Indiana (17-11, 8-6 Big Ten) dominated the paint and fired at will from the perimeter, downing the No. 19 Badgers 85-55. The Hoosiers’ 85 points was the largest total allowed by Wisconsin in more than five years. Indiana guard Tom Coverdale abused the Big Ten’s best scoring defense with 24 points on 8-for-9 shooting, and the Hoosiers drained 14 three-pointers.
“Our guards are the key to us being a really, really good basketball team,” Indiana coach Mike Davis said. “I’m not saying that I expect them to shoot like that in our next game, but they need to step up and take shots and not drop their heads when we miss shots.”
The Hoosiers’ explosive backcourt complemented their inside scoring threats – center Kirk Haston tallied 16 points, and forward Jared Jeffries added 18. As a team, Indiana shot 70 percent from the field.
The win atoned for Indiana’s 65-55 loss at Michigan State on Feb. 20. With games against Minnesota and Purdue in the final week of Big Ten play, the Hoosiers are looking to clinch an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
“To beat Michigan State and Notre Dame, teams like that, it speaks volumes,” Davis said. “I hope that 17 wins will be enough, but 18 should be more than enough to get us in.”
Making the tournament is even more important for Davis, Indiana’s interim coach, who wants to return to the sidelines at Assembly Hall next year. Davis said he expects a sound effort from the Hoosiers tonight when they host Minnesota.
“Hopefully the guys can come in and know it’s the last game at Assembly Hall for this season and that it may be my last game at Assembly Hall,” Davis said.
HARD TIMES: It was supposed to be a marquee matchup, a game that could have decided the Big Ten title.
But Illinois had other ideas.
Coming off a 63-61 loss to Ohio State on Thursday, the Fighting Illini (22-6, 12-3) took out their frustrations on a hapless Iowa team, cruising to a 89-63 win in Champaign. Despite point guard Dean Oliver’s 19 points, the Hawkeyes (18-9, 7-7) shot only 33 percent from the field and coughed up 18 turnovers.
Since star forward Luke Recker broke his kneecap on Jan. 27, Iowa has gone 2-5 and is in danger of fading from NCAA tournament contention. The Hawkeyes can guarantee a .500 record in Big Ten play by beating either Penn State or Wisconsin in Iowa City this week.
“We’ve got to keep fighting through the struggle we’re going through with the loss of Luke,” Iowa coach Steve Alford said. “We’ve got to hope to get (guard) Ryan (Hogan) by the Big Ten tournament and then get Recker back by the NCAA tournament. But we’re still in good shape and just need to take care of business down the stretch.
NIT BOUND?: With two of Purdue’s best players riding the pine, its backcourt stepped up Saturday as the Boilermakers pounded Michigan 79-58 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Guards Carson Cunningham and Joe Marshall each dumped in 17 points, and the Boilermakers (14-12, 6-9) sank all 25 of their free throws in the win, which snapped a six-game losing streak – Purdue’s longest drought in 20 seasons. Boilermakers forward Rodney Smith and center John Allison are sitting out with foot injuries.
With the victory, Purdue most likely earned a spot in the NIT, which would be coach Gene Keady’s 20th postseason appearance.
“We’re learning how to play without Rodney and John, and we’ve gotten a lot better,” Keady said. “All five guards are in double figures scoring, and our big guys are rebounding and setting screens. We’re getting back to playing Boiler ball again.”
