Hoosiers Fall Short in Classic Battle With Kentucky

NCAA — 12 December 2010

The NCAA Men’s Basketball season is only about a little over a month old, and already we have had some big time schools battling for glory. When you think of the giants of NCAA Men’s Basketball, Kentucky and Indiana must be on the list. Kentucky has won 7 national titles, and Indiana 5.

Only UCLA has more than Kentucky with 11. By comparison North Carolina has 5 as well. Indiana with second year coach Tom Crean, came to Rupp Arena on this Saturday afternoon with high hopes, and definitely a ton of heart. Kentucky has two high flying freshman in Terrence Jones, and Brandon Knight.

Indiana came out of the locker room to start, and gave Kentucky all they could handle in the first half. Kentucky’s young freshman stars Knight, and Jones had to sit out almost half of the first half with 2 foul’s each. At 5:32 of the first half Jordan Hulls for I.U. picked up his 3rd foul, and coach Crean was forced to sit him down for the rest of the first half. I.U. played with the talented Wildcats to a 32-31 Kentucky halftime lead.

Coach Crean, and his young I.U. Squad had to feel good about the position they were in at halftime. Down only 1 to the mighty Wildcats on the road. Indiana who only won 6 games last season has improved immensely over the summer, and fall. Indiana has started the 2010 basketball season with a road loss to only Boston College, in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Wildcats who had lost 2 games coming into tonight, seemed to be the more talented team.

Indiana played good defense throughout the first half, and seemed to have the Wildcats where they wanted them at the half. Indiana shot 50% from the field in the first half, with help from Christian Watford who had 7 points to lead the Hoosiers into the break.

Kentucky’s sensational freshman Jones, and Knight were non factors in the first half. Coach Calapari sat them both down early in the first half with 2 fouls each. Kentucky’s upper class-men came through big, and stepped up when their elite freshmen had to sit a big part of the first half.

Josh Harrellson, and DeAndre Liggins both came through big for the Wildcats. The start of the second half had Jordy Hulls, the Hoosier’s new floor general on the bench. Verdell Jones, who’s been hobbled with a ankle injury came in for Hulls.

At 18:35 to go in the second half, the Hoosiers were leading the Wildcats 35-32, and this sports fan thought we were going to have a classic Hoosiers vs. Wildcats matchup. But the tides turned quickly. Nine seconds into the second half, Terrence Jones picked up his 3rd foul, and Coach Calapari sat him down. Kentucky’s other amazing freshman, Jones scored his first points of the contest at 18:30 to go in the game.

Things were looking good for the Hoosiers until a crucial turnover gave Kentucky momentum. The Hoosiers got a steal under the Wildcat’s bucket, and Victor Oladipo comes up with the ball for the Hoosiers, only to travel, and turn the ball back over to the Wildcats. Kentucky’s Knight hits a jumper, and the Wildcats never trailed again.

From that point on, around the 15:00 minute mark, the Hoosiers could not buy a bucket. It was not so much the Wildcat’s defense as it was the Hoosiers just could not get a shot to drop. The Hoosiers shot 50% from the field in the first half, and went 9-26 in the second half.

The Kentucky Wildcats were led by their upper classmen Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins. Liggins had 19 points, and 9 rebounds, and Harrellson had 14 points, and 12 rebounds respectively for the Wildcats. The Wildcat’s super freshman Brandon Knight finished the game with 18 points, and was 10 for 10 from the free throw line.

Jones added 10 points for the Wildcats. The shooting drought the Hoosiers suffered in the second half killed all hopes for a road win. The Hoosiers went 9:42 in the second half without a bucket. The Hoosiers did battle with the Wildcats in the paint, only getting out scored there 30-28. It was a very exciting game, and the 24,377 rabid basketball fans enjoyed a hard fought battle. Leading the Hoosiers in scoring was Christian Watford with 19, with 12 coming in the second half. Jordan Hulls, and Victor Oladipo had 10 apiece.

Kentucky out rebounded the Hoosiers 45-33. This game started off as a classic battle to the end for Kentucky and Indiana. But poor shooting by the Hoosiers sealed their fate. The Wildcats were 31-44 from the charity stripe. The Hoosiers were 12-16 from the charity stripe for 75%.