Dumes reinstated as Hoosiers prepare to welcome Wisconsin

Assembly Hall will witness a player reunite with his team and two coaches revive a rivalry tonight. 

IU’s leading scorer Devan Dumes will rejoin the team after a two-game suspension that came from throwing elbows Feb. 7 at Michigan State.

Crean said the point has been made. 

“We think we’ve covered the ground that we need to cover, and it’s time to move forward,” Crean said.

In those two games the Hoosiers (6-18, 1-11) struggled without Dumes. IU averaged 53 points in the two losses.

On the season, IU averages 60.9 points per game. 

Senior Kyle Taber said Dumes’ defensive prowess has also been missed, and his return will be a big boost.

“It means a lot,” Taber said. “He can bring a lot of things to us on the defensive side with all of his offensive ability, too.”

Freshman Tom Pritchard said he is looking forward to seeing Dumes back.

Pritchard, the team’s second leading scorer, has seen more attention directed toward him, piling onto his recent struggles even before the Dumes suspension. 

“I mean, it’s a big lift for everyone on the team,” Pritchard said. “Devan brings out the best in us. He’s a leader on the floor. He’s one of our leaders. We definitely missed him, and it’s going to be good having him back.” 

Pritchard scored just six points in the past two games but predicts he will improve against the Badgers. 

“I think it’s a good matchup for me,” Pritchard said. “Hopefully I can be aggressive and make some free throws.”

If Pritchard and the Hoosiers are to bust out of their collective slumps, they’ll need to do so against a hot Wisconsin team.

The Badgers (16-9, 7-6) came back from a six-game losing streak early in the season by reeling off four consecutive wins.

In those wins, Wisconsin limited its opponents to 49 points per game.

Crean, who knows Bo Ryan and the Badgers well from his time leading in-state rival Marquette, said any team hoping to beat the Badgers needs to bring its “A” game.

“Whenever you go against well-coached teams ... then you’re going to get the best from that,” Crean said, “and I think that’s what makes it fun.”

Crean said one of the keys to the Badgers’ success is senior Joe Krabbenhoft.

Krabbenhoft is fifth on the team in scoring but leads them in rebounding.

Despite being 6-foot-7, he is also second on the team in assists. 

“Joe Krabbenhoft is as well-rounded and versatile and probably – I think I said this the other day – but he is as good of a passer as there is, I think,” Crean said.