Race Thompson's Career Night Leads Indiana Past Kent State in NCAA Opener

Race Thompson doesn't have much of a postseason resume for Indiana, but he rewrote it on Friday night, scoring 20 points to lead Indiana to a 71-60 victory over Kent State in the first-round of the NCAA Tournament.

ALBANY, N.Y. — When you're making a list of potential postseason heroes for this Indiana basketball team, Race Thompson's name wouldn't be anywhere near the top.

But after Friday night, that also wouldn't be much of a list.

Thompson was the star in Indiana's 71-60 victory over Kent State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the MVP Arena in Albany. He had 10 early points and finished with 20, far and away a postseason high.

It was quite a night for Thompson, the sixth-year senior from Plymouth, Minn., who only scored seven total points in the two NCAA Tournament games a year ago. Counting Big Ten tournament games, he's only averaged 4.1 points per game in the postseason, so this one was a bit of a shocker.

Indiana was trying to win its first first-round NCAA Tournament game since 2016. (They beat Chattanooga 99-74 as a No. 5 seed on St. Patrick;'s Day too. They did it by getting off to a good start, and weathering every Kent State run. 

They never trailed, getting 10 early points from senior Race Thompson. Two of his baskets came off of assists from Trayce Jackson-Davis, and he hit a three-pointer to give Indiana a 15-9 lead.

Kent State tied the game twice, but the Hoosiers would always respond. They even survived playing most of the last eight minutes without point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, who picked up his second foul at the 8:06 mark. Woodson did put him back in for three offensive possessions late, and he avoided any further foul trouble.

Indiana got off to a good start in the second half as well, going on a 10-2 run to take a 14-point lead at 45-31. The run was started with another Race Thompson three-pointer and was capped by a Miller Kopp three from the left corner. 

Four minutes later, the lead got to 15 at 52-37 when Thompson scored again, giving him 20 for the night. 

Jackson-Davis was having a fairly average night — at least by his lofty standards — but then he seemed to get energized by thunderous at the 8:58 mark to put Indiana back up by 11 at 58-47. He dunked again on the next possession and then drove hard to the basket with a quick spin move to score again, and he was fouled. He gave Indiana a 62-50 lead with 7:39 to go. 

Jackson-Davis finished the game with 24 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and five blocks in 35 minutes of action. Most of his points came late as the Hoosiers slammed the door shut on the Golden Flashes. 

His five blocks in an NCAA Tournament game set a school record previously held by several others at four. Jackson-Davis also became the first player with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five blocks in an NCAA Tournament game since blocks and assists became official stat in the 1980s.

Miller Kopp finished the night with 13 points and made three three-pointers. Hood-Schifino had eight.

The Hoosiers will play Miami on Sunday at 8:40 p.m. ET. Here's the story on the Sunday game times.  CLICK HERE