Hoosiers rally for non-conference win over 49ers

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana knew it had to find a way to stop Charlotte's 3-point shooting barrage Saturday afternoon.\nIn the second half, the Hoosiers did.\nIndiana rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to stun the 49ers with an improbable 76-72 victory.\nThe 49ers (6-2) entered the game with the nation's best 3-point shooting team, and in the first half exhibited why by knocking down six of 16 threes.\nBut in the second half, Charlotte struggled just to get open shots.\nInitially, the 49ers took advantage by attacking the inside. That allowed them to open the second half on a 12-2 run that made it 48-31 with 16:21 to go.\nThen the Hoosiers (7-3) closed ranks. The suffocating defense allowed just two threes the rest of the game and forced the 49ers into a bevy of turnovers and quick shots.\nThat gave Indiana the opportunity it needed. The Hoosiers went on a 13-4 run to trim the lead to 52-44, then ran off eight more unanswered points to forge a 52-52 tie with 10:19 to go.\nFollowing a 12-footer from Charlotte's Demon Brown, Indiana scored another six points to regain a 58-54 lead.\nDiego Guevara's four-point play with 6:20 to go gave Charlotte a 64-61 lead, but Tom Coverdale's 3-pointer and Kirk Haston's 5-foot hook shot gave the Hoosiers a 71-69 lead that they never relinquished.\nIt was the Hoosiers' largest rally at home since Nov. 14, 1998 when Indiana defeated Indiana State 76-70.\nHaston and Jared Jeffries led Indiana with 19 points each. Jeff Newton and Coverdale each scored 13 for the Hoosiers.\nRodney White scored 18 points and Brown added 11 for Charlotte.