Senior forwards duel in IU loss

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Two towering forwards couldn't be ignored in Tuesday's men's basketball game. While the Hoosiers (16-10, 6-7 Big Ten) suffered yet another road loss 80-54, senior Jeff Newton's role in the game was to step up for the Hoosiers in guarding Illinois (19-5, 9-4 Big Ten) senior Brian Cook. \nCook entered this season ranked 26th on the Illini scoring list. He has recorded an average 19.7 points per game this season but scored only 17 in the contest with IU. \nNewton, among the six most improved players in America according to the Feb. 10 issue of Sports Illustrated, may have held Cook to only eight points in the first half, but Newton also only scored one three-point basket himself and had one assist in the first half. \nIU coach Mike Davis said he was pleased with his team's play in the first half and its ability to get the ball inside, but working against the Hoosiers was a change Davis noticed in Cook. \n"Cook has improved a lot defensively," Davis said. "He's a very good ball player and when you can get all five guys to play good defense the way you want them to play, you have a chance to win."\nCook only made four of 11 shots in the first half from the field and missed his only three-point attempt.\n"I knew I wasn't shooting well in the first half," Cook said. "But I knew if I kept on shooting it would eventually go in."\nAnd in it did go for Cook in the second half. Cook scored nine points in the second half and ended the game with 17 points, grabbing seven boards and three assists. Cook has scored in double figures in 21 of 22 Illini games this season. \nNewton and Cook both put in 37 minutes of playing time in the game.\n"Cook was out on the court a lot more this game," Newton said. "And anytime he's on the court he's going to be effective."\nNewton came out to start the second half with a field goal but was unable to stop Cook from scoring as well. Newton had IU's only four points five minutes into the second half and fought hard against the dominating Cook.\nThese two forwards last met in January when IU defeated the Illini 74-66. Newton held the 6-foot-10 Cook to 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field in that game. Newton also blocked four of Cook's shots. It was also a notable game for Newton as he scored a career high 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds. \nThe 6-foot-9 IU starter didn't score a career high in Tuesday night's game but did manage to record 11 points and one block. He also knocked down his only two free throw shots of the night. \nCook said that playing against IU wasn't any different than the time before when the two played at IU's Assembly Hall in January.\n"They have some big guys but we came out and executed well," Cook said. "We did things we needed to do in the ballgame."\nNewton also said that it was the same old story for him and Cook out on the court. He said it was as physical as always and that the crowd at Illinois was a big factor in Ithe Illinis' success.\n"I'm used to it now," Newton said. "It's nothing new, we've been battling it out for four years"