Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Charlotte
Shooting, Defense Propels Hoosiers Past Charlotte, 71-54
12/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2005
Box Score
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The No. 18/17 Indiana men's basketball team used 10 first-half three-pointers and a stingy defense to roll past Charlotte, 71-54, on Dec. 19. In the opening half, the Hoosiers hit 10-of-14 from behind the arc, including six straight during a 22-2 run. Down the stretch, IU limited Charlotte to 26.6 percent shooting from the field, including just 19.4 percent in the second half. With the victory, IU ran its season mark to 6-2, while the 49ers dropped to 5-5.
Fifth-year senior forward Marco Killingsworth led the Hoosiers with 17 points, hitting 7-of-12 from the field and pulling down five rebounds. Sophomore guard/forward Robert Vaden had 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore forward D.J. White made his return to the Indiana lineup. After missing the opening seven games of the season with a broken foot, the 2005 Big Ten Freshman of the Year had eight points, five rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes of action.
Senior guard Marshall Strickland was the third Hoosier in double figures with 12, hitting on 4-of-6 from three-point range. The Winfield, Md., native led the Hoosiers with a career-high nine rebounds in the victory. With his four three-pointers, Strickland moved into a tie for ninth on the career three-point field goals made list with 138. Senior guard Lewis Monroe also pulled down a career-best total of eight boards to go along with a team-high four assists.
Charlotte opened the game by scoring the first five points of the contest on a pair of Chris Nance free throws and a three-pointer from Leemire Goldwire. Strickland gave IU its first lead of the ball game, 8-7, with a three from the right wing at the 14:36 mark
The 49ers regained the lead on the next possession off a bucket from Antwon Coleman down low. The two teams traded spectacular defensive plays. After a steal by Goldwire on the defensive end for Charlotte, Monroe returned the favor with a block in the open court. In transition, Vaden knocked down a three-pointer in the left corner, giving IU an 11-9 lead with 13:46 remaining. Coleman again answered to knot it back up before Monroe scored in the lane to push the Hoosiers back up by two. A dunk by Curtis Withers and a three-pointer from the left wing by De'Angelo Alexander put Charlotte back on top by three, 16-13.
After the two teams traded buckets and with Charlotte leading 18-15, the Hoosiers put together at 22-2 run, using the three ball to its advantage. After Indiana hit on six straight from downtown, the Hoosiers finally missed only to have White there for the put back, pushing the lead to 35-20. Monroe capped the run with a driving lay up that gave IU a 17-point advantage with just 2:45 remaining. Strickland and Wilmont hit on a pair of threes during the run, while Vaden and Killingsworth each added a trifecta.
During the Hoosier run, the IU defense ratcheted up the pressure as it held the 49ers without a field goal for nearly six minutes. The only 49er points during the stretch were via the free throw line.
Charlotte finally countered with an 8-0 run of its own to draw back within single digits at 37-28. Alexander ended the field goal drought as he hit a three with 2:35 left. Marcus Bennett made it back-to-back threes for Charlotte before Withers scored on a driving lay up. Vaden halted the streak with a trey from the right wing out of a Hoosier timeout, but Nance hit from the free throw line with just three seconds remaining. IU went to the locker room with a 40-30 advantage.
The 49ers pared the lead to six on a pair of occasions early in the second half. Following two Coleman free throws that cut the IU lead to 50-44, the Hoosiers responded with a seven-point run. The run pushed the advantage back over double digits and the 49ers never threatened again.
Sophomore guard A.J. Ratliff hit a trey after junior guard Earl Calloway drew a defender and made the extra pass leaving Ratliff wide open on the wing to start the run. Calloway then went coast-to-coast for a driving lay up after grabbing a rebound on the defensive end. White then capped the brief streak with a turnaround jumper in the lane pushing the IU lead to 57-44.
The lead reached its largest following a Killingsworth free throw that put the Hoosiers up, 71-52, with 2:06 remaining. With the Hoosiers leading by 12 following a Nance free throw line jumper, IU put the game out of reach with a quick 8-1 burst. White hit on a jumper followed by a driving lay up from Vaden. Wilmont hit his third three of the night on only three attempts from the left corner, before Killingsworth capped the spurt with one from the charity stripe.
Indiana shot 52.8 percent (28-of-53) from the field and outrebounded the 49ers, 41-38. Alexander was the lone Charlotte player in double figures with 11. Withers finished with eight points, 10 rebounds and six steals.
The Hoosiers return to the hardwood on Friday, Dec. 23, against the Butler Bulldogs (6-4). Game time is slated for 6 p.m. at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. ESPN Plus will televise the game. It can also be heard on the IU Radio Network with Don Fischer (play-by-play), former IU guard Todd Leary (analysis) and Joe Smith (pregame, halftime and post game) on the call.
