Breaking OUT

He just takes it one at a time.\nAfter an emotional performance that whirled the Hoosier Nation into a standing ovation Wednesday night, D.J. White has his priorities in order heading into Saturday night's game against Ohio State at Assembly Hall.\n"Take it as a regular game," he said. "Nothing different in my mindset, keep focused. Do what I'm here to do."\nJust one-quarter of the way through his first Big Ten season, the freshman is preparing for the rigors of league play. In the next two-and-a-half weeks, the Hoosiers play six games -- a time when some freshmen would hit a wall of exhaustion and burn out. White knows what's ahead and is ready for it.\n"It's a big adjustment I got to make," he said. "But it's a challenge, but just play hard and fight."\nWhen the Buckeyes come to town at 8 p.m. Saturday, they will bring with them 6-foot-9-inch junior Terence Dials, who dominated the Hoosiers last season when OSU came to Bloomington with 16 points and 10 rebounds in an IU loss. \nSophomore Rod Wilmont expects the Buckeyes to go after White, similar to the way Michigan started off Wednesday's game by going to center Graham Brown immediately.\n"I expect them to come in and play real physical inside, that's what Michigan did," Wilmont said. \nDespite White's performance against Michigan, Wilmont doesn't think OSU will change its game plan.\n"I still think they'll go down in the post and see if they can get DJ in foul trouble," he said.\nHeading into Saturday's game tied for second place in the Big Ten with only eight wins overall, the Hoosiers are on the right side of a three-game winning streak in conference play. \nIU coach Mike Davis said this time of year is unique.\n"It's conference play," he said. "Conference is different. (It's a) different mindset."\nThe reason for the 3-1 conference record has somewhat to do with the maturation of the young team, Davis said.\n"It's definitely important that the attitude and personality (of the team) has changed," Davis said. "I think the older guys have changed."\nBy older guys, Davis means junior guard Bracey Wright, who leads the Big Ten with 18.9 points per game and adds 4.6 rebounds per game.\nWhile the scoring load remains on Wright's shoulders, the stepped-up play of White has given the Hoosiers a dynamic duo that spreads out the pressure, once solely on Wright.\nWith three freshmen and two juniors starting, Davis said the personality of the team "has definitely changed from the last couple of years."\nDavis also said White has stepped up as of late, usually late in games as he did against Michigan. \nKeeping his level of play to the high expectations the fans have now placed on him, White said the most important thing is keeping his body rested, and by doing that, it keeps his mind focused.\n"You can't worry about too much other stuff," he said. \nHearing his name chanted by the crowd Wednesday night only added to White's confidence, he said. \nNight-in and night-out facing the rigors of Big Ten competition, White said he expects every game to by physical, including Saturday night's game.\n"I'm always ready for the challenge," he said. "I come prepared."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Josh Weinfuss at weinfus@indiana.edu.