Unlikely lineup sparks IU's near second-half comeback

DURHAM, N.C. -- With junior forward Lance Stemler sidelined with a concussion and senior guards Rod Wilmont and Earl Calloway on the bench for most of the game, IU coach Kelvin Sampson looked to guards Armon Bassett and Errek Suhr to provide a spark for the Hoosiers Tuesday night against No. 11 Duke University.\nThe freshman-senior guard duo responded to the call, combining for 21 points and four steals in 61 combined minutes of play during the Hoosiers' 54-51 loss to the Blue Devils in Cameron Indoor Stadium.\n"Errek Suhr's heart and point of attack is important in basketball," Sampson said. "You can't win on the road unless you're good at the point of attack. And Suhr was solid."\nEven Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was impressed by Suhr's performance.\n"That kid Suhr just took his team that was drowning and picked them all up," he said. "What a courageous performance by that kid."\nBassett and Suhr kept the game close down the stretch for the Hoosiers. Bassett hit a layup with two minutes remaining to cut the Duke lead to two but misfired on a few shot attempts late in the game that could have tied up the contest. Suhr could not capitalize on Duke mistakes and missed an opportunity to tie the game up and possibly send it to overtime. With just seconds remaining in the game, the senior guard attempted a 3-pointer and drew contact, but no foul was called. The buzzer sounded, and the Blue Devils sealed their victory.\n"We started out and got a steal, and I was just thinking that we needed a 3-pointer," Suhr said of the final possession of the game. "I looked to get the ball to Armon, but they did a real good job of cutting him off. I knew my size would make it tough to get a shot off, so I tried to get off an open look, and it didn't go down."\nSampson also started sophomore center Ben Allen in Stemler's absence and gave considerable playing time to freshman guard Joey Shaw and junior forward Mike White. He said that Bassett's play, along with Shaw and Suhr, surprised him the most.\n"You gotta figure out who you can win on the road with. You know, I've never seen some of these kids play on the road," Sampson said of his starting lineup. "Those two freshmen (Shaw and Bassett) gave us the best chance. You don't need Superman at point guard, just someone who knows how to play. We may have found that tonight."\nThe Hoosiers trailed by as many as 15 in the first half of play but cut the deficit down at the start of the second half with a 12-2 run and eventually tied up the game 40-40 with 12 minutes remaining. But they failed to take a lead during the game.\nThe Hoosier big men struggled down the stretch of the game. D.J. White finished the night with just seven points on 3-for-11 shooting from the field and Allen recorded two points and fouled out of the game.\nWilmont and Calloway sat for most of the second half, along with junior guard A.J. Ratliff.\nThe loss dropped the Hoosiers to 3-2 on the season. IU will take on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Saturday night in Assembly Hall.