Foul shots 'key' for Hoosiers

With all of the hype surrounding any NCAA game -- let alone a game featuring the No. 2 team in the country -- it's easy to overanalyze the mental capacities of the players involved, to wonder if they'll be properly focused.\n"Psychobabble," says IU coach Kelvin Sampson.\nSure, his players understand the importance of the game, but what's more important are the tangibles -- hitting shots, defending and, especially against Wisconsin, preventing an onslaught of free throws from ruining IU's chances at an upset.\n"We tell our kids to focus every game," Sampson said. "It's not like we're going to tell them we have to really be dialed in for this game. We just have to play. It comes down to making shots, staying out of foul trouble, keeping them off the free-throw line. That becomes more important than the psychobabble you're talking about."\nFree throws could present the greatest challenge for the Hoosiers. IU surrendered 35 to Michigan at home Saturday, and though the Hoosiers took home a comfortable 76-61 victory, they were outscored at the free-throw line 29-10. \nCommitting that many fouls against the Badgers could make IU considerably less comfortable. Wisconsin thrives on aggressive penetration that usually ends one of two ways: scoring, or getting to the free-throw line. Sometimes, it ends in both.\nWisconsin is leading the Big Ten in free-throw attempts with 587. Illinois comes in at a distant second with 476; IU comes in ninth on the list with 367. \nNot only that, but the Badgers lead the conference in made free throws with 401 -- more than the Hoosiers have attempted. IU has converted 262. \nWhether IU gets to the line or not, guard Rod Wilmont said, the Hoosiers will have to be able to defend jump shots without surrendering free throws.\n"(We've got to stop) fouling jump shooters," Wilmont said. "We fouled about six guys last week on jump shots.\n"(Wisconsin's) guys are really aggressive -- all their guards are -- and (Alando) Tucker especially," he said. "He gets a lot of his points from the free-throw line. So we've got to contain their guards and contest every shot without fouling."\nOn Saturday, Sampson chalked up the Michigan free-throw disparity to aggressiveness and some not-so-smart decisions from his team. On Tuesday afternoon, the coach hoped his team could fight that aggressive nature where fouls were concerned -- and adjust to whichever referee crew is calling the shots.\n"I think that's a big key for us," Sampson said. "It also has to do with the whistle, too -- if it's a tight whistle, if they play it close. My wife was watching Pittsburgh-Villanova -- when you're watching another game, it's a lot different than coaching in it. You could have called a foul every time under the basket. It depends on who's down there.\n"It's not like we played any different (against Michigan) than we did in other games," he said. "You always like to see a veteran crew, I'll tell you that. We just have to play smart and do a better job adjusting"