INDIANAPOLIS - How about four missed free throws, two questionable calls and one game-winning shot.
All that in just 3.4 seconds.
Minnesota continued its wild ride through the Big Ten Conference tournament with a thrilling 59-58 victory over third-seeded Indiana in quarterfinal action at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The Gophers, the tournament's sixth seed, will face another surprise, 10th-seeded Illinois in Saturday's second semifinal. Wisconsin and Michigan State face off the in the opener.
But what a wild finish to Friday's nightcap.

Continue reading "Big Ten: Crazy night in Indy" »

Posted by Mike Carmin at 12:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Just when Minnesota thought a victory was taken away, Blake Hoffarber brought the Gophers a miracle.
Hoffarber, a freshman, tossed in an off-balanced left-handed shot as time expired to give Minnesota a thrilling 59-58 victory in the Big Ten tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse.
With 1.5 seconds to play, Hoffarber took a long pass from Travis Busch. Hoffarber turned to his left and let go the game winner.
The Hoosiers had taken a 58-57 lead when D.J. White made the second of two free throws.
Minnesota, the tournament's sixth seed, will face Illinois in Saturday's second semifinal.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Did Lawrence McKenzie give Minnesota the breathing room it needs down the stretch against Indiana?
McKenzie's 3-pointer with 3:52 to play pushed the Gophers' lead to 53-48 lead. There's 3:24 remaining in regulation.
The Hoosiers need a rally.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Give Minnesota's Lawrence McKenzie a lot of credit.
He took a charge against Indiana's DeAndre Thomas, who weighs nearly 300 pounds. It was Thomas' fifth foul.
Indiana took the lead at 44-42 for the second time when D.J. White hit two free throws. White is stepping up in the second half, scoring 13 of his 20 points.
There's 7:43 to play.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 11:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana can't seem to take the lead against Minnesota, which is still on top 38-36.
The Gophers keeping find a way to stay tied or ahead of the Hoosiers. Both teams can't shoot in this half, missing 15 of 19 attempts during the first eight minutes.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana has cut into Minnesota's seven-point halftime lead, pulling within 34-32 with 15:51 to play.
The Gophers haven't scored in the second half. Not a good sign

Posted by Mike Carmin at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana made a run but Minnesota heads into the locker room with a 34-27 lead.
Minnesota ran out to a 22-8 lead but the Hoosiers stormed back, pulling within 26-22.
Here's the question: Did the Gophers give Indiana their best shot in the first half?
Lawrence McKenize leads Minnesota with 12 points. Eric Gordon, who picked up two early fouls, has nine points for the Hoosiers.
The winner faces Illinois, which upset Purdue in the previous quarterfinal game.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 10:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana has cut a 14-point deficit to 28-22 at the final media timeout before halftime.
The Hoosiers, who trailed 22-8, responded with defense, rebounding and free throws. The large crowd is back in the game in support of Indiana with 3:31 remaining until halftime.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - How about these Gophers?
They've run out to a 19-8 lead with 11:12 left in the first half on Indiana, which has all the fan support at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Lawrence McKenzie is Minnesota's star right now with eight points. IU coach Dan Dakich put freshman Eric Gordon back in the game, despite two fouls.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - It's early but Minnesota is giving Indiana all it can handle through the first four minutes.
The Gophers have built a 9-4 lead and are missing regular starter Spencer Tollackson, who suffered an ankle injury in Thursday's win over Northwestern.
IU freshman Eric Gordon has picked up two fouls already. Not a good sign for the Hoosiers.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - It's our last game at Conseco Fieldhouse with Indiana and Minnesota ready to start in about 10 minutes.
Can Indiana avoid a similiar fate as its in-state rival? Minnesota needs wins to get in the NCAA tourmament.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 09:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

INDIANAPOLIS - We're minutes away from the final two quarterfinal games and the hometown teams will be featured.
Purdue plays the first game against Illinois and Indiana takes on Minnesota on the nightcap.
It looks like a sellout at Conseco Fieldhouse. I overheard an offical saying they were selling standing room only tickets.
Should be a fun evening.

Posted by Mike Carmin at 06:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- Even after the No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers had built up a healthy 20-point lead with under 13 minutes remaining, this game opposing two top Big Ten teams was far from over.

Indiana fought back furiously from that deficit, making up 15 points in a five minute span, but came up short at the Kohl Center, where the Badgers handed the Hoosiers their first league loss of the season, 62-49.

"If we didn't have that cushion, it might not have turned out this way," Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said after the win, the Badgers' 35th in their last 36 in Madison.

Both teams struggled mightily from the field. Indiana, the highest-scoring team in the Big Ten, shot 33.3 percent and converted on only 3 of 21 three-point attempts. The Badgers were marginally better, shooting 34.5 percent and making 3-20 from behind the arc.

"Both teams played tough," Indiana head coach Kelvin Sampson said afterward. "Neither team could get many shots to go down."

