BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (BVM) — Indiana is off to a booming start, currently holding a 7-1 record, including an undefeated 7-0 tally when playing in Assembly Hall. In the middle of the team’s early success is junior forward, Trayce Jackson-Davis, who has put up stellar numbers early this season. 

Jackson-Davis is posting a career high 21.0 points per game up to this point in the season, having put up 43 points in a game against Marshall where he also recorded four assists, five rebounds, and five blocks. This run of success he has sustained so far can continue, but it will be a difficult task. Jackson-Davis and Indiana will have to push through a tough Big Ten slate to remain a top team in the conference. 

The Hoosiers have proven to be a team that can win games, but they have yet to play a team of considerable merit. Their first test will be in their next game when they face off against a Big Ten opponent, Wisconsin. This game will mark the second in-conference matchup of the year after their 68-55 win at home against Nebraska on Dec. 4. 

The 2020-21 season was a campaign that came directly on the heels of COVID-19 which effectively ended the previous season’s play in the midst of conference tournaments in the spring of 2020. In Bloomington, it was a down year for the team on all fronts, finishing with a record of 12-15, where they fell to Rutgers in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. 

This loss propelled the Hoosier front office to relieve Archie Miller of head coaching duties and hire former Hoosier player and NBA coach, Mike Woodson. Hoosier nation has been excited about Woodson’s homecoming and hopes he can turn the program around quickly.

If the Hoosiers hope to contend in the incredibly competitive Big Ten Conference, they’re going to have to be dynamic on both sides of the ball. This starts and ends with Jackson-Davis. During his freshman campaign with Indiana, he posted 13.5 points per game while averaging 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks on the defensive side of the ball. While those first-season stats were impressive, he made a jump and recorded 19.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game in his sophomore season. Jackson-Davis’ ability to constantly improve his game demonstrates his enormous upside for the Hoosiers down the stretch. 

Jackson-Davis entered his college career as a four-star recruit out of high school, attaining accolades of McDonald’s All-American and Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2019. These markers of success have only been a stepping stone for Jackson-Davis and he has already been able to bring much more to the court since then. 

One of the underrated aspects of Jackson-Davis’ game is his ability to get to the free-throw line and extend his team’s opportunities every trip down the court. Although, the young player’s chances to make it to the NBA will not come to fruition without canceling out the negatives in his game. His ability to recognize that his playstyle is not all high points, and will require hard work to improve, is promising for his future. 

Tune in to see Jackson-Davis and the Indiana Hoosiers visit Madison, Wisconsin on Dec. 8 to play the No. 22 ranked Badgers at the Kohl Center.

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