IU hopes to stop five-game skid

The last time the IU men's basketball team experienced a five-game losing streak, a Republican was president and war was a reality.\nPerhaps the national events from 31 years ago are oddly familiar, but the winning drought presently plaguing the Hoosiers is unfamiliar territory for the current team.\nAfter being dealt a tough conference schedule and missing their best shooter for four games, IU finds itself in a slump that even returning to Assembly Hall couldn't fix. Despite losing to Michigan State in overtime on Saturday night, the Hoosiers (14-8, 4-5 Big Ten) maintained they didn't feel their season goals are out of reach.\n"Things happen. We've lost five in a row, but the main thing we can't do is just get down on everybody," freshman guard Bracey Wright said following the game. "Our spirits are still high. We know we can go on a five, six game winning streak at anytime because we've done it before. The main thing we've got to do is keep fighting and put all that pieces together. We'll be fine."\nThe Hoosiers have yet another chance to turn the situation around at 7 p.m. tonight in Assembly Hall. The game, which will be aired by both ESPN2 and ESPN-Plus, matches IU against current Big Ten co-leader, the Michigan Wolverines (14-8, 7-2).\nMichigan has experienced a surprise resurgence this year. The Wolverines started the season 0-6, but after coach Tommy Amaker told the team they were going to start with a clean slate, his team listened to his advice. Following the initial six losses, Michigan went on a seven game non-conference winning streak.\nThe Wolverines barely slipped past Wisconsin in their conference opener, getting the victory by a margin of one point. The non-conference streak carried over to the Big Ten season as Michigan enjoyed seven more wins. But as the rest of the conference has found out, the road is not an easy place to win. The Wolverines were no exception to the rule, losing back-to-back games to Illinois and Minnesota. Michigan had a buffer game, a victory against Iowa, before heading back on the road to face the Hoosiers.\n"Having our previous game against Iowa at home after losing on the road was a pivotal game for our ball club," Amaker said. "Our defense in the second half has given us the opportunity to be in this position. We certainly anticipate that and then some as we head back on the road where not many people have faired very well this year in the conference play." \nThe Wolverines receive leadership from their lone senior starter, forward LaVell Blanchard, who leads the team with an average of 16.4 points per game and just over seven boards per game.\nBut behind this senior, is a starting lineup consisting of one junior and three freshmen.\nSimilar to the Hoosiers, Michigan is enjoying the immediate success of a Texas freshman. Guard Daniel Horton, who has started in all 22 games this season, boasts the second high scoring average with just over 15 points per game and has been the leading scorer in 10 of the Wolverine games. Horton enjoyed a career-high 26 points in the non-conference win against Bowling Green, the game which jump-started the Michigan winning streak.\nHorton hails from Cedar Hill, Texas, and is familiar with IU's Wright, as the two twice faced off in the Texas High School State Basketball Tournament.\n"I do know they know one another, but I don't know the extent of their relationship," Amaker said. "They know one another, and they are familiar with one another, and I know they will surely try to give it their best shot against one another."\nThe Hoosiers started this season by punishing teams with its strong offensive output, but as of late the shots have not been falling as easily as they used to, giving way to a lesser field-goal percentage than other teams around the Big Ten. This includes Michigan who leads IU in total field goals made, total three-point shots made and total free throws made.\nThe other problem area for the Hoosiers has been offensive rebounds, and they trail the Wolverines in this category as well. IU has a commanding lead in the defensive rebound category as well as blocks. The two are head-and-head when it comes to the average score, with IU picking up just two more points. \n"We can't let the negative outweigh the positive, and we have a lot of positive going on for this basketball team," IU coach Mike Davis said, following Saturday's loss. "We're just going to continue to work. I'm gonna bring them back on Monday and work them and get ready for Michigan because I think we can beat Michigan"