A 15-6 run midway through the second half propelled Indiana to an 84-71 win over Illinois at Assembly Hall in Bloomington on Thursday. The Hoosiers improved to 19-6 overall, 7-6 in the Big Ten. Illinois slipped to 16-8 overall, and a game under in the conference at 5-6. The Illini have lost five of six.
IU dominated the paint in the second half, repeatedly drawing fouls and attacking the basket. Prized freshman Cody Zeller paced the Hoosiers with 22 points, connecting on 5-of-8 shots from the field and hitting 12-of-14 free throws. Victor Oladipo and Christian Watford each scored 18, and Jordan Hulls added 15 points and seven assists.
“Our guys came out and played with a ton of intensity,” stated Hoosiers head coach Tom Crean. “Our guys, they deserved it. It was a hard-fought game and they deserved it because they played hard the entire way.”
For much of the contest, it was a back-and-forth game, with both teams trading possessions and baskets. Hulls three-pointer broke a 46 all tie early in the second half, and when Zeller drew a foul on a dunk and converted the free throw for a three-point play, the Hoosiers were off and running.
Illinois committed 30 fouls and had three players foul out. They were led by D.J. Richardson’s 19 points and Meyers Leonard’s 17. However, Brandon Paul, who came into the game as the conference’s ninth leading scorer, struggled, hitting on just 4-of-11 shots and finishing with 13 points.
IU has plenty of time to rest as the Hoosiers aren’t back in action until next Wednesday when Northwestern visits.
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