Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Face Instate Foe Butler at Conseco
12/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 22, 2005
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The No. 18/17 (AP/Coaches) Indiana men's basketball team will make the short trek to Indianapolis where it will face instate rival Butler at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, at Conseco Fieldhouse. It will be the 48th meeting between the schools, and the first since the Hoosiers took a 62-50 decision in Bloomington on Dec. 13, 2003.
The Hoosiers are coming off an impressive 71-54 win at Charlotte on Dec. 19. IU was led by senior Marco Killingsworth's 17 points. Sophomore forward D.J. White made his return to the hardwood with eight points and five boards in 17 minutes of action.
Butler is also coming off an impressive 86-40 trouncing of Elon on Dec. 19. Friday night's contest will mark the Bulldogs' third game this week as Indiana State (59-58) on a three-pointer at the buzzer on Dec. 17.
On The Air
The Indiana-Butler game will be televised on ESPN Plus, with Mike Adamle (play-by-play) and John Laskowski (color commentary) on the call. Additionally, all of Indiana's games can be heard live on the IU Radio Network. WHCC (105.1 FM in Bloomington) is the flagship station for the network that has more than 50 stations broadcasting Hoosier basketball. Don Fischer (play-by-play), former Indiana guard Todd Leary (color commentary) and Joe Smith (pregame, halftime and postgame host) call all of the action.
Scouting Butler
Butler enters the Dec. 19 contest with a record of 6-4 overall, including wins in four of its last five contests. The Bulldogs are led by senior forward Brandon Polk (14.8 ppg) and sophomore guard A.J. Graves (14.3 ppg). Junior forward Brandon Crone also averages double figures (12.2 ppg), while leading the team with 4.9 rebounds per game.
Friday's contest will be the third game this week for the Bulldogs. Butler lost a heartbreaker to the Sycamores on a three-pointer at the buzzer to fall 59-58. Butler rebounded from that loss to capture an 86-40 win over Elon on Dec. 19.
Head coach Todd Lickliter is in his fifth season at the helm of the Butler program. He has racked up an impressive 88-45 (.662) record, including two NCAA Tournament bids.
The Butler Series
Butler and Indiana will be meeting for the 48th time on the hardwood, but for the first time since Dec. 13, 2003, when IU won 62-50 in Bloomington. The Hoosiers hold a 35-12 advantage in the series history, having won seven of the last nine meetings. However this game marks just the third meeting over the last 10 years between the schools. Furthermore, 10 of the Hoosiers' 12 losses to Butler have come in the Circle City, including two consecutive games on Nov. 27, 1993 (75-71) and Dec. 29, 2001 (66-64).
Butler Last Time Out
Junior Brandon Crone scored a game-high 18 points and Butler used a stifling defense to shut down visiting Elon, 86-40, in a non-league game at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Monday, Dec. 19.
The Bulldogs limited Elon to just three points in the first 17 minutes of the game, while jumping to a 26-point advantage. By the time Elon scored its second field goal in the initial half, Butler held a 33-8 lead. The visitors finished the first half with just three field goals in 21 attempts, and Butler took a 36-12 advantage to the locker room.
The Bulldogs hit 15-of-29 shots from beyond the three-point arc. Seven different players contributed to the three-point total. Butler shot 57 percent from the field for the game.
Indiana Last Time Out
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. IU limited Charlotte to 26.6 percent shooting from the field, including just 19.4 percent in the second half.
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.
D.J. Returns
After missing the previous seven games due to a broken left foot, sophomore forward D.J. White made his season debut, playing 17 minutes at Charlotte on Dec. 19. The 2005 Big Ten Freshman of the Year did not disappoint, accounting for eight points, five rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes of action on the night. White finished last year as one of the top players in the country. The Freshman All-American finished last season with 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per contest.
Home Away From Home
Even though the Hoosiers will not be playing Butler in the friendly confines of Assembly Hall, Indianapolis has always treated Indiana well. IU owns a 67-11 (.859) record in games played in the Circle City. In fact, the Hoosiers have won 17 of their last 19 contests in Indianapolis. The Hoosiers also have a record of 10-3 (.769) in Conseco Fieldhouse. Earlier this season, IU defeated Kentucky, 79-53, on Dec. 10 at the RCA Dome.
From Downtown - Bang!
One of the reasons for Indiana's impressive 71-54 win at Charlotte last Monday was the team's play from behind the arc. With the Hoosiers trailing 18-15 at the 8:18 mark of the opening half, IU hit six consecutive three-pointers to spur a 22-2 run over the next 5:27, and take a commanding 37-20 lead. Indiana finished the half with 10 threes (10-of-14), which equaled a school record and marked the first time it had occurred on the road. The Hoosiers hit 10-of-16 from three-point range in the opening half during an 83-65 victory over then-No. 22 Michigan State on Jan. 8, 2002. On Dec. 2, 2000, IU knocked down 10-of-13 from downtown in the second on its way to an 85-63 victory over Southern Illinois at Assembly Hall in Bloomington. In fact, the Hoosiers are shooting a scorching .471 from downtown this season. That number not only leads the Big Ten, but also ranks as tops in the country as of Dec. 19.
Working The Boards
Charlotte entered its game against Indiana on Dec. 19 as one of the better rebounding teams IU has faced. However, it was the Hoosiers outrebounding the 49ers, 41-38, on the evening, including grabbing 35 defensive rebounds. More importantly, starting guards Marshall Strickland (9) and Lewis Monroe (8) combined for 17 boards on the night, both accounting for career highs on the glass. It is the most rebounds in a game for Indiana since grabbing 55 rebounds against Nicholls State in the season opener on Nov. 18, It is also the first time the Hoosiers had a pair of 40-rebound games in the same season since the 2003-04 when it happened six times.
Shutting Down The Opposition
Defense has played a big role for Indiana's success this season. In victories over then No. 15 Kentucky and at Charlotte on Dec 10 and 19, respectively, the Hoosiers have taken control of the game on the defensive side of the ball. During that stretch, IU has held its opponents to .288 shooting from the floor (36-of-125). More impressive has been the defense on the perimeter, allowing opponents just nine three-pointers on 46 attempts - an average of .196. Furthermore, the Hoosiers have forced 28 turnovers and only 13 assists during the two-game stretch.
