After losing its leading scorer for three games, junior Bracey Wright returned to action Sunday, starting against Michigan and scoring seven points.\nAlthough Wright's production was far below his average prior to his Feb. 2 injury, IU coach Mike Davis said Monday it was great having him back.\n"He played about like I expected him to play," Davis said. "Just having Bracey back on the court was really good for our team."\nDavis said he didn't think Wright experienced too much pain from playing on his sprained left ankle, which was heavily taped to go along with his usual ankle brace.\n"He didn't really show any grimace. I think it was just fatigue," Davis said.\nWhile Wright has been hampered by an ankle sprain, the young Hoosiers have grown, Davis said, and the fifth-year coach hopes the growth continues tonight against Purdue.\n"I think with having him out, our other guys have stepped up," Davis said. \nTwo players who have elevated their games recently are freshman Robert Vaden and junior Marshall Strickland. Vaden scored a career-high 18 points Sunday, whereas Strickland scored 14. Vaden is averaging 14.5 points per game in the four contests since Wright was hurt -- up from 9.9 before the injury.\nVaden has had to get over playing increased minutes. He played 39 minutes against Michigan and 38 minutes versus Ohio State Feb. 15. Davis said after the Ohio State game that he should have rested Vaden more.\n"I'm used to it," Vaden said. "The first time that I played 40 minutes, I was very tired. I just started passing the ball and not being aggressive. (Against Michigan), I went to the hole and got to the free-throw line. I just try to be smart when playing a lot of minutes."\nAlthough Strickland's 14 points against Michigan was an increase in his scoring column, the junior's main improvement of late revolves around his point guard duties. In the last 70 minutes Strickland has played, he has had nine assists and two turnovers, compared with three assists and nine turnovers in the 75 previous minutes. \n"Marshall has struggled scoring the ball this year a little," Davis said. "Right now he's finding his way to being the player we want him to be."
DAVIS PROUD of smith\nFormer IU signee Josh Smith won the NBA's Slam Dunk Competition Saturday in Denver. Smith originally signed a letter of intent to attend IU but then backed out and entered the NBA draft. The Georgia native was selected 17th by the Atlanta Hawks.\n"I want to congratulate Josh Smith on winning the dunk contest," Davis said. "He's a Hoosier -- so it's the first Hoosier we've ever had win a slam dunk contest."\nIn Smith's final round matchup against the Phoenix Suns' Amare Stoudemire, Smith beat Stoudamire 100-87 and scored a perfect 50 on his last three dunks.\n-- Contact Staff Writer John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
