College Hoops

Five takeaways from Indiana’s win against Kent State – Inside the Hall

Alex Bozich

Indiana advanced to the second round of the 2023 NCAA tournament with a 71-60 win against Kent State on Friday at MVP Arena in Albany, New York.

Here are five takeaways from the win against the Golden Flashes:

Indiana handles Kent State’s pressure

Kent State’s defensive pressure and ability to force turnovers was a focus for Indiana entering Friday’s NCAA tournament matchup against the Golden Flashes.

Rob Senderoff’s team was in the tournament primarily due to its defense and ability to force turnovers, which was Kent State’s biggest strength.

With a freshman at point guard and limited ball handling on the roster, many wondered how the Hoosiers would handle the pressure of guards like Malique Jacobs and Sincere Carry.

After 40 minutes in Albany, it’s fair to say Indiana passed the test. The Hoosiers turned the ball over only seven times on Friday, leading to only eight points for the Golden Flashes.

Kent State never got into transition, either, scoring just three fast-break points in IU’s 11-point win.

Race Thompson comes up big in a crucial spot

Offensive consistency hasn’t always been present for Race Thompson in his sixth season in Bloomington.

The 6-foot-8 Thompson has struggled all season from the perimeter and his 2-point and 3-point field goal percentages are down from last season.

But Thompson set the tone early offensively for the Hoosiers on his way to a 20-point night. The Minnesota native scored 13 points in the first half and made two 3-pointers against the Golden Flashes.

On a night where Jalen Hood-Schifino wasn’t Indiana’s secondary scoring option behind Trayce Jackson-Davis, Thompson filled that role and then some.

Thompson was an efficient 8-for-11 from the field and also added nine rebounds in 29 minutes. The Hoosiers were +19 with him on the floor, a team-high.

“I’m just thankful for my teammates always keeping me locked in,” Thompson said postgame. “I’ve been banged up a lot this season, and if I can’t practice, they always tell me it’s going to be all right, just stick with it. I just give credit to my teammates and coaches for keeping me confident, keeping me locked in even when my body isn’t feeling great.”

Indiana’s defense locks down Kent State

Defense-first has been the mantra from Mike Woodson since he took the Indiana coaching job in the spring of 2021.

The Hoosiers had the Big Ten’s best defense in Woodson’s first season, but had a regression in year two with the…

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