Early, frequent mistakes doom IU versus Badgers

MADISON, Wisc. — Junior guard Jeremiah Rivers drove down the lane, and the whistle sounded.

He had begun the game with a travel again, and IU started another contest on the wrong foot.

The Hoosiers, plagued by bad starts, have lost by 17 points in games against Northwestern and Ohio State in the past week. An 83-55 loss to Wisconsin on Saturday can now be added to that list.

“It’s hard for me to see us not fight as a team; not even five, 10 minutes in a game,” sophomore guard Verdell Jones said. “It’s embarrassing today.”

Five turnovers in the first eight minutes coupled with poor shooting resulted in a 27-7 Wisconsin run to start the first half.

“We didn’t put up much resistance to start and it was 20-5 — whatever the score was — before we even knew it,” sophomore guard Daniel Moore said.

The 21 IU turnovers for 29 Wisconsin points didn’t help the Hoosiers’ cause as the team tried to mount a comeback. Four-point stints were all IU could muster before a turnover or bad possession led to Wisconsin baskets.

The most elementary mistakes tripped IU in Wisconsin, and no player could find rationale to justify the outing.

The phrase “I don’t have an answer for that” was used by several players in response to media questions.

Within the game, it was evident IU was searching for answers.

The Hoosiers were called for four travels in the first half, accounting for nearly half of its 10 turnovers in the early session.

IU coach Tom Crean said, in those down moments, he searches for the player who can’t withstand the uphill battle IU has been in as of late; the player who is not prepared to play hard no matter the score.

“It’s going so fast that I’m looking for who’s not focused,” Crean said. “And then those guys can’t be in.”

An ill-prepared IU team was visible Saturday.

Jones’ face was shown on the JumboTron after his lone travel, and he wore a smile masking the embarrassment that comes with such a simple mistake.

Freshman forward Derek Elston touched the ball twice on the left side of the floor. He traveled both times and earned a spot on the IU bench because of it.

No change could help the Hoosiers overcome first-half mistakes, though. Wisconsin continued to score easy baskets, and IU continued to struggle offensively.

Freshman forward Christian Watford was the Hoosiers’ top scorer with 15 points, and Jones had 11 as he played through the flu.

Wisconsin guards Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon’s performances, meanwhile, pushed the Badger lead to as many as 30 points. Hughes scored 16 first-half points and gave the second half up to Bohannon, who finished the game with a career-high 30.

But a lack of effort from IU was more hurtful than any Badger bucket.

Wisconsin out-rebounded IU 33-26, dominated points in the paint 32-16 and totaled an 18-5 advantage on second-chance points.

“I’m extremely disappointed in our lack of physicality in the rebounding because that shouldn’t be happening. It should not be happening,” Crean said.

Moore said he isn’t interested in the numbers. He said he only wants to add to a win column that has been stagnant since Jan. 21.

“It’s embarrassing to get blown out rather than compete with some of the top teams in the country like we have,” Moore said. “We need to win. It doesn’t matter if we lose by two or 25, we need to win.”