IU holds double-digit lead for majority of game to upset Wisconsin 74-61 at home

Whatever IU coach Mike Davis put in his Hoosiers' Wheaties this past week worked. \nComing off a disappointing and embarrassing 21-point loss at Northwestern in the Big Ten opener Wednesday, IU regrouped and defeated Wisconsin at Assembly Hall 74-61 Saturday night. \n"It was the most fun we had in a win," said junior guard Marshall Strickland. "The fans were really into it and we played with a lot of passion tonight."\nPacing the Hoosiers (6-7, 1-1 Big Ten) was junior guard Bracey Wright, who led all scorers with 30 points, Wright took on the role of baseball's utility man against the Badgers. He did anything -- and everything -- Davis wanted him to. Either running the show at point guard or scoring off the wing, Wright was able to get to the free throw line 10 times, making seven of them and putting much-needed points on the board for IU. \nOnly three of his 30 came from behind the arc. \nSaturday's game was a vast difference not just for Wright, but for the whole team.\n"I just think in the Northwestern game I never found my rhythm or my place in what I was doing," Wright said. "And tonight I just took it upon myself to be assertive and establish myself."\nDavis started three freshmen for the fifth consecutive game, in which the Hoosiers have gone 4-1. \nFreshman guard Robert Vaden also recovered from a poor showing at Northwestern with 11 points and three assists.\nGoing up against a bigger and stronger Wisconsin front line, freshman center D.J. White had his hands full, but was able to take the Badger big-men duo of Zach Morley and Mike Wilkinson out of the game. \nWhite ended with 13 points and seven rebounds in his first Big Ten win.\n"It feels good to get it off my chest," White said.\nWith such a young squad, Davis said they, at times, get intimidated by the opposition. Saturday, it appeared as if the three first year players found their comfort zones on defense, forcing Wisconsin into 18 turnovers.\n"When you have three freshmen starting against that type of system, it is really tough for them," Davis said. "They have a tendency to play timid. I thought tonight, we came out and played the way we played earlier in the season as far as our defense goes."\nIn contrast to other games this season, the Hoosiers buckled down and starved off late runs by the Badgers. Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said his team was "working to get (the score) to single digits," because if they got the difference to nine or under, he said they could play the foul game. But the Hoosiers relented. \nDuring the second half, the three men officiating crew appeared to be foul-happy, whistling 35 of the 50 team fouls in the second stanza. In a stretch of 18 seconds, sophomore Roderick Wilmont was called for three fouls.\nAfter starting the season with two consecutive wins, the Hoosiers lost six games in a row but have rebounded with four wins in their last five games. Beating teams at home, Davis said, is expected, but losing on the road isn't something he gets worried about.\n"We just took care of home," Davis said. "That's the thing that is overlooked. You go on the road and you lose. It's normal. Play at home, you should win. You don't win, you are putting yourself in a hole. Last year, we put ourselves in a hole because we lost at home. You have to take care of home and try to steal a couple on the road."\nWhether or not the Hoosiers will be able to steal a couple on the road is still unknown, as the rollercoaster season continues.\nWright doesn't know why the Hoosiers play well during one game and like a completely different team the next, but with in-state rival Purdue coming up, he is looking forward to a steal on the road.\n"If I could explain it, I would be able to fix it," Wright said. "That's just how it's been happening for us. We play so well in one game, and then we play like it is our first game another game. Hopefully now that league play has started and we got a win under our belt we can relax and take this momentum into the Purdue game."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Josh Weinfuss at jweinfus@indiana.edu.