UPDATE: Hoosiers make most of second chance

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Last time around, IU and Gonzaga battled it out in a high-scoring game in which the Bulldogs dominated the paint. Six Gonzaga players scored in double-figures en route to a 90-80 victory against the Hoosiers in the second round of the 2006 NCAA tournament. \nFortunately for IU, this time around was nothing like the last.\nThe Hoosiers defeated Gonzaga 70-57 Saturday at ARCO Arena to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament where they will face the No. 2 seed UCLA Bruins Saturday evening.\n“It’s a great feeling (to advance),” junior forward Lance Stemler said after the game. “For all the new guys and all the freshmen to get (the win) out of the way, and now we’ll be a little more comfortable coming into the next game.”\nStemler came off the bench and struggled shooting the ball, but pulled down eight rebounds in the victory. He and the rest of the Hoosiers outrebounded the Bulldogs 45-30 altogether, including a 12-6 advantage on the offensive end.\nJunior D.J. White started the game slowly on the offensive end, but finished with a double-double, tallying 16 points and 10 boards. He also added two blocks.\nThe Hoosiers took a 34-29 lead into halftime and quickly increased their lead to 10 after going on a 7-0 run with 13:40 remaining in the half. But the Bulldogs stormed back with a 6-0 run of their own to cut the lead to four. IU responded with another run, this time an 8-0 outburst that expanded the Hoosiers’ lead to 12.\nThough the Hoosiers cited team defense as their main key to victory, one player’s performance stood out from the rest. Senior guard Rod Wilmont nailed 6-of-11 3-pointers in the victory – one shy of the school’s NCAA tournament record – en route to a game-high 22 points. He also grabbed seven rebounds.\n“Even though (Armon Bassett is) a freshman, he told me to be aggressive and we’ll look for you,” Wilmont said. “And they did that early, because they know if they get me the ball early, me and (junior) D.J. White … just the way we play so hard, it gets everyone else involved. That’s what I brought tonight, was energy and just knocking down open shots.”\nDespite Wilmont’s hot shooting night, not all of his shots were taken with his coach’s full support. The senior guard made several decisions with the ball during the game that did not sit well with Sampson. When asked if coaching Rod was every bit as gut-wrenching as it looked, he responded ‘yes.’\nBut in the end, the first-year Hoosier coach said he could not be happier to have Wilmont on his team this season.\n“He’s unique,” Sampson said. “What you see is what you get. He’s like that every day. … He’s been a joy to coach, he’ll drive you crazy with his passes and trying to make plays, but he’s got a lot of heart. He’s not afraid. He’s a tough kid.”