By Craig Smith
Tribune-Star Correspondent
BLOOMINGTON
January 08, 2009 12:08 am
—
Every aspect of being a young team showed again on Wednesday for Indiana.
The Hoosiers had plenty of energy coming out of the gate, gunning to a 23-8 lead in front of an increasingly raucous home crowd, but Indiana watched that lead dwindle away in fits until the final shots of regulation loomed large. Failing to convert its final two possessions of regulation, Indiana relaxed enough on defense to give Michigan a quick lead to start overtime. The Hoosiers found ways to miss free-throws at the most important moments of the game.
The energy and desire that have become the hallmark of this Hoosiers’ squad was there until the end, but it wasn’t enough as Michigan edged past Indiana 72-66 at Assembly Hall.
Indiana (5-9, 0-2) lost its fifth consecutive game despite having a 39-22 halftime lead behind 10 points for Nick Williams.
“We gotta learn what 40 minutes of defensive intensity, pressure, schemes and shot challenges are,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said. “There is a laundry list of things we need to improve upon, but we are improving and will continue to improve.”
It was Indiana’s third consecutive heart-breaking defeat after losing by five to both Lipscomb and Iowa. The Hoosiers’ crunch time woes continued, despite leading by six with 57 seconds remaining in regulation.
Manny Harris hit a 3-pointer and Devan Dumes turned the ball over going hard to the basket with 33 seconds remaining.
Crean and Dumes both thought he was fouled, but Crean said it was a lesson on the limitations of history.
“Tradition and all of those things don’t mean anything when you step on the court. You gotta earn it yourself,” Crean said, believing that “most teams in most years” would have picked up the foul call.
Michigan coach John Beilein credited “poise, poise, poise” for his team’s steady, come-from-behind victory — the same poise Dumes lacked.
“If I could do it all over again, I would have brought it back out,” the junior guard said. Crean concurred that he wished Dumes had pulled back “and made them chase us.”
Overtime saw Michigan (12-3, 2-1) run out to a quick 65-60 lead behind threes from Harris and Laval Lucas-Perry. The Hoosiers had several chances to close the gap, but went 3-for-9 from the free-throw line in the extra frame.
“Free throws are one of the great wonders of the world. We shot well the other day,” Crean said. “We don’t know yet how to keep each other’s spirits alive. They don’t even realize that when we play well, they can keep it going.
“There is no calming influence on this team to look at and say, ‘He’s played in all of those games, he knows what he is talking about.’
Dumes led the Hoosiers with 17 points while Nick Williams scored 14 and Verdell Jones III added 13. Tom Pritchard had nine points and nine rebounds.
Lucas-Perry had 18 points while Harris had 17 points and 11 rebounds.
“We can play with anyone. [Michigan] beat Duke and UCLA,” Jones said.
“I think I can speak for everyone on this team when I say that we want to play them again.”
NOTES: Michigan’s last win at Assembly Hall was a 65-52 win on January 24, 1995. … Wednesday was Indiana’s first overtime contest of the season. … Indiana outrebounded Michigan 40-35, the sixth time this season the Hoosiers have outrebounded the opposition. … Indiana plays at Illinois Saturday at 3 p.m. while Michigan hosts Iowa on Sunday.
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