The two-headed offensive attack of Eric Gordon and D.J. White was probably good enough for the Hoosiers to win on another night, but they had little to no support from the rest of their teammates. White had another double-double, his 13th in his last 16 games, posting 22 points and 17 rebounds. But he also had four turnovers, including three in the first half as the Hoosiers fell behind by ten points.

Gordon, playing with a left-wrist injury that he reportedly sustained in practice this week, finished with 16 points, but only got to the line for two free-throws, a number that Sampson said was too low for the conference's leader in free throw attempts and makes.

"He had a tough time going to his left, obviously, and they kept sitting on his right hand," Sampson said. "But I thought Eric played hard. He had to work for just about everything he had."

The Badgers, coming off their first Big Ten loss of the season to Purdue, took Indiana's best punch on an otherwise punchless night. They built their 20-point lead on the strength of a balanced attack and big offensive rebounds by junior guard Joe Krabbenhoft, who led the team with 12 rebounds, six coming on the offensive glass.

Ryan spoke to the energy that Krabbenhoft brings on a nightly basis.

"In life there are just some people who come and give a great effort every day, and that's Joe," he said. "Sometimes the result can look varied, but the energy will never vary."

For the Badgers, forward Marcus Landry finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and guard Trevon Hughes had 16 points. Michael Flowers, playing a bit under the weather, added 10 points and a solid defensive effort against Gordon, the leading scorer in the Big Ten.

"I really liked our defensive effort -- trying to get them to take shots that they weren't as comfortable with," Ryan said.

The Badgers' win put them at 7-1 in the Big Ten and suddenly shifted the picture in the standings. Indiana came in the lone team atop the conference, but fell to fourth. The Badgers are now tied with No. 8/7 Michigan State and Purdue in first place.

Indiana returns home next for a Sunday game against Northwestern, while the Badgers will play the same day at Minnesota. In only two weeks, these two teams will meet again in Bloomington, Ind.

That's all from Madison, Wis., where the Wisconsin survived a major scare from Indiana. Good night.

Posted by Jon Bortin at 11:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- Amid chants of "overrated" directed at the No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers, the Wisconsin Badgers weathered a major storm from their opponent and handed IU its first Big Ten loss of the season, 62-49.

Indiana trailed by as many as 20 points, but fought back with a furious run to within five. The Hoosiers could not inch any closer.

D.J. White finished with 22 points and 17 rebounds for Indiana. Eric Gordon, after a poor showing in the first half, finished with 16 points.

Trevon Hughes had 16 points for UW. Marcus Landry added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

We'll be back with post-game thoughts and quotes after coaches and players speak to the media here at the Kohl Center.

Posted by Jon Bortin at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- Indiana, down 20 points with 13 minutes to play, made a furious attempt to get back in the game and cut the lead to 48-43 moments ago.

But the Badgers, after a big putback from Joe Krabbehoft, have built back up an eight-point lead.

With 3:10 left to play, it's 53-45.

Posted by Jon Bortin at 10:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- A three-point play by D.J. White gives him 18 points and 13 rebounds.

It also cuts the lead to 48-41, UW.

It is getting tense at the Kohl Center, where we have a timeout on the floor.

7:53 remains on the clock, and it's suddenly anybody's game...

Posted by Jon Bortin at 10:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- Indiana was on the ropes only a few minutes ago, down 20. Since then, they have gone on 10-0 run to put themselves right back in the game.

Eric Gordon just drilled a three-pointer from five feet beyond the line, prompting a UW timeout.

With 9:29 remaining, it's 46-36, UW.

Posted by Jon Bortin at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. - A put-back from Greg Stiemsma has ballooned the Badger lead to 20 points at the Kohl Center.

The way things are looking right now, Indiana is going to be hard-pressed to come back in this game. Almost nothing has worked for them tonight. On offense they are still shooting under 30 percent, and they can't buy a three-pointer (1-11).

With 12 minutes to go, it's 46-28, Badgers.

Posted by Jon Bortin at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Badgers and Indiana Hoosiers have walked off the court at halftime with UW holding a 10-point lead in a sloppy first half.

Neither team is hitting a high percentage from the field. The Badgers are at 35 percent, and IU sits at 31 percent.

The Eric Gordon watch stands with this halftime line: four points (2-for-7 FG, 0-3 3PT), two rebounds and one assist. Gordon's teammate D.J. White has been a much bigger factor through 20 minutes. White is on pace to put up yet another double-double. He's at nine points and eight rebounds.

But White is not the leading scorer. The holder of that is Badger sophomore Trevon Hughes, who's scored 10 points on 10 field goal attempts. Marcus Landry has seven points and six rebounds for the Badgers.

If you're looking for a reason why the Badgers hold this 10 point lead over the Big Ten's top team, check the turnover department. Indiana has committed far too many, with 11 in the first half, to the Badgers' three. White has made three himself.

