IU to battle ND after year apart

IU and Notre Dame are both looking to end two-game losing streaks tonight at the Joyce Center in South Bend.\nNotre Dame (2-2) was ranked the last time IU (2-3) made the trip to South Bend, and it was also IU coach Mike Davis' first season as head coach. IU was 3-3 at the time and upset the then-No. 10 Notre Dame, 86-78. IU hasn't lost to the Fighting Irish since a trip to South Bend in 1994.\nAfter a disappointing 63-58 loss to Missouri Saturday, Davis said there is still no reason for the team to hang their heads.\n"We are just trying to get better every day," Davis said. "And I really feel we're heading in the right direction."\nNotre Dame is coming off of a 69-68 loss to the Central Michigan Chippewas. The Irish played the game without top defender and senior guard Torrain Jones, out with an injured hip, and senior center Tom Timmermans, out with an injured back. \nIU is no stranger to injuries either, as senior center George Leach is still out with a left knee injury.\nJunior guard Chris Thomas currently leads Notre Dame with an average of 18.5 points a game. Thomas also leads the team with 19 assists this season.\nDavis said Thomas will be the man to hold back in the game tonight, and that junior guard Donald Perry will be the IU player to do it.\nPerry had a career-high 13 points in the contest with Missouri, his first start since his freshman year.\n"I think that we're capable of winning the game," Perry said. "We have the talent, but we just lose focus too quick."\nDavis also noted that the team hasn't showed up to play a full game with intensity yet this year.\n"We had a good half against Xavier and a good half versus Missouri," Davis said. "We had stretches against Greensboro, and at the same time, we're just trying to get into a rhythm. I just feel really good about where we are right now."\nIU was 12-14 (.857) from the free throw line against Missouri, and sophomore guard Bracey Wright has made 13 consecutive free throws. \nSophomore forward Sean Kline made all six of his free throw attempts in the Missouri game, a huge improvement from last year's 21-45 overall (.467).\nKline said he learned from the Missouri game that the team was capable of putting up a fight. IU led Missouri almost the entire game.\n"We definitely battled and knocked down shots and played good defense," Kline said. "We just have to learn to finish games and play for 40 minutes instead of 36."\nWhile Perry and Wright were both big parts of Saturday's game, Davis said he wants everyone to be a big part of the contest tonight.\n"We need some more of our guys to step up and play for 40 minutes," Davis said. "We are just going to see where we are (tonight)"