Hoosiers Upset the Illini

Lots more to come later but here is a recap from Mike Johnston of rivals.com.

Tom Pritchard saved his best Kent Benson impersonation for when it counted most.

The junior forward gave Indiana (11-10, 2-6) a 50-49 lead with 38 seconds left on a wild tip-in, Jordan Hulls added two free throws to cushion the advantage, and the IU defense sealed the deal, holding Illinois scoreless for the final 2:44 of regulation for a 52-49 victory over the 21st ranked Illini (14-7, 4-4).

The contest was anything but pretty, but for a team that has been in search for an elusive, hard-fought conference victory, it was as beautiful as a Maui sunset. IU head coach Tom Crean even allowed himself to soak in the victory by joining the IU faithful in the South Lobby for a brief celebration after the contest.

It seemed as if the Hoosiers were heading down a similar heartbreaking path late in the contest, as they let a 46-42 lead slip away over the game’s final minutes. Illinois senior forward Mike Davis hit a short jump hook to cut the IU lead to two, and the Illini tied the game on two Brandon Paul free throws with 3:29 left to play.

Paul completed a 7-0 Illinois run on the next possession, burying a three-pointer from the corner to give the Illini a 49-46 lead with 2:44 remaining.

The Hoosiers have wilted in similar situations this year, but not on this night. IU responded by going to Christian Watford in the post, who drew a foul and connected on both free throws. Illinois appeared to have an open layup on their next look at the hoop, but Victor Oladipo came out of nowhere to change the shot, which clanged harmlessly off the rim.

After a Matt Roth jumper fell short, Indiana turned to their defense once again. Christian Watford swatted away a Mike Tisdale lay-up attempt, which led to the game’s stunning conclusion.

Jordan Hulls, who had been Indiana’s hot hand all night long, missed a mid-range jumper from the left elbow, and after a fierce battle between several players, Pritchard was Johnny on the Spot, throwing a hand into the fray. The result was the ball rattling through the hoop with 38 seconds left, sending the 16,297 in attendance into a frenzy.

“With a guy that doesn’t like to shoot, he picked a great time to snap out of that funk,” said Crean.

Despite the lead, the Hoosiers needed their defense to hold strong to seal the victory. Indiana ratcheted up the defensive pressure yet again, forcing an ill-advised pass from Tisdale that sailed harmlessly out of bounds. A successful in-bounds from the corner led to Hulls getting the ball in his hands, and doing what he does best – sinking two free throws.

“You have to be happy for him, because the kid works so hard, win or lose,” said Crean of Hulls.

Trailing by three, the Illini had 12.5 seconds to get a good look at the hoop. They settled for a deep three-pointer from sophomore D.J. Richardson, and the ball went out of bounds off of a Hoosier player. With 2.2 seconds remaining, Illinois in-bounded to Paul, whose desperation heave missed wide right.

The final score was a bit misleading as to the game’s pace, as both teams raced out to a hot offensive start. The Hoosiers were paced by Hulls and Watford, who combined for 18 first half points. Things slowed midway through the half, however, as both teams clamped down defensively. The lead changed times 11 times in the first stanza, and Illinois entered the locker room with a slim 32-30 advantage.

The poor shooting continued into the second half for both teams, as the first points weren’t scored until the 14:33 mark. Illinois edged their lead up to four on two occasions, but the Hoosiers responded time and time again. It was Hulls that carried the torch offensively for Indiana, as he scored 10 of 14 points in a stretch where the Hoosier offense grew stagnant.

While Pritchard’s tip and Hulls’ late free throws will be remembered most, it was Indiana’s defense that saved the day. After giving up 91 points in their last game against Iowa, the Hoosiers held the Illini to 32.2 percent shooting from the field. Especially impressive was Indiana’s defense against Tisdale and senior point guard Demetri McCamey, as the two combined to shoot a woeful 4-of-21 from the field.

McCamey, the league’s leading assist man, was held to just three assists and five turnovers.

Watford and Hulls combined for 34 of Indiana’s 52 points, while Mike Davis led the Illini with 14 points on the night. Freshman Jereme Richmond had a nice game for Illinois as well with 9 points and 11 rebounds.

Crean acknowledged the fan support as a huge reason for Indiana’s victory, which gives IU an 83-82 edge in the all-time series.

“I attempted to shake and slap hands with everybody in the building,” said Crean. “It was absolute bedlam in there from the beginning.”