Point, counterpoint: Hoosiers fail to match up

Almost every time the Hoosiers address and temporarily fix a problem that’s plagued them recently, a new weakness is exploited.

Sunday’s game showed more of the same.

IU (6-18, 1-11) limited its turnovers to just 13 after turning the ball over a season-high 26 times Tuesday against Minnesota and throwing away the ball 19 times the first time out against Illinois (21-5, 9-4).

But while the Hoosiers did a better job of taking care of the ball, their free throw shooting went south.

The Hoosiers made just 11-24 from the charity stripe in the game and only 6-14 during a first half that saw Illinois build a 21-point lead.

Freshman Matt Roth, who made two of the three free throws he shot Sunday, doesn’t believe poor shooting is infectious on a team.

“I don’t really believe in contagious shooting or anything like,” Roth said. “It’s just something we’ve got to keep doing and work on in practice, and we just got to carry it over to games now.”

Another staple for IU in most games this season – and a point of emphasis for IU coach Tom Crean – is the team’s ability to compete and win the rebounding battle.

Despite the general shortness of the team, IU has held its own in the rebounding department most of the season, out-rebounding the Illini in January by 12.

But on Sunday the taller Illini, namely big men Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale, helped Illinois pull down 10 more boards than IU.

“They did a great job of getting to the offensive boards from that four spot,” Roth said. “They had a lot of balls that we were able to get our hand on but just not able to bring down.”

Defensively, the Hoosiers went from allowing 13 3-point field goals when the two schools played in Illinois to holding the Illini to just 3-10 from behind the arc Sunday.

The only problem for the Hoosiers is that the same Illini big men who helped dominate the boards also went from scoring 14 combined points to dropping 16 points each.

Illinois coach Bruce Weber credited his team’s efficient passing game for his two post players’ big afternoon.

“We have a size advantage, there’s no doubt,” Weber said. “Tisdale and Davis had nice touches inside. We were able to spread them and move the basketball.”

Even as opposing teams adjust to IU, Crean said the team’s youthfulness isn’t to blame. Instead, the first-year coach praised the play of the opposition, citing the Illini as being one of the more underrated teams around.

“I think it’s the experience and talent of the other team. They’re very good,” Crean said. “Illinois can beat you a lot of different ways. I hate to use the term ‘pick your poison,’ but you have to. They have players that are very hard to guard one-on-one.”