Hoosiers hang on despite struggles during 2nd half

EVANSTON, Ill.— As the IU men’s basketball team ventured into the Big Ten portion of its 2012-13 schedule, the Hoosiers had been tested very little late in games this season.

With the exception of the two games IU took into overtime on neutral courts — producing a win against Georgetown in Brooklyn, N.Y., and a loss to Butler in Indianapolis — the Hoosiers had largely dominated their opponents early in the season, winning 10 of their other 11 nonconference games by at least 20 points.

But Big Ten foes have produced a different beast entirely.

The Hoosiers have scored early and often in the first half, averaging more than 38 points in the game’s first 20 minutes.

However, in the second half of Big Ten games, IU is averaging just 33 points, and it has been in these final 20 minutes where teams have been able to creep back to steal wins, climb within a possession or simply make the game closer than many thought it would get.

Sunday, though, when the Northwestern Wildcats clawed their way back to within five points several times, the Hoosiers did not appear to panic. They did not commit turnovers or miss late free throws that had plagued them in the past few games.

“We just had to keep playing,” sophomore forward Cody Zeller said. “We were kind of in a slump there for a while where we couldn’t get anything going, but we’ve got a lot of guys who can score in a lot of different ways and a lot of veterans who kept their composure. It was good to see that as they made a few big plays down the stretch.”

IU finished the first half with a 14-point lead, up 31-17. As the minutes went by in the second half, the lead teetered around 14.

Up to 16. Down to 11. Up to 16 again.

Then, just as Minnesota and Wisconsin had been able to do, the Wildcats reeled off a string of buckets as the IU offense stagnated.

Northwestern went on an 8-0 run from 9:50 to 6:48, including a 3-pointer from Wildcat Jared Swopshire and bookended by a free throw from Reggie Hearn to cut the IU lead to 47-42.

The Hoosiers would not allow the scoring margin to come any closer.

IU fought back with its own 7-1 run as Zeller layed in two buckets close to the basket and junior guard Victor Oladipo nailed a 3-pointer to cap it off.

IU Coach Tom Crean said he was glad to see his players fight back when the Wildcats were closing in.

“We made some mistakes in the second half with a very hard team to play against,” Crean said. “Not only did we defend pretty well — not as great in the second half — but when the bell needed to be answered, we came down and scored three-straight buckets.”

Northwestern would come within five points twice more, and they had to begin fouling IU players in hopes of pulling off the upset. They looked to an unlikely Hoosier who they hoped would miss shots at the line.

Northwestern Coach Bill Carmody said he told his players to foul senior guard Jordan Hulls.

Hulls had missed three-straight free throws earlier in the game, just as he did against Minnesota down the stretch the week before. Carmody said that most of IU’s roster is good from the line, but he saw Hulls possibly struggling and thought he would try to expose him again.

But like the rest of his teammates Sunday, when it mattered most, Hulls pulled through, making all four of his attempts from the charity stripe in the final minute.

Hulls said he is still rattled a bit when he misses multiple shots in a row, but he dared any team to foul him later on this season when the game is on the line.

“I’m getting better when I just miss one, but when I miss three, it’s still kind of tough on me,” Hulls said. “That’s fine, put me on the line.”