In the meantime, Badger fans at the Kohl Center got a kick out of one man's performance in the singing contest. In his rendition of "My Girl," he managed to put in the name of ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews. A cursory check showed her not to be on the floor.

The second half is about three minutes away. Will Indiana put together a run and keep the unbeaten Big Ten record? Check back for updates...

Posted by Jon Bortin at 09:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- After he didn't get a call on the offensive end, Eric Gordon made a silly foul on Trevon Hughes, who hit one of two free throws from the line.

Gordon, playing with a taped left wrist, came right back and hit off the glass, making him 2-for-7 tonight.

With about one minute to play in the first half, Indiana trails by eight after a D.J. White offensive foul.

Posted by Jon Bortin at 09:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- The Hoosiers are down to 30 percent shooting through the first 15 minutes of the first half. Fortunately for them, the Badgers are only at 38 percent.

D.J. White's free-throw and put-back dunk on an offensive rebound has made the score 25-15, Badgers, with under four minutes to play. Indiana has gained an edge in rebounding after going down early.

We'll see what happens in the last 3:26, a critical period for the Hoosiers before they go into halftime. So far, though, the tempo of this game belongs to the Badgers.

Posted by Jon Bortin at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin's leading scorer, Brian Butch, was really struggling in the early going, missing his first four shots, all coming in the paint.

But he brought on the din of the Kohl Center crowd after hitting a three-pointer with 7:40 remaining in the first half.

Indiana was moments ago showing signs of climbing back into the game, cutting the lead to 16-12 as D.J. White picked it up a bit. But it seems the Badgers have weathered the first punch from the Hoosiers. Trevon Hughes leads all scorers with seven points.

With 7:38 remaining in the half, it's 21-12, Wisconsin.

Posted by Jon Bortin at 09:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- No. 13 Wisconsin has overwhelmed Indiana early, jumping out to a 14-6 lead with airtight defense and strong rebounding. Indiana is clearly making a conscious effort to go inside, but isn't converting early on.

Both Trevon Hughes and Marcus Landry have five points for the Badgers, who have six more shots attempted than the Hoosiers. The Badgers are shooting 40 percent early on, while Indiana is struggling from the field, at 33 percent.

Coming out of a timeout with 11:43 remaining, it is 14-6 at the Kohl Center.

Posted by Jon Bortin at 09:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- The Badgers' Marcus Landry has started hot in Madison, with five points in the first three minutes. He made a jump fade away from the paint to put the Badgers up, 4-2, and then converted a three-point play on a lay-in to make it 7-2.

Meanwhile, Eric Gordon of Indiana missed his first shot, a lean-in from the right side of the basket. With 15:48 left in the first half, it's 7-4 at the Kohl Center, where a packed house is LOUD tonight.

Posted by Jon Bortin at 09:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MADISON, Wis. -- Good evening from Madison, Wis., where, for the first time in more than a year, two ranked teams will oppose each other on the Kohl Center court. In about 20 minutes, we'll tip between No. 11 Indiana, looking to stay unbeaten in the Big Ten, and No. 13 Wisconsin, which is coming off its first league setback of the season.

The Hoosiers (6-0 Big Ten, 17-2 overall) face a big litmus test here tonight. The Kohl Center is one of the more intimidating venues in the country. In seven seasons under head coach Bo Ryan, the Badgers are 103-6 at home, the second best over that span. In Big Ten games, the Badgers (6-1, 16-3) are a sterling 50-2 under Ryan.

IU, of course, is looking to rebound from a improbable 68-63 loss to UConn on Saturday. That defeat brought an end to a 13-game winning streak overall and a string of 29 straight wins at Assembly Hall.

A big reason for the Hoosier's success in the first half of the season is the oft-talked about freshman, Eric Gordon. He's leading the Big Ten with 21.7 points per game. Not only is Gordon capable of hitting the three-ball, but he also gets to the line more often than any player in the conference. We'll be keeping an eye tonight on Gordon's left wrist, which he reportedly injured in practice earlier this week. Gordon's father said earlier this week that his son would be wearing a protective pad on the wrist for the game tonight.

The Badgers also face a serious challenge on the low block tonight by the name of D.J. White. The senior has posted 12 double-doubles in his last 15 times out. His work on the boards could give Wisconsin fits. White leads the league in rebounds (10.2) and is a scoring threat, to be sure (16.8 points per game). He and Gordon are key components of the conference's highest scoring team, at 79 points per game.

Meanwhile, the Badgers' continued theme, as seems to be the case every season under Ryan, is stifling defense. No team in the Big Ten is more stingy on defense. The Badgers have held league opponents to under 55 points per contest, and they're scoring this year, too. Senior Brian Butch leads in both points (13.2) and rebounds (7.8). Sophomore guard Trevon Hughes also averages 13 points a game.

Wisconsin has bested Indiana in six of the last nine match-ups between the two teams and will surely be seeking some measure of revenge from last year's loss. That Hoosier win, exactly one year ago today in Bloomington, ended the Badgers' school-record 17-game winning streak.

