Michigan Wolverines @ Indiana Hoosiers Basketball Recap

Indiana 73, Michigan 71

 
In another exciting game in the house that Bobby Knight built it went Indiana's way again in the Hoosiers' 73-71 victory over the Michigan Wolverines. The thriller at Assembly Hall marked IU's third win over a top-25 opponent this year.

In the beginning, with the very fast start that Indiana had, this game was looking like a sure thing for the Hoosiers. Early on they were shooting the lights out with Christian Watford leading all scorers with 25 points and Cody Zeller right behind him with 18 points. The two men hit several particularly impressive crunch time shots in the late part of the second half. It looked pretty obvious why Watford and Zeller are the talk of the Big Ten Conference, as is Indiana. The Hoosiers led the game at halftime, 39-32.

Michigan had other plans though, fighting and scraping its way back into the game. UM's rally started toward the end of the first half when some of the Wolverines' outside shots started to fall, and it continued especially in the beginning of second half when their defense went up several notches. Then Tim Hardaway Jr. really got going for UM and the game was tied by the 14:56 mark of the second half -- all this with Zack Novak in early foul trouble in both halves and spending extended minutes on the bench.

At this point late in the game it really started to look more like an old-time heavyweight boxing match. Both sides were trading blows but not giving ground or looking afraid of the other. The Wolverines' earlier confusion was just completely gone. The Hoosiers were still attacking the rim and sinking shots from the perimeter. Despite the one sided start for IU, it was anybody's game at this point, thanks to Michigan's strong response.

In the end this game came down to who could hit the last shot. Indiana seemed to be that team when Verdell Jones III made a jumper with 25 seconds to go and Novak turned the ball over at the 14 second mark. The game looked over, but no. At the other end of the floor, Stu Douglass from Michigan fouled Jones, who then missed the front end of a one-and-one. With no timeouts, the Wolverines ran the floor and the same Stu Douglass made a three point shot to bring the score to 72-71 for IU with three seconds to go. The Wolverines very quickly fouled to get the ball back, but Douglass had to give his fifth foul, knocking him out of the game and depriving UM of a long-distance shooter. The foul put Watford at the line with 2.9 seconds remaining on the clock. He made the first and bricked the second, leaving Michigan with no time and no time outs. The wise move - missing the second foul shot - deprived Michigan of options. All the Wolverines could do was launch a heave just past halfcourt. It missed, ending what was a game to remember.

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