Hoosiers ready for Buckeye rematch at home

What a time for a rematch.\nThe IU men's basketball team is in the midst of enjoying a two-game win streak, including an upset last Saturday against then-No. 8 Illinois.\nNow, 10 days after the Hoosiers dropped their first real road test at Ohio State, they face the Buckeyes again. And this time, it's on their court, in front of their fans, and the No. 14 Hoosiers are ready for the challenge.\n"(It's) good. We have confidence, and we want revenge," junior center George Leach said. "Right now, we need to come out intense and fight for 40 minutes."\nThe Hoosiers, who take the court at 7 p.m. tonight in Assembly Hall, could possibly be without freshman guard Bracey Wright once again. Wright has missed the past two games because of a back injury and is listed as day-to-day. Wright's injury is a result of an irritated nerve.\nEven without it's leading scorer, the team has enjoyed other players stepping up in his absence. Big men Leach and senior forward Jeff Newton were huge in the Illinois game, with Newton collecting a career-high 28 points and eight rebounds, while Leach added eight points and grabbed 11 rebounds. \n"We're playing harder, having a better defense and rebounding better," senior guard Kyle Hornsby said. "We've said that's what we have to do. We did a good job of that against Illinois."\nAs fresh in IU's minds as the Illinois game is, so is the game they dropped Jan. 11.\nThe Hoosiers traveled to Columbus, and were upset by the Buckeyes, 81-69. IU shot less than 40 percent from the field, and connected with a mere nine of 34 three-point attempts. They led only once in the game, building a small lead in the early minutes.\nIn their last meeting, Ohio State senior guard Brent Darby and junior forward Shun Jenkins were unstoppable, scoring 28 and 22 points, respectively. While the Hoosiers struggled with the zone defense the Buckeyes threw at them, Ohio State built a lead as high as 18 points in the win.\n"I don't think anyone has forgotten the way we played in that game," senior guard Tom Coverdale said. "The only word to describe it is embarrassing. We remember that, and we know they have to come in here this time, so hopefully we play with the same amount of heart and intensity that we did (against Illinois)."\nThe Hoosiers were the first ranked team the Buckeyes defeated this season, but have since suffered two setbacks. Four days after the win over IU, Ohio State lost at home to the Michigan Wolverines, 61-50. Following that loss, the Buckeyes took their home court once again three days later, only to be defeated by Wisconsin, 53-52.\nWith two tough home losses, Ohio State faces an IU team intent on protecting its home court. The Hoosiers, who have a nine-game home win streak to defend, are ready to guard its win-streak and its home court.\n"We can't let up. Every game is big game, no matter who you are playing in the Big Ten," Coverdale said. "To have any chance to win (the Big Ten championship) is protect your home court, and that's what we are doing right now. We just feel more together. This is more of a team now, and we have to have that and we have to stay together"