In Saturday's 65-61 win against Illinois, IU's shooters set a new low. Actually, they tied it. \nThe men's basketball team's nine attempted 3-pointers were the least the team has shot since Nov. 28, 2006, when IU made four of its nine attempts en route to a 54-51 loss against Duke. \nNovember's shooting low was due to the Blue Devils' constant perimeter pressure, but IU's restraint Saturday was by design -- and it helped them pull off a home win that was in the balance all the way until the end. \n"The two things we emphasized in practice was getting to the free-throw line more and maybe not looking for 3-point shots so early in the shot clock," IU coach Kelvin Sampson said. "I don't mind shooting 3s, but I just think it's hard to be -- especially this late in the year -- a good 3-point-shooting team for two months."\nSampson encouraged his team to drive to the hoop more instead of settling for long shots, and the Hoosiers were able to create 23 free throws, 16 of which they made. \nAvoiding 3-pointers also opened IU's midrange game. IU senior guard Rod Wilmont took only three 3s, but shot 7-of-13 from inside the arc, most of which came on short, incisive jump shots.\nWilmont is a case study in the Hoosiers' shot selection. The guard is known, both within the team and among fans, as willing to attempt most 3s, so long as the ball is in his hands. He's shot 10 3s alone in four different games this year. \nBut Saturday, Wilmont fought the urge to launch the long ball and took what the defense gave him instead. \n"Coach just kept telling me that a lot of guys were going to be coming at me hard, and I needed to pump fake and if they jump, to just make a play," Wilmont said. "And that's what I did. I just tried to play another part of my game, instead of just shooting 3s all of the time."
Hoosier fans hound Weber\nOn Jan. 23, when IU traveled to Champaign, Ill., and lost to the Illini, Sampson received very loud, very pervasive treatment from Illinois fans. In reference to Sampson's NCAA recruiting violations made at Oklahoma -- when Sampson exceeded the NCAA's limit for phone calls to recruits -- the Orange Krush student section chanted everything from "Call me, Sampson" to simply "cheater."\nOn Saturday, IU fans had their revenge. \nThose gathered at Assembly Hall rained chants of "Shut up, Weber" and "Eric Gordon" repeatedly at Illinois coach Bruce Weber. The Illini coach received a technical in the first half of the game, and IU fans responded with a standing ovation. The fans chanting "Eric Gordon" were referring to the Indianapolis native who rescinded his verbal commitment to Illinois to play next year for Sampson and his staff. \nIU fans also showed their support for Sampson by dressing in the coach's trademark blue shirt and red tie -- or in T-shirt facsimiles of the look.
Big Ten taking shape\nWith Saturday's win, IU solidified its third-place Big Ten status -- both in the conference standings, at 7-3 -- and symbolically, as the third-best team in the Big Ten behind conference leaders No. 4 Wisconsin and No. 3 Ohio State.\nIllinois, on the other hand, left without a win and firmly in place in the middle pack of Big Ten teams, with Michigan, Michigan State, and Iowa in tow. \nAs NCAA tournament considerations begin, Sampson was asked if he thought the Illini were an NCAA-worthy team. \n"Absolutely," Sampson said. "There's such a misconception about leagues are up, or leagues are down. Ohio State and Wisconsin have proven they're the best two teams in this league through the first 10 games, but I don't think there's a whole lot of difference in the rest of us. ... I know this, there's not 64 teams better than Illinois"
