Dec. 17: Assembly Hall\nIU 57, Southern Illinois 47 \nIU coach Kelvin Sampson continually referred to Southern Illinois as the best team the Hoosiers had played this season up until their match in Assembly Hall. He may have very well been right. SIU took a one-point lead into halftime (23-22), but IU gained the lead for good during a furious 14-1 run in the second half. Junior guard A.J. Ratliff had a team-high 14 points off the bench for the Hoosiers.
Dec. 20: Assembly Hall\nIU 77, Western Michigan 69\nFor the first time all season, the Hoosiers were out-rebounded when Western Michigan grabbed 43 boards to IU's 31. The Broncos held tight with the Hoosiers, leading at halftime 30-27. But just as they had done a few days earlier against SIU, the Hoosiers' offense came alive in the second half and held WMU in check on the defensive end. Five Hoosiers scored in double figures to put the game out of reach. Senior guard Earl Calloway led the way with a game-high 20 points.
Dec. 22: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis\nIU 86, IUPUI 57\nThis time around, the Hoosiers left no doubt. Commanding the game from the opening tip-off, IU took a 10-0 lead and held the Jaguars scoreless for the first 3:16 of the game. The Hoosiers shot 52 percent from the field and junior forward Lance Stemler scored 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Dec. 30: Assembly Hall\nIU 71, Ball State 57\nIU continued its winning ways in the team's last game leading to the start of conference play. Junior forward D.J. White started the game with a thunderous dunk and ended it as the Hoosiers' leading scorer with 16 points. Senior guard Rod Wilmont added 12 points and seven rebounds in the win. IU shot 43.1 percent from the floor and held the Cardinals to 38.6 percent shooting.
Jan. 2: Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohio\nOhio State 74, IU 67\nAlthough the Hoosiers led for stretches in both the first and second half, an athletic and talented Buckeyes squad was too much for IU in the end. Ohio State's Greg Oden, a graduate of Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, tallied a career-high 21 points and four blocks, including a rather emphatic swat on freshman guard Armon Bassett to seal the Buckeyes' win late in the second half. IU stayed in the game thanks to some furious 3-point shooting. The Hoosiers shot 54.5 percent on 12-of-22 attempts.
