Hoosiers ride surge into Iowa game

Following its lopsided loss to Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 23, IU appeared to be destined for the basement of the Big Ten.

Things have changed.

Since the defeat two weeks ago, the Hoosiers have beaten two ranked conference opponents in their past three games. The lone loss came in overtime on the road at Michigan State.

And with a rematch against the Hawkeyes at 4 p.m. Saturday at Assembly Hall, IU hopes that recent success continues.

“Different guys have stepped up,” IU junior guard Verdell Jones said. “That’s something that we have been doing lately, and we need to keep it going.”

The strong play by IU began at an unlikely time.

The Hoosiers lost sophomore guard Maurice Creek (likely for the season) with a right knee injury just a week prior. They were also lacking Jones because of knee inflammation.

Yet without Jones and Creek, IU upset No. 20 Illinois and took No. 25 Michigan State to overtime.

The biggest impact came from sophomore guard Jordan Hulls and sophomore forward Christian Watford, who had 35 and 37 points in the two games, respectively.

Despite the loss, IU coach Tom Crean praised his team’s physicality against a ranked Spartan team.

“When you’re in that locker room and the energy is where it is, and during the game you can feel it, it’s the ultimate,” Crean said. “The only thing that makes it better is when you get a win. And we did everything but today.”

The most surprising outcome, though, came in IU’s most recent victory against No. 18 Minnesota at home Wednesday. 

Watford, the team’s leading scorer, broke a bone in his left hand and had surgery one day prior to the matchup. With Jones not 100 percent and Watford out, it looked as if the recent success was over.

The Hoosiers, in particular junior forward Tom Pritchard, proved that notion wrong.  
Pritchard had a season-high 12 points and seven rebounds in the 60-57 win against the Gophers. Jones played for the first time in three games and hit the decisive three-point basket. 

IU junior guard Daniel Moore, who has played sparingly this season, was excellent on defense and did not allow Minnesota guard Blake Hoffarber to get a clean shot off on the final play of the game.

Most of all, the Hoosiers are playing with confidence despite a depleted roster.

“We came into the game knowing that everyone had to step it up,” IU sophomore forward Derek Elston said. “(Minnesota) beat us in there last time with Christian (Watford), so we knew we just had to battle. That’s what it just came down to.” 

That same physicality will need to be seen Saturday against an improved Iowa squad. The Hawkeyes are coming off of a 20-point win Wednesday against Michigan State.
Crean said his team will be fine against Iowa if it keeps doing what it has been doing the past week.
 
“As I said to them, ‘If you can develop real belief, you have a chance to really do a lot of great things,’” Crean said. “When this team plays on edge and they continue to develop belief, they are going to keep getting better.”