Redshirt freshman forward Race Thompson said there was no need for him to be nervous, although most others inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall were justifiably on edge throughout Tuesday night’s double-overtime, 75-73 upset win against No. 19 Wisconsin.
Losing close, contentious games had become a predictable outcome for the Hoosiers recently. Most of these defeats occurred with Thompson, who had just three games of college experience entering Tuesday, perched on the IU bench.
After spending more than 10 weeks out earlier this season with a concussion before returning to play in losses at Minnesota and Iowa for a combined 18 minutes, the Wisconsin win marked a signifying moment in Thompson’s young career.
The 22 minutes he played equaled his career total spread across those three prior games, and his seven defensive rebounds more than doubled his prior collegiate best.
“I kept calm ‘cause my teammates, I know they have faith in me,” Thompson said. “This is like what we do for a living, so there’s no reason for me to be nervous or nothing. It’s what I do.”
It was a contribution from Thompson not easily quantifiable in a box score, his defense on Wisconsin senior forward Ethan Happ, that carried the bulk of the importance from the game.
Happ was an offensive juggernaut early on, scoring eight of his eventual 23 points during the game’s opening six minutes. IU’s big men took turns trying to contain him, but senior forwards Juwan Morgan and Evan Fitzner, as well as junior forward De’Ron Davis, all had little or no success.
Thompson, whose first appearance in the game from the midway mark of the first half to its under-four minute media timeout coincided with just two points from Happ, both free throws.
“You don't score 2,000 points and get 1,100 rebounds just by chance, so he's going to be tough to stop,” Miller said of Happ, a Big Ten Player of the Year candidate. “I thought our guys made things hard on him at times.”
While Thompson gets the benefit of bumping shoulders with the likes of Davis and Morgan in practice, Miller, along with Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard, both acknowledged the physicality brought to the game by Thompson.
“He can bang,” Miller said. “He can mix it up a little bit. He's rebounding the ball on both ends of the floor for us in his minutes that he's given. So that's a big step for him to come in.”
The limitations to Thompson’s game are clear. His lone point against the Badgers came from the free-throw line, he’s yet to attempt more than one shot in a game. Despite his physicality, he has neither the skilled moves around the basket, nor the sophisticated passing skills, of Davis or Morgan.
But with both big men unable to contribute as they normally would Tuesday night, and the pressures of a home, double-overtime game to deal with, Thompson executed in a fashion beyond expectation given his limited playing experience.
“His offense isn't anywhere near — he's not sure right now what he's supposed to do or what he can do,” Miller said. “I think he'll end up being more helpful as the season continues to progress as he gets some confidence.”
