Indiana University Athletics
INDIANA DEFEATS BALL STATE TO WIN HOOSIER CLASSIC
12/29/1998 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
INDIANA DEFEATS BALL STATE TO WIN HOOSIER CLASSIC
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Indiana ended a perfect run at Market Square Arena.
Playing their last game in the 25-year-old building, the eighth-ranked Hooisers (No. 10 ESPN/USA Today, No. 8 AP) beat Ball State 72-62 Monday night to win the Hoosier Classic.
Luke Recker scored 17 points for Indiana, which improved to 42-0 at Market Square, including 34-0 in the Hoosier Classic. The arena is scheduled to be torn down when the Conseco Fieldhouse is completed in 1999.
The Hoosiers (13-2) trailed by four points at halftime, but opened the second half with a 19-5 run to take a 10-point lead.
"They got behind our defense, got some easy baskets, got the crowd back in it, and really got the momentum," said Ball State coach Ray McCallum.
Indiana coach Bob Knight was pleased with his team's comeback against the Cardinals, who took a 40-36 halftime lead on a 3-pointer by Duane Clemens.
"I was really impressed with how Ball State played in the first half," Knight said. "Their coaches did an excellent job of getting them ready to play."
William Gladness added 13 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana. The Cardinals (6-4) were led by Clemens with 16 points and Marcus Mason with 12.
After Ball State pulled within five points in the second half, Indiana started to pick apart the Cardinals' zone defense.
Gladness sparked the surge, feeding Kirk Haston for a layup, then making a steal before hitting two free throws and a driving shot with 5:48 to play to make it 68-56. Indiana then made three of four free throws to take a 70-56 lead with five minutes left, and Ball State got no closer than 10 after that.
The lead changed hands several times in the first half. The Hoosiers took a 34-33 lead on a free throw by Dane Fife with 3:23 to go, but the Cardinals then outscored the Hoosiers 7-2 to take the four-point halftime lead.
In the consolation game, Matt Woodley scored 16 points as Drake beat Bucknell 71-53.
