IU pulls off overtime win against tough AIA

IU coach Mike Davis said he would have liked to have won by 100 points against Athletes in Action Friday night, but he had to settle for a close overtime win, 70-68.\n"Last year we beat this team by 41," Davis said. "But as a very young team, we need to be in games like this to learn."\nIt was a night of sophomore domination -- the three top scorers were sophomores. Guard Bracey Wright had 18 points, guard Marshall Strickland had 12 points and forward Sean Kline had 9.\nWright, who also had two assists, said the game helped them realize their offense was behind, and that everything just needs to click right.\n"We struggled, and we got wrapped up in Joe Crispin," Wright said. "We can't get wrapped up in one player. We have to play the whole team."\nCrispin might have had 17 points in the game, but it was AIA forward Matt Hill that led everyone by scoring 22 points. \n"This is their (AIA's) best game by far," Davis said. "I knew it would be because it's their first time playing in front of a big crowd."\nAnd it was a crowd that cheered the loudest when freshman forward Pat Ewing Jr. made back-to-back blocks in the second half. He also scored eight points in his 31 minutes of playing time.\nEwing said it was nice to finally play against new people, and he thinks they underestimated the talent of the AIA team.\n"They're a really good team," Ewing Jr. said. "I feel that we stepped up pretty well, but there's still room for improvement."\nEwing stepped in for senior center George Leach who has an injured shoulder. Davis said he was proud of the effort Ewing put into the game.\nSenior guard A.J. Moye started for the Hoosiers but only saw 15 minutes of playing time. Moye injured his toe in practice and is still recovering.\nMoye said he didn't want to blame what he considered "not great" defense on his injury and said he's got to come out and do a better job at setting the tone defensively.\n"We've got to play with a lot more energy, and it starts with me," Moye said. "I won't blame any of these guys. They're young."\nDavis also commented on the youthfulness of the team and said he can't take them too fast for fear that they won't learn anything.\nIndiana shot 39 percent in Friday night's game, and the offense is something players like Wright said they need to work on. Davis also said their offense is behind and at this time last year, the team was much better on the offensive end.\n"The only player that has played a lot on this team is Bracey," Davis said. "It's going to take awhile, but we'll be OK."\nThe Hoosiers' win over AIA might not have gone the way Davis said he had hoped, but he said he's confident in the team and its ability to improve and win games. \nThe next, and last, exhibition game is at home Thursday against the Southeastern All-Stars.\n"We'll be better the next time out," Davis said. "Come out here next Thursday, and you'll see a new basketball team."\n-- Contact staff writer Natalie A. Trout at natrout@indiana.edu.