'It Stings, But I Feel Like We Have A Lot of Ball left' Trayce Jackson-Davis Said After Falling to Iowa

Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis and guard Xavier Johnson address the Hoosiers' 80-77 loss to Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. Read their full transcripts, or watch the attached video of the entire press conference.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis and guard Xavier Johnson are headed back to Bloomington after losing to Iowa 80-77 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.

Jackson-Davis put up a 31-point, 10-rebound double-double while Johnson added 20 points and four rebounds.

Read the pair's full transcript, or just watch the attached video of the entire press conference.

Q: On how the team feels heading into the NCAA tournament...

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Well, like they said in the locker room, I don't think anyone wants to see us right now. I think we've proven not only to the Big Ten but to the country that we're also a team, a top team that can compete with anyone. So took the last-second three to beat us to the hottest team in the Big Ten right now and it stings, but at the same time I feel like we've got a lot of ball left.

Q. On closing out games in the tournament...

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Yes, all in all, we played our basket and we executed well. We listened to Coach's plan, and we finally got over the hump. After that first game against Michigan, I think that's when we started to believe. 

I think when we got down to Iowa late, I still think that out team believed that we were going to win and then obviously they hit a tough shot and it happens. That's just basketball.

Q. On feeding Jackson-Davis the ball...

XAVIER JOHNSON: We kept feeding and feeding. We made the right play feeding the ball out and we were able to knock down shots. Some shots we didn't knock down but we've got to go back to the lab and just keep working because if we get selected for tournament we got to be ready to knock them down.

Q. On Jordan Bohannon's good looks...

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Just missed communications. Our defense relies heavy on talking and sometimes guys get confused and you've just got to talk it out. He got loose for a few and then Keegan got loose for a few and he was knocking shots down, so you've got to be aware where guys are.

Q. On Jackson-Davis and Johnson's chemistry...

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Me and him just talked about it. We talked to Coach, trying to get more ball screen oriented. He's a great player, especially when he gets downhill, he's going to make the right reads. And playing with him, I love playing with him, that's my guy.

Q. On Jackson-Davis helping get the program back on the map...

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: It means a lot to me because I'm a Hoosier born and bred, and just coming back for my third year playing for this guy next to me, it's been an honor and a blessing.

I'm just glad because we didn't have the year that we wanted, but just showing people here at this tournament and just believing in what we're doing and how he's going to help us get to where we need to be. And I think this tournament has shown that we're still here and Indiana basketball is going to get back on top here soon.

Q. On seeing some single coverage...

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Yeah, I liked it a lot. I thought they were going to send more doubles, but they didn't. I think they were worried about how well we were shooting the ball in this tournament. 

But as Coach says, if there's no one guarding you or there's one person guarding you, he thinks I'm the best player down low in the country and no one can stop me. I'm just using that confidence to our advantage. Obviously if they're going to double me, I know my teammates run enough shots down.

Q. On Johnson making a difference...

XAVIER JOHNSON: Just my coach giving me confidence. More ball screens with Trayce because I make good reads and finding my teammates because that's my main role for this team because we've got good shooters and it's proven.

Q: On Bohannon's last play...

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: So first off, I saw the shot clock and then I saw he was pretty well defended and he was almost like probably four, five feet away from half court, so I knew he was going to hoist one up, and then as the ball — I thought it was going to be long and then it banked in and sometimes that's what happens. 

It's March, so obviously March Madness, it's crazy, crazy time of year. But even the stadium and the electricity, just playing in that stadium was really cool. That last shot, the ball doesn't always bounce your way and obviously we're about one second away from going into overtime.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• HOOSIERS FALL TO IOWA: Jordan Bohannon, a sixth-year senior guard at Iowa who's been a thorn in the side of Indiana teams for years, hit a banked 30-footer with a second to go to give the Hawkeyes an 80-77 win over the Hoosiers in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on Saturday in Indianapolis. CLICK HERE.
• WHAT WOODSON SAID: Indiana head coach Mike Woodson headed to the microphone following Indiana's 80-77 loss to Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. Hear what he had to say in his post game press conference. CLICK HERE. 
• INDIANA-IOWA PHOTO GALLERY: Here's a collection of several dozen photos from Saturday's thrilling 80-77 Iowa victory over Indiana. CLICK HERE
• LIVE BLOG: Relive all of the action from Saturday's Indiana-Iowa game in our live blog, with full play-by-play and highlights from the game. CLICK HERE
• BRACKETOLOGY FOR INDIANA: Thanks to two impressive upsets over Michigan and Illinois, it looks like 20-12 Indiana is finally going to go dancing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years. Here's what we know as of Saturday morning from the nation's leading bracketologists, and all the nuts and bolts for this year's Big Dance. CLICK HERE