Jalen Hood-Schifino's blossoming brilliance hands Mike Woodson more than one win in Mackey

WEST LAFAYETTE – Mike Woodson called it “an unbelievable display of basketball,” the performance that delivered him his first win, as player or coach, inside Mackey Arena.

Players on both sides of this rivalry — as alive as it has been in years — marveled at the pace and poise, Trayce Jackson-Davis pointing out this was the most-hostile environment imaginable for one of the best single-game efforts by a freshman in this program’s past three decades.

But perhaps the best summation of Jalen Hood-Schifino’s 35-point burying of Purdue on Saturday night came from the coach on the losing side of a 79-71 Indiana victory.

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Speaking candidly and openly about what his team tried and failed to do to stop Hood-Schifino from burning the Boilermakers time and again, Purdue coach Matt Painter described Hood-Schifino’s brilliance on IU’s best night of the season so far. He also captured what the freshman from Pittsburgh by way of Montverde Academy could mean to this program for both the next five weeks, and the next five years.

“Very few people have rolled through here and done that,” Painter said. “I don’t know if we see him again.”

Hood-Schifino’s career-high — the most points by an IU freshman in a single game in 35 years — plowed the road for the upset that, for the moment, defines a season of great promise in Bloomington. It had been a decade since the Hoosiers (20-9, 11-7) won in this building, that long since they’d completed a two-game sweep of their northern rival, and seven years since confirming a winning record in Big Ten play.

It would have been difficult to countenance Purdue losing a home game when the Boilermakers finished plus-21 in free-throw attempts, plus-16 in rebounds, and when they managed to limit All-American forward Trayce Jackson-Davis to just 10 points.

With respect to his supporting cast (and it was an important supporting cast Saturday), Hood-Schifino was just that good.

He scored at every level, shooting 14-of-24 from the field and grabbing seven rebounds. He dictated the game’s pace on his own, nothing Purdue tried speeding him up or forcing him into mistakes. Hood-Schifino looked like a professional in a college game, and when that happens this is usually the result.

“He had a tremendous game for us, and we needed it,” Woodson said.

The Hoosiers needed it because Purdue was that good at limiting Jackson-Davis.

Hell bent on cutting off his back door lob opportunities and keeping Zach Edey in position to force him into double teams, the Boilermakers (24-5, 13-5) played heavy drop coverage on ball screens. They flooded the lane with bodies, sometimes stopping Jackson-Davis simply by closing all the lanes on the highway.

Jackson-Davis, to his credit, persisted. He finished with eight rebounds and, crucially, seven assists, Painter admitting afterward that while Purdue’s doubles kept the senior forward quiet offensively, they failed to limit his passing range.

“He stayed in the game mentally,” Woodson said of his star. “A lot of great players, when they’re struggling like that, they’ll start complaining, this or that. He just rolled. He knew what was happening.”

Jalen Hood-Schifino was happening.

Freed by the space Purdue’s coverage left him, Hood-Schifino feasted. Burned by his 16 points in Bloomington three weeks ago, the Boilermakers resolved to force Hood-Schifino to beat them going to his left this time, instead of his right.

“He sent a newsflash,” Painter said, “that he can play off his left hand.”

Hood-Schifino ate up midrange points early, changed speeds to put Edey on his back foot and negate his size advantage, used the baseline like a runway to the rim and carried his team to victory.

Down four at half, the Hoosiers outscored Purdue 45-33 in the final 20 minutes. On a court with two All-American player-of-the-year candidates, Jalen Hood-Schifino shone brighter than anyone else.

“We knew when we recruited him he could get to those spots and make shots,” Woodson said. “I try to put my offense around him. Tonight, we ran a lot of pick-and-rolls with the ball in his hands, and he made a lot of good offensive plays.”

There’s more depth to the importance of this performance than just what was accomplished Saturday night.

Yes, this was a high-quality road win to fortify an already stout NCAA tournament resume. Yes, you’re always happy to beat your rival. Yes, Jalen Hood-Schifino’s best can absolutely carry the Hoosiers in March just as well as Jackson-Davis can, his confidence only boosted by the fact the best game of his Indiana career came on the road.

All of that is, right here and right now, important. But Saturday night did not occur in the vacuum of this season. There is a bigger picture too.

If Indiana is to return to the place Woodson envisions for his alma mater, there will need to be more Jalen Hood-Schifinos. More NBA-quality playmakers buying into Woodson’s methods and message, making the path to Bloomington for players of this potential a well-worn one.

The Big Ten comes with a reputation as an unkind conference to this sort of player. Defenses are too physical. Referees don’t protect scorers or promote positive basketball enough. Skills are difficult to showcase when they’re being clubbed back into their hole.

Is that entirely fair? No. Is it reality? Sometimes, yes. For Woodson, an NBA coach building a college resume, rebutting that criticism is crucial.

Players like Jalen Hood-Schifino win you games like this one. They also make it easier to get more players like them in the future. Prove you can secure, develop and release this kind of talent into the NBA on a consistent basis, and more of it will find its way to you.

One night doesn’t make a season, and one player doesn’t make a trend. But it’s been too long since IU could legitimately claim the path we’re talking about here for guards of Hood-Schifino’s caliber.

“He’s grown a lot,” Woodson said, “but you know, there’s still holes. He’s not perfect. As he continues to mature as a player, he’s going to figure it out.

“All of it out.”

Already, mock projections and draft buzz see Hood-Schifino solidly in the first round. More nights like this will raise that ceiling further.

Postgame Saturday, a reporter mentioned the series sweep to Hood-Schifino.

“It definitely feels good,” he replied, “because I’m 2-0 against Purdue.”

For him, there probably doesn’t need to be a third turn through this rivalry. And for Indiana, there are myriad ways in which that’s a good thing.

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana basketball vs. Purdue: Jalen Hood-Schifino looks NBA ready