Indiana, in their fashionable red-and-white striped pants, has just taken the court and started the lay-up line. Gordon's wrist is indeed taped. But if it's any indication of how that will affect him, he drilled his first three-pointer taken in warm-ups.

We'll have more once the game gets underway from Madison!

Posted by Jon Bortin at 08:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- D.J. White had a career high 14 rebounds tonight to help IU out rebound the Yellow Jackets, 34-32. Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson said that he felt it would be important to win the rebounding battle.

IU only played seven players tonight, and one, D'Andre Thomas, only played two minutes. Eric Gordon played all 40, as the Hoosiers were shorthanded tonight at guard with an injury to A.J. Ratliff, the suspension of Jordan Crawford and an illness to Brandon McGee.

As a result, Mike White made his first appearance of the season and played 20 minutes. It had been thought that he would redshirt, but Sampson decided he needed him tonight.

Paul Hewitt talked about how pleased he was with his team's effort. He had felt that they had been inconsistent in that area. Then, he went off on a sermon on how players (not his specifically) are all about themselves. He talked about how everyone wants to play, but that they don't understand the responsibility that comes with playing. He said it was "epidemic" in the sport, and not just at this level, but at the high school and pro levels as well.

And then, he left.

My chair has been removed, so I'm typing this standing up. That's not the best thing for my carpal tunnel, so I'm headed home.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana salted away the end of the game and won, 83-79. There is no question the key stat of the game was free throws. Indiana was 28-38 from the line, while Tech was only 11-20.

Eric Gordon had 29, including 13-16 from the line to lead a sort of balanced attack for IU. D.J. White scored 18 and Lance Stelmer and Jamarcus Ellis had 15 apiece. For those of you who don't want to do the math, that's 77 of Indiana's 83 points.

Georgia Tech got 18 from Lewis Clinch and 17 each from Gani Lawal and Anthony Morrow.

It was a game effort by the Yellow Jackets, but not enough. I'll be back with any interesting post-game tidbits in a bit.

Oh, and I can't figure out how to get pictures off my phone, so I won't be able to post it. I'm so technically inept. There's never an eight-year-old around when you need one.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A 12-4 run keyed by two Lance Stelmer threes has helped put Indiana up eight at the last media timeout. Georgia Tech's habit of losing guys on defense hurt as Stelmer sat behind the line on the wing, while the other nine players were on the other side of the floor. Twice, his teammates found him, and twice he buried the shot.

Gordon is up to 21 points, but once again, other than the dunk in the first half, it's a quiet 21. Part of the reason for that is because he gets to the line so much. He has eight points there.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The last four minutes of basketball here at Indiana were not what you would call elegant.

In one sequence, Jeremis Smith of Georgia Tech fumbled the ball out of bounds going up for a fast break layup. Then, Jamarcus Ellis walked off the spot on the throw in to turn it back over. Tech gave it right back and the Hoosiers' Mike White missed a breakaway layup by about 10 feet. Another Tech turnover and another Hoosier miss on the fast break was followed by Gani Lawal bricking a layup. Then, when Tech finally got to the line, D'Andre Bell nearly airballed a free throw.

Two Jamarcus Ellis free throws and a runner in the lane have given IU a 56-54 lead at the eight-minute timeout. If that kid ever learns to pass, he'll be pretty good. However, Ellis just picked up his fourth foul.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A foul has been called on Eric Gordon (say it isn't SO!) and the MBF chant has started up at Indiana. Actually, I think they are saying something else.

The game has gone a bit back and forth since the last timeout. Georgia Tech is about to go to the line leading by one. Both teams are shooting much better this half. Tech is 7-for-11, while IU is 3-for-6 so far. The Yellow Jackets already have seven fouls, though, so IU will shoot the rest of the way. The Hoosiers already have a 13-shot advantage at the line.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Georgia Tech has scored the first seven points of the second half and has taken the crowd out of the game for now. The Yellow Jackets lead, 41-38, at the first timeout.

Coming back out onto the floor, I had to limbo past the band because the trombones sit in the front row. That was going fine until the started going up and down during the fight song. I managed to get away unscathed, but I would have loved explaining that one at the hospital. As an old band jock, I should know better.

The students in front of us have been standing for the whole game, but these three girls like to stand on the bench instead of the floor. Twice an usher has come to tell them to get down. Last time, it was an elderly woman who was pretty stern with them. The girls all had a look on their face like they had been scolded by their grandmother. But, they have stayed on the floor.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana finished the first half on a 20-8 run to go up 38-34 at the break. D.J. White got a layup with 2 seconds left for the last bucket.

Gordon has 11 points and White 14 to lead Indiana. Georgia Tech is paced by 10 each from Lewis Clinch and Gani Lawal.

