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Early in the second half's restart, Indiana is in the process of ridding themselves of a flailing Kent State team – one that's being bludgeoned into submission. The Hoosiers are dictating the pace, fueled with emotion and the raw intensity that in some crucial instances this season, often to Indiana's dismay, has gone awry. Yet, that's not the case as Friday night bleeds into Saturday morning in Albany. They're proactive, not reactive, and they're forcing their hand on, with all due respect, a lesser Golden Flashes squad.
It's thanks in part to sixth-year senior Race Thompson, who's in the midst of the best game of his Indiana career and is doing more than just delaying the inevitable Trayce Jackson-Davis takeover. The critically acclaimed forward is more than happy to let it happen, though, as Thompson streaks away on the fast break for a transition slam.
He's all over the glass. He's confidently draining triples with efficiency. He's the first on the floor for a loose ball.
If there was something that could be done to help Indiana down Kent State on Thursday night, Thompson is first in line in doing so.
Indiana has searched relentlessly for a dependable third producer to pair with Jackson-Davis and Hood-Schifino. Sensing the moment, Thompson played like someone who wasn't ready to hand over his jersey for the final time.
His energy seemed infinite, almost as if there was two or three of him out on the floor.
His year has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Through it all, he's stayed diligent – piecing together the best version of himself and, especially recently, acting upon it when necessary. Thompson's urgency radiated through both his team and TV screens, as if he was telling anyone who would listen that he and his guys wouldn't be denied on Friday.
"I'm just thankful for my teammates always keeping me locked in," Thompson said early Saturday morning. They've had his back when he hasn't felt 100% or a stretch of play has caused a dip in his personal confidence. Thompson paid back that trust in the best way possible.
"I mean, it could not have happened to a better person because he's a really good young man," Mike Woodson said postgame. "So I was happy for him, and we needed all of it."
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20 points, nine rebounds and a block are listed next to Thompson's name in the stat sheet, but his impact reaches far beyond that a number could show. He's one half of a "Buddy Ball" duo that accumulated for 44 points, and a mainstay in the frontcourt that had quickly laid claim to the painted area.
Not only did they find points of their own at the rim – Thompson and Jackson-Davis – but they turned away the Golden Flashes time and time again. Entering the lane became a poison that Kent State had enough of, settling for tough jumpers on the outside.
Indiana makes their hay on defense, and Woodson said on Thursday that the Hoosiers are a "really, really good" team when combining the two together. Getting a season-high scoring effort out of the longest tenured Hoosier on the roster certainly falls into that category. He's seen Indiana's program in the deepest depths they've experienced in recent memory, and is now finally having a chance to make his impact on the biggest stage this level has to offer.
The opportunity wasn't lost on Indiana Friday night. Certainly not on Thompson.
"Tonight should mean a great deal to him because last season you could have easily said he could have been our MVP based on how he played," Woodson said. "Unfortunately, he's had some injuries this season that has kind of put him behind. To see him come out tonight and play a game like he did is special."
It's hard to overstate the energy his actions were infused with. The tone was set early, with Thompson scoring 10 of Indiana's first 15 points on the evening. It carried over to the second half, where on a particular possession, Thompson gathered multiple offensive boards over a swarm of yellow jerseys and outstretched arms to keep the play alive before Malik Reneau eventually finished off with a score.
With so many questions about where Indiana could find production outside of Hood-Schifino and Jackson-Davis, Thompson took it upon himself to be the emphatic answer.
Shifting focus forward, Indiana must quickly regroup and prepare for a tough Miami team, who stands between the Hoosiers and their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016.
Should Indiana find more success, it likely will come in some fashion after their sixth-year senior's urgency in staying opportunistic. They've already taken after his fashion choices.
At least, Miller Kopp has with his new headband. "That's my twin," Thompson said in reference to the "fashionable" on-court style choices Kopp made Friday night.
Hey, whatever it takes to keep those seniors playing "pretty damn good" is something Woodson will wholeheartedly accept. If it means another chance to put on an Indiana uniform, Thompson will too.
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