Hoosiers top Spartans in emotional contest

A week of disappointment ended on a high note for the IU men’s basketball team when the No. 13 Hoosiers defeated No. 10 Michigan State 80-61. \nBut in a week that saw the program’s immediate future fall into doubt because of new allegations from the NCAA regarding IU coach Kelvin Sampson and his staff, even a victory against a top-10 opponent was a bittersweet moment for Hoosier fans. \nSenior forward D.J. White left the contest at the 4:55 mark of the first half after getting his shot attempt blocked by a Spartan defender. White hit the floor hard and was helped off the court to the locker room. He returned to the bench a few minutes into the second half with his left knee wrapped with ice. The senior finished the game with six points and two rebounds.\n“The doctors said we should hold him out, and I said ‘Absolutely,’” Sampson said. “If it doesn’t feel right to him ... that kid is too valuable.”\nSampson said team doctors thought White’s knee did not suffer structural damage. White was scheduled for an MRI Sunday, but IU Athletics spokesman J.D. Campbell said the procedure took place later than expected, and his status will not be known until Monday. \nThe Hoosiers (21-4, 10-2) had one of their best outings of the season, but started the game slowly as Michigan State jumped out to a 15-4 lead in the first seven minutes. Spartan guard Drew Neitzel controlled the game early, scoring 14 first-half points. IU could not get into an offensive rhythm in the game’s opening minutes as IU took bad shots and did not try to get White established in the low post.\n“We had a hard time that first four, five minutes of getting them stretched,” Sampson said. “Once we got them stretched we had Eric (Gordon) and Jordan (Crawford) and Armon (Bassett) running in and out \nof screens.”\nAfter settling down and spreading the court on the offensive end, the Hoosiers responded with a 14-3 run of their own to tie the game at 18-18, capped off by Gordon blocking a Neitzel 3-point attempt and then running down for an explosive dunk to send the fans to their feet.\nLess than two minutes later, the Hoosiers took a 23-22 lead on a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Bassett and never looked back, starting a run on the strength of two 3-pointers from junior guard/forward Jamarcus Ellis. Ellis ended the game with 12 points and four rebounds.\nGordon said Ellis’ 3-pointers were crucial in the Hoosier run.\n“I would say his start to the game made the big impact,” Gordon said. “My (dunk) was just to tie it up, but his shots had the most biggest impact.”\nGordon scored a game-high 28 points en route to setting the all-time IU freshman scoring record, passing Mike Woodson’s 500 point campaign in the 1976-1977 season.\nMichigan State tried to cut the Hoosier lead in the second half, but for the most part, IU cruised the rest of the game to victory. The real story of the second half was the emotional response of Hoosier fans and Sampson. The Hoosier faithful chanted Sampson’s name with less than two minutes remaining while the embattled coach emphatically jumped into Bassett’s arms as the final seconds ticked off the clock.\n“Yes, I think so,” Sampson said when asked if the game meant a lot to him. “But, you know ... the game is about these kids. I think basketball is so much bigger than \none person.”\nThe Hoosiers next face rival and conference leader Purdue (21-5, 12-1) Tuesday night at Assembly Hall.