IU escapes with win against Minnesota

For a few brief moments late in No. 5 IU’s 88-81 victory Saturday against No. 8 Minnesota, Jordan Hulls was not himself.

His face is normally still and stoic when he shoots and may show an occasional smile as he retreats back on defense after an IU basket. His free throw shot is nearly automatic, 13-for-16 in the season entering Saturday.

Yet, as Minnesota looked to complete a second-half comeback and overcome IU’s 23-point halftime lead, Hulls missed three straight shots out of 10 free throw attempts in 55 seconds.

As the third rattled off the rim, the senior guard stampeded up the lane, came out of the physical fray with the ball and let out a yell as he was fouled once more. Brow furrowed and jaw clenched, he walked toward the free throw line and made both shots to give his team an 86-81 lead, finally salting away the Hoosiers’ win.

“(Sophomore forward) Cody (Zeller) got into the lane, and he was able to tip it out,” Hulls said. “I was just mad enough to go get it.”

In a battle between deep teams replete with rebounders on both sides, the teams primarily stuck with their starters as turnovers, and jump shots set the pace in both halves during a game in which IU never trailed.

Hulls had 19 points in free throws and 3-pointers. Junior guard Victor Oladipo led IU with 20 points and three steals before fouling out late in the game.

IU controlled the board in the opening minutes, but 3-point jumpers by Minnesota’s Andre Hollins kept it even until other Gophers found their touch on layups.

The Hoosiers responded by feeding an inside ball to Zeller. Though he passed out to open teammates on several occasions, Zeller still scored six of IU’s first 14 points.
Minnesota pulled within a single point at 16-15, before IU reclaimed a large lead in a 10-point scoring spree.

After an early miss, Hulls hit several 3-pointers, including one from several feet beyond the arc. His four 3-pointers all came in the first half.

“I think that was important,” IU Coach Tom Crean said. “They obviously made their mind up that they were going to try to take him out of the game with size.”

In other cases, the defense forced turnovers that bred quick offense for IU. At one point, Zeller reached out his long arm to steal a pass and start a fast break.

Moments later, Oladipo seemingly barreled through a Minnesota ball handler, emerging with the ball on his way to a score.

“When you’re working as hard as you are on defense, you’re rarely going to come down and take a bad shot or force something when you’ve got other teammates working that hard with you defensively,” Crean said. “I think we’re a good example of that now.”

IU closed the half on a 36-14 run overall during the final 11:03 to enter the second half with a 52-29 lead that seemed almost too good to be true.

It nearly was.

“I was proud of the way we hung in there and didn’t give up, didn’t give in,” Minnesota Coach Tubby Smith said. “I thought we did the things to help us give ourselves a chance, didn’t embarrass ourselves by folding the tent and heading home.”

As IU fed off its defense in the first half, Minnesota troubled IU with press defense that helped it quickly cut its deficit to 13 points. The game’s pace slowed in the second half as Minnesota dictated more half-court sets.

The referees were more active as well. After only nine fouls called in the first half, it took just 6:54 to reach that mark in the second. In all, officials called 31 fouls in the second half.

IU could not capitalize on its chances from the line, though, shooting 26-for-40 for the game.

This allowed Minnesota to continue chipping away at the lead. With 5:55 remaining, the Hoosier led with 12 points. By the 2:48 mark, it was down to nine, in single digits for the first time in 24:57.

Two 3-pointers by the Gophers, including Hollins’ fifth, and several controversial fouls beyond the arc against Oladipo sliced the lead all the way down to three.

“I felt like I almost blew the game away,” Oladipo said. “That’s nine free throws that I just let them have. I was making dumb little mistakes towards the end of the game. I shouldn’t be doing that. I’m a junior now, and I’m a leader, and I can’t be making dumb mistakes like that.”

Enter Hulls, whose grim-faced free throws, along with two by senior forward Christian Watford, iced the game once and for all.

“A year ago, we would have been ecstatic with that victory,” Crean said. “I want them to enjoy it, but we have different expectation levels now.”