes” Woodson Said.

After Trayce Jackson Davis got his 6^th block of the game. Northern Illinois Zool Kueth was frustrated and shoved Jackson-Davis in the back and was ejected from the game. Northern Illinois was led in scoring by Keshwan Williams with 21 points. Anthony Crump who had a double -double against Washington was held to 6 points and 4 rebounds. Trendon Hankerson who hit 6 three-pointers and scored 28 points Tuesday Night was held to 3 points on 1-8 from the field and 1-4 from 3-point range. Northern Illinois falls to 1-1 on the season.

Indiana is 2-0 on the season and welcomes in St John’s Wednesday Night at 9 PM as part of the Gavitt Games which matches up Big East Teams against the Big Ten. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.