Illinois presents true challenge for IU
After the way IU played against Ohio State on Wednesday, it had to feel good to return home.
After the way IU played against Ohio State on Wednesday, it had to feel good to return home.
After IU’s 79-54 loss against Ohio State, IU coach Tom Crean called it “a learning development.”
Ohio State coach Thad Matta took a timeout 47 seconds in the first half, after junior guard Jeremiah Rivers’ dunk.The 30-second speech worked.The Buckeyes went on an early 29-6 run and IU shot 30 percent from the field in the first half. In the end, the Hoosiers fell 79-54 in their Big Ten road opener.
Simply put, the IU men’s basketball team’s first Big Ten road game couldn’t have gone any worse. Aside from a 14-for-17 effort from the free throw line and a game-high 22 points from sophomore guard Verdell Jones, it’s hard to pinpoint anything else that went right for the Hoosiers.
Crean: “We were not aggressive enough on either end of the court, and we played like a team in its first road game and that’s disappointing.”
There were plenty of questions surrounding the health of Ohio State guard Evan Turner, but they were all for naught. He wasn’t needed.Turner began the game with a one-handed dunk, but the score was one of the only 3 points he scored in nine minutes of play in a first half that ended 38-20.More intriguing were the road struggles of IU. They had 14 first half turnovers and shot 6-of-20 from the field.
The Hoosiers face the Buckeyes for their first road Big Ten game this season. Follow live by clicking here.

For the six freshman players on IU’s men’s basketball team, their Wednesday matchup against Ohio State will be a new experience.

The Buckeyes’ top scorer and Player of the Year candidate, Evan Turner, might hit the court for OSU.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Peyton Manning was happy to bid farewell to the wintry elements, the regular season and all the complaints about the Colts' less than perfect finish.
The IU women’s basketball team followed its conference loss at Purdue with a second straight Big Ten defeat at the hands of No. 16 Michigan State Sunday.
If there was one player Crean probably didn't mind his team shutting down, then it would be Big Ten leading scorer Manny Harris. And that's exactly what junior guard Jeremiah Rivers did.
Purdue (7-6, 2-1) won the Barnburner trophy for the 14th time by defeating the Hoosiers (8-5, 1-1).
The Hoosiers lost their best scorer in Creek, but in his absence, the rest of the guards collectively put together an outstanding game.
The IU men's basketball team closed 2009 in victorious fashion, winning 71-65 against the Michigan Wolverines.
With the first of 18 Big Ten games tipping off for the Hoosiers at noon today, Tom Crean will embark on what might be his most difficult task yet as a college basketball coach – rallying this IU team to compete through the entire conference slate without their best scorer.
On Wednesday, after three days of hearing national media personalities and local fans express outrage over the Colts' decision, Irsay responded. Not only did he support the decision made by president Bill Polian and first-year coach Jim Caldwell, Irsay said he approved it.
Relive IU sports in 2009 by flipping through our top photo picks here.
IU (6-6) opens conference play against Michigan at noon on New Year's Eve at Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers will be doing it without their leading scorer, freshman guard Maurice Creek, who fractured his knee against Bryant on Monday and will miss the rest of the season.
Read the latest posts on the IDS Hoosier Hype sports blog for updates on freshman Maurice Creek's condition after surgery, analysis of what Creek's absence means for the Hoosier squad, and thoughts from teammates on Creek's injury.