IU looks to crash boards against PSU

Minnesota was leading IU when Ralph Sampson sat down for the rest of the night.

The Minnesota center had scored 17 points in an 81-78 loss, and he wasn’t the only big man this season to give the Hoosiers fits. The Hoosiers let up 20 points to Michigan’s DeShawn Sims and 27 to Illinois’ Mike Tisdale in the two games preceding Minnesota.

IU coach Tom Crean said his team will look to improve its frontcourt defense against Penn State at 7 p.m. today in University Park, Pa.

“We have to rebound the ball,” Crean said. “We have to be better defensively inside.”

IU has allowed an average of 71 points in its past three games, giving up 28 points in the paint per game in that stretch.

When playing Penn State, the lone team without a Big Ten win, Crean said he plans on facing a team with an extra incentive and emotion that will affect their play inside.

“I think that they’re going to come out and absolutely try to dismantle us on the backboards,” he said. “I think that they will try to ram it down our throats inside.”

Big men for the Hoosiers have stepped it up offensively as of late but struggled when facing four-guard lineups at Michigan, and they will see the same from Penn State.

Freshman forward Derek Elston said IU needs to communicate to improve its play against Penn State.

“It’s all just talking,” Elston said. “That’s what we’ve got to work on. Like coaches say, ‘If you say it then you’ll do it. If you don’t talk out there to the guys then you will be lost.’”

Leading the charge for the Nittany Lions will be Talor Battle, a quick guard who averages 18 points per game this season.

Crean compared his play to that of Michigan guard Manny Harris, who took over the second half of IU’s contest against the Wolverines.

“If we allow Talor Battle to play at the end of the game the way we allowed Manny Harris, we’ll have the same result -- because they’re the same type of player,” Crean said.

Freshman guard Jordan Hulls will be one of the players charged with slowing Battle. He said he doesn't expect the game to be easy, despite Penn State’s 0-5 conference record.

“Every game’s tough in the Big Ten,” Hulls said. “There are no easy wins. Every game you can go out there and get beat.”

For Crean, though, the game will come down to defense.

"It's a matter of leadership," he said. "It's a matter of guys continuing to work when something is called. And at the end, taking pride in making stops."