While Indiana is doing a MUCH better job finding White in the set offense tonight, Gordon is having problems making the connection. He has four turnovers on bad passes directed at White. I don't have turnover stats yet, but I bet the numbers were high.

The teams aren't shooting overly well either. Indiana is at 44.4 percent, which isn't too bad, but Tech is only shooting 40 percent. IU switched to a zone for the last four minutes, and the Yellow Jackets had trouble finding the openings like they were earlier in the half.

Back with the second half in a bit, and I'm going to try to figure out how to post a picture.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, In. -- Bad news for Georgia Tech. Eric Gordon is getting hot. Matt Causey overplayed a pass to Gordon, but didn't get there in time, and Gordon dribbled in for an electrifying dunk that got the crowd roaring. A Jamarcus Ellis 3 then gave the Hoosiers their first lead in a while. Gordon beat Tech down the floor for a layup and now IU is up 33-29 at the last timeout of the half. The current IU run is 15-3.

Gordon now has 11 points to go with White's 10.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 07:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Eric Gordon's step back three and breakaway layup were sandwiched around a Lance Stelmer putback to give Indiana a 7-0 run and pull them within one.

Tech has a tendency to lose a guy on defense and IU is starting to do a better job of finding that guy.

Lawal of Georgia Tech is killing the Hoosiers inside with ten points, but he's on the bench right now.

A three ball by Lewis Clinch, his third of the half, has put GT back up, 29-25, at the eight-minute timeout.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- It turns out I don't really need my chair anyway. With the students standing right in front of us, we need to stand to see. We also can't hear the PA where we sit, and the scoreboard is a bit slow, so figuring out who a foul is on isn't always easy if you don't see it. That's especially true at the other end of the floor.

On the court, Eric Gordon missed his first two shots, but has a couple of free throws. The Hoosiers have found DJ White in the offense today and it shows. He's getting open with ease on the inside and has nine points already.

Georgia Tech is also getting good looks inside. Gani Lawal already has a couple of dunks. He also has a couple of blocks off the bench.

It's 17-13 Tech with 11:10 left in the half.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 07:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- This game is off to a sloppy start. It's tied at four at the first timeout. Indiana already has five turnovers by my count, and at least three of them are for carrying the ball. Tech hasn't turned it over quite as much but has missed several shots.

DJ White has had his hands on the ball more and has a basket for IU. Aminu and Smith have both scored for Tech and Aminu goes to the line when we restart.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 07:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- I'm coming to you tonight from Indiana's Assembly Hall, but if you look for me on TV, you probably won't recognize me. I'm in disguise. I'm afraid I'm too well known as a Purdue fan.

I've lived in Indiana for a long time but have never been in this facility. It's a strange place. It seats just over 17,000, but nearly all the seats are on the sides of the court. The seating area looks like some sort of inverted saddle. There are only about 1000 or so seats total behind the baskets, and the pep band takes up one section.

I climbed up to the top of the balcony to see what those seats are like, and they're pretty high. If you have ever watched a game in a dome, it's about like being halfway up an upper deck in a dome. I took a picture, which if I can figure out how to post, I will.

I also went to the top row of the lower deck, which is tucked under the balcony. Those are actually worse seats, even though they are a little closer because the balcony hangs down too far.

It's the kind of place where I would normally question the sobriety of the designers, but the upper deck ushers told me the place was designed by the Army Corps of Engineers at Bobby Knight's request.

My seat tonight is behind the basket Indiana will shoot at in the first half, directly behind and below the 1987 national championship banner. The press row here is right up against the wall. It's so tight, that I can barely get into my chair if I pull it out to the wall. When I tuck my chair in, I almost don't fit between the back of it and the wall. And I'm not a particularly big guy.

Fortunately, there are plans to replace this facility. It has pretty much outlived its usefulness.

On to the game. Indiana is looking to rebound from a loss to Xavier in the Chicago Challenge last weekend. In that game, Eric Gordon scored 20, but only shot 4-12 from the floor as Stanley Burrell frustrated him all night with his tight defense. Indiana is going to have to get DJ White more involved in their set offense against better teams. That did not happen in Chicago this weekend.

Georgia Tech went 2-1 at the Paradise Jam last week, beating Charlotte and Notre Dame, sandwiched around a loss to Winthrop. Senior Anthony Morrow leads the team in scoring at 19 points per game and is shooting over 48 percent from long range. The front court tandem of Alade Aminu and Jeremis Smith is also very productive, and they will have to have a good game for the Yellow Jackets to have a chance.

This game is part of the annual ACC smackdown of the Big Ten. This is the ninth year of the ACC-Big Ten challenge, and the Big Ten is a big 0-8.

We just had the national anthem, and when I stood up, I about fell over my chair because it stopped, but I didn't.

I was just handed a note that IU freshman guard Jordan Crawford has been suspended three games for violating team rules. Crawford doesn't start, but averages 25 minutes a game backing up Armon Bassett (mostly) and Gordon. He's been averaging 12.6 points per game, so that could be trouble tonight or in the Hoosiers' next game at Southern Illinois.

