Indiana University
16-6, 6-3B1G
Rutgers
10-13, 2-8B1G
Indiana Surges Past Rutgers, 72-64
1/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Trailing, 57-56, with 6:50 remaining, the Hoosiers (16-6, 6-3 Big Ten) went on an 8-0 run, highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers from Nick Zeisloft, and scored 16 of the game's final 24 points to secure the victory.
Indiana was led by 20 points from James Blackmon Jr., who also hauled in five rebounds. Kevin Yogi Ferrell and Troy Williams also scored in double figures for IU with 14 each. Williams led the Hoosiers with 12 rebounds, tying a career high he set against Ohio State on Jan. 10.
With the Hoosiers on top early at 5-4, Rutgers (10-13, 2-8 Big Ten) used an 11-2 run to take a 15-7 lead with 12:40 remaining in the opening stanza.
A 6-0 Indiana stretch, capped by a pull-up 3-pointer from Ferrell, trimmed the Rutgers' lead down to one point at 19-18 with 6:27 left in the period. The Hoosiers weren't finished as they took their first lead of the game since the 17:07 mark, 26-25, on a Blackmon layup made possible by a steal from Robert Johnson.
Behind nine points from Williams and Blackmon, Indiana held a 32-30 lead going into the locker room.
Three quick 3-pointers from Rutgers' Mack Myles gave the Scarlet Knights back the advantage at 39-38 with 17:12 left in the game. Myles finished the contest with 24 points, 20 of which came from a second half that saw him hit 4-of-6 from behind the arc.
A Ferrell 3-pointer put the Hoosiers back on top, 43-42, before a 7-0 Rutgers push gave the Scarlet Knights a 49-43 lead with 12:33 remaining.
A second half of runs, the Hoosiers responded with a 7-0 stretch of their own that saw 3-pointers from Robert Johnson and Blackmon to tie the game at 52-52.
After Zeisloft's second 3-pointer of the game, the Hoosiers grabbed a 64-57 lead heading into the final media timeout. In the last 2:15 of the contest, the Hoosiers went 8-of-8 from the free throw line and 10-for-10 in the last 8:21 to keep the game out of reach.
Indiana's bench outscored Rutgers', 26-0, led by Williams' 14 points and eight from Johnson and Zeisloft, who scored all of his points in the final 6:35 of the game.
The Hoosiers travel to Wisconsin on Tuesday, Feb. 3, as Indiana battles the Badgers at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Media Contact: J.D. Campbell, jc56@indiana.edu
