Hoosiers pull out win

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- It took a road game over 500 miles away and a crowd of only 7,782 for the Hoosiers to rebuild their team and pull things together after a three-game losing streak. \nThe 75-56 victory over Penn State Wednesday night (9-11, 3-6 Big Ten) gave IU (12-9, 6-4) its fourth Big Ten road win this season.\n"It's hard to explain when you have four road wins in the Big Ten and only two home wins," IU coach Mike Davis said. "We play better on the road. The guys are real loose on the road."\nDavis started freshman guard Roderick Wilmont in the place of junior guard Donald Perry. Wilmont was able to contribute six points and grab five rebounds for the Hoosiers.\n"(Wilmont) gave us exactly what I was looking for -- a couple of early baskets," Davis said. \nIU decided to live and die by the three-point shot in the first half. The Hoosiers made 8 of 14 attempts from behind the arc while Penn State only had three good shots of 11 attempted from three-point range. \nFour different Hoosiers had at least one three-point basket in the first half, propelling IU to a 39-27 lead at the break.\nThe Hoosiers' biggest lead came in the second half after sophomore guard Bracey Wright missed a three-point basket attempt that was rebounded by senior center George Leach. The 6-foot-11 big man then dunked the ball with less than 4:40 left in the game and boosted the Hoosier lead to 23. \nLeach and sophomore forward Sean Kline saw early foul trouble, and both fouled out in the second half, forcing Davis to bring in junior forward Mike Roberts. Roberts played for seven minutes and had two points.\nFreshman forward Pat Ewing Jr. did not make the trip to Penn State due to academic issues.\nNine of the 11 Hoosiers that saw playing time Wednesday scored. \nWright led IU in scoring with 25 points, 12 of which came off three-pointers. Wright came into the game averaging 20.1 points. It was the fifth time in conference play this year he scored at least 20 points.\nSophomore guard Marshall Strickland was IU's second leading scorer with 17 points. \nPenn State coach Ed DeChellis said they tried to keep the ball out of Wright and Strickland's hands, and those two ended up being the two who beat them.\nTop scorer for Penn State was sophomore forward Aaron Johnson with 28 points. \n"Luckily, nobody else showed up but Johnson," Wright said, "because he had 28 (points) and 15 (rebounds). If they were hitting on all cylinders, it might have been a close game."\nDavis said he was impressed with IU's ability to keep the lead the entire game. The closest the Nittany Lions came to the Hoosiers in the second half was nine points with 14 minutes left in the second half. \nThe Hoosiers have often had double digit leads this season and blown them by the end of the game.\n"Our biggest problem is when we get up," Davis said. "We've been up close to double figures almost every game in the Big Ten, and we always let it slip away."\nWright said he's always loved playing on the road, and he likes going into someone else's house and taking everything away from them.\n"It's adversity when everyone is against you," Wright said. "You show them what you're made of"