Hoosiers’ losing streak runs to 4 with OT defeat

Coming into Thursday night’s game against Michigan State, the Hoosiers were riding a season-high three-game losing streak, with losses in four of their last five games. A defeat of the Spartans would have given IU its first win since Jan. 29.

After a slow start, the Hoosiers managed to come back in the second half but fell short in overtime, losing 71-65.

Six-foot-9 Spartan junior Allyssa Dahaan made more field goals, at six, than the Hoosiers managed in the first half – with IU shooting 21 percent.

Though the first half was poor, the Hoosiers only found themselves down six at the half, due in part to 15 Spartan turnovers.

What kept the Hoosiers in the game was free-throw shooting: IU made 8-of-10 in the first half and 24-of-28 for the game.

“In losses you have to find small victories,” said IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack after the game. “They had great concentration. There was a lot of stress and duress down the stretch, and with freshmen stepping to the line, like Ashlee (Mells) making shots, that’s one of the small victories we’ll receive.”

The game’s play went back and forth with nine separate ties and 14 lead changes. One lead change came with 58.3 seconds left in the game.

Sophomore Jori Davis, who had yet to hit a field goal, knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Hoosiers the lead, 55-52.

“The play was called red for Jamie (Braun), but it got kind of mixed up so I just stepped back and hit the 3,” Davis said. “It wasn’t really a play – we just needed a bucket, and I just had to shoot it.”

After Dahaan tied the game at 57 with a jumper, IU sophomore Andrea McGuirt unsuccessfully attempted a half-court heave with four seconds left, sending the game into overtime.

A shorthanded and undersized IU was outscored 14-8 in overtime to reach the game’s final tally.

Complicating things for the Hoosiers in the extra period was the absence of seniors Whitney Thomas and Kim Roberson, who both fouled out in the second half.

“We were already at a deficit when it comes to height and size, but those two are a part of our heart,” Legette-Jack said. “I just think Whitney Thomas is a kid that gets the short end of the stick. If two people are in the vicinity, the call is going to go against her. It’s hard to play when you don’t have those guys out there, especially minus Sasha Chaplin. We didn’t have any size from the get-go.”