We're five minutes from the tip, but the crowd is very slow to arrive. I've been told it's a sellout, but it'd say only 2/3 of the seats are full. The student sports information intern sitting by me says IU has a typically late-arriving crowd.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 06:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Xavier completed the upset, winning, 80-65. CJ Anderson led Xavier in scoring with 19, 12 in the second half. BJ Raymond also had 19.

Eric Gordon had 20 from Indiana but was only 4-for-12 from the field. He was 12-for-12 from the line. DJ White had 16.

As a team, Indiana was a woeful 1-for-15 from three-point range on the evening. Xavier wasn't a whole lot better at 4-for-13.

Gordon, White, Anderson and Josh Duncan were on the All-Tournament Team, and Anderson, who doesn't start for Xavier, was named the MVP. How Burrell wasn't on it is beyond me. He defended Gordon about as well as he will be defended all year.

The Musketeers are accepting their trophy, which is a big cup. The Xavier radio guys next to me, especially Larkin, are pretty excited.

This is a big win for Xavier's at-large tournament hopes. It'll be a real feather in their cap come selection Sunday, and might make the committee folks look the other way at that Miami (Ohio) loss.

That's a wrap from Chicago. Time for some good pizza.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Indiana is running out of time, and now, thankfully, they are out of timeouts also. So is Xavier, so maybe the last two minutes won't be as slow as usual. IU is pressing and fouling, trying to get back in, but they still trail by 11 with 2:05 to go.

The result is in doubt only if Xavier can't hit their free throws, which hasn't been a given so far.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- We have come to the last TV timeout and Indiana isn't closing the gap any. Eric Gordon is scoring, albeit from the free throw line, but Xavier has the answer at the other end. The Muskies are still beating IU down the floor and getting good shots inside. And if they could hit a free throw, this would really be ugly.

DJ White just picked up his fourth foul right before the time out as Josh Duncan hit another layup for Xavier. He'll be at the line when we resume.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- C.J. Anderson is having a big second half for Xavier with nine points and is causing all kinds of havoc in the paint. With D.J. White backing off some because of foul trouble, Anderson has gotten to the hole with ease and would have more if he could hit a free throw.

Derrick Brown just fouled out taking a charge from Eric Gordon that was called a block on him, so Gordon will go to the line when we get back on the floor. It's 62-49 Xavier with 6:41 to go.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Xavier is getting the game played at their pace, which is a bit up and down, and they still lead, 56-43. Eric Gordon is forcing shots and forcing action where it isn't there, and that isn't helping the Hoosiers. D.J. White is being less aggressive in the post trying to avoid his fourth foul, so Xavier is getting some put back chances and taking advantage.

Luke Stempler of Indiana became the third player to pick up his fourth foul since the start of the half. Stempler came in when DeAndre Thomas picked up his fourth foul a few minutes ago.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Two guys have picked up their fourth fouls, but neither were D.J. White or Eric Gordon. DeAndre Thomas got his almost immediately after my last post, and Xavier's Derrick Brown picked up two quick ones to give him four.

White and Gordon are trying to bring the Hoosiers back, but Xavier keeps breaking down the IU defense for easy shots. Xavier still leads by 10 at the first TV timeout.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Marlen Garcia and I have a bet on who gets their fourth foul first, Eric Gordon or D.J. White.

Right before the half, the ref came over by where we're sitting with the ball and was chatting with a couple of kids. They asked him about his Thanksgiving and where he lived and all that, and he let them hold the ball for a minute. When it was time to get ready, he told the kids, "Now, you can yell at the other two all you want."

DeAndre Thomas just picked up his third foul in the first ten seconds of the half, and Marlen says, "We should have put money on DeAndre."

Note, no actual money is going to change hands.

The IU cheerleaders came out during a Xavier timeout and seem a little more pleading with their cheers. The IU fans aren't responding much.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- The Hoosiers are hurting at the half, down, 40-29, to Xavier. B.J. Raymond hit a 15-footer at the horn to finish the scoring in the first half. With two second left, Indiana finally passed the ball in to D.J. White on the blocks, but he was called for an offensive foul, his third. He joins Gordon with three, and that could be a problem the entire second half.

After Gordon went out, IU struggled a bit. They scored on their first two possessions, but only scored twice after that. Their offense looks a lot like last night's -- pass the ball around the perimeter and hope a guard hits a shot. The problem is that Gordon isn't there to take the shot.

We were just entertained by the Shamrox Girls dance team. IU fans didn't seem too entertained.

Raymond leads Xavier with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-4 from long range. Josh Duncan and Drew Lavender have six each, and Lavender has six assists.

