Big game, bigger victory

Jeff Newton's teammates call him weird. They say he's playing like a man. They say they can't say enough about how well he's playing. \nHis coach remembers when he couldn't make contact with the rim on a free throw. \nJudging by his wacky career, they're all right on. \nNewton, who has been troubled by his up-and-down play throughout his career at IU, sparked IU Wednesday night, scoring a team-high 16 points in IU's 63-57 win over visiting No. 19 Ohio State, lifting No. 23 IU (18-8, 10-3 Big Ten) into first place in the Big Ten. \nWednesday, he did just about everything right. Even free throws, his long-time hurdle. \n"I remember when Jeff Newton couldn't draw iron at the free-throw line," IU coach Mike Davis said. "But, he's playing. If he plays this way, we have a chance to beat anyone."\nNewton and fellow forward Jarrad Odle exchanged roles Wednesday. Odle, who has started 12 consecutive games and scored double digits in five straight, played only 13 minutes, scoring 10 points. \nNewton replaced Odle eight minutes in and played 28 of the next 32 minutes. He helped ignite a 13-0 IU run with two free throws and taking a pass from Tom Coverdale, driving the length of the court and throwing down a reverse jam. \nA little more than a minute later, he drove past three OSU defenders along the baseline and slammed again, capping off the run and giving IU a 23-15 lead, equaling its biggest of the first half. \nOne more dunk with 27 seconds left in the half stopped a 9-3 Buckeye run and gave IU a 28-24 halftime lead. \nIn the second half, Newton gave IU a 48-41 lead with -- you guessed it -- another jam, then helped slam the door on OSU (18-6, 9-4) with four more points down the stretch. \nAfter scoring 17 points in a win at Michigan Sunday and leading the Hoosiers into first place Wednesday, Newton is still ho-hum. \n"My teammates are just looking for me," the 6-foot-9 junior from Atlanta said. "I end up open a couple times, and they just find me."\nHis teammates aren't so reserved. \nJared Jeffries: "The last two games, he's recognized we need him to play like a man, and he's been doing that for us."\nDane Fife: "The thing about Newt, is in the past, he's been a roller coaster. Hopefully, he can stay on top of the hill."\nThe teammate passing around the most praise is the one Newton stole minutes from Wednesday. \n"My main goal is to win a championship. Whoever's out on the floor doing that for us, then I'm 100-percent happy for that guy," Odle, a senior, said. "Newton's had two great games back to back. I can't say enough about how well Newton's playing right now."\nOhio State thought it had IU figured out early, double teaming Jeffries and clamping down on IU's inside attack. But Newton emerged with four rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists. He hit 5 of 12 from the field and 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. \nAll along, he had Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien puzzled. O'Brien was prepared for Jeffries, Odle, Coverdale, Fife and Kyle Hornsby. But Newton? \n"So you take the threes away and you take Jeffries out and then they've got Newton," O'Brien said. "The last time they had Odle. This a very good basketball team that is exceptionally hard to defend because they have answers all over the place."\nEven at the free-throw line, where Newton hit just 53 percent for his career before this season. After Wednesday, he's hitting 77 percent from the line, third on the team behind Coverdale and A.J. Moye.\nNewton is as bewildered about the free throws as anyone. The difference is everyone expected him to miss. He expected to hit. \n"I'm growing up, getting old," Newton said. "You ought to start hitting shots when you get old. I was wondering what was going on when I wasn't hitting."\nOn a night when IU hit just 15 of 22 from the free-throw stripe, Coverdale -- shooting 85 percent -- went 1 of 3 and Ohio State's Brent Darby -- an 80 percent shooter -- missed both of his tries, Newton's string of 11 consecutive free throws and back-to-back games leading the Hoosiers in scoring shuffled to the forefront. \n"Newt's a weird guy," Fife said. "Now, when Newt goes up to the line, I have as much confidence in him as I do anybody on our team. He's been outstanding these last couple games"