Balanced IU attack downs Michigan at home, 80-61

With six straight losses, IU entered its matchup against Michigan in need of a statement game to turn the season around.

On Saturday night, the team got it.

The Hoosiers dominated the Wolverines in nearly every facet of their 80-61 win at
Assembly Hall.

“This gives us confidence,” IU sophomore forward Christian Watford said of his team’s first conference victory. “We finally got one on the board, and we feel like maybe we can run off a couple and get on a winning streak. We’ll see what happens.”

While the Hoosiers’ success stemmed partly from stifling defense — they allowed only 15 points in the first half for the first time since 2002 — IU’s offense was equally sensational against Michigan.

Led by junior guard Verdell Jones, who finished with 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field, the Hoosiers shot a blistering 67.4 percent as a team.

Watford was also a major factor offensively with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
But no player may have been as clutch as sophomore guard Jordan Hulls, who stepped up when the team needed him down the stretch.

IU, which led by as many as 21 points in the second half, began seeing its lead slowly diminish with 10:40 remaining.

Michigan cut the deficit to 11 points behind sharpshooting from sophomore Darius Morris and true freshman Tim Hardaway Jr. with help from a dunk by redshirt freshman Jordan Morgan to build some momentum.

But Hulls, who did not even attempt a shot in the first half, quickly put an end to that.

With 8:15 left in the game, Hulls buried a 3-pointer from the right side of the court.
After Hardaway Jr. made another 3-pointer, Hulls countered with one of his own, this time in the far right corner, to put IU up 14 points.

“They came at a great time,” IU coach Tom Crean said of Hulls’ baskets. “That’s exactly what we need. That’s what his teammates expect from him. That’s what his teammates see at practice. He played an excellent game.”

Hulls, who finished with 13 points on 4-of-4 shooting, was jokingly asked after the game if he “was waiting for it to be dramatic” before taking shots.

He quickly shot that theory down.

“I don’t care if I score 20 points or two points,” Hulls said. “If we’re winning ball games, that’s fine with me. I’m just doing whatever it takes to help this team win.”

Crean spoke a lot this week about needing consistency from his squad.

Much of this season has either been building leads and losing them or trailing early and being forced to come back, he said.

Against Michigan, though, the Hoosiers played well from start to finish.

IU got significant contributions down the stretch from its regulars — Jones, Watford, Hulls and sophomore guard Maurice Creek — as well as players making the most of their playing time.

Junior guard Matt Roth played only three total minutes but finished with six points on two 3-pointers.

Senior guard Jeremiah Rivers, known primarily for his defensive ability, threw down a dunk on the left baseline.

Jones said the difference between Saturday’s win against Michigan and last week’s loss to Northwestern was energy.

“That was the biggest thing for us tonight, period,” he said. “We just played with energy. I thought we came out very lackadaisical at Northwestern, and today we had energy all 40 minutes.”