EAST LANSING, Mich. — Indiana hadn’t lost consecutive games all season before their loss to Northwestern.
Then, when the Hoosiers arrived in East Lansing, they were eyeing the possibility of a three-game losing streak — and so was 17th-placed Michigan State.
“We both wanted to win,” Race Thompson said. “When you lose two in a row, you get a little frustrated.”
An abundance of rude calls and a hostile environment only added to this frustration. The result was a 76-61 defeat at the Breslin Center.
The tone was set as soon as the ball opened. Trayce Jackson-Davis scored against Marcus Bingham Jr. in front of the sea of students jumping in their white Izzone shirts. Then he turned around and said rubbish to Bingham.
22 seconds later, Bingham drained a 3-pointer and returned the conversation to Jackson-Davis.
Chippy play lasted the whole game. Tensions were high and refereeing only added to that, with the referees calling a total of 45 fouls.
Xavier Johnson fouled AJ Hoggard on an incoming shot in the media timeout under 16 minutes. Miller Kopp pushed Hoggard out of the way in the middle of the group of players after the game, so Hoggard did the same. The two argued before Bo Boroski broke it up and issued a technical double.
“When someone hits you, you’re going to hit them back. That’s how it goes. We’re not soft. They’re not soft,” Jackson-Davis said.
While the many whistles — even when blown back and forth — inflamed Spartan fans, Indiana’s poor shooting was a big reason for its offensive struggles.
After Parker Stewart kicked a 3-point ball from the corner in the first half, he was subjected to ball chants almost every time he touched the ball for the rest of the game.
Shortly after the fly ball, Stewart went to the free throw line for two shots after an intentional foul by Michigan State. As he stood alone in front of the line and stared at a section of students brandishing fathead minnows and hypnotic spirals, the chants rained down. Stewart missed both attempts, much to the delight of the MSU faithful.
But the failures didn’t stop there. Stewart tried to silence them soon after with a made 3-pointer, but it was the only one he would make all game.
Stewart was one of five IU players who returned from suspensions on Saturday, but came off the bench with Trey Galloway in his place. Neither of them played well, combining for just four points and one field goal.
“They both struggled,” Woodson said. “I have to find a balance somehow as we continue this journey.”
Stewart’s 1-of-6 performance from the free-throw line was part of a 16-27 performance at the Indiana Charity Strip. The Hoosiers also shot just 5 of 21 from beyond the 3-point line.
Indiana overcame a seven-point halftime deficit by starting the second half with an 8-0 run. The race was started by Thompson and Johnson.
Thompson recorded a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds while hustling and doing the little things a stat sheet won’t show. More importantly, he remained calm amid the tension.
Meanwhile, Johnson attempted to command a struggling offense and finished with seven points and four assists. But he only played 20 minutes after struggling with an early foul.
Emotions escalated after Johnson committed his fourth foul. Woodson was not happy and he let Boroski and his team hear it. In return, they gave him his first technical foul of the season.
“Well, I need to be a little calmer,” Woodson said with a smile after the game. “It’s the first time I’ve gotten a technique and I said I was going to go the season without getting one, but sometimes things change.”
Although clearly frustrated with the calls, he was unwilling to comment to the officials after the game.
“You watched the same game as me, that’s what it is,” Woodson said.
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