Under Crean, IU winless in Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Two weeks ago, the IU men’s basketball team earned its second road win of the Tom Crean era when it beat Evansville, 94-73.

Now, the Hoosiers will travel to Raleigh, N.C., looking for that third road win and their first in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge when they take on North Carolina State (5-1) at 7:15 p.m. tonight.

IU is 3-7 all-time in the challenge. Here is a look back at the three previous games in the challenge during Crean’s tenure.

Dec. 3, 2008: Wake Forest 83, Indiana 58
During a game in which IU was overmatched physically, the Hoosiers suffered a 25-point defeat to the No. 15 team in the country.

Matt Roth came off the bench to knock down four three-pointers for the Hoosiers. He and Malik Story (10 points) were the only IU players in double figures.

IU had a brief 18-17 first-half lead, but 26 turnovers were the difference in the first true road game with Tom Crean.

Dec. 1, 2009: Maryland 80, Indiana 68
The Hoosiers’ lone home game during the Crean era of the challenge was two years ago, when Maryland visited Assembly Hall.

After IU led by seven in the first half, the Terrapins made a late run to take a two-point lead at intermission.
IU gave up 45 second-half points on 57 percent shooting. After the teams were tied at 54, a 24-9 Maryland run broke the game open.

Freshmen Maurice Creek (19 points) and Christian Watford (16) paced the Hoosiers offensively, but IU was 7-of-26 from behind the arc.

Dec. 1, 2010: Boston College 88, Indiana 76
After starting the season 6-0, Crean’s Hoosiers couldn’t muster up enough of a second-half rally to get a victory in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Once again, it was the duo of Watford and Creek who led the Hoosiers with a combined 38 points.

IU was down 14 at halftime but shot 63 percent in the second half to cut the lead to one with 5:44 remaining.

From that point on, Boston College guard Reggie Jackson scored 10 of his game-high 27 points to close out the contest and preserve the victory for the Eagles.