1 More Shot

This Saturday's match-up with the No. 1 Connecticut Huskies should be interesting for a number of reasons.\nThe Hoosiers have been struggling of late but put together a nice win Wednesday and carry a bit of momentum into the game. \nThe Huskies also come in on a roll, having won eight straight games in the incredibly tough Big East conference. That streak has seen them climb to the top of the rankings and has occurred largely because of the re-emergence of junior point guard Marcus Williams. \nWilliams was suspended for the first semester this year for his involvement in the theft of several laptop computers. Another UConn player, redshirt freshman A.J. Price, was suspended for the entire year for his part in the incident. But the university was lenient with Williams, and coach (and Hall of Famer) Jim Calhoun commented that he did not feel it was right to abandon players who made a mistake or used bad judgement. Excuse me Jim? I'm sorry, but when you bounce a check, that's a mistake. When you ask a girl out, then realize you like her roommate more, that's bad judgment. When you steal laptops worth more than $11,000, that's what we call a crime. But apparently if you are a talented point guard on a team with championship aspirations, the typical rules of law don't apply to you.\nLook, no one is denying Williams' ability -- last season he elevated his play in March and had the Huskies playing as well as anyone until they were upset by North Carolina State in the NCAA tournament. With him leading the offense and disrupting the opposition on defense, no one has been able to control UConn lately. This is a loaded roster, with sophomore Rudy Gay, junior Josh Boone and vastly improved senior Hilton Armstrong. All of these guys can kill you on either end of the floor, but the team's best all-around player is certainly Gay ... not that there's anything wrong with that.\nUConn was my preseason pick to win the title and with Williams leading the way, I don't see anyone stopping them. But make no mistake, the Hoosiers have a chance in this game if they can stay focused, intense and get Marco Killingsworth back on track. If Killingsworth forces Boone or Armstrong into foul trouble early and IU's guards can contain Williams and not allow him to penetrate, the Hoosiers could "steal" this game. OK, so that was a cheap joke, but I really think if IU plays the way it is capable of, this one could go down to the wire. And in college basketball, anything can happen if the game is close with less than five minutes to go. Let's face it, the Hoosiers have nothing to lose in this game. It is an out of conference, nationally televised game against the No. 1 team in the country. If they lose, no one will think twice about it, but if they somehow pull off an upset, it's the kind of game that could be a turning point in the season. If they simply go out and give their all, win or lose, they might impress some people, including themselves. I think this contest is the perfect chance for IU to show the country it is ready to take on all comers. \nSo Hoosier fans, wear your white shirts to support the "White-Out," come equipped with your best "Where's my laptop?" chants and support our boys as they, once again, welcome the top team in the land to Assembly Hall.