All-American honor for Trayce Jackson-Davis & Zach Edey

2 players linked by a century plus in state rivalry each carving out his own place in his respective schools illustrious basketball history. Now Trace Jackson Davis and Zach Edie will share at least one accolade each being named to this season's AP All-American First Team. The first time that players from IU and Purdue have shared a place on that prestigious roster. For Edie it has been an amazing rise in a basketball career that started just five years ago. But the 7 foot 4 300 pound junior is now growing into a game that matches his massive physical stature. I mean I'm just kind of out there trying to make plays for my teammates the same way I always have all season. Depends on how a team can guard me obviously.

They last two teams one try to leave me one on one. And then my job is real simple when people do that. The numbers have been just as impressive leading the nation in double doubles including eight games this season with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds. But along with that a better defender a better passer. One thing about him that's it's different and everybody goes you go to him so much if they call it by the rules they're found him on every possession. So why shouldn't we get it to him and just try to get that bonus early and steal points. Jackson Davis has emerged in the second half of his senior season to the level that was expected of him upon his arrival in Bloomington as Indiana's Mr.

Basketball four years ago. It's just a toughness factor. I feel like teams in the past that have been on just weren't weren't that tough honestly and we kind of played with the chip on our shoulder since the beginning of the year since we got punked by Rutgers and we've kind of found our niche and that's what we're doing and that's how we got to play the rest of the year. You know I probably had pushed him harder than any player on this team and at the end of the day he's gotten better as a player. We have benefited from it you know with our ball club and in terms of how we played as a team. As the Hoosiers dealt with some injuries and lineup shuffles they leaned on Jackson Davis who became their do everything man in the middle of the big 10 season. Each year he's just gotten better and better but I think just the biggest thing is his unselfishness and his willingness to pass.

I think that's a big part because I mean he knows he can score and obviously teams are trying to take that away. The NBA seems to be in the future for both players. Trace has said this will be his last ride at IU. For Edie perhaps one more year at Purdue. Either way both players right now have their eyes on college basketball's biggest prize. We got to be locked in and be ready for the game and then afterwards we got to be extremely prepared for the next team. And so I think that's huge for us.

It's the preparation aspect. You want to have that momentum going into the tournament. It's always nice to win games. Always nice to cut down nets and kind of like I said validate all the work you put in. Bride Brown WRTV Sports.

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