The No. 11-ranked Indiana men’s basketball team will host the remainder of the Hoosier Classic this week, taking on the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Wednesday evening and Jackson State University on Friday afternoon.
The Hoosiers return to Bloomington boasting a 4-0 record. Indiana defeated Xavier University Nov. 18 and Miami University (Ohio) Nov. 20, the former being the Hoosiers’ biggest road test of the early season and the latter proving how well they handled the hangover.
Against the Musketeers and RedHawks, senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was his usual All-American self. He recorded 30 points in the road win and a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double on Sunday in Indianapolis.
Jackson-Davis has been a steady force all season as expected. He leads the team in total points, field goals, rebounds and free throws. Jackson-Davis has a team-lowest two fouls in a team-high 105 minutes played.
Freshman forward Malik Reneau has also shined through the first four games of the season. Reneau is averaging 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game — both good for second on the team behind Jackson-Davis — coming off the bench.
In addition to Reneau, junior forward Jordan Geronimo has provided another spark off the bench. Geronimo had 6 points, four rebounds and five blocks against Miami and is contributing to the Hoosiers’ points-in-the-paint display on a game-to-game basis.
Freshman guards Jalen Hood-Schifino, who often facilitates the second-team offense, and CJ Gunn had statement performances against the RedHawks. Hood-Schifino shot himself out of a slump with 12 points, and Gunn made a handful of defensive stops early in the game to help extend Indiana’s lead.
[Related: Freshman guards exude confidence for No. 12 Indiana men’s basketball despite slow starts]
Indiana’s bench has been a strength all season, and head coach Mike Woodson’s usual nine-man rotation is chock full of energy and experience.
The rest of Indiana’s reserves will likely get a lot of action against Little Rock and Jackson State. Little Rock is 2-3 on the season with wins coming against Arkansas Baptist College and Jackson State — a 94-91 victory to kick off the Trojans’ slate of the Hoosier Classic. The Trojans have balanced scoring in the starting lineup with senior forward DeAntoni Gordon, senior guard Myron Gardner and sophomore guard D.J. Smith all averaging double figures.
Jackson State is 0-3, falling to Abilene Christian University and the University of Tulsa before its matchup with Little Rock. Redshirt sophomore guard Ken Evans Jr. and redshirt senior Trayce Young lead the Tigers with 18 and 15 points per game, respectively.
Wednesday’s game is set to tip off at 6:30 p.m. and Friday’s at 12:30 p.m. Both contests will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
