Second-half surge powers Hoosiers’ win against Penn State

In the midst of a three-game losing streak and coming off  of the fewest points scored in a half at home all season, the IU basketball team showed the fortitude it needed following intermission Sunday afternoon.

Down by two to the team at the bottom of the Big Ten conference, No. 11/13 Indiana (16-4, 4-4) put together a complete second half on both ends of the floor. IU defeated Penn State (10-11, 2-6) 73-54 in front of a crowd of 17,248 at Assembly Hall.

The Hoosiers held Penn State to just 23-percent shooting in the second half compared to a 65-percent performance by IU.

“We knew coming out of the locker room we needed to have a good start,” junior guard Jordan Hulls said. “Things we knew we had to get corrected in the second half was our defense and turning up the intensity, and that’s what we did.”

After a first half in which Penn State led for the final 10 minutes, the Hoosiers wasted no time in making their push.

Freshman forward Cody Zeller started things off with an offensive rebound tip-in to tie the game at 29 on the opening possession of the half.

On the ensuing possession, senior guard Verdell Jones III finished off a steal and assist by Hulls, and IU would never trail the rest of the way.

“I think the first two possessions kind of set the pace for us,” Zeller said. “We are at our best when we are getting out in running.”

Zeller once again paced the Hoosiers with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting and was the lone IU player to score more than three points in the first half. Hulls (14) and Watford (11) were the other two IU players in double figures.

A key to IU’s second half surge was the ability to knock down early 3-pointers.

IU hit 16-of-24 from behind the arc in its first meeting, but only hit two 3-pointers in the first half Sunday.

The Hoosiers hit four 3-pointers in the first seven minutes of the second half.

The second half had 32 fouls called, which was double the amount that happened in the game’s first 20 minutes.

With just 6.8 seconds remaining and IU leading 71-54, the game turned ugly as sophomore forward Will Sheehey was ejected for getting his second technical foul of  the afternoon.

Penn State forward Mike Glover fouled Watford on a 3-pointer attempt with the shot clock winding down right in front of the IU bench.

A scuffle ensued in front of the Hoosiers bench, and Penn State’s Ross Travis was also assessed a technical.

The technical on Sheehey was the second of the game for the sophomore forward, but IU Coach Tom Crean doesn’t expect him to be suspended heading into Wisconsin on Thursday night.

“To my knowledge, there will be nothing different with Will’s status,” Crean said. “There were no punches thrown or anything like that.”