Indiana Head Coach Mike Woodson Said 'I Thought We Froze' in the Hoosiers' Loss to Wisconsin
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — In a post game press conference, Indiana head coach Mike Woodson said he's got to find a way to get his team comfortable off the bench and with making shots.
The Hoosiers lost their fourth consecutive game after falling 74-69 to the Wisconsin Badgers on Tuesday. Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis had an exceptional night with 30 points, but the rest of the team couldn't follow suit.
Read Woodson's full transcript, or just watch the attached video of the entire press conference.
Q: On what Woodson was looking for in the last possessions...
MIKE WOODSON: I thought we froze. Once the ball got in, Parker didn't have it, I kind of cut everybody off away from him and was looking for a pick and roll to make a play.
But we just froze. I thought the play before that that X took the three, you know, I thought big fella was in a good position to make the play, but he threw it out to X because he thought X was open on the three-point line.
At that point, we just got to put it on the officials to make the call and we didn't, so it's a tough game. I got to give them credit because they played they butts off. I thought we played great in stretches, but we just couldn't sustain it. Too many fouls.
I mean, they didn't get a chance to go through our defense because we put them on the line so much. That's tough coming down the stretch when they don't have to execute their offense.
Q. On slowing Johnny Davis down...
MIKE WOODSON: Trey struggled with Davis. I mean, everybody struggled with Johnny. It wasn't just Miller. It was everybody that guarded him struggled with him. He had a hell of a game. He's that type of player. It's hard to double him, because a lot of times he's up top and he's making plays off the bounce.
He kept beating our defense, going the other way, and he's capable of doing it. He did it tonight. It didn't matter who we put on him. He just had a good game. I thought Miller played him well early. I thought Parker played him well in stretches. Coming down the stretch couldn't nobody play him. He had a great game.
Q. On what Wisconsin did to counter the Hoosiers' efforts and close out the game...
MIKE WOODSON: Free throws. I mean, they were making plays with the ball. You know, we were trying to go inside and we missed some wide open shots coming down the stretch.
The times we got it inside, you know, Trayce made them pay for it. He was great. Made his three throws. I don't think we milked it enough. I kept trying to go to him because they couldn't stop him. Him being so unselfish, he kept letting the ball come out and we just couldn't make shots.
Q. On why the other players can't help Jackson-Davis offensively...
MIKE WOODSON: Again, guys are just not — you know, X, he had shots, didn't make them. We just couldn't make shots coming down the stretch.
And, again, I put it on me, man. I got to get them in better position. I can't shoot it for them, but I got to get them comfortable to the point where they feel good about making shots.
I mean, the good teams do it. We're not that good yet. We're still a work in this progress trying to figure it out down the stretch. We've played some good basketball this season. We just haven't been consistent in bringing them home. Been in every ball game fighting battling. Can't take that away from our guys because they do fight.
But we got to learn how to win. I got to help them in that area.
Q. On getting the second unit ready off the bench...
MIKE WOODSON: Well, again, I mean, Parker probably was the most positive thing off the bench. I thought Mike's few minutes he played he was pretty positive, but other than that, we struggled off the bench tonight.
You know, I got to rest our guys sometime. Again, it's on me. I got to get these guys feeling good coming off the bench. That's the only way we're going to have a chance winning coming down the stretch.
They got to relieve our guys, and then they got be a little more productive, and I got to help them in that area.
Q. On Jackson-Davis bouncing back and giving a great performance...
MIKE WOODSON: Well, it was great. He tried to put us on his back. But, again, our team hasn't been based on just Trayce. When we have won, we have won collectively and guys have pitched in and done their job.
Right now I'm just not getting that, and I got to somehow help them, man, because they kind of looking over their shoulders again, you know, at past years and how things have happened to them coming down the stretch, man, and I got to help them get over that somehow.
Related stories on Indiana basketball
- WHAT JACKSON-DAVIS SAID: On Tuesday, the Hoosiers lost their fourth consecutive game 74-69 to the Wisconsin Badgers. Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis had a stellar night with 30 points but the team couldn't get it done. Here's what Jackson-Davis said in a post game press conference. CLICK HERE.
- INDIANA VS. WISCONSIN PHOTO GALLERY: View 20 action shots from Indiana's matchup versus Wisconsin. More than 17,000 fans filed into Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall to witness the Big Ten showdown. CLICK HERE.
- HOOSIERS FALL TO NO. 15 WISCONSIN: Despite a 30-point night from Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana struggles to make shots in the closing minutes and loses again to No. 15 Wisconsin, this time 74-69 for their fourth straight loss of the season, and fifth in a row in the series. CLICK HERE.
