IU uses time off to solidify rebounding

It hasn't been often that IU coach Kelvin Sampson's first IU basketball team has suffered the indignity of a rebounding deficit. \nSo when the Hoosiers -- who are out-rebounding their opponents by 2.9 rebounds a game this season -- surrendered 42 rebounds to the Hawkeyes and only grabbed 25 boards themselves, Sampson realized his team still hadn't become addicted to crashing the boards.\n"It's something that we emphasize daily, but in a game like the other night, you see it just hasn't become a habit yet," Sampson said.\nThe Hoosiers will try to reignite that habit Saturday, when they host Big Ten rival Illinois at Assembly Hall. \nIU has been forced to bounce back from a Big Ten road loss before, one inflicted by the Illini on Jan. 23. The Hoosiers, who are unbeaten at home, have struggled twice in a row at Big Ten away venues. The loss to Iowa dropped IU to 6-3 in the Big Ten, two games behind conference leaders Ohio State and Wisconsin. \nSampson said he looked for his Hoosiers to improve this weekend, much like they did after the earlier loss to Illinois. \n"We really had some guys who didn't play well and there is no excuse for it," Sampson said. "I don't think that will be an issue. Just like after the Illinois game, I knew that we would bounce back. And just like after this game, we will bounce back again."\nPart of that process will no doubt include rebounding the ball more effectively. The IU coach chalked the rebounding problems up to aggressiveness -- Iowa had it, and IU didn't. \nHe included Hoosier forward D.J. White, who was sidelined with foul trouble for large portions of Saturday's contest. When he was on the floor, Sampson said, White was tentative around the glass. \n"I think D.J. has to stay aggressive when he gets into foul trouble," Sampson said. "He has kind of been like that all year, though. We just try to get him to stay aggressive."\nWhite agreed with his coach. \n"It's true," White said. "Once I get my first foul, I start being a little hesitant, because I know have to be on the court for this team. But at the same time, while I'm out there, I have to give a 100 percent and not be tentative."\nA good sign for the Hoosiers might be their rebounding abilities in their first matchup with Illinois. Despite the slow tempo of the game, and IU's inefficiency on offense, the Hoosiers were still able to out-rebound the Illini 28-27. IU earned that margin while Illinois forward Brian Randle was sidelined with an injury. Randle is back in the Illinois lineup, and will suit up for the Illini on Saturday. \nThe Hoosiers surrendered 19 of those boards to Illinois forwards Sean Pruitt, who had 13, and Warren Carter, who had six. \nWhite will work to keep those big men off the glass Saturday.\n"That's been our emphasis in practice -- rebounding," White said. "We've got to get back to playing our style of ball"