Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Wisconsin
No. 24/21 Hoosiers Fall at Wisconsin
2/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 8, 2006
MADISON, Wis. - The No. 24/21 (AP/Coaches) Indiana men's basketball fell on the road to the Wisconsin Badgers, 72-54, at the Kohl Center on Feb. 8. The Hoosiers fell to 13-7 overall and 5-4 in Big Ten play, while the Badgers improved to 16-7 overall and 6-4 in the Big Ten.
Sophomore guard/forward Robert Vaden recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Fifth-year senior forward Marco Killingsworth struggled with foul trouble through the contest, but did finish with 14 points and nine rebounds in a limited 19 minutes of action. Senior guard Marshall Strickland had 12 points and seven rebounds, while junior guard Earl Calloway had a career-high 10 points, including a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line to go along with a team-high three assists in his third start of the season.
The Hoosiers struggled from the field and shot a season-low 28.6 percent (16-of-56), but did outrebound the Badgers, 42-32. Wisconsin was 25-of-55 (45.5 percent) from the field, including seven three-point field goals.
The Badgers opened the game by scoring the first six points of the contest over the first three minutes. Junior guard Kammron Taylor scored five of the first six points for the Badgers on a free throw line jumper and a three-point field goal. Strickland ended the brief run with a 15 footer from the right baseline before a Killingsworth layup on the ensuing Hoosier possession made it 6-4.
The Badgers then went on a 14-2 run over the next four minutes. After a Killingsworth layup cut the deficit to 11-6, the Badger scored nine straight points. An offensive putback and free throw by freshman forward Kevin Gullikson started the nine-point run. Senior guard/forward Ray Nixon capped the run with back-to-back treys, one from each wing, to give Wisconsin a 20-6 lead with 9:38 remaining.
The Hoosiers answered by scoring 10 straight points to cut the deficit back within four. Strickland and Killingsworth highlighted the spurt and scored all 10 of the Hoosier points. After a Strickland trifecta off an inbounds pass, Killingsworth followed a missed Lewis Monroe layup on the fast break with a dunk to bring the Hoosiers back within single digits, 20-11. Strickland again hit from deep and Killingsworth added a pair of free throws to cut the UW lead to 20-16 with 6:29 remaining.
The lead ballooned back to double-digits at 31-20 after the Hoosiers went to a five-guard lineup. Junior forward Alando Tucker scored six straight Badger points before junior guard Roderick Wilmont hit a jumper from the top of the key at the first-half horn. The jumper cut the Wisconsin advantage to 31-22 at the half.
The Badgers extended nine-point halftime lead to 14, 36-22, by virtue of scoring the first five points of the second half. Tucker hit on a trey from the top of the key followed by a Nixon jumper. Wisconsin extended the advantage to as many as 18, 47-29, following a bucket from Tucker with 13:52 remaining.
The Hoosiers battled back as they scored seven straight points to cut the deficit to 47-36. Strickland scored on a jumper in the lane, Vaden hit on a conventional three-point play and freshman Ben Allen added a pair of free throws with 12:05 remaining.
After a Michael Flowers putback on the Wisconsin end, Calloway hit a pair of free throws to cut it back to 11, 49-38. It would be as close at the Hoosiers could get because the Badgers went on another spurt. Wisconsin scored eight straight points capped by back-to-back three-pointers from the right wing by sophomore guard Tanner Bronson and Nixon. The run put the game out of reach as the Badgers led 57-38 with 9:15 remaining. The Hoosiers could not get any closer than 16 points over the final nine minutes.
The Hoosiers return to the hardwood on Saturday, Feb. 11, against the No. 18/19 Iowa Hawkeyes. The game is slated for noon and will be televised live on ESPN. The game can also be heard on the IU Radio Network with Don Fischer (play-by-play), former IU guard Todd Leary (color) and Joe Smith (pregame, halftime and postgame) on the call.
