INDIANA UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

December 22, 2021

Trayce Jackson-Davis

Anthony Leal

Postgame Media Conference

Indiana 79, Northern Kentucky 61

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Got a little comfortable and started hitting some shots. But overall, 20-point win, you can't complain with that

ANTHONY LEAL: He said it exactly right.

Q. Trayce, we've asked you about him in a few different ways, but Race, what's different about him this season, whether it's the stuff that's showing up statistically, the stuff you're seeing in practice, stuff you can even maybe trace back to the spring, to the summer, and I guess as sort of a second question to that, what do you think it -- how do you think it fortifies you guys in the front court?

TRAYCE JACKSON DAVIS: I think Race is someone that just he brings it every day. He's the glue guy. He's the glue of our team. He holds our team together.

And even last year, you saw a few games where he was just on the boards relentless and I think this year he's just doing more of that. He's just trying to attack the glass and just be more a complete player honestly.

Coach Woodson at the beginning of the year, he would be shy and not shoot and shoot shots, and Coach Woodson was like, "You've got to do that. You've got to be a scorer for us. I think he took that to heart and he's been playing well ever since."

Q. Anthony, when did you find out that you would be starting tonight, and what were your emotions like going into the game?

ANTHONY LEAL: I think it was Sunday or Monday. I think it was Monday. And I mean, it's a blessing for sure. Obviously when they first told me, I was in shock, but I just tried to focus on making the most of it and following the scout and making sure that we got off to a good start, that kind of stuff. Staying true to what I do and trusting myself.

Q. SO when you actually were walking out on to that floor, it had to be special. I know you're focused on the game and you're trying to be prepared but at the same time it's your first ever start in Assembly Hall; Indiana, hometown kid; it has to be pretty special walking out there.

ANTHONY LEAL: Very special. I couldn't really stop smiling. I didn't tell my parents because I wanted it to be a surprise for them. I had my sister make sure my grandparents and everybody was here to make sure they could experience it with me.

It was special and hopefully the first of many.

Q. Trayce, you check out at about the ten-minute mark, the team is up about 25, 30. What was it like to come in when Faulkner hit those threes and be up 15 and regroup a little bit and get the team back steadied a little bit?

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Can't really complain about it. They were just hitting shots really. That's what Coach Woodson always says; when you come in, you have to be ready to play. And so the second group just had a little slippage there, but at the same time we could have probably trusted them to finish out the game. I think the game was pretty well in hand. But Coach Woodson doesn't take chances, so he put us back in to make sure we sealed the deal.

Q. I wanted to go back to his questions about Race. How has he figured out an offensive role? Because he's a little bit less back-to-the-basket than he was a year ago but he's not necessarily operating as a stretch forward and taking a ton of threes. How is he figuring out a role that's best to him, and how is he playing off of and you what has his dynamic done for the offense?

TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: I think Race does a little bit of everybody. I think you're right. He's not really a 100 percent stretch forward, but I think he can still hit a three if he needs to.

But at the same time, I think me and him complement each other very well. We seem to always know where we're going to be on offense, and the double teams come from his guy and I'm able to hit him and he's vice-versa.

But I think the biggest thing with both of us is we are unselfish and we pass out of the post, especially if we are doubled.

Q. You mentioned how well you guys complement each other, and you Race. How difficult do you think that is for teams to prepare for the dynamic duo kind of dynamic?

TRAYCE JACKSON DAVIS: I think it's really tough to prepare for because you never know. You try to take something away and then you have to counter another thing. Like you have got him, Anthony, Parker, Miller guys like that shooting threes. So you can't prepare for both of us and stop both of us because we have so many pieces on our team.