IU dominates Michigan

After Thursday night's 41-point loss at Purdue, coach Kathi Bennett said the team needs to play harder to get a win against Michigan.\nSunday, the team did play harder, and squashed Michigan 73-51.\n"We were all focused," junior forward Erin McGinnis said. \nNot only did the Hoosiers (17-8, 8-6 Big Ten) halt a team that had won seven of its last eight Big Ten games, they also ended the optimism Michigan (16-10, 9-6 Big Ten) carried since upsetting No. 25 Iowa Thursday.\n"I felt we were really ready for this game," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "We were coming in with a lot of confidence. But I told my players Indiana was like a wounded animal after the loss at Purdue, and were going to have to come out really aggressive."\nThe Hoosiers foreshadowed a developing trend early in the game when McGinnis scored from under the basket 15 seconds into the game. IU started on a 7-1 scoring run, and built a 13-point lead seven minutes into the game.\nJunior center Jill Chapman has struggled with staying out of foul trouble, but with 13 minutes left to play in the first half, she had one foul. \nThe Wolverines fought back with a run of their own, but could only get within six points. Even then, IU countered.\nEarly in the game, two big shots beyond the arc from McGinnis and junior guard Heather Cassady helped extend the lead in the waning moments of the first half.\n"We really had players step up with crucial threes at crucial times," Bennett said. "Every time they started to make a run, we'd counter it with a big three."\nThe Hoosiers led 33-21 with a minute left, but a late shot and two free throws from Michigan sent both teams into the locker room with the score at 33-25.\nIn their last game, the Wolverines were down 12 points against Iowa, but managed a comeback late in the game -- whatever confidence the Hoosiers had going into intermission was shaky.\n"I never think any lead is big enough," Bennett said. "They scored 53 points against Iowa, and Iowa is a very good team. So we needed to keep our energy level and our effort level the same."\nBut once again, IU came out firing. Cassady hit a three-point jumper to get the Hoosiers going on IU's first possession. Cassady ended with eight points, two of which were three-pointers.\nIU pulled away on big scoring runs, including a 7-1 run that gave the Hoosiers a 21-point lead. \nMcGinnis was the big story of the night. She was the second- highest scorer with 13, behind Chapman's 23. But McGinnis grabbed nine boards, four steals and four assists. \n"Defensively is where I was pleased with her," said Bennett of McGinnis. "Offensively, she hit some crucial threes, and just passed the ball really well. We have to cut down her turnovers and get her tighter with the ball, but she definitely sparked us again.\n"I'm thrilled and so proud of my team the way they bounced back. They showed incredible toughness"