IU basketball: Indiana 79 Stanford 63 — Three keys | Highlights

Down two seniors and coming off a bad loss to Texas, Indiana responded well in their final game in Asheville.

The Hoosiers claimed third place at the 2020 Maui Invitational with a convincing 79-63 win over Stanford on Wednesday afternoon.

Much like they did on Monday, IU was able to build an early lead and maintain it throughout. Indiana led by as many as 8 points in the first half and took a 31-26 edge into halftime. The Hoosiers’ biggest lead was 71-55 and they matched that advantage in the final score, pulling away late.

Below are the three keys to the game, highlights and expanded stats.

1. The Hoosier defense shines. Indiana’s pack-line defense was in peak-form for much of the day, making things difficult in the paint and closing out on shooters effectively. Stanford was largely reduced to standing around and shooting three-pointers from well beyond the arc. The Cardinal had just 6 assists and made only 36 percent of their shots from the field overall, including 25 percent from three-point range.

2. Trayce Jackson-Davis with a career high. Indiana’s star big man struggled with efficiency in his first two games in Asheville, but Jackson-Davis was a load on Wednesday and Stanford had no answers. The sophomore forward had 31 points and 6 rebounds including an 11-of-14 effort from the free throw line. After 5 turnovers on Tuesday, Jackson-Davis had none against the Cardinal. He also stayed out of foul trouble, committing just one foul on the day.

3. Several players elevate their games. Someone was going to have to step up with Al Durham out with an injury. Several players did that, headlined by sophomore guard Armaan Franklin. The Indianapolis product scored 13 points and added 8 rebounds and 5 assists while limiting Stanford star Ziaire Williams. Race Thompson had 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks in another high impact effort. Rob Phinisee hit two important second half three-pointers, Jerome Hunter had his best game of the season, and freshmen Trey Galloway and Khristian Lander made valuable contributions.

Note: Durham was in uniform and shooting before the game but did play after suffering an ankle injury on Tuesday.

UP NEXT: Indiana will have a week off before traveling to Florida State for a Wednesday night game in Tallahassee as part of the Big Ten / ACC Challenge. The Hoosiers and Seminoles tip at 9:30 p.m. ET.