IU basketball: Indiana 66 Rutgers 60 — Three keys | Highlights

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana defeated Rutgers by a final score of 66-60 on Tuesday evening at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The win snapped a six-game losing streak to the Scarlet Knights. IU has now won seven of eight games and has moved into a second place tie in the Big Ten.

The Hoosiers led 38-35 at halftime and were led in the game by Trayce Jackson-Davis with 20 points, 18 rebounds and 6 assists — all team highs. Miller Kopp added 18 points and 2 steals.

Indiana (17-7, 8-5) will next travel to Michigan for a Saturday evening tip.

THREE KEYS TO THE GAME (Will be expanded)

1. Kopp takes advantage. Most teams won’t give Indiana forward Miller Kopp room to shoot, but Rutgers likes to aggressively take away the paint, and that left space for the senior. He made 6 of 9 shots including 4 of 6 from three for 18 points. Kopp had the highest plus/minus on the team in 35 minutes of action.

2. Indiana’s defense steps up. Rutgers had pulled to within 41-40 early in the second half, but IU limited the Scarlet Knights to 12 points over the next 14 minutes. It was a critical defensive stretch, as IU scored just 18 of their own during that span and built a tenuous 59-52 edge. Rutgers had rallied from a 30-16 hole with a 9-of-14 shooting stretch that included six threes. But that’s when the IU defense clamped down for good.

3. Jackson-Davis continues incredible run. Rutgers wanted to take away Jackson-Davis, and they did limit his touches. But he still produced 20 points on 14 shots, and he added 18 rebounds and 6 assists. The senior has now had his four best rebounding games of his career over the last month, and during the game he became the first ever 2,000 point scorer and 1,000 rebound player in IU history.

HIGHLIGHTS