Hoosiers Down Charlotte

Jan. 4, 2003

Bloomington, Ind. - In Indiana's final non-conference contest before Big Ten play begins, the Hoosiers looked for victory and found it on the Assembly Hall hardwood, defeating the Charlotte 49ers, 70-60. IU extends its record to 10-2 while the 49ers fall to 5-6 on the year.

Bracey Wright led the Hoosiers with 17 points, his 12th straight double-digit scoring performance. Wright is the only IU player to score in double figures in every game this season.

Playing an all-around solid game, the Hoosiers had many players to thank for the victory. Tom Coverdale had 13 points in the contest while Kyle Hornsby added 13 of his own, six of those from beyond the arc. A.J. Moye had a season-best performance with 11 points and eight rebounds, leading all IU players in boards.

The game opened on a Wright three-pointer, but the Hoosiers did not come together early. Charlotte took its only lead of the game just over two and a half minutes into the game when they led, 5-3. The Hoosiers then went on an 11-0 run to take a 29-11 lead with 7:31 remaining in the first half. By halftime, the score stood at 36-22.

"We came out with no drive, no fight," said IU head coach Mike Davis. "We just kind of came out and played. We need for these guys to play with some passion."

The second half opened much like the first, though this time it was Hornsby sinking the basket from three-point range. Indiana continued its stronghold on the lead, as Charlotte pulled no closer than the ten-point differential that ended the game.

Hornsby's two baskets from beyond the arc give him a career total of 150 treys. He is just the fifth player in IU history to score 150 three-pointers as he moves just ahead of Calbert Cheaney on the all-time list. Teammate and sharp-shooter Coverdale hit the 150 mark Dec. 31, 2002 against Ball State and with three treys against Charlotte, moves closer to the top three.

Coverdale's four assists-performance moves him into seventh on IU's all-time assists chart, just ahead of A.J. Guyton. Coverdale now totals 404 career assists.

Hornsby's 13-point effort is his sixth double-digit scoring performance this season. It also marks his third-straight double-digit scoring game. He scored a season-high 14 points against Ball State and Gonzaga, scoring 12 points against both Vanderbilt and Temple and 10 points against Massachusetts.

In the first half alone, IU sunk six three pointers, coming from six different Hoosiers. Wright opened the barrage of treys on the first basket of the game. Coverdale was the next Hoosier to net a three-pointer. Hornsby, Moye and Marshall Strickland got their three pointers shortly thereafter. Donald Perry became the sixth Hoosier of the game to score from beyond the arc with 6:21 remaining in the first half.

The win is the second straight for the Hoosiers while it marks the third straight loss for Charlotte. The Hoosiers remain undefeated in Assembly Hall with a 4-0 record on the season. The last time the Hoosiers dropped a contest in Assembly Hall was Feb. 13, 2002 to Wisconsin, 64-63.

The Hoosiers open Big Ten play Jan. 8 when they host Penn State at Assembly Hall. Game time is set for 8 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN Plus Local.

Indiana University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Tom Coverdale

Tom Coverdale

Tom Coverdale

Tom Coverdale

A.J. Guyton

Kyle Hornsby

Kyle Hornsby

Kyle Hornsby

Kyle Hornsby

A.J. Moye

A.J. Moye

A.J. Moye

A.J. Moye

Donald Perry

Donald Perry

Donald Perry

Donald Perry

Marshall Strickland

Marshall Strickland

Marshall Strickland

Marshall Strickland

Bracey Wright

Bracey Wright

Bracey Wright

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