Double-digit deficit too much for Hoosiers to overcome in nail-biter against Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — As sophomore guard Jordan Hulls’ three-point attempt rattled off the rim with eight seconds remaining, IU’s chance of pulling off a comeback all but ended.

The Hoosiers, despite being down by double-digits with just more than five minutes remaining, fell in a nail-biter to Michigan, 73-69, Saturday at the Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich.  

IU coach Tom Crean, whose team trailed late in the game by 22 points, said his players must learn to be “combative” for the entire 40 minutes.

“When we play with a complete edge — with a combative edge — it’s amazing what happens,” Crean said. “Everyone is getting better, but it’s that combativeness. It’s got to be out all the time, and it’s what we are missing.”

Forced passes and poor shots from the Hoosiers caused the Wolverines to jump out to an early 19-11 lead with 11:41 remaining in the first half. Michigan never allowed the Hoosiers to cut the deficit to less than eight points before halftime.   

The Wolverines opened the second half on fire from beyond the arc with two 3-pointers, one from Stu Douglass and another from Tim Hardaway Jr., to extend their lead to 41-28 with 17:54 remaining.  

Crean said Hardaway Jr. — the game’s leading scorer with 26 points — was a key factor in the game’s outcome.

“He punked our guys, and it should have never been that way,” Crean said. “Earlier in the season he was a shot-taker, but now he’s a shot-maker. He’s a shot-maker at mid-range, at the rim and from three.”   

The Wolverines’ advantage reached 22 points with just more than five minutes remaining thanks to the sharpshooting of Hardaway Jr., guard Darius Morris and guard Zack Novak.

Despite the large deficit, the Hoosiers did not quit.  

Effectively executing a full-court trap, IU caused turnovers and sent Michigan to the free throw line to speed up the game.

With the Wolverines missing from the line — they were 8-of-19 during the second half — the Hoosiers took control down the stretch.

IU sophomore forward Christian Watford, who returned for his first game since breaking a bone in his left hand against Michigan State on Jan. 30, led the way with nine of his team-high 14 points in the final minutes.  

The Hoosiers went on a 23-4 run to make it a three-point game with 27 seconds remaining, but the hole into which the Hoosiers dug themselves during the first 35 minutes was too great to overcome.

“We have to be wiser. We have to be smarter,” IU freshman guard Victor Oladipo said. “We need to play all 40 minutes. We are very capable of playing all 40 minutes but just got to do it.”

Watford echoed Oladipo’s statement and said his team needs to play with that extra intensity for the entire game.

“We’re going to fight until the end, but we should have not gotten down like that in the first place,” Watford said. “It’s kind of easy to play when you are down 20-plus because you don’t want to get embarrassed. You just go out there and leave it all on the line.

“We should have had that mind-set from the get-go.”