Team overcomes free throw woes for 71-56 win over Gophers

Playing without one of its best players, the IU men's basketball team put together one of its best games. Despite leading scorer Bracey Wright being sidelined for the second-straight game, IU's bench rallied the team to a 71-56 win against Minnesota at Assembly Hall.\nFreshman guard A.J. Ratliff said although the team wants Wright back from his sprained ankle, it's a positive sign that it can win without him. \n"It's a very good feeling to know you can come out and beat a real good team without your leading scorer," Ratliff said. "I think with or without Bracey, we're starting to gel more on our offense."\nRatliff scored 15 points for IU, and sophomore forward Patrick Ewing Jr. added 15 more off the bench, pacing the Hoosier team to its seventh straight win at home. Ewing also had six rebounds, a pair of assists and only his second three-pointer of the year in the first half.\n"Pat played like his daddy," Ratliff said. "He came out and played a great game, had some smart plays, knocked down free throws when they were clutch. He played great."\nIU overcame poor free-throw shooting in the first half with a 10-0 run to open the second period and built a 39-27 lead. After a pair of free throws by Ratliff, junior guard Marshall Strickland stole the ball and hit a three-pointer to put IU ahead 34-27. Ratliff added a three-pointer as the shot clock expired and IU forced four turnovers and an 0-4 Minnesota shooting performance during the first five minutes of the second half. \n"(Coach Davis) just told us that we could have been up by a lot more if we eliminated their second-chance points and free throws," said freshmen forward Robert Vaden. "So that's what we tried to do (in the second half) and we got off to a 10-0 run. I think we did what he told us to do."\nIU's free-throw woes came to an end as the game clock wound down and Minnesota began fouling. Up to the final three minutes of the game, IU shot only 13-25 from the line. But, with the Gophers sending IU to the line to stop the clock, Ewing and Vaden combined for a perfect 6-6, sealing the win. \nThe Gophers' guard Vincent Grier led all scorers with 21 points and Minnesota center Jeff Hagen added 20, including 12 of 15 from the line. Still, Minnesota coach Dan Monson wasn't pleased with his team's performance. \n"I don't think we had anybody today of the eight guys who played well," he said. "The only guys that shot 50 percent were our centers and they shot 5-10 between them, all lay-ins. We can't win like that."\nIU never trailed in the first half, but Minnesota whittled down the Hoosiers' lead to two by the end of the period, 29-27. A three-pointer by senior guard Mark Johnson with three and a half minutes to go put IU up by nine, but missed free throws gave the Golden Gophers an opportunity. As the clock wound down in the first half, Johnson, Ratliff and junior forward Sean Kline combined to go 0-5 from the line. \nThe Hoosiers will now hit the road for games at Ohio State Tuesday and at Michigan Sunday. IU Coach Mike Davis said the team must win at least one of those games and three or four more overall if it wants to make the tournament. If those numbers sound optimistic, Davis said it might be because he is counting the Hoosiers' Dec. 22 loss against Charlotte as a win. In that game, a questionable call allowed a game-winning half-court shot with 0.7 seconds left by Charlotte guard Brendan Plavich.\n"I just think if we get those nine wins in conference play, we should be in great shape," Davis said. "Because I'm counting that win (against) Charlotte."\nKline said the team anticipates a winning streak. \n"I foresee two wins," he said. "We've got to win out, I believe. And everybody on the team believes we can do that."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Gavin Lesnick at glesnick@indiana.edu.