BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- IU Coach Curt Miller couldn't contain the extra bounce in his step after Friday night's 60-48 victory against Indiana State at Assembly Hall.
His family even noticed it after the game.
"I haven't been this excited in a long time about a win," he said.
Miller's excitement stemmed from the fact that he won his first home-opener at Assembly Hall in a game in which he felt his team was an underdog and actually executed a game-plan for the first time this season.
"I truly am not Lou Holtz-ing it," Miller said, "we were the underdogs tonight, and we came away with a double-figure home victory. To create and start something special at home is fantastic for us."
Miller was especially pleased because he felt IU (2-1) played "gutty" and made the hustle plays on 50-50 balls, which he views as the larger goal for the program.
"Very excited about the effort," Miller said. "It's what we're trying to instill in this new culture and not really worry about wins and losses, but talk about creating a culture of playing hard. I was really pleased with how gutty we were tonight."
Senior forward Aulani Sinclair led all scorers with 22 points, the ninth time in her career she has surpassed the 20-point mark. Senior guard Jasmine McGhee added 12 points and freshman guard Nicole Bell chipped in eight points, all in the second half.
One hustle play that stood out was in the second half when junior forward Milika Taufa pulled down an offensive rebound, passed to Bell who found a wide-open Sinclair for three to stretch the lead to 38-32 with under 14 minutes to go. It was the first field goal of the half for the Hoosiers.
"It's all just energy," Sinclair said. "When I see Milika dive on the floor and go after it, I had no choice but to hit it. That was just great all around."
Sinclair hit two three-point shots while being fouled, converting a four-point-play on one of those chances at the line. She said it was her first time she could remember that happening in college.
Sinclair also stepped up her defense, recording a career-high three blocks as the Hoosiers contained the Sycamores leading scorer Anna Munn to just three second half points and 16 for the game. Munn's counterpart, Racheal Mahan, who came in averaging 14 points per game, managed just three points and one field goal attempt.
"We wanted to try to make Munn and Mahan work for everything they got," Miller said. "To only give up three second half points to Munn, it all came together that we really made those two work."
With help from the defensive intensity, the Hoosiers built on a 33-30 halftime lead to never trail in the second half, and built up as big a lead as 15 points. The Hoosiers only allowed 18 second half points to the Sycamores.
"It's a credit to our kids really fighting," Miller said. "I tried to really will them to the finish line at the end that this is what they want. They want to be in position to win games. We've got to teach them how to win and be comfortable winning, but they so desire to be in that position. I liked the fight down the stretch."
IU will play 8 of its next 10 games at Assembly Hall, and Sinclair was happy the team could get the first win at home for Miller.
"It was amazing," she said. "We always say we want to start off home strong"
