IU nabs 2nd road win after effort from walk-on Suhr

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Desperate times call for desperate measures.\nTo save its dwindling NCAA Tournament hopes, IU turned to the three-point shot as its savior and a walk-on, Errek Suhr, to get them there.\nThe Hoosiers hit 14 of 23 from three-point range -- more than 60 percent for the game -- as the sophomore Suhr came off the bench to hit three of four three's to contribute to IU's 70-63 victory.\nSuhr's first three-pointer four minutes into the game sparked a string of seven straight three-point baskets for the Hoosiers. Suhr entered the game after junior Marshall Strickland cut his eye. \n"I think we were really sharing the basketball tonight," Suhr said. "That's what contagious is sharing the ball. If we're doing that, we're hitting shots."\nThe unusual suspect Suhr sparked the Hoosiers' usual three-point culprits. Freshman Robert Vaden led the way -- hitting four of five -- and Strickland hit four of six. The only long-range bomber missing from the act was junior Bracey Wright -- who only hit one of four from long-distance after returning from his left ankle sprain.\nJoining Suhr in the act was freshman A.J. Ratliff. Ratliff, who usually starts, came off the bench and hit two of three three-pointers as well.\nSuhr led the way though and got the Hoosiers' started. Suhr's unsuspected emergence can be explained in the numbers. Suhr hadn't played in a game since playing four minutes against Northwestern Jan. 5. The only game he'd scored in this season was Dec. 28 against Ball State when he chipped in eight points. Suhr hadn't scored in any Big Ten game until Sunday.\nMichigan coach Tommy Amaker illustrated Suhr's unexpected production by saying other Hoosiers "certainly" were ahead of the Bloomington native on the scouting report.\n"I think that kid played tremendous basketball," Amaker said. "He made some shots and showed some toughness guarding Dion (Harris) and doing some really good things for their team."\nWhen Suhr wasn't knocking down three's or helping lead the Hoosier offense, he was guarding Michigan's leading scorer Dion Harris.\nDespite Harris being a half-foot taller than him, Suhr used his quickness to check Harris close. Harris only had three turnovers, but Suhr caused one of them in the first half after annoying Harris into a traveling violation when he tried to penetrate the lane.\nIU coach Mike Davis said the Hoosiers usually don't pester a player as close as Suhr bothered Harris.\n"He's a guy who's willing to do that so it becomes natural to him," Davis said. "A coach sometimes can make a mistake by not playing a guy more than what you play him. Errek certainly proved me wrong today."\nAfter proving two coaches wrong, guarding the opponents' leading scorer and keying a Hoosier win that breathes life into their NCAA Tournament hopes, Suhr remained humble.\n"It's not like I was doing anything special."\n-- Contact Staff Writer John \nRodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.