White is Indiana's leading scorer with 10, all of which he created for himself. He also has seven boards. Gordon has four on 1-of-6 shooting. Burrell really harassed him into a frustrating half. Jamarcus Ellis has six points for the Hoosiers and Armon Bassett has five.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Xavier switched to a zone as soon as Eric Gordon went out of the game with mixed results. Indiana scored twice quickly to cut the lead to one, but Xavier responded with a little 6-2 run where they just beat the Hoosiers down the floor on offense. The Muskies lead, 31-26, with 2:39 to go in the first half.

The cheerleaders seem unperturbed by these developments. Their level of peppiness never changes.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- The foul on Eric Gordon that I mentioned in the last post was his second. On the first possession after the timeout, he picked up his third, so he's going to sit the last seven minutes of this half. He has four points so far.

DeAndre Thomas is back in for IU and he has two fouls.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- A track meet has broken out at the Sears Centre. In the last two minutes, there have been three dunks and a driving layup as we continue to go back and forth. Right now Indiana leads, 20-19, but by the time I'm done typing this, I'm sure it'll change.

There was a call against Xavier that Muskie radio analyst and former player Bryan Larkin didn't agree with and he was waving his arm in disgust. The call was a block on a drive by Eric Gordon to the hoop. They just called a charge on Gordon on the same kind of play and he threw up his arms in celebration. I may need a seatbelt before the night's over.

Oh, look, a Xavier tip and a three, and it's 24-20 Xavier at the eight-minute timeout.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- This has been a hard-fought game, and things are getting a little feisty. The refs have had to talk to players twice already to calm things down.

Xavier and Indiana are tied at 12, and Eric Gordon isn't on the board yet. Stanley Burrell is doing a good job frustrating him, but he's out of the game at the moment.

D.J. White is being ignored by his teammates on the offensive end still, so he's creating his own offense. He has five points on two putbacks and a free throw.

Xavier guard Drew Lavender, who transferred from Oklahoma, where he used to play for Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson has been forcing things a bit and needs to settle down.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- A team of surgeons has been called in to try to figure out the problem with the net. I think Hugh Laurie has been spotted.

Meanwhile, I went back for some pizza in the media room. My friend, USA Today Sportswriter and food critic, Marlen Garcia, warned me that it was bad, and she's right. It was awful. Now, we're in Chicago (or close enough). To get bad pizza around here, it almost has to be a goal. There needs to be a task force, meetings, etc. to get something like that done. I can't even make bad pizza, and I can't cook anything tougher than Spaghettio's. Maybe it's imported from Canada. Or New York.

Hey! In the time it took me to write that, they fixed the net, the teams went through a couple of minutes of layup lines, and we're ready to restart the game.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Xavier's Derrick Brown just electrified the crowd and damaged the basket with rim-rattling dunk on a fast break to give the Muskies a 4-3 lead. He also got fouled and will go to the line when they fix the net.

IU is manhandling Xavier's smaller front line inside. D.J. White and DeAndre Thomas are throwing their weight around and getting almost any rebound they want.

Stanley Burrell has been given the assignment of guarding Eric Gordon, and so far, he's kept him out of the score book. Of course, we're only three minutes in.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- The starting lineups are about to be introduced, but the crowd is now here and ready. It's about the same size as last night's crowd, but most of them must be drinking. There is a bit of eau de frat house in the atmosphere.

When Indiana's cheerleaders come out to lead the team on to the floor, they run their big flags down to where the other team warms up and wave them behind their basket. Then, the girls run out with the little flags that spell "Indiana" and do a couple of laps around the other team while they're warming up. I bet that goes over real well. The other team is probably coming up with places they'd like to stick those flags.

Armon Basset is in the lineup for Indiana tonight. He injured his foot last night and there was some concern he might not play today.

The tip is moments away.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Kent State finished off Illinois State, 65-59. Without seeing a stat sheet, I'll guess that ISU shot worse and took care of the ball worse. The Redbirds had some moments, but the Flashes were more consistent and that's why they come away with the victory. I'll try to get some stats.

Indiana is taking the floor to warm up, wearing their usual candy striper pants. All they need is those little, paper nurses hats and their costumes would be complete.

Xavier has also entered the arena and started playing a game of hot potato.

Indiana was all Eric Gordon last night, and that's been the case all year. I'm not sure if Xavier has a guy who can check him all night, but I think it behooves the Hoosiers to get DJ White more involved. He was a cipher last night because his teammates ignored him, preferring to play one-on-one ball.

Xavier played well when it played hard last night, but that was only in spurts. The Musketeers will need a full 40-minute effort to stay with IU.

All of a sudden, a Wisconsin football game has broken out. The PA is now exhorting us to jump around. Apparently this crowd does not follow instructions well. We probably won't even have a decent wave.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Indiana beat Illinois State, 70-57, and will move on to play Xavier tomorrow night in the championship game of the Chicago Challenge.

Eric Gordon was terrific, scoring 31 points, although his shooting, as well as his shot selection, tailed off in the second half. The only other Hoosier in double figures was Jordan Crawford with 13.

DJ White never really got into the flow of this game and looked a bit lost out there at times. It seems like he's still trying to figure out how to play with his new superstar teammate.

Illinois St was led by Levi Dyer's 18 points and Anthony Slack's 13. Gordon held Osiris Eldridge to seven on 3-of-11 shooting as he was never really a factor. If I can get some quotes or other telling stats, I will, but that kind of thing is hard to come by here.

I'll be back tomorrow night with the consolation and championship games. And a sweater.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- It looks like the Redbirds have finally run out of gas trying to keep up with Indiana. They have missed several shots in a row from the floor and are getting beat to most of the loose balls now. Indiana has stretched the lead to 11 with 2:33 to play.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- If Illinois State could just hit a free throw, they would be in this game. The Redbirds are only 9-for-20 from the line, which doesn't count the missed opportunities from missing the front end of a one-and-one.

Gordon just hit a turnaround jumper from about 18 feet to put IU back up nine.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Levi Dyer is all set to star in those Southwest Airlines commericals after the last sequence. First, he airballed a wide open three-pointer that would have cut the lead to one. He's a pretty decent three-point shooter otherwise. Then, on the next possession, Boo Richardson stole the ball and fed the 6-foot-11 Dyer as he went down the lane before missing the dunk.

In spite of that, ISU still trails by only four.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- After a sloppy first seven minutes of the second half, which saw the teams trading mistakes as often as points, Eric Gordon woke everybody up with a drive and authoritative dunk to put the Hoosiers back up 11.

Illinois St is trying to run a motion offense, but Indiana's athleticism is making it tough for them to find good shots. Indiana isn't really running much of an offense at all. They dribble (mostly) and pass the ball around the perimeter, before someone finally makes a one-on-one move and gets a shot. Eventually, the Hoosiers will face a team that will require them to be more disciplined, but Illinois St is probably not that team.

IU leads 50-42 at the 12 minute timeout.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Eric Gordon is definitely the star of this game, but he has about as quiet a 20 points as someone can score in one half. He hasn't been so much spectacular as he has been methodical. His most electrifying play of the half was a pass to DJ White after he drove the lane.

Gordon is 8-for-11 from the floor, including 2-for-2 from three-point range and the Hoosiers lead, 38-28, at the half.

Levi Dyer and Anthony Slack have eight points each to lead Illinois State.

I need to find some coffee.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Brandon Holtz, Levi Dyer, and Osiris Eldridge all scored in an Illinois St 8-0 run to cut the Indiana lead to five at the last timeout of the first half. Gordon and Armon Basset both forced bad shots at the IU end to help give ISU some momentum.

ISU fans are taunting Gordon with cheers and chants about him reneging on a commitment to Illinois, but so far, none of them have been particularly clever.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Eric Gordon is starting to take over. It's not spectacular, but he's beating the Redbirds down the floor and either scoring or getting fouled. He's on a personal nine-point run and has staked the Hoosiers to a 30-17 lead with six minutes left.

Gordon is also starring on the defensive end. He's guarding Osiris Eldridge, and he's been shut out so far.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- No sooner did I mention that DJ White had not been a factor, then Indiana came out of the timeout and focused on pounding it inside. Three straight possessions, the Hoosiers got it into White in the post, and that resulted in a turnover, a bucket and an assist. Indiana now leads, 21-16, at the eight-minute timeout.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Illinois State is still hanging around at the second timeout. Indiana leads, 15-11, behind Eric Gordon's six points. DJ White has yet to be a factor in the game.

Levi Dyer has five off the bench for the Redbirds.

The guy next to me committed a media foul by knocking the draping off our table trying to plug in his computer. That left us feeling exposed. I was very concerned that people watching on TV might see that my shoes were untied. Fortunately, maintenance fixed it at the timeout. I think the net is still a problem, though.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Indiana started DeAndre Thomas tonight, a JUCO transfer from Chicago. They list him at 6-foot-8, 295 pounds, but there's no chance he was less than 320. This kid redefines "filling the lane." The game notes mention that he lost 59 pounds in the offesason.

He has two points and a steal as Indiana leads, 8-2, at the first timeout.

I'm also pleased to report that Indiana brought their cheerleaders.

We now return you to round-the-clock coverage of Eric Gordon (4 points).

Posted by Jerry Palm at 09:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHICAGO -- Indiana takes on Illinois State in the nightcap at the Sears Centre, where the have apparently left the doors open, because it's cold and drafty.

The Hoosiers feature freshman phenom Eric Gordon, who is averaging 28 points per game to start the season, but I'm a big fan of C DJ White (well, as much of a fan of an IU player as a Purdue grad can be). White is short for a center, but at 250 pounds, he's a load to defend in the paint.

Illinois State is my sleeper pick in the Valley. They have a new coach in Tim Jankovich and most of last year's team back. They are led by last year's MVC Freshman of the Tear, Osiris Eldridge.

IU should win easily, but you never know.

Posted by Jerry Palm